Dental Second Opinions

A second opinion at Pearl32 Dentistry and Wellness compares your existing treatment plan with our own examination, item by item, on the screen. We use your x-rays when they are usable and take our own only when they are not. We tell you when the original plan is sound. Where we differ, we say why in terms of the tooth. You leave with a written, itemized version you can take anywhere, including back to your current dentist. Call (949) 830-0074 to book.

When a second opinion is worth getting

A second opinion is worth the time when a plan is large or when it surprised you.

Common reasons people call us:

• A plan with several crowns or several implants.
• A recommendation to extract a tooth you thought could be saved.
• A deep cleaning (scaling and root planing) you were not expecting.
• A plan that changed sharply between two visits.
• Simply wanting to understand what is proposed and why.

None of these means the first plan is wrong. It means the plan is worth checking before you commit to it.

What to bring

Bring your x-rays, or ask your current office to send the digital files to us before the visit.

If you have had a cone beam CT scan, ask for the scan files rather than printed images.

Bring the written treatment plan. A version with procedure codes lets us compare line by line.

Bring any photographs the other office took or that you took yourself.

If you do not have any of this, come anyway. We can still examine you.

How the visit runs

The dentist examines your teeth and gums and reads the records you brought.

We take our own x-rays only if yours are not usable. We take a cone beam CT scan only if it would change the plan.

The two plans go up on the screen side by side. We go through them item by item: what is proposed for each tooth, what we see on that tooth, and whether we agree.

You leave with our written, itemized version of the plan. Cost is quoted in writing, itemized, after an examination.

What we will and will not say

We will say when the original plan is sound, and we say it plainly.

We will not comment on another dentist’s motives. We do not know them, and they are not the question.

Where we differ, we say why in terms of the tooth: how much structure is left, what the x-ray shows at the root, how deep the pocket measures, how the bite loads it.

We will not push you to a decision in the chair. Take the written version home.

Second opinions on implants and failing implants

Implant plans are worth a second look because the timeline is long and the steps depend on bone.

A single implant takes 16 to 28 weeks from placement to crown when there is enough bone. Grafting adds three to six months. If a plan you were given promises much less, ask why. If it does not mention bone, ask about that too.

We also see people whose existing implant is loose, sore or losing bone. That is a different question: whether the implant can be kept or should be removed. Read more on our failing implants page and our dental implants page.

A bridge may be an alternative to an implant for some teeth. We compare the two on our implant versus bridge page.

What a second opinion costs

The consultation fee is quoted in writing before you book. Call (949) 830-0074 and ask.

Any treatment that follows is quoted in writing, itemized, after an examination. We do not quote treatment over the phone because we have not seen the tooth.

We are in network with most major PPO plans and Delta Dental HMO, and we check what your plan covers for a consultation before you come in.

Third party financing is available and the practice is not the creditor, through CareCredit, Cherry, Sunbit and Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub). Details are on our financing page. Our membership plan covers preventive visits for a set annual fee and is a membership plan, not insurance.

Who does the consultation

One of our three general dentists: Dr. Nojan Jahedmanesh, Dr. Masih Rezaei or Dr. Maneli Ardeshirzadeh. All three hold a DDS from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry.

Dr. Jahedmanesh also holds a certificate in prosthodontics from UCLA and practices as a general dentist. Dr. Rezaei is an Assistant Professor at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry.

The dentist who gives the second opinion follows your case if you choose to be treated here.

For complex cases, visiting specialists (a periodontist, an endodontist, an oral surgeon or a pediatric dentist) come to the office. Your general dentist coordinates the plan.

Questions people ask

Will you criticize my dentist?

No. We compare plans, not people. We look at the tooth, the x-ray and the written plan, and we tell you whether we would propose the same thing. When we would, we say so. When we would not, we explain the difference in terms of the tooth itself. We do not comment on another dentist’s skill or motives.

Do I have to switch offices?

No. You can take our written, itemized version back to your current dentist and continue there. The point of the visit is a clear plan, not a change of office. If you decide you would rather be treated here, the dentist who gave the second opinion follows your case through. Either way, the written plan is yours to keep. Call (949) 830-0074 if you have questions about it.

Can a second opinion be done from x-rays alone?

Partly. X-rays show decay between teeth, bone levels and what is happening at the root. They do not show how a tooth feels to a probe, how deep the gum pockets are, how the bite loads a tooth, or whether a crack is present. The examination matters. We read your x-rays first, then examine you, and the opinion comes from both.

How soon can I get a second opinion?

Usually within the week. Call (949) 830-0074 and ask for a second opinion visit so we can allow time to review your records. If you are in pain, same-day emergency slots are held Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, and the second opinion can be part of that visit. Send your x-rays and plan ahead if you can. See the emergency page.

Is a second opinion worth it for a single crown?

Sometimes. The question is how much tooth is left. A tooth with a large old filling and a crack may need a crown, and a tooth with a small area of decay may only need a filling. The difference shows on the x-ray and under the probe. If you are unsure, bring the plan and the x-ray and we look. See our crowns page.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. What is right for you can only be decided after an examination.