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Prosthodontist

Beverly Hills

Own Your Smile

Harvard Trained Prosthodontics in Beverly Hills

A prosthodontist is a dental specialist in restoring and replacing teeth: crowns, bridges, implant restorations, dentures, and complete smile rebuilds. At Rifkin Raanan, that specialty is led by Dr. Rodney Raanan, who earned his prosthodontics degree at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and every restoration he plans is crafted by hand in the Atelier Aesthetics lab inside our Beverly Hills penthouse suite. Diagnosis, implant placement, and the final porcelain all happen under one roof, planned by the same team.

Meet Your Prosthodontist

Dr. Rodney Raanan, DDS, MMSc

After earning his dental degree at the USC School of Dentistry, Dr. Rodney Raanan spent three more years at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, completing his specialty degree in Prosthodontics along with a Master of Medical Sciences in Oral Biology. That training is what separates a prosthodontist from a general dentist: years devoted entirely to how teeth are rebuilt, replaced, and brought back into a healthy bite.

Patients see the difference in the details. Crowns that match the teeth beside them, implants that feel like part of the smile, and complex cases that finally have a plan.

  • Harvard School of Dental MedicineHarvard
    Prosthodontics
  • USC School of DentistryUSC
    Doctor of Dental Surgery
  • American College of ProsthodontistsAmerican College
    of Prosthodontists

Read Dr. Rodney's Story

The Specialty, Explained

What a prosthodontist does

“Prostho” means replacement, and “dontist” means teeth.

Prosthodontics is one of the dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association. After dental school, a prosthodontist completes a multi year residency focused on restoring damaged teeth and replacing missing ones, with an eye for both function and appearance. General dentists place many restorations too. A prosthodontist is the specialist trained for the cases where every tooth, the bite, and the final look have to be planned together.

Fixed

Porcelain crowns, bridges, inlays, and onlays that are bonded in place for good.

Implant

Dental implants placed and restored in house, from a single tooth to a full arch.

Removable

Complete and partial dentures designed to look natural and fit with comfort.

Full Mouth

Complete reconstructions that rebuild the bite, the teeth, and the smile at once.

Rifkin Raanan
Know the Difference

Prosthodontist vs general dentist

Both play an important role. The difference is depth of training in one area: rebuilding teeth.

General Dentist
Prosthodontist
Training after dental school
None required
A dedicated specialty residency, three years for Dr. Rodney at Harvard
Focus
Exams, cleanings, fillings, and routine care
Crowns, bridges, implants, dentures, and full reconstructions
Complex cases
Often referred out
Planned and completed start to finish
Bite and jaw
General evaluation
Advanced training in occlusion and how the bite works as a system
At Rifkin Raanan
Your general care, under the same roof
Dr. Rodney Raanan, with our Atelier Aesthetics lab on site
Atelier Aesthetics

Your restoration, crafted down the hall

Most practices send impressions to an outside lab and wait. Ours is built into the practice behind glass walls, where master ceramists layer each crown, bridge, and veneer by hand while working directly with your prosthodontist. Shade questions get answered in minutes, not weeks, and you can watch your new teeth take shape.

Restorative Results

Rebuilt by a specialist

Real Rifkin Raanan patients. Drag each image to compare.

A dark post, rebuiltA failing front tooth restored with a single porcelain crown matched to its neighbors.
A missing tooth, replacedThe gap closed with a fixed restoration that blends into the natural smile.
Worn edges, restoredTeeth worn short by years of grinding rebuilt to their natural length and shape.

View the Full Smile Gallery

How It Works

From evaluation to final restoration

  1. 01

    Comprehensive evaluation

    Teeth, gums, bone, bite, and jaw joints are examined together, with the imaging needed to see what is happening below the surface.

  2. 02

    A plan designed backward

    We start from the finished smile and work back, so every step, from any extraction or graft to the implant position, serves the final result.

  3. 03

    Preview before commitment

    You see the proposed shape and shade of your new teeth, and adjust it with us, before anything permanent is made.

  4. 04

    Crafted and placed

    Your restorations are layered in the Atelier lab, then fitted, refined, and bonded by the same doctors who planned them.

Is It Time

When to see a prosthodontist

You do not need to wait for a referral. These are the situations where a specialist's plan makes the biggest difference.

  • One or more missing teeth you want replaced with an implant, bridge, or denture
  • Cracked, broken, or heavily filled teeth that need crowns or onlays
  • Teeth worn down by grinding, making your smile look shorter or older
  • Old crowns or bridges with dark edges, gaps, or a poor fit
  • Dentures that slip or feel bulky, or a wish to move to implant support
  • A bite that feels off, with jaw soreness or teeth that chip repeatedly
  • A complex case other offices have described as difficult to treat
  • A second opinion on a large treatment plan before you commit
One Team, Every Specialty

Restorations planned with the full team

Prosthodontic cases often call on more than one expert. Here, your prosthodontist works side by side with a periodontist and doctors with decades of full mouth and implant experience.

The four doctors of Rifkin Raanan, including Beverly Hills prosthodontist Dr. Rodney Raanan
Good Questions

Prosthodontist FAQs

What does a prosthodontist do?
A prosthodontist is a dental specialist who restores damaged teeth and replaces missing ones. That includes crowns, bridges, implant restorations, dentures, and complete smile reconstructions, all planned around how your bite functions and how your smile looks.
What is the difference between a dentist and a prosthodontist?
Every prosthodontist is a dentist first. After dental school, a prosthodontist completes additional specialty training devoted to restoring and replacing teeth. Dr. Rodney Raanan spent three additional years at Harvard School of Dental Medicine earning his specialty degree in Prosthodontics.
When should I see a prosthodontist instead of a general dentist?
A prosthodontist is the right choice when you are missing teeth, need several crowns or a bridge, want dental implants, have teeth worn down by grinding, or are facing a complex or full mouth case. It is also a smart step for a second opinion before a large treatment plan.
Do you place dental implants in house?
Yes. Implants are placed and restored here at Rifkin Raanan, so the same team plans the implant position and designs the crown that goes on it. That coordination is a big part of why implant teeth end up looking and feeling natural.
Is a prosthodontist the same as an orthodontist?
No. An orthodontist moves teeth into better alignment with braces or aligners. A prosthodontist restores and replaces teeth. The two often work together, and we offer orthodontic care in house as well.
Do I need a referral to see a prosthodontist?
No referral is needed to book with us. Many patients come directly, while others are referred by their dentist for a specific restoration and return to their regular office afterward.
How much does prosthodontic treatment cost?
Every case is different, so treatment is quoted after an in person evaluation. Once we have examined your teeth and bite, we walk you through the plan, the options, and the investment before anything begins. Contact us to schedule your evaluation.

Own Your Smile

Meet your Beverly Hills prosthodontist

Whether it is one missing tooth or a complete rebuild, the first step is a thorough evaluation and an honest plan. Choose the office that is most convenient for you.

Or call (310) 205-5300

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