Who Places Dental Implants? A Clear Guide to Specialists and the Implant Process

Four types of clinicians place dental implants: general dentists, oral surgeons, periodontists, and prosthodontists. Any licensed dentist may legally place them. Which one suits you depends on your bone volume, gum health, and how many teeth you are replacing.

 

• There is no implant licence. Implant placement is within the scope of practice of any licensed dentist. That means the title on the door tells you less than the training, the case volume and the imaging they use.
• Straightforward cases suit a general dentist. Adequate bone, healthy gums, one or two teeth – a trained general dentist can place and restore these, and you keep one point of contact.
• Complicated cases need a surgeon or periodontist. Bone grafting, sinus lifts, active gum disease or a previously failed implant are the signals to involve a specialist.
• Full-arch work needs prosthodontic planning. When you are replacing most or all of an arch, the final prosthesis dictates where the implants go – so that design has to come first.
• The single best predictor is planning, not job title. A CBCT 3D scan and a restorative-first plan matter more to your outcome than which of the four letters follows the clinician name.

 

A dental implant is a replacement tooth root, usually a titanium post anchored in the jaw, which then supports a crown, a bridge or a full-arch prosthesis. Because implant treatment has a surgical half and a restorative half, more than one clinician is often involved – and patients are frequently unsure who is doing what. This guide sets out each provider role, when a referral is the safer choice, how the process runs stage by stage, and the questions worth asking before you commit.

 

Is a specialist legally required to place a dental implant?

No. In California, implant placement falls within the general scope of dental practice, so any dentist holding an active state licence may perform it. There is no separate implant licence and no state-mandated specialist certification.

This surprises most patients, and it is the single most useful thing to understand before you start comparing providers. It means the distinction you are actually shopping for is not legal – it is a matter of training, case volume and judgement about when to refer. The American Dental Association recognises oral and maxillofacial surgery, periodontics and prosthodontics as specialties. Implant dentistry is not one of them. Instead, dentists who focus on implants pursue post-graduate education and voluntary credentials such as those from the American Academy of Implant Dentistry or the American Board of Oral Implantology.

 

So the useful question is not “are you a specialist?” but “is my case within what you place routinely, and what would make you refer me?” A clinician who answers the second half of that question specifically is telling you they know their own limits, which is exactly what you want.

 

Who are the dental implant specialists?

Four clinician types are involved in implant care: a general dentist who coordinates diagnosis and delivers the final restoration, an oral surgeon who handles complex surgical placement, a periodontist who manages gums and bone, and a prosthodontist who designs the prosthesis. Many cases involve two of them working together.

 

Table 1. What each clinician does

Clinician	Primary role	Typical procedures	Best fit when
General dentist	Coordinates diagnosis and restorative care	Planning, straightforward placement, crowns, implant-supported bridges	Bone and gums are healthy; one or two teeth
Oral surgeon	Surgical placement and complex extractions	Implant surgery, bone grafting, sinus lifts, impacted tooth removal	Bone is deficient; difficult anatomy; full-arch surgery
Periodontist	Protects and rebuilds gums and bone	Soft-tissue management, ridge augmentation, periodontal therapy, placement in compromised sites	Gum disease is active; a previous implant failed
Prosthodontist	Designs and delivers the prosthesis	Full-arch restorations, implant crowns and bridges, occlusal planning, esthetic design	Replacing most of an arch; demanding bite or appearance

 

Read the last column first – it is the one that applies to you. The rest of this article works through each role in more detail, but if your bone and gums are healthy and you are replacing a single tooth, the honest answer is that a well-trained general dentist and an oral surgeon will both serve you well, and the deciding factor becomes planning quality and convenience.

 

Published evidence supports team-based planning for implant cases. A 2025 review, Interdisciplinary approaches in modern dentistry: A comprehensive review, found that coordinated care across periodontics, prosthodontics, oral surgery and general dentistry improves treatment planning and procedural predictability, particularly in complex cases.

 

Can a general dentist place dental implants?

Yes, and for straightforward cases a trained general dentist is often the most practical choice. They typically act as the coordinator: diagnosing the tooth loss, presenting the options, and delivering the final crown or implant-supported bridge.

That restorative perspective matters more than it sounds. The ideal implant position is determined by where the final crown needs to sit – its contact with neighbouring teeth, its emergence from the gum, how it meets the opposing tooth when you bite. A dentist who will be making that crown has a direct interest in the implant going exactly where the crown needs it. For complex surgical needs or significant bone loss, general dentists refer out and then complete the restorative phase after healing. If you want a single practice managing your general, restorative and implant care together, the criteria in how to choose the best family dentist in Encino apply here too.

How do oral surgeons perform dental implant surgery?

Oral surgeons handle the surgically difficult cases. Their training covers implant placement, bone grafting, sinus lifts where the jaw lacks height, and jaw reconstruction to create a stable foundation.

They are also the right choice when a tooth still in place needs removing under difficult conditions – a fractured root, an impacted tooth, or a tooth being extracted and implanted at the same visit. On the general question of removals and healing, our tooth extraction service page and extraction recovery guide cover what to expect. Oral surgeons coordinate with the restorative dentist so placement matches the planned prosthesis. For impacted teeth, severe bone atrophy or full-arch cases, their involvement reduces intraoperative risk.

 

What is the role of a periodontist in implant placement?

Periodontists specialise in the gums and bone that support teeth and implants. They are the right referral when tissue regeneration, bone grafting or treatment of active gum disease is needed before an implant can be placed.

Their techniques prepare and preserve the soft-tissue environment so an implant can integrate without chronic inflammation, and they reshape gum contours to serve both function and appearance. They work with the restorative dentist to time grafting, placement and final restoration so healing aligns with the prosthetic plan.

 

The three regenerative procedures you may hear named:

• Bone grafting. Rebuilds lost jawbone to create a stable base for the implant.
• Guided tissue regeneration. Uses a barrier membrane to encourage new bone and soft tissue to form.
• Periodontal therapy. Treats active gum disease before placement to reduce infection risk. This may mean deep gum cleaning first – see deep cleaning costs in Encino for how that is scoped.

How do periodontists manage gum and bone health for implants?

They assess bone volume and quality, eliminate periodontal infection, and rebuild deficient sites through procedures such as ridge augmentation and bone grafting. They also refine the soft tissue to produce a natural emergence profile where the crown meets the gum.

Stabilising the biological environment before placement is what reduces the risk of peri-implantitis – inflammation around an implant that can progressively destroy the bone holding it. Peri-implantitis is the leading cause of late implant failure, and it is largely preventable through the combination of a healthy starting tissue environment and consistent professional cleanings afterwards. Where periodontal disease or meaningful bone loss is present, involving a periodontist early materially improves the odds.

When should you choose a periodontist for your implant?

See a periodontist if you have signs of gum disease, insufficient bone, or a history of implant complications. Specific signals: persistent periodontal pockets, visible bone loss on imaging, gum recession around existing restorations, or the need for advanced grafting to support the implant.

At the consultation, ask two things directly. First, whether any active periodontal disease will be treated before placement, and how long that adds to the timeline. Second, what graft material is proposed and what the expected healing period is. Coordinating the periodontist with your restorative dentist ensures the tissue foundation is right before the surgical and prosthetic phases begin. If a previous restoration has failed, the questions in who is responsible when a crown fails are worth reading before your next consultation.

 

What does a prosthodontist do in implant treatment?

Prosthodontists design and deliver the final implant-supported restorations, planning function, bite and appearance from the outset. Their scope covers precise impressions or digital scans, CAD/CAM design, material selection and occlusal management.

For a single tooth this expertise is useful. For multiple missing teeth or a full-mouth rehabilitation it becomes decisive, because prosthodontic planning determines how many implants are needed, where they sit and how the prosthesis is designed. Material choice – zirconia, porcelain-fused-to-metal, or a hybrid – is balanced against strength, appearance and wear. Where a broader esthetic result is the goal, this overlaps with the planning described in our Encino smile makeover guide.

 

The prosthetic-first workflow:

• Provisionalisation. Temporary restorations shape the soft tissue and let function be tested before anything is finalised.
• Digital design. CAD/CAM workflows produce precision-fit crowns, bridges and abutments – the same technology behind same-day CEREC crowns.
• Material selection. Chosen for strength, appearance and wear resistance against the opposing teeth.

Why prosthodontists matter most in complex cases

Because in a full-arch case, the prosthesis design dictates the implant positions – so designing it last is designing it backwards. Prosthodontic input prevents misaligned implants, mechanical overload and poor esthetics in exactly the cases where those errors are most expensive to correct.

Working alongside the surgeon, the prosthodontist verifies that the restorative goal is achievable before any implant is placed, which reduces revisions. Where the bite itself is compromised – severe wear, or jaw joint symptoms addressed through TMJ therapy – that assessment has to happen before implants are positioned, not after. A 2024 paper, Interdisciplinary management of orthodontic-dental implant-restorative patients, makes the same case: coordinated planning determines implant number, location and timing in complex presentations.

 

Which provider does your case actually need?

Match the provider to your starting condition, not to the procedure name. The table below maps common situations to the clinician who should lead – though in practice two of them frequently share the case.

 

Table 2. Start here, based on your situation

Your situation	Who should lead	Why
One missing tooth, healthy gums, adequate bone	General dentist or oral surgeon	Routine placement; restorative-led planning is an advantage
Tooth needs removing and replacing	Oral surgeon, with restorative planning	Extraction and placement may be combined at one visit
Bleeding gums or diagnosed gum disease	Periodontist first	Disease must be controlled before an implant is placed
CBCT shows insufficient bone height	Oral surgeon or periodontist	Grafting or a sinus lift is needed before placement
An earlier implant failed	Periodontist or oral surgeon	The cause must be identified before replacing it
Replacing most or all of one arch	Prosthodontist leading, surgeon placing	The prosthesis design determines implant positions
Unsure whether to save or replace the tooth	General dentist	Root canal versus extraction is the first decision
High esthetic demand on a front tooth	Prosthodontist or restorative-led team	Shade, contour and gum line are the hard part

 

One row deserves expanding. If you have not yet decided whether the tooth can be saved, that comes before any implant conversation – a root canal that succeeds keeps your natural tooth root, which no implant fully replicates. Our root canal treatment guide covers when saving the tooth is realistic. And if the tooth is causing acute pain right now, that is an emergency appointment, not a planning appointment – see immediate dental care in Encino.

 

Is an implant the right choice, or would a bridge or denture serve you better?

An implant is usually the best long-term option for a single missing tooth because it replaces the root and does not rely on neighbouring teeth – but it is not always the right choice. Bone volume, general health, healing time and budget all legitimately change the answer.

The clearest structural argument for an implant is that it stands alone. A conventional dental bridge requires preparing the two healthy teeth either side to carry it, which means permanently altering sound teeth – and if one of those supporting teeth later fails, the whole bridge is affected. An implant leaves the neighbours untouched. It also transmits force into the jawbone, which helps maintain the bone volume that tends to reduce after a tooth is lost.

Against that: implants need adequate bone, take months rather than weeks, and involve surgery. Where those are obstacles, a bridge or a partial denture can be the better plan. We compare the options directly in dental bridge versus implant for a missing tooth and dental implants versus dentures; the different bridge designs are set out in types of dental bridges, and denture options covers complete and partial. For the full picture on implants specifically, see our Encino dental implants guide and the dental implants service page.

 

How does Dental Line approach implants in Encino?

Dental Line plans implants restoratively first: the desired final result is designed before any surgical decision, using CBCT 3D imaging to assess the site. Dr. Irena Starchenko leads restorative planning and places the implant-supported restorations, coordinating with surgical partners for advanced procedures.

This is a hybrid model, and it is worth being explicit about why. Restorative-first planning means the crown is designed before the implant position is fixed, so the implant serves the restoration rather than the restoration compensating for the implant. Bringing in a surgical partner for grafting and complex anatomy means those procedures are done by someone who does them constantly. The practice accepts PPO insurance and offers sedation for anxious patients – see comfort and safety for what that involves.

 

Table 3. Who does what at Dental Line

Role	Responsibility	What it means for you
Restorative dentist (Dr. Starchenko)	Treatment planning and restorative design; implant-supported crowns and bridges	Implant position is driven by the final result you agreed to
Surgical partner	Advanced placement, bone grafting, complex extractions	Surgical complexity is handled by someone who does it daily
Practice technology	CBCT 3D imaging and fully digital workflows	Fewer intraoperative surprises; guided surgery is possible

 

Does Dr. Starchenko place implants, or refer them?

Dr. Irena Starchenko leads restorative planning and places implant-supported restorations at Dental Line. Routine cases with adequate bone may be placed in-house; cases needing advanced bone grafting or complex oral surgery are placed by a surgical partner, after which you return to Dental Line for the final restoration. The plan tells you which applies to your case before treatment begins, not during it. You can read more about Dr. Starchenko and the wider clinical team.

What technology is used for implant planning?

Primarily CBCT 3D scanning paired with planning software, which together allow a surgical guide to be fabricated. A 3D dental scan shows bone volume, bone density, sinus position and nerve pathways in three dimensions – detail a conventional two-dimensional X-ray cannot provide.

That data drives three decisions: whether grafting is needed, what implant size and angle to use, and where the implant must sit to support the planned crown. The plan is then transferred into a surgical guide, a physical template that directs the drill to the planned position. A 2024 case report, Full digital workflow for prosthetic driven implant planning and surgical guide fabrication, describes computer-assisted guides as the current standard of care in implant dentistry, reporting small mean angular and linear deviations between the planned and achieved positions. Our equipment and technology page lists what is available in the practice.

 

What is the step-by-step implant process?

Four stages: consultation with imaging, surgical placement, a healing period for osseointegration, then the restorative phase. Total time is usually several months, driven almost entirely by how long the bone takes to fuse to the implant.

 

Table 4. The four stages and what each involves

Stage	What happens	Typical duration
Consultation and CBCT	Clinical exam, 3D scan, treatment plan built around the final restoration	One visit; planning continues over several days
Surgical placement	Titanium implant placed, sometimes with simultaneous bone grafting	Single-day procedure
Healing and osseointegration	Bone fuses to the implant; follow-up visits and radiographs confirm progress	Commonly about three to six months, longer with grafting
Restoration	Abutment placed, digital scan or impression taken, final crown or bridge fitted	Several visits across a few weeks

 

Two points patients regularly ask about. First, you are not left with a gap during healing – a provisional restoration can be used to maintain appearance and shape the soft tissue while osseointegration proceeds. Second, osseointegration is a biological process and cannot be rushed; the three-to-six-month range reflects bone remodelling, not scheduling. If you are budgeting time off, how long dental appointments take gives realistic figures, and how long dental numbness lasts covers the hours immediately after surgery.

 

How do you choose the right implant provider in Encino?

Judge four things: relevant training, experience with cases like yours, whether they use CBCT and guided surgery, and how they handle comfort and follow-up. Turn each into a question you ask out loud at the consultation.

 

Table 5. What to ask, and what a good answer sounds like

What to check	Ask this	A good answer
Training	What formal implant training do you have?	Names specific programmes or credentials, not just years in practice
Case experience	How many cases like mine have you done in the last year?	Gives a number and offers to show their own case photos
Imaging	Will I have a CBCT scan, and will you use a surgical guide?	Yes to both, and explains what the scan will tell them
Referral judgement	What would make you refer my case to a specialist?	Answers specifically – a clinician who knows their limits
Comfort	What sedation and post-operative follow-up do you offer?	Describes options and names the follow-up schedule
Cost clarity	Can I have a written plan with each item priced?	Provides one before you commit, including possible grafting
Failure policy	What happens if the implant does not integrate?	States the policy plainly rather than deflecting

 

The fourth row is the one most patients skip and the one that tells you most. Every clinician has a threshold beyond which they refer. A provider who names theirs specifically is demonstrating judgement; one who implies there is no such case is telling you something less reassuring. Patient reports on how a practice actually handles this are worth reading too – ours are on our testimonials page.

 

What affects the cost, and what will insurance pay?

Implant cost is driven by how many procedures your case needs, not by the implant itself. The fixture, abutment and crown are three separate components, and grafting or a sinus lift adds a separate surgical procedure on top.

That is why a single published figure is misleading for an individual patient: two people replacing one tooth can need genuinely different amounts of work. The variables that move the total are the number of implants, whether bone grafting or a sinus lift is required, the restoration material, whether sedation is used, and whether an extraction is part of the plan. Rather than quote a range that may not apply to you, the practice provides a written treatment plan with each item priced after the CBCT scan and examination – so you see the whole figure, including any grafting, before agreeing to anything.

On insurance: dental plans vary more on implants than on almost any other procedure. Some cover a share of the restorative components, some exclude implants entirely, and some contribute toward an alternative such as a bridge instead. Our insurance page lists the plans accepted and we verify your specific benefits before treatment. Payment options are on the financing page. One thing worth stating plainly: the cheapest path is usually the one where the tooth never needed replacing, which is the argument made in how preventive dental care saves money.

 

Frequently asked questions

What kind of dentist is best for dental implants?

The one whose routine work matches your case. For a single tooth with healthy bone and gums, a trained general dentist or an oral surgeon are both good choices. For active gum disease or bone loss, a periodontist. For a full arch, a prosthodontist-led team. There is no single best specialty – there is a best match, which is why the CBCT scan and the treatment plan matter more than the title.

What are the risks of dental implants?

Implants are generally safe, but as surgery they carry real risks worth knowing before you consent. These include infection at the site, nerve irritation, sinus complications with upper jaw implants, and failure to integrate if bone volume or placement is inadequate. Later, peri-implantitis – inflammation of the tissue around the implant – can cause bone loss and eventual failure. Swelling and discomfort during healing are normal rather than complications. Your clinician should discuss risks specific to your health and case complexity.

How long do dental implants last?

The titanium fixture is intended to be permanent and often lasts decades; the crown on top wears and may need replacing sooner. Longevity depends on oral hygiene, whether you smoke, bone quality, and whether you grind your teeth. Regular check-ups let the implant and surrounding tissue be monitored, which is how most problems are caught while they are still fixable.

Are dental implants suitable for everyone?

No. Ideal candidates have healthy gums and sufficient bone, and several medical conditions raise the risk of complications. Uncontrolled diabetes, some autoimmune conditions, and recent head or neck radiation therapy all warrant careful evaluation. Smoking measurably increases failure risk by impairing healing – and it is worth knowing that a dentist can generally tell whether you smoke, so there is nothing to gain by not mentioning it. Insufficient bone is often solvable through grafting rather than being a disqualification. A full evaluation, including CBCT imaging, determines candidacy.

What is recovery like after implant surgery?

Most people return to normal daily activity within a few days; full osseointegration takes months. Expect swelling and discomfort in the first days, usually managed with medication. Follow-up visits confirm healing is progressing. The long part of recovery is biological and largely invisible – the bone fusing to the implant – and it is why the total timeline runs to months even though you feel normal well before then.

How do I look after a dental implant?

Care for it like a natural tooth, with one addition: keep every recall appointment. Brush and floss daily, attend regular professional cleanings, and avoid chewing very hard objects. Do not smoke – it impairs healing and raises failure risk. The reason recalls matter more with implants is that peri-implantitis is often painless in its early stages, so it is detected at a check-up rather than by you noticing something. Routine dental exams are the mechanism that protects the investment.

Can one tooth be extracted and implanted on the same day?

Sometimes, and it is called immediate placement – but it depends on the condition of the socket and surrounding bone. When there is no active infection and enough healthy bone remains after removal, placing the implant at the same visit reduces the number of procedures and the overall timeline. Where infection is present or the bone wall is compromised, the site is allowed to heal first and the implant placed later. The CBCT scan, taken before the extraction, is what settles this question.

What is the cost of a dental implant?

It depends on how many procedures your specific case requires, so we give a written plan with each item priced rather than a single figure. The main variables are the number of implants, whether bone grafting or a sinus lift is needed, the restoration material, and whether sedation or an extraction is part of the treatment. Insurance coverage for implants varies substantially between plans, so we verify your specific benefits first. Both are covered on our insurance and financing pages.

 

Book an implant consultation in Encino

If you are weighing an implant, the useful first step is a consultation that includes CBCT imaging – because until the scan exists, nobody can tell you reliably whether you need grafting, which provider should lead, or what the treatment will involve. Dental Line provides that assessment and a written plan before any commitment. Request an appointment with Dr. Irena Starchenko, or contact the practice with a question first. Call (747) 265-6179 or visit 18024 Ventura Blvd, Encino, CA. New patients can see what to expect on our first visit page.