Dr. Shirley Zhao provides expert prosthodontic care in Tracy, CA — dental crowns, implants, dentures, All-on-4 restorations, and full mouth reconstruction. She’s a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantology and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, which means advanced training and modern technology behind every single case. Call our office or schedule a consultation today to restore your smile with confidence.
Your Trusted Tracy Dentist
Since 2013
Forget what you think you know about dentures. The bulky, fake-looking ones your grandparents wore? That’s ancient history. Today’s full and partial dentures use advanced acrylic and flexible materials that look shockingly real — and they’re way more comfortable too. If you’re missing several teeth or all of them, dentures are still one of the most affordable paths to a complete smile.
But here’s the deal: we don’t rush dentures. At Smiles Dental Spa, that means precise impressions, careful bite registration, and multiple try-in appointments to dial in the fit before your final set goes home with you. Dr. Zhao’s prosthodontic training — rooted in her education at UCLA and the University of the Pacific — means she’s got a sharp eye for how things look AND how they function.
Full dentures replace an entire arch of teeth — upper, lower, or both. They sit on the gum tissue and stay put through suction, adhesive, or implant attachments. We design them to bring back proper facial support, which can honestly take years off your appearance.
Partial dentures are for when you’ve still got some healthy natural teeth left. They use clasps or precision attachments to anchor onto your existing teeth, keeping everything from shifting around and spreading out chewing forces more evenly across your mouth.
Something else worth mentioning — Tracy’s a diverse community, and we get that. A lot of our patients feel more comfortable talking through their options in their first language. Our staff speaks Cantonese, Chinese, Tagalog, and Spanish on top of English. Nothing should get lost in translation when we’re discussing something this important.
Implants changed everything. Seriously. Unlike dentures sitting on top of your gums or bridges leaning on the teeth next door, an implant goes straight into the jawbone — it works like a real tooth root. It’s the closest modern dentistry gets to actually regrowing a tooth.
Here’s something that matters more than most people realize: Dr. Zhao is a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantology and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. That’s not just a line on a wall plaque. She’s done extensive post-graduate training focused specifically on placing and restoring implants. The thing is, implant surgery demands precise knowledge of bone anatomy, how healing works, and prosthetic design — and you don’t have to drive all the way to the Bay Area or Sacramento to find that expertise.
Getting an implant takes a few months from start to finish. But the results? They can last decades. Here’s how we do it at our office on N Tracy Blvd:
Step 1: Comprehensive evaluation. We map your jawbone density using 3D dental imaging, locate nerves and sinuses, and plan exactly where the implant should go. Tracy’s population has blown past 100,000 residents, so we see all kinds of patients — younger adults who lost a tooth playing sports, older folks dealing with years of tooth loss. Every case is different.
Step 2: Implant placement. A small titanium post gets surgically placed into the jawbone. We offer nitrous oxide so you stay comfortable the whole time. And honestly? Most patients tell us the surgery was way less uncomfortable than they’d built it up to be in their heads.
Step 3: Healing and integration. Over the next 3–6 months, the implant fuses with your bone. This process — called osseointegration — is what gives implants that rock-solid stability.
Step 4: Restoration. Once everything’s fully integrated, we attach a custom-made crown that’s color-matched to your other teeth. Looks natural. Feels natural. Done.
If you’ve worn regular dentures for a while, you already know the headaches. Slipping mid-meal. Sore spots that never quite heal. Adhesive that barely holds. Implant supported dentures fix all of that — they snap onto two to four dental implants placed in your jawbone, so the denture stays locked in all day long. And you can still pop it out at night for cleaning.
Think of implant supported dentures as the middle ground between traditional dentures and the fully fixed All-on-4 route. Way more stability. Way better chewing power. But typically less expensive than a full fixed restoration. For a lot of our Tracy patients — especially those watching their budget but still wanting a real quality-of-life upgrade — this hits the sweet spot.
There’s another huge benefit people don’t always think about. The implants actually preserve your jawbone. See, when teeth go missing, the bone underneath starts to shrink. That’s why long-term denture wearers sometimes develop that sunken look around the mouth over the years. Implants stimulate the bone the same way natural roots do, which slows or even stops that whole process.
Dr. Zhao places two to four implants in the jaw, then we let them heal and bond with the bone over several months. Once they’re rock solid, we fit your denture with special attachments — usually locator-style snaps or a bar-and-clip system — that click right onto the implants. End result? A denture that doesn’t move when you eat, talk, or laugh.
Already wearing dentures and curious whether implant support could work for you? We’d genuinely love to take a look. Explore our full range of dental services at Smiles Dental Spa to see how we can help at every stage of your oral health journey.
This one’s a game-changer. The All-on-4 concept lets patients who’ve lost all or most of their teeth get a full arch of fixed, non-removable teeth — supported by just four strategically placed implants. Sometimes in a single day. If you’ve been fighting with loose dentures or watching your teeth fall apart, this can genuinely transform your life. No exaggeration.
Old-school implant approaches might call for six to eight implants per arch, plus bone grafting, plus months and months of waiting. All-on-4 flips that script. By angling the two back implants at roughly 45 degrees, Dr. Zhao maximizes contact with whatever bone you’ve got — even if there’s been significant loss. That angle trick often eliminates the need for bone grafting altogether.
Surgery day itself? The implants go in and a temporary set of fixed teeth gets attached right then and there. You walk out of our Tracy office with a smile that works. After the implants fully fuse with the bone (usually 3–6 months), we swap out the temporary for your permanent, custom-designed restoration.
All-on-4 tends to be a great fit for patients who:
During your consultation, Dr. Zhao uses our 3D imaging technology to evaluate your bone and figure out whether All-on-4 makes sense for you. As a Fellow of both the International Congress of Oral Implantology and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, she’s got the specialized training to take on even the tough cases.
Sometimes one crown or one implant isn’t going to cut it. Years of wear, decay, gum disease, injuries — or some messy combination of all of those — can leave someone with a mouth that barely works. Forget smiling with confidence. We’re talking about struggling to chew. That’s where full mouth reconstruction comes in.
And let’s be clear: this isn’t one procedure. It’s a comprehensive plan that pulls together restorative dentistry, prosthodontics, periodontics, oral surgery, and cosmetic work to rebuild everything from the ground up. Because Dr. Zhao’s practice covers all of these under one roof, Tracy patients can go through their entire treatment without bouncing between a bunch of different offices. That alone is a huge deal.
Every plan looks different. But here are procedures that commonly show up in a full reconstruction:
Dr. Zhao doesn’t wing it. Every reconstruction starts with an exhaustive evaluation — digital X-rays, 3D scans, photographs, detailed bite records. She examines your gums, jaw joints, existing restorations, and the overall harmony of how your bite comes together. Only after all of that does she build a phased treatment plan. Urgent stuff first. Then we work toward the finish line.
Look, we know full mouth reconstruction is a big commitment — time and money, both. That’s exactly why we’re upfront about costs, timelines, and alternatives from the very first consultation. Dr. Zhao walks you through every phase, explains why she’s recommending what she’s recommending, and makes sure you’re genuinely comfortable before anything starts.
Many dental conditions develop quietly, without pain or obvious warning signs. Regular exams and modern diagnostic tools help detect subtle changes, including plaque and tartar buildup, so we can act early with effective dental cleaning and care.
We have been part of the Tracy community for a long time and love helping our neighbors feel better. We have seen people’s whole lives change just by getting their smile fixed. If you’re nervous or have questions, just come in and talk to us. We’ll give you a clear plan and tell you exactly what everything costs so there are no surprises. You deserve a mouth that works right and looks great.
At Smiles Dental Spa, your trusted Tracy dentist, prevention is at the heart of everything we do. We provide thorough evaluations, clear communication, and individualized care so you understand your oral health and feel confident in your treatment plan.
With proper care and regular dental checkups, dental implants can last 25 years or even a lifetime. The titanium post that integrates with your jawbone is extremely durable. The crown or restoration attached to the implant may need replacement after 10-15 years due to normal wear.
All-on-4 is a technique that uses four strategically placed dental implants to support a full arch of fixed, non-removable teeth. Two posterior implants are angled to maximize bone contact, often eliminating the need for bone grafting. Patients can receive a temporary set of teeth on the same day as surgery.
Yes, in many cases. Dr. Zhao performs bone grafting and sinus lift procedures at our Tracy office to rebuild jawbone volume. Additionally, techniques like All-on-4 use angled implants to work with existing bone, making implants possible for patients who were previously told they weren’t candidates.
Full mouth reconstruction is a comprehensive treatment plan that combines multiple dental procedures — such as implants, crowns, bridges, veneers, root canals, and gum treatment — to completely rebuild and restore a patient’s entire mouth. Each plan is customized based on a thorough evaluation using digital X-rays and 3D imaging.
Yes. Our staff at Smiles Dental Spa speaks Cantonese, Chinese, Tagalog, and Spanish in addition to English. We want every patient in Tracy to feel comfortable discussing their dental care in the language they prefer.
Comfortable, compassionate care in a modern Tracy dental office
State-of-the-art technology, including 3D digital imaging and planning
Experienced prosthodontic and implant dentistry care with a patient-centered approach
Appointments online or by phoneaFlexible scheduling with online booking available through NexHealth
Customized treatment plans tailored to your health, goals, and lifestyle
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Reclaim your smile and confidence with expert dental implants and smile restoration options from Smiles Dental Spa. Whether you need traditional dentures, advanced dental implants, or full mouth reconstruction, Dr. Shirley Zhao and her team guide you every step of the way, helping you maintain oral health while ensuring your dental implants can last a lifetime with proper care and maintenance.
Call (209) 836-1748 or book your consultation online via NexHealth. Visit us at 1431 N Tracy Blvd, Tracy, CA 95376 to experience personalized prosthodontic care designed for your vibrant smile.
1431 N Tracy Blvd
Tracy, CA 95376
