We would recommended a comprehensive examination and consultation with you to know what you would like to achieve and based on our discussion come with a plan that is designed especially for you with your desires in mind. Our cosmetic treatment plans are customized to meet the individual needs of our patients.

The number one compliment we receive from our patients is how great our customer service is, and how everyone feels special in our office and well taken care of as well as how comfortable their dental treatment was.  We are also well known for treating phobic patients with exceptional care. Both our doctors are clinical faculty at UCLA School of Dentistry with exceptional clinical experience and expertise.  We treat all our patients as if they are a member of our family and always have the patient’s best interest in mind. 

The main cause of bad breath or halitosis is the buildup of bacteria in your mouth. The buildup could be from gum disease, cavities, cracked fillings, or even buildup on the grooves of your tongue or your tonsils. Maintaining good oral hygiene typically helps to prevent bad breath.  To treat bad breath, see your dentist for professional treatment.  There are also other non-dental related causes, such as acid reflux, diabetes, smoking and other medical conditions that may need to be diagnosed and treated by your physician. 

On average, seeing a dentist twice a year works well for most people. A few people can get away with fewer visits. Others may need more frequent visits. People with very little risk of cavities or gum disease can do fine seeing their dentist just once a year. People with a high risk of dental disease might need to visit every three or four months, or more.

In majority of cases, bleeding gums during brushing is a sign of gum infection that is caused by retention of heavy plaque around teeth.  Plaque is the collection of bacteria that cause infection and inflammation of the gums.

Root planning is the process of scrapping off plaque and calculus (hard calcified plaque) from the root surfaces of teeth.  When plaque adheres to root surface of teeth under the gums, it causes slow destruction of the bone that keeps the teeth in the mouth.  Root planning is the initial treatment done to remove the cause of gum disease.

The major cause of gum disease is plaque.  Maintaining  good oral hygiene, including brushing twice a day and flossing can minimize your chances of getting gum disease.  There are also other significant contributing factors to gum disease such as smoking and diabetes.

If a child knocks out a permanent tooth, try to clean the dirt off gently and place it in a cup of milk and then see your dentist immediately for replantation.  Sometimes a replanted tooth may need a root canal as well.

Mouth guards not only protect your child’s teeth from damage, but they also protect the jaw bone and could reduce chances of concussions.

Falling sleep with a bottle filled with milk or juices can cause rampant decay on your child’s teeth.  If the child needs to sleep with a bottle, it is recommended to put water in the bottle only.

Long term use of pacifiers and or thumb sucking could cause unwanted changes to the upper jaw and and or narrowing and elongation of the upper jaw, requiring orthodontic treatment.

Most children start losing their first baby teeth between ages of 5-6.

It is recommended to have your child see a dentist by their first birthday. The visit could be very informal and mostly to get the child used to the dental office in a non-threatening manner. 

Routine removal of wisdom teeth are not recommended. However, if it is necessary to have your wisdom teeth removed, the younger you are the easier the procedure would be; on average 18-21 years of age.

You would need a root canal if the nerve of your tooth has become infected.  Infection of the nerve could be caused by large decay, cracked teeth or trauma.  Most dental nerve infections could be very painful. Root canal treatment is done to remove the infection, alleviate pain and allow you to save and retain your tooth.

X-rays are taken to aid in diagnosis in areas that cannot be directly seen by your dentist, i.e.: between teeth, under the gums, in the jaw bone.  X-rays should be taken only as needed and deemed necessary for diagnosis of disease by your dentist.  Too much X-ray radiation can be harmful, but with proper techniques and adequate protective gear your risks are significantly reduced.

Fluoride is an ion that is shown in many studies to decrease the chances of dental decay (cavities).

There are two main filling material used today, first is amalgam (silver fillings) that are made of different metal alloys. These fillings are condensed in the teeth as restorations. Second are composite fillings (tooth colored fillings) which are made of resin material. These fillings are very esthetic and are bonded in teeth as restorations.

There are several dentures available: traditional acrylic denture that sit on the gums. Precision attachment dentures that snap on to dental implants for more support and stability. Screw retained dentures that are permanently screwed on to dental implants for the most secure fit and natural feeling of regular teeth.

There is no real known cause for teeth grinding, although stress is a significant contributing factor.  To help protect your teeth from damages caused by heavy grinding, a custom occlusal guard (night guard) can be fabricated to protect your teeth and also to deprogram your chewing muscles in order to reduce your habitual grinding over time.

TMJ is Tempromandibular joint, which are the joints that connect your lower jaw to your skull. The movement of your jaw (opening and closing of your mouth) is done by the TMJ. Tempromandibular Disorder (TMD) is a broad term used to describe disorders of the TMJ.

Dental implants are usually made of titanium and placed like a post in the jaw bone to replace missing teeth. Natural looking crowns could then be fabricated and anchored to the implants.

There are porcelain veneers and compsite veneers. Porcelain veneers are more esthetic and do not pick up stains as much as composite veneers or even enamel.  They tend to cost more, but can significantly improve your smile for a long time.

In office bleaching products are much stronger than the over-the-counter products and produce a much more immediate result.  In office bleaching improves teeth by 6-8 shades in about one hour. Also there is more control over how many teeth can be whiten as the dental professional is applying the gel to the desired teeth, versus the over the counter strips are one size fit all and are not custom fit.

Long term use of teeth whitening products can cause teeth sensitivity as well as irritation to the gum tissue can occur if the whitening gel is not applied properly. Studies have showed that long term bleaching can cause changes in the enamel that is similar to changes that occur when drinking soft drinks or fruit juices. It’s not recommended to do continuous whitening for more than 6 months.

We are providers for most dental insurances.  Our friendly staff will determine your insurance benefits and file all your insurance claims for you.  We do accept most major credit cards and checks. Our office also provides long term financing through Care Credit.