Full-mouth rehabilitation
When teeth, gums and bite are all compromised, the work is sequenced as a single design: health first, then function, then appearance.
Read the guideBoard-certified prosthodontist · New York City
When the mouth needs a plan, not another patch.
Dr. Kunal Lal, DDS, MS, is a Columbia-trained prosthodontist who takes on the cases that are too involved for routine dentistry: rebuilt bites, implant-supported teeth, worn or failing restorations, and dentures that need to stay in place.
Consultations take place at LAL Dental, 245 E 50th St, New York.
Diplomate, American Board of ProsthodonticsBoard-certified specialist since 2006
- Board-certifiedDiplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics
- Columbia-trainedMS in post-doctoral prosthodontics and DDS, Columbia University
- Taught the specialtyFormer Program Director of Graduate Prosthodontics at Columbia
- PublishedFirst author of 2006 Journal of Prosthodontics papers on guided implant placement
Start here
What a prosthodontist actually does.
The word sounds clinical, but the idea is simple. “Prostho” means replacement. A prosthodontist is the dentist trained to design how teeth, bone, gums and bite all work together, then to rebuild them when they no longer do.
Most dentists do excellent everyday work. A prosthodontist is who you see when one tooth is no longer the problem and the whole system is.
1
General dentist
Dental school, then the full range of everyday care: exams, cleanings, fillings, crowns, extractions.
2
Prosthodontist
Dental school plus an accredited specialty residency devoted to restoring and replacing teeth: implants, bridges, dentures and whole-mouth reconstruction.
3
Board-certified prosthodontist
A specialist who has also passed the American Board of Prosthodontics’ examination, a voluntary step beyond the specialty itself.
When you need one
Signs the case belongs with a specialist.
- Several teeth are missing, loose or failing at the same time
- Crowns, bridges or implants have failed, and no one has said why
- Teeth are visibly worn, flattened, chipped or shortened
- Your bite feels wrong, or jaw and muscle tension keeps returning
- Dentures slip, click or limit what you can eat
- You are weighing implants for a full arch and want a second opinion
- Your dentist has suggested a specialist for the restorative phase
- You want one coordinated plan instead of treatment tooth by tooth
Focus
Complex cases, planned end to end.
Each of these begins with the same question: what is the right foundation, and what should it support?
Implant-supported restorations
Single teeth to full arches, designed from the final result backward so the implants serve the teeth rather than the other way round.
Read the guideDigital dentistry
3D imaging, on-screen design and in-house milling let a plan be seen, checked and refined before treatment begins.
Read the guideFixing failed dental work
Cracked porcelain, loose implants, bridges that keep coming off. The reason is found first, so a repeat does not become a third attempt.
Worn and eroded teeth
Grinding, acid and age can shorten teeth over the years. Rebuilding them calls for a measured plan, not guesswork about how much to restore.
Dentures & implant overdentures
Removable teeth that are properly fitted and, where bone allows, anchored on implants so they stop moving when you speak and eat.
How a complex case unfolds
Designed on screen. Built with precision.
The most important decisions are made before any treatment starts. Digital tools let those decisions be seen, checked and adjusted with you.
Diagnose
A thorough exam, bite records, photographs and 3D imaging to understand the mouth as a system, not a list of teeth.
Design
The restorations are planned in exocad and, where implants are involved, positioned against the bone using cone beam CT data.
Stage
A written sequence that sets out what happens, in what order, and which decisions are yours to make along the way.
Deliver & maintain
Restorations made to the plan, a bite that has been checked, and a maintenance plan to protect the work for the long term.
Cone beam CTIntraoral scanningexocad designIn-house milling3D printingComputer-guided implant surgery
About the doctor
Dr. Kunal Lal, DDS, MS
Dr. Lal is a board-certified prosthodontist who trained in prosthodontics at Columbia University and went on to teach there, serving as Program Director of Graduate Prosthodontics from 2005 to 2008. His clinical work centers on patients who need a comprehensive, carefully sequenced plan.
His approach is digital: planning the finished teeth first, then the implants and surgery that will support them. He practices at LAL Dental in Midtown Manhattan, where the plan can be seen through from first scan to final restoration.
- SpecialtyProsthodontics, board-certified (Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics, 2006)
- EducationMS in post-doctoral prosthodontics (2002) and DDS (2004), Columbia University College of Dental Medicine
- TeachingAssistant Professor of Clinical Dentistry, Columbia, 2002 to 2010; Program Director, Graduate Prosthodontics, 2005 to 2008
- PracticeLAL Dental, 245 E 50th St, New York, NY 10022
- In printexocad interview, 2022 · 3D Systems press release, 2023
Questions
Before you book.
What is the difference between a prosthodontist and a general dentist?
A prosthodontist is a dentist who has completed an accredited specialty residency after dental school, focused on replacing and rebuilding teeth. A general dentist looks after the whole mouth day to day, and many refer their most involved restorative cases to a prosthodontist.
Do I need a referral to see a prosthodontist?
No. You can book a consultation yourself at LAL Dental, and many patients arrive with a referral from their own dentist. Either way, your dentist remains welcome to stay involved.
Can a prosthodontist fix dental work that has failed?
Often, yes. The first step is a diagnosis of why the work failed, whether that is the bite, the materials, the gum and bone support, or the design. Treatment is then planned to correct the cause rather than only replace the visible part.
How long does a full-mouth rehabilitation take?
It depends on the condition of the teeth, the bone and the bite, and on whether implants are involved. Timing is set out in a written plan after your records are reviewed.
Where do consultations take place?
At LAL Dental, 245 E 50th St, New York, NY 10022. All appointments are booked through laldental.com.
For referring dentists
A restorative partner who keeps you in the loop.
Share a case for a specialist opinion on the restorative plan. You stay involved, and your patient returns to you for continuing care where appropriate.
Next step
Bring the case. Leave with a plan.
A first consultation is a conversation, a clear look at your records and an explanation of the options. There is no obligation to proceed.
Book a consultation at LAL DentalLAL Dental · 245 E 50th St, New York, NY 10022