As an Ivy trained OMFS relocated to the San Diego area, I continue to follow Lum from Encinitas to his new office in San Diego fantastic clinical skills and bedside manner. Having multiple implant crowns being restored before my son's wedding now, these handmade temporary that he sculpted for 2+ hours yesterday like final porcelain teeth. I'm overly impressed as usual, but well worth traveling with Dr. Lum and staying with his amazing practice and staff. Thank you again Michael for your artistic creation of excellence. Dr. David. read more

Michael Lum, DDS - My new temporary maxillary posterior teeth! Which side is ........ - Cosmetic Dentists Near Me - San Diego, California

Dr Lum has done major dental work for me following gum cancer. He and his staff are caring. wonderful people. I will travel to his new location to have my yearly check up and cleaning done. read more

Dr. Lum does excellent work. He is meticulous and highly skilled. My endodontist praises him for his fine work. He is also very responsive. Would see me even when he was off when one of my crowns had fallen off. read more

Best dentist ever. Dr.Lum and his staff, are very professional, and they do excellent work. I truly feel like they care about their patients welfare. The office is very clean and beautifully designed. Even though it's a long drive for me, I will continue going to this dentist and I am very grateful! read more

Dr. Michael Lum has seriously changed my life for the absolute best. Let me tell you a story... I was born with a congenital defect known as DI (dentinogenesis imperfecta) and AI (amelogenesis imperfecta)- both osteogenetic diseases affecting the bone growth in my mouth. This is a prevalent gene coming from my mother's side of the family that caused myself and 4 of my 8 siblings to grow up with clear, brittle teeth (or no teeth), malformed jawlines, etc. warranting silver caps by the age of 4 years old. Coming from a family of 9 children with a mother who dedicated her life to children in the form of a school librarian and a father who worked in grocery retail management, there was no money to go around. By the age of 14, my triplet brother and I (yes, we are triplets yet only two of us inherently expressed the genetic disposition) went under surgery to have our teeth corrected before entering high school. This procedure was covered by the Crippled Children's Services which is no longer an entity of support. My new teeth, which were many bridges of multiple teeth covering our existing brittle teeth (that had been filed down to points allowing the metal and porcelain caps to be cemented to) lasted until I was about 20 years old. They began to chip, break, crack- you name it until some bridges went missing. I experienced swallowing portions of these bridges in my sleep, having them fall out when I ate even the softest of foods like bread or cheese sandwiches. You may ask why I never had them repaired? Well, I assure you if I had the money, I would have yet this type of dentistry is not only exceptionally pricey but was also not covered by insurance, although I reiterate it is a birth defect. Silly, I know. After years of accepting this condition and learning a new smile or way of talking that would not reveal the damage behind my small lips, I developed the idea that I would never have a normal smile. I would never be able to bite into an apple. There were several foods, as common as chips, crackers and nuts that I avoided to spare my mouth from getting torn up. I avoided meats of almost all types to prevent choking. You see, after having gone through a process at 14 y/o of having all of my back teeth filed to a flat plateau at the gum line and experiencing losing those caps, I was left with by the age of 24, no back chompers to grind food with. I adopted a vegetarian diet over the next 13 years as cooked foods and soups were easier to "get down the hatch". Thinking I couldn't handle any more mishaps, the inevitable happened one early morning in my sleep yet again, this time swallowing my front bridge of 3 total teeth. I was devastated. I called Dr. Lum after meeting him 3 years prior in Carmel Valley and explained what happened. He and his ENTIRE staff said, "you don't need to go through this anymore, we want to help". Let me back up a tad: Emily, his beautiful Office Manager pursued insurance for 3 years as if this was her own child or even self to be rejected as many times as she had tried. Maribel, his right hand gal made me feel comfortable every visit with her exceptionally relatable persona and Janice, his x-ray specialist told me I was beautiful, and I believed her. Every time I had an appointment, my chest and heart would pound and I would bawl uncontrollably. They NEVER made me feel ugly in their care. You see, having this condition isn't easy. Low self- esteem lived with me for 36 years (I am almost 37). Kissing partners was terrifying. Eating out with friends was often times a no go, coupled with fear that a "mishap" would occur while trying to enjoy a night out. I hid tubes of Fixodent in my front pocket wherever I went- no questions. When the Pandemic hit of 2020, I feared that the company that made Fixodent would for some reason, cease production. Fears, all of these fears that lived with me all because of a condition that I could not control. Back to the inevitable mishap- two months ago as I mentioned before, I swallowed a bridge of three front teeth. Dr. Lum and his staff enlisted the help of a BRILLIANT and FUNNY and CHARISMATIC Oral Surgeon, Dr. Arshiya Sharafi of Sorrento Valley and a kind-hearted Anesthesiologist named Dr. Theresa Pham to help me out. I never thought this day would come. My surgery took place yesterday and I am now healing. I would not have been able to do this procedure without their help, patience and affordable price. They truly loved on me and gave me a gift that will forever change the way I feel about myself. From the bottom of my heart, to you all- thank you for your kindness, comfort, concern, persistence, excellent craftsmanship of a new and everlasting smile and most of all for your love. read more

Excellent work and courteous. Pays attention to details. Great assistance helping out. I would surely come back and recommend to my friends. read more

Best dentist I've had who did my 3 implant molars, most recently a cavity filler and a crown. Dr. Michael Lum has a way of numbing my gums with hardly any pain or anxiety. He and his assistant worked as a team. The filling took less than a hour and similar time with my temporary and new crown. Dr. Michael Lum was very careful and gave close attention to details. He was courteous and nice. I would highly recommend Dr. Michael Lum to anyone needing implants or good dental care. read more

I was referred to Dr Lum last February, due to multiple issues which I have experienced over the years with a specific crown continuously falling out. I learned from Dr Lum, that the continued crown failures was a function of the crown not having been properly installed during its' initial placement. Dr Lum clearly and patiently explained what was needed to be done in order for the crown to be placed properly and in such a manner that I would not be troubled by it in the future. Dr Lum has also performed cosmetic dentistry on several lower teeth which have been disfigured due to my "grinding" while sleeping. During my work with Dr Lum, I have found him to be a consummate professional, who obviously takes pride in his practice of dentistry. I unhesitatingly recommend he and his office staff for their care, concern and expertise read more

Dr. Lum is by far the best dentist I've ever been to - and I've been to many over the years. Ten years ago my husband was diagnosed with throat cancer and his radiologist suggested going to Dr. Lum for an evaluation prior to starting radiation. Dr. Lum had to determine whether or not any of my husband's teeth needed to be pulled in the long term because it can't be done after radiation. Thank goodness he didn't need any pulled and Dr. Lum was so great in explaining everything. We loved his demeanor and the professionalism of the staff. He also does such great work. Thankfully my husband is cancer-free and he and I both have been seeing Dr. Lum for 10 years. We wouldn't go anywhere else. Highly recommend. read more

Dr. Michael Lum and his staff are absolutely the greatest! Very professional from the minute you walk thru the door. You will be greeted by Melonie at the front desk who is always very professional and courteous! Then Dr. Lum will talk to you about his recommendations. He will then make sure you understand everything and also answer any questions or concerns that you have. I was very impressed and pleased with everything there. If this retired Marine could give Dr. Lum more than 5 stars i would easily. read more

Dr. Lum works magic! My daughter's front tooth was halfway knocked out when she fell off her bike. Our pediatric dentist referred us to Dr. Lum and he made her tooth look better than new. He has a wonderful way with patients, and put us at ease right away. The office is clean and professional, and the staff is friendly and helpful. Thumbs up for Dr Lum! read more

Dr Lum did what other dentists said was impossible. My boyfriend had a very complicated case with a tooth and now his smile is perfect! The staff was friendly and professional. read more

Dr. Lum and his team are the best for implants and general dentistry! I first had an implant done. Their process consisting of a temporary crown for gum-shaping, followed by the final crown is modern and effective. Dr. Lum handmade an excellent temporary crown, which told me he has skillful hands and an accurate eye, a conclusion which proved itself time and again. For my final crown, Dr. Lum personally ensured that the coloring on the tooth was exactly correct against my other teeth. It was an amazing implant and crown. My friends totally forgot that I had a flipper for years and I just suddenly seemed to stop needing it. I don't think anyone can tell the difference. I felt in control over the entire process, making decisions over my own care. Options and education were patiently explained and re-explained to me until I understood exactly what was happening. Dr. Lum and Maribel are professional, intelligent, experienced, and fun. Beyond prosthodontics, Dr. Lum filled a cavity for me today. It feels perfect, just as the implant was. Dr. Lum identified the decay as being close to the nerve, and a complex procedure on that tooth so I knew what to expect. I'm pretty sure I fell asleep in the chair. Enough said? His hygenist is friendly and skillful. She scraped out years of tartar and my gums feel much better, pushing back her next appointment to make time for me. She communicated her findings to Dr. Lum's team. Excellent, professional dentist. Can't go wrong. Update 2018: Dr Lum fixed a contact for me that caused so much pain while eating for years, I began to dislike eating. No other dentist would touch this. Meals are starting to taste good again. THANK YOU DR. LUM!!! read more

I'd highly recommend Dr. Lum and staff. We had an unusual situation where my 12 year old daughter knocked out her front tooth 2 years prior, as a result she developed ankylosis, the tooth was shorter than the other front tooth. He put our minds at ease and took the time to explain what was going on and what could be expected in the future. He has a calm demeanor, very knowledgeable and most importantly her tooth now looks beautiful! Also, the office was able to get us in within a couple of days so she could start school feeling confident. Thank you to Dr. Lum and his kind staff. ~ Linda read more

Dr Lum and his team are Rockstars they are the best if you have a complicated case this is the place for you if you want great service with perfection this is place for you!!! I wish I could give more stars read more

Dr Lum and his staff have been wonderful to me from minute one. They have been considerate and compassionate when dealing with my dentist phobia dating back to my childhood. Dr. Lum is in the process of doing a full mouth restoration on me and each time I go back I am a little more comfortable. They have worked with me on a timeline that meets my financial and work limitations. Even the temporaries that I am in now look marvelous and I can hardly wait for the final phase!! Much thanks to Dr Lum and his staff. read more

#900 on 09-09-09....worked out perfectly, didnt it? *~**~* woOhoo, this is as good as it gets!!! i dunno about you all, but finding a dentist is truly one heck of an arduous task. it's literally a lifelong commitment like finding your hubby/wifey because you have to take this person into your life, as if he was your family, because not only will you have to trust this professional, so be it, under your hands, but if he's well worth it, you pretty much made a huge commitment/investment not only on YOUR precious teeth but with him/her and your family because im sure you're going to be taking your whole family in for a field trip one of these days. seriously, if you honestly ask me what i look for in a dentist, it's most definitely, the costs, the professionalism, the experience and how competent one is, and not to mention, the friendliness and how caring the dentist is. and oh yes, the staff. never forget the staff!! for sure, the experience has to be one heck of an experience, ya dont say... i can't tell you how many times i feared in going to see a dentist, but dr lum will prove you wrong. he's very personable, who takes his time in working with you, in no rush, and most of all, he puts you at ease. i often wonder if its truly dr lum or if it's the easy listening/80s music in the bkgd. i kid... of course folks, its dr lum! anyways, here's a prime example. there was this one child last year at UCLA who refused to talk to any staff member, but was able to take in dr lum with open arms... how cute! if not only that, you want someone who really knows his stuff, and not to mention, someone who will hold your hand every step of the way... wellll, that's dr lum for you. wait, that's not all.... THERES MORE? yes, boys and girls..... he's actually a maxillofacial prosthodontist. so, what in the world is a maxillofacial prosthodontist? basically, he replaces teeth and other structures of the mouth and face, pretty much like a plastic surgeon. on top of that, he specializes in advanced restorative prosthodontics, maxillofacial prosthetics, implant and cosmetic dentistry, such as aesthetic bonding, porcelain crowns, bridges, veneers, partials, dentures, implant restorations, full mouth reconstruction, TMJ, and teeth whitening. yeup, the whole shabang! he's quite THEE dentist eh? not anyone is lucky enough to speak or even HEAR HIM SPEAK at conferences.... you should've seen his powerpoint or at least attended the last conference out in thailand... google amelogenesis imperfecta.... crazy huh? not anyone could work on difficult cases like that. dr lum has.... you can't beat a dentist that is so friendly, so personable, and so pleasant.... dr lum not only takes care of you as your patient, but he treats you like a friend, and i bet you can't get more of an honest fella like dr lum, like the old saying, he's definitely your kind, friendly neighborhood dentist... o yesiree.. see, i can't stop rambling... i will say it again and again, but can't tell you enough but that i had the pleasure in knowing him as a friend and a dentist, so i know how he is....take it from me, you won't be disappointed!! i give my highest regards to dr lum, and i know YOU wont be disappointed as well.... dont be stupid, and give it a shot, even if it's making the drive to sd.... any patient would be lucky to have dr lum as a dentist, because shoot! he's my dentist, and i cant single out a reason why i wouldn't refer him to any of my friends. yes, and i dont even live in sd, and im willing to make the drive.... let's welcome dr lum to the family, shall we? shooot, he even made it to my #900. now, let's go show off that beautiful smile dr lum has helped you create! :] read more

I give my highest recommendation to Dr. Michael Lum. From start to finish he treated me with compassion, respect, and professionalism. The quality and attention to detail he displayed far surpassed my expectations. He not only gave me back my smile; he restored my dignity. read more

I really like Dr. Lum. In the past several years though he's become Michael to me. I saw him often at UCLA while I had an oral surgeon and an orthodontist work on my case. According to the UCLA Dental Center, I was case 1, 2, and 3. My case was awfully complicated. However, I noticed that Dr. Lum gave special attention to my case because he is a man of details and he wants you to be happy with the results. I think he's very personable, charismatic, and reasonable. He'll provide you options when others fall by the wayside. I trust him because he's a good person, and most of all, because he's honest. If you've had bad past experiences with prosthodontists, I'd give Dr. Lum a call! He knows how to treat his patients well, and right now, he's affordable! read more

I was sent to Dr Lum due to a traumatic event. I have seen him many times over the past year. The staff has shown me nothing but compassion and respect. Their willingness to go the extra mile to help out I will forever treasure. Dr Lum always explains the procedures and does a great job. They are giving me a chance to smile again. read more