How much do dental implants cost?

At 5D Smiles in Downey, CA, single implants start at $3,500 all-inclusive. Full-arch All-on-6 starts at $24,000 per arch. Most patients qualify for 0% APR financing up to $60,000.

Are dental implants painful?

Day 1 feels like having a single tooth pulled. IV sedation handles the procedure, the Vampire Protocol PRP cuts post-op inflammation, and most patients only need light pain meds for 1 to 2 days.

How long do dental implants last?

Modern implants survive 25+ years in well-maintained mouths. ADA cites 90 to 95% success at 10 years. PubMed reports 94.6% survival at 20 years in well-maintained cases.

Am I a candidate for dental implants?

Most patients are candidates, even those turned away elsewhere. Bone graft, sinus lift, and zygomatic placement techniques expand the candidate pool dramatically. Bring your previous CBCT to the consult.

Does insurance cover dental implants?

Most PPO plans cover a portion. Original Medicare excludes implants in nearly every case. We offer 0% APR financing up to $60,000 plus HSA / FSA eligibility to close the gap.

How long does the dental implant procedure take?

Chair time is 30 to 60 minutes per implant. Total timeline from consult to final crown is 14 to 18 weeks, mostly waiting for osseointegration (8 to 14 weeks) with a temporary in place.

What is the Vampire Implant Protocol?

Developed at UCLA, the Vampire Protocol uses platelet-rich plasma drawn from your own blood at the time of surgery. The growth factors accelerate bone integration by 30 to 40% and reduce inflammation.

Can smokers get dental implants?

Yes. Smoking roughly doubles failure rate, but it does not disqualify. We require a 2-week pre-op pause and 8-week post-op pause. About 60% of our smoker patients use the surgery as their quit moment.

How much does a dental implant cost?

A single implant at 5D Smiles is $3,500 all-inclusive — consult, 3D CBCT scan, implant, abutment, and final zirconia crown. There are no surprise add-ons. Full-arch All-on-6 starts at $24,000 per arch, with bone grafting and sinus lifts included rather than added on. We finance up to $60,000 at 0% APR for qualified patients.

Does insurance cover dental implants?

Most PPO plans cover 30–50% of the implant, abutment, and crown — usually up to your annual max of $1,500–$3,000. Many medical plans now cover implants when a tooth was lost to trauma or disease. Your consultation includes a benefits verification so you know exactly what's covered before treatment.

How long does the implant process take?

From consult to final crown is typically 3–4 months on a healed extraction site, or 4–6 months if a bone graft is needed. The surgery itself is 60–90 minutes for a single implant. Most of the timeline is the bone fusing to the implant under the gum — you're not in the chair during that.

Most patients describe Day 1 as similar to having a single tooth pulled — a 3–4 on a 10-point scale, controlled with ibuprofen and Tylenol. About 60% of our patients never fill the narcotic prescription. IV sedation handles the procedure itself; you have no memory of it. The Vampire Implant Protocol reduces post-op inflammation noticeably.

Am I too old for implants?

No. We routinely place implants in patients in their 70s and 80s. Age itself is not a contraindication — bone density and overall medical health are what matter. A controlled diabetic in their 80s is a better candidate than an uncontrolled diabetic in their 50s.

I've been told I don't have enough bone. Now what?

Bone loss is the most common reason patients are turned away elsewhere. Dr. Qiu trained at UCLA in advanced bone grafting and sinus-lift techniques and has restored over 200 patients who were told no by other offices. Bring your previous CBCT if you have one — we'll review it at your $145 consult.

Can I smoke and still get implants?

You can, but smoking roughly doubles the failure rate. We accept smoking patients with a frank conversation about the risk and a strong push to quit for two weeks before and eight weeks after surgery. If you cannot stop, the implant can still succeed — we just want you to make the choice with eyes open.

How long do implants last?

Long-term studies show 95–98% survival at 10 years. The implant body itself routinely lasts 25+ years. At our practice, the zirconia crown carries a lifetime warranty against fracture or wear. Most patients never need to revisit the decision.

Yes. Titanium implants have been used since 1965 and have one of the longest safety records in medicine. Complications are rare and almost entirely managed by surgical planning — which is why we CT-scan and digitally plan every case.

Can my body reject the implant?

True rejection is extremely rare — titanium is one of the most biocompatible materials known. What's sometimes called rejection is usually failure of osseointegration, which happens in 2–5% of placements and is caused by inadequate bone, infection, or smoking. The implant can typically be replaced after 3–6 months of healing.

Do I need to take time off work?

Most patients return to a desk job at 48 hours. Heavy physical labor we recommend waiting one week. Full-arch surgery is a longer recovery — plan on 3–5 days of mostly-home time.

What if I have a wedding or event coming up?

We can place a temporary tooth — a flipper, an Essix retainer, or a bonded Maryland-style tooth — over the implant during the 3-month integration period at no extra cost when needed for visible teeth. Tell us at the consult; we'll plan around your calendar.

Single tooth or full arch — which do I need?

If you're missing one or two teeth: single implants. If you're missing most teeth or have a failing dentition (multiple loose or rotten teeth that aren't worth saving), full-arch All-on-6 is almost always more cost-effective and faster than implanting each tooth individually. We standardize on six implants per arch rather than four for the long-term load distribution and margin of safety.

What's the difference between zirconia and titanium implants?

Titanium is the implant body in 99% of cases — it has 60+ years of evidence and the strongest integration record. Zirconia is what we use for the abutment and crown — it's tooth-colored and doesn't cast a gray shadow through thin gums. Some patients ask about all-zirconia implants; we discuss those at consult.

Yes, in 2–5% of placements. Causes are inadequate bone, untreated infection, smoking, or uncontrolled diabetes. When failure happens, it's usually in the first 3 months, before the crown is placed. Replacement is almost always possible after 3–6 months of healing.

Do you offer sedation?

Yes. We offer oral sedation, nitrous oxide, and IV sedation with an in-house anesthesia provider. IV sedation is the default for implant surgery — you have no memory of the procedure and most patients wake up surprised it's over.

Is the consult really $145?

Yes. The $145 covers 45 minutes with Dr. Qiu personally — not a sales coordinator — plus a 3D CBCT scan (a $350 value at most imaging centers), an itemized treatment plan, and exact pricing in writing. The $145 is applied to your treatment when you book.

How is 5D Smiles different from the corporate chains?

Corporate dental chains are franchises; the surgeon, prosthodontist, and lab are usually all different entities. At 5D Smiles, Dr. Qiu personally performs every surgical step, designs every crown, and follows every patient post-op. One doctor, one accountability, no hand-offs. Our pricing is also typically 20–40% less.

Can I eat normally with implants?

Yes — steak, apples, raw vegetables, anything. Implants restore 90–100% of natural chewing force. Once the final crown is bonded, there are no food restrictions.

What's the Vampire Implant Protocol?

It's a technique Dr. Qiu trained on at UCLA. We draw your blood at surgery, spin it down to platelet-rich plasma, and bathe the implant in your own growth factors before placing it. Bone integration is 30–40% faster and post-op inflammation is meaningfully lower. We use it on every implant at no extra cost.

FAQ

Dental Implants FAQ

The 20 questions patients ask in their first call with us, answered straight, without marketing softening.

Dr. Henry Qiu, DDS

UCLA Implant FacultyUpdated 2026-05-15

Friends laughing around a candle-lit rooftop dinner table

How this page works

These are the questions patients ask in their first phone call with us. Each answer is exactly what Dr. Qiu would tell you in person — no marketing softening, no upsell scaffolding. If a number is uncertain, the answer says so.

The expandable list below covers the 20 most common questions. If you don't see yours, the fastest way to get an answer is the $145 consultation — 45 minutes with the surgeon, applied to your treatment when you book treatment.

Keep reading

More from the surgeon's notes.

What the data actually says

“The biggest myth in implant dentistry is that price equals quality. The actual quality drivers are CBCT-based planning, photofunctionalized titanium, and a surgeon who places the same implant brand 1,000+ times.”
Dr. Henry Qiu, DDS · UCLA Implant Faculty · 2,500+ implants placed

The American Dental Association cites a 90 to 95% success rate over 10 years when placement protocols are followed. The American Academy of Implant Dentistry reports more than 3 million Americans now have implants, growing by roughly 500,000 per year, with 97%+ success in healthy non-smokers. Long-term PubMed survival data shows 94.6% implant-level survival at 20 years in well-maintained cases. At 5D Smiles, CBCT planning on every case and UV photofunctionalization of every implant surface are how we keep those numbers working for you.

Everything else

20 questions, straight answers

A single implant at 5D Smiles is $3,500 all-inclusive — consult, 3D CBCT scan, implant, abutment, and final zirconia crown. There are no surprise add-ons. Full-arch All-on-6 starts at $24,000 per arch, with bone grafting and sinus lifts included rather than added on. We finance up to $60,000 at 0% APR for qualified patients.

Ready to talk to Dr. Qiu?

Forty-five minutes with the surgeon. 3D CBCT scan, exact pricing in writing, treatment plan you can keep. Applied to your treatment when you book.

Get your free CBCT scan

Or call (562) 923-4538