A prosthodontist in Midtown Manhattan, on East 50th Street

What to expect in Midtown East

Dr. Kunal Lal is a prosthodontist in Manhattan who practices at LAL Dental, 245 E 50th St in Midtown East, a short walk from the 6 train at 51 St. Patients often come through their own dentist or for a second opinion. Imaging, digital design and an in-house laboratory are all in the same office, and the number of visits depends on the treatment.

Who usually comes

• Patients referred by their dentist for treatment involving several teeth, the bite or implants.
• People with a proposed plan who want another look before committing. See second opinions.
• Crowns, bridges or implants that are failing, loose, uncomfortable or keep breaking. See failed dental work.
• Worn or eroded teeth, often from grinding, clenching or acid.
• One or more missing teeth, and the choice between a bridge, an implant or a removable option. See implant restorations.
• Dentures that are loose, sore or no longer fit well.

A prosthodontist is not needed for every repair. Specialist care tends to help most when several problems overlap, for example worn teeth plus a changed bite, or an implant next to failing crowns.

How visits fit around a working day

Most treatment follows the same order: records and planning, then preparation, then try-ins, then delivery. Knowing this order makes it easier to plan around meetings and travel.

The office can tell you the length of a specific appointment when you book it.

How many visits, roughly

A single crown typically takes two visits. Some restorations can be designed and milled in the office the same day if the tooth and the material allow. Several crowns or veneers often take several visits over a few weeks. Implant treatment takes longer, because the bone usually needs a few months to heal around an implant before the final tooth is made. Full-arch and full-mouth cases often take several months, with temporaries worn in between.

To keep time off work down, ask whether records and planning can be done in one appointment. Also leave some buffer after try-ins, in case a small change needs a second look.

What is done in the office, and what is referred

In the office: cone beam CT, intraoral scanning (iTero, Primescan), digital design in exocad, CEREC milling, 3D printing, a zirconia furnace and an in-house dental laboratory, LAL Dental Laboratory. Ask how shade or shape changes are handled; with the laboratory in the building, the work does not have to be shipped out for them. More on this under digital dentistry.

Other specialists are involved when the case calls for it:

• Periodontist for gum disease, gum grafting and, in some cases, implant surgery.
• Oral surgeon for difficult extractions, bone grafting and, in some cases, implant surgery.
• Endodontist for root canal treatment.
• Orthodontist when moving teeth first makes the restorative plan simpler or more conservative.

When several clinicians are involved, Dr. Lal coordinates the plan: the order of treatment, shared records, and how the final teeth are designed so that any surgery fits them.

How your Manhattan dentist stays involved

A referral does not mean leaving your dentist. Often your dentist continues cleanings, checkups and routine fillings, while Dr. Lal handles the planned restorative phase. Scans, photographs and the written plan can be shared with your dentist so everyone works from the same records.

After the final restorations are placed, maintenance is often shared: regular cleanings with your own dentist or hygienist, plus periodic checks of the restorations and bite. This matters because crowns, bridges and implant restorations can develop technical and biological complications over the years, and regular checks help find them earlier.

Location

The office is on East 50th Street between Second and Third Avenues in Midtown East (Turtle Bay). The 6 train at 51 St is a short walk away, and the E and M at Lexington Av/53 St are nearby. Full subway and walking directions are on the practice's Midtown East page.

To arrange a consultation, call the office at (212) 593-1212 or book through laldental.com. If you are still comparing offices, see what to check when choosing a prosthodontist in NYC.

Questions