Smile Studio is a Upland based OWNER OCCUPIED, family dentist practice that treats patients of all ages. We are committed to delivering the highest quality dental care and do so using advanced dental equipment. We are one of the few PRIVATE offices in the country that employ Specialists on STAFF where the patients are able to see the BOTH the general dentist and the specialists in one roof. We are a cosmetic dentist that offers services like checkups, teeth cleaning, crowns, veneers and more. We also are one of the few Dental offices in the country to have both an inhouse dental ceramic lab technician and denture lab technician in house.

Dr. Phil J. Ra was raised in Southern California and currently takes pride in residing and practicing the art and science of dentistry in Upland and the surrounding areas. His childhood goal of becoming a dentist became a reality when he was accepted into the prestigious six-year Accelerated Dental Acceptance Program Tract (ADAPT) at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry right out of high school in 1994. Dr. Ra is proud of this accomplishment, as only a select group of students in the nation are accepted into this academically rigorous and clinically grueling accelerated program.

After becoming one of the youngest doctors to graduate with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in the history of USC in 2000, Dr. Ra spent several years (and still spends many hours) attaining up-to-date continuing dental education and training to better serve the Inland Empire for over 15 years. . His unwavering commitment to staying on top of dentistry's latest techniques and research has earned him the highly prestigious Fellowship from the Academy of General Dentistry. This means he has the skills gained from more post-doctorate education in 3 years than the State of California requires dentists to take in 20 years of practice.

In 2007, Dr. Ra received the 'Top Dentists in America' award, given annually by the Consumer Research Council to selected dental healthcare professionals. Starting in 2008, Dr. Ra was extremely honored to be voted as one of the 'FAVORITE DENTIST OF THE INLAND EMPIRE' by the Inland Empire Magazine for 7 years straight.

Currently, Dr. Phil J. Ra is a member of the ADA, AGD, IAOMT, and the ICOI and has a FELLOWSHIP in the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and FELLOWSHIP in the International Congress of Oral Implantology (ICOI) and also an Associate Fellow from the World Clinical Laser Institute (WCLI). Dr. Ra is one of the very select few in the Inland Empire to be certified in the LANAP (Laser Assisted New Attachment Protocol) and was one of the first doctors to be trained in the pinhole gum rejuvenation procedure. He is also actively involved in organized dentistry, previously serving as a board member in the Southern California Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Ra was a regular contributor to dental health articles for the Inland Empire Family Magazine and is also a manuscript peer-reviewer for the General Dentistry magazine, which is the leading peer reviewed publication for the general dentist. He is also involved in numerous study clubs in order to maintain the latest knowledge in cutting edge dentistry.

Dr. Ra practices Biologic Dentistry and maximizes the power of cavity re-mineralization, alkalization of the mouth, and other homeopathic and minimally invasive techniques to help every patient be as healthy as possible.

In our Upland dental office, patients have the opportunity to complete dental material compatibility testing. This test will inform your dentist of any reactivity within your body to specific dental materials. Dr. Ra only uses the most biocompatible materials.

Our office uses the latest in digital dental radiographs, digital 3D radiographs (CBCT), digital photography, and polarized infrared light (diagnocam technology) to offer the safest and most accurate diagnosis. We also employ CEREC (CAD/CAM Technology) which allows us to perform same day permanent conservative biocompatible restorations. This is convenient for our many patients who travel in from out of the area for treatment.

The 3D (CBCT) is a wonderful technology employed to evaluate root-canalled teeth for cracks and chronic infections that potentially leak pathogenic bacteria into your body. When needed, this technology is used to perform simple guided flap-less implant surgery. This is the least traumatic and least painful implant procedure.

Another great advantage to Dr. Phil Ra 's SmileStudio is his 'in-house' dental laboratory. When aesthetic services are needed or desired, no work is out-sourced from the office. Our in house lab allows perfect communication of patients ' desired outcomes to the ceramist fabricating the crown or veneer. We perform custom smile design, custom shade matching, and in house quality control using the highest quality ceramics in existence. Whether it is one tooth in the front of the mouth or your entire smile, our in-house laboratory ensures your aesthetic desires are met and exceeded.

Dr. Christopher Yoo was born and raised in Southern California. He received his Bachelor Degree in Economics from the University of California, Irvine. He then moved to Boston, MA where he received his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. After graduating, Dr. Yoo has moved back to Southern California where he is now practicing dentistry full time.

Dr. Roy Yoo spent most of his childhood years in the South Bay area before he moved to the Bay area to attend college. He graduated from UC Berkeley with a major in Molecular & Cell Biology. After graduating from UC Berkeley, Dr. Yoo moved to Boston where he attended the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

Dr. Yoo received his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Harvard in 2004. After finishing dental school, Dr. Yoo moved back to Southern California and continued his specialty training in periodontics at the USC School of Dentistry. During his training, Dr. Yoo has done extensive research and has published articles in The International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants and The Journal of the Western Society of Periodontology.

As a Board Eligible Periodontist, Dr. Yoo limits his clinical practice to periodontics & implant dentistry. He is qualified in all areas of periodontics and has extensive clinical experience with most major implant systems. Dr. Yoo is dedicated to serving his community with the highest quality of care and stays updated with the latest developments in his specialty. Dr. Yoo continues to be actively involved in his community. He remains affiliated with the USC Advanced Periodontics Department as a part-time faculty member and his professional affiliations include memberships to the American Academy of Periodontology, Academy of Osseointegration, California Society of Periodontists, Western Society of Periodontology, South Coast Periodontal Group, Interdisciplinary Dentofacial Institute, California Dental Association, and the American Dental Association. He currently works in our office once a month.

Dental implants can be an ideal solution to replacing damaged or missing teeth. They can restore not only the functionality of teeth but can provide a great new look as well. Dental implants are a standard cosmetic dental option offered at Smile Studio.

People tend to assume that the gap left behind after losing a permanent adult tooth can remain empty. The reality is that an exposed tooth socket faces the risk of infection, can cause teeth to shift out of alignment, and can cause other issues as well. With a dental implant, we can help patients avoid those oral health issues We have the tools and skills necessary to provide patients with a customized dental implant to meet their specific needs.

Dental implants can even help prevent facial structure from changing, providing the functionality needed to perform the same as before the original tooth was damaged. Supplementing them with a dental crown can also ensure that the dental implant looks perfectly natural along with your other teeth.

Once you are cleared for the procedure, the team at Smile Studio will take an impression of your mouth to create a new tooth in a dental lab. Each synthetic tooth will match the size and shape of the surrounding teeth, along with having a perfect color match. This way your smile will appear completely natural once we complete the procedure. Many patients are satisfied with the results since no one can tell the difference between which teeth are real and which ones are synthetic.

Teeth restored with implants will not get cavities. A replacement tooth, or crown, does not decay like a natural tooth. However, you still need to brush, floss and care for it and your surrounding natural teeth in the same manner as natural teeth. Regular professional cleanings and dental checkups are also essential.

The next step in the procedure is to implant a metal post under the gum line. This aspect of the procedure is what sets an implant apart from other forms of cosmetic dentistry. The metal post is secured to the jawbone in order to create a durable, synthetic root system that rivals the strength of natural roots; with one exception that the metal cannot face infection. Over the course of a couple of months, the metal post and jawbone will fuse together. This creates a level of durability that cannot be replicated in other types of procedures.

Afterward, we will secure the new synthetic tooth to the metal post at the surface of the gums. The new tooth is attached so securely, that patients can eat their favorite foods, maintain an active lifestyle, play sports, and more, without fear of their tooth becoming loose or falling out. Patients can enjoy the benefits that come from never having to worry about their tooth again.

Once implants have been installed, they are extremely easy to care for. We hear patients throughout Upland ask questions that range from 'Do implants come out' to 'How do I brush my teeth'. Fortunately, the answers are not as complex as some people might believe. Since we install dental implants by creating a synthetic root system, they are durable and secure. The dental implants will not fall out or become loose. This means you can go play basketball, run in a 10k marathon, and wrestle with your kids without worrying about your tooth coming out.

In order to care for your implants, we advise patients to brush and floss their teeth throughout the day like normal. Additionally, it is important to schedule dental exams and cleanings with Dr. Ra at least twice a year. The team at Smile Studio will help to clean your teeth and ensure that they stay healthy. While dental implants cannot become infected themselves, the teeth around them can. If, in the future, you suffer from a severe case of gum disease or a dental abscess, the infection can spread into your jawbone. This puts your implants in jeopardy because in order to stay secure, the jawbone must be in good health. If it becomes infected, your dental implants and all of your teeth will be in jeopardy.

A. Generally, this is not a good idea. We find that it is generally much better not to attach implants to teeth. We frequently attach implants to each other, which can improve strength and works well. So in a case like this, although it may be more expensive in the short term to place two implants instead of one, the long-term success is likely to be much better with the two implants.

Q. I lost my upper back teeth on one side and have gone for years without doing anything about it. My sinuses always seem to bother me more on that side than on the side that I have back teeth. Could these problems be related to one another?

A. In a large majority of people who are missing their upper back teeth for a long period of time, is the increasing downward growth of the maxillary sinus. At birth, it is the size of a pea and progressively grows as the skull matures. This growth is at the expense of the surrounding bone. If you are considering replacing those upper back teeth with fixed teeth that stay in all the time, it may be necessary to perform a sinus elevation procedure to allow room for placement of dental implants into this area to support those teeth. This involves placement of bone and/or bone substitutes into an area which was previously occupied by the lower part of the maxillary sinus. Most importantly, this procedure increases the available bone use to place implants and restore the missing back teeth.

A. In most cases, with the new options available today in the field of dental implants, some form of treatment is possible. We encourage people to get help as soon as possible if they are already having some problems with their current situation. These problems include excessive use of denture adhesives, chewing only soft food, unable to taste some foods, constant mouth sores, unhappy with the appearance of one's teeth and bite position (in some cases the nose and chin getting closer together). The sooner we correct the problems with dental implants, the more choices one has available for treatment. If you have any or all of the above symptoms, implants can very well be the answer for you.

A. It is not necessary to have an implant for every tooth that is being replaced. The number of implants necessary to provide support depends on the type of implants used and the type of teeth (removable vs. non- removable) that will be attached to the implants. A thorough oral exam and panoramic x-ray is all that is necessary in most cases, to determine which implant can be used and how many must be used. Sometimes additional X-rays or CT scans are used in more complicated cases.

Q. I consulted a dentist several years ago about using implants to replace my lower denture and he told me that I did not have adequate bone available to place enough in-the-bone implants without danger of fracturing my now fragile jawbone. Are there any alternatives?

A. Because of the advances in the field of implantology, there are now more choices and techniques. It is rare for a person to not be able to receive an implant or a combination of implants. Today we have available many types of implants designed to accommodate multiple problems.

A. Teeth that have root canals can fracture more easily than other teeth because they are weaker and somewhat dehydrated. They can sometimes be as brittle as glass. In the past, the best available treatment was to remove the tooth and file down the adjacent teeth to make a bridge - caps on the adjacent teeth with an attached 'dummy' tooth between. Sometimes this still is the only way. However, in many cases an implant can replace the fractured tooth and we will not need to grind down a tooth to at all.

Gum disease, if left untreated, often results in tooth loss, leaving many patients to wonder if they can get dental implants. Even gum disease patients who do not develop the advanced form of the disease, known as periodontitis, may want to replace missing or decayed teeth with implants. Is this possible, or will unhealthy gums

Dental implant surgery is one of the most reliable and long-lasting ways to replace missing teeth. However, since this surgery involves inserting an artificial tooth root into the jawbone, it almost always causes some amount of pain. Before undergoing this surgery, many dental patients are worried about the level of pain they may experience afterward

Individuals with missing teeth have several options for restoring their smiles, and one of these options are dental bridges. Bridges can assist with filling the gaps left behind by missing teeth. Are they the right choice for you? Determining the answer to this question depends on several factors, so lets get started.They consist of artificial