General Dentistry Archives - Page 5 of 8 - Westside Dental Associates

Visit Our Patient Education Pages

March 20, 2014

Has a question about one of our services ever come to you when our office wasn’t open? If it has, you may still be able to find the answers you need by browsing through our patient info section. Looking through this section, you’ll find helpful answers to question about the kinds of payment we accept, new patient forms, a range of articles and links, and a special Q&A page.

For instance, maybe you have a question like, “I’m unhappy with my smile. What can Dr. Latner do to enhance it?” We have an answer for you.

Or maybe you want to know something about the technologies we use at our office. On our Articles & Links page, you’ll find information on things like porcelain veneers, Invisalign, Arestin, and much more.

You’ll also find links to places like the American Dental Association, and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and the American Academy of Periodontology. Sites like these are great resources for patients who have questions. But most importantly, they’re trustworthy sites. The Internet is filled with false information of all kinds. When you have a question about your oral health, you want to know that the resource you’re putting your trust in is as accurate as possible.

After all of this, do you still have a question that needs to be answered? We’ll be happy to help. Call us today at (310) 477-1081. We offer care to patients from Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Vista, Culver City, Rancho Park, Westwood, Brentwood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista, and surrounding communities.

Important Care for Wisdom Teeth

March 14, 2014

You have probably heard about wisdom teeth, but do you know what they are or why they need to be removed? Wisdom teeth are sometimes called third molars, but whatever purpose they once served, our bodies no longer have any use for them—or any room, for that matter.

Unfortunately, they’ll start emerging anyway between the ages of 15 and 25. If wisdom teeth are allowed to come through, patients can experience painful crowding that pushes teeth out of alignment, or they can experience impaction. An impacted tooth will get stuck or emerge in whatever way it can. In both cases, it’s possible for an infection, a cyst, or a tumor to develop around the tooth. In other cases, the tooth may come in sideways, backwards, or forwards.

To prevent this from happening, Dr. Latner will start watching for the development of a young patient’s wisdom teeth around the ages of 11 or 12. It’s a good idea to have wisdom teeth removed close to the ages of 17 or 19, to prevent any of these complications from developing.

No one wants to have teeth extracted, of course, but with today’s technology and a service like sedation dentistry, the experience can be comfortable. What’s more, the procedure can be completed in a single appointment.

Does someone in your family still have his or her wisdom teeth? Call Dr. Latner’s Los Angeles dental office today to schedule a consultation appointment. During the appointment, our team at Westside Dental Associates can talk more about the importance of having wisdom teeth extracted. We can also tell you what to expect from the procedure.

We offer care to patients from Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Vista, Culver City, Rancho Park, Westwood, Brentwood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista, and nearby areas.

Offering Preventive Care with DIAGNOdent and Tooth-Colored Fillings

February 19, 2014

Preventive care is the cornerstone of dentistry, and few tools today are as helpful with preventive care as a tool called DIAGNOdent. Dr. Latner uses DIAGNOdent every day during regular checkups to look for cavities that are just beginning to form. Every time it comes across one, it lets us know by making a sound. If we find anything, we can start working on a treatment plan immediately, because our goal is to conserve as much of your natural smile as possible.

To preserve smiles we use tooth-colored fillings, which are more supportive of your smile’s natural structure than metal fillings. They also blend in with teeth to provide discreet results. All of which means you can smile with greater confidence as you continue enjoying your natural smile throughout life.

Do you want to learn more about preserving and restoring your smile with DIAGNOdent and tooth-colored fillings? Dr. Latner would be happy to talk to you about both of these during a consultation at his Los Angeles office.

Your smile is in good hands at Westside Dental Associates. We serve patients from Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Vista, Culver City, Rancho Park, Westwood, Brentwood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista, and nearby communities.

The Connection between Oral Health and Heart Health

February 7, 2014

oral and overall health On February 14, couples across the country celebrated another Valentine’s Day. Given how important the heart is to that day—or at least cartoonish version of one—we decided to use our first post of the month to talk about the connection between heart health and oral health.

You might be surprised to hear that your smile and your heart are connected, but recent data indicates that they are. How exactly? That’s not entirely clear, but it seems to involve gum disease, a very common oral health problem.

Gum disease is caused by the accumulation of bacteria and plaque around the gum line. If left untreated, pockets can form between your teeth and your gums, giving bacteria and plaque a way into your bloodstream and other parts of the body as well, like the heart. Once there, they can contribute to clotting and even heart attack.

But heart health isn’t the only thing gum disease can affect. Other health problems include:

Alzheimer’s
Stroke
Diabetes
Pre-term birth
Pneumonia

If you struggle with gum disease, or you want to prevent it, there are a couple of steps you can take to protect your smile and your overall wellbeing. First, make sure you’re brushing and flossing on a regular basis. An antibacterial mouthwash will also help you control bacteria and stop gum disease from forming. Second, make sure you’re visiting Westside Dental Associates for regular appointments with Dr. Latner. During a regular checkup, Dr. Latner can look for gum disease and help you treat it if he finds anything. Treating gum disease early is important for enjoying good oral and overall health.

Call Westside Dental Associates today to schedule your next appointment with Dr. Latner. We serve patients from Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Vista, Culver City, Rancho Park, Westwood, Brentwood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista, and beyond.

Crown and Bridgework

January 31, 2014

Are you missing one or more teeth in a row? Dr. Latner can help you restore your smile’s appearance and functionality with a crown and bridge, sometimes referred to as a fixed bridge. Dr. Latner can help you restore your smile’s appearance and functionality with a bridge, sometimes referred to as a fixed bridge. If you’re missing the last tooth on either arch, it’s possible to secure a cantilever brigde with just one crown.

Your replacement teeth will be designed just for you, based on an impression we take of your smile. Then, a ceramist will carefully fabricate your bridge according to your impression and the instructions Dr. Latner draws up. In between appointments you’ll wear a temporary bridge, and then return to our Los Angeles dental office when your customized crown and bridge is finally ready. In some cases, it may be possible to get a bridge that is anchored by one or more dental implants.

Why is replacing missing teeth important?

When teeth aren’t replaced, remaining teeth will shift out of alignment over time. This can affect your bite, leading to TMJ dysfunction or teeth grinding. It can also give bacteria and plaque new places to hide, increasing your risk of developing gum disease. What’s more, patients who have missing teeth can have more difficulty speaking and eating. With a full smile, you can look forward to better health and wellbeing, plus an improved sense of confidence.

Call Westside Dental Associates if you want to fill the gap in your smile with a crown and bridge. During your visit, we can explain exactly how the process works and answer any questions you might have. We offer restorative care to patients from Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Vista, Culver City, Rancho Park, Westwood, Brentwood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista, and beyond.

Make 2014 a Transformative Year for Your Smile

January 10, 2014

cosmetic dentistry

Do you have ambitious goals for your smile this year? Then let the team at Westside Dental Associates in Los Angeles be your guide to better oral health and improved confidence. Besides offering general and preventive dentistry, we offer a wide range of cosmetic and restorative services as well.

Maybe your big goal for 2014 is to . For that, Dr. Latner offers in-office whitening with Zoom! and also take-home whitening option.

Alternatively, you might have teeth you want to straighten. With Six Month Smiles or Invisalign, Dr. Latner can help you correct misalignment in just a matter of months.

If you have missing teeth you want to replace, we can provide excellent help with dental implants. Unlike other restorative services, dental implants have a structure similar to natural teeth, with a replacement tooth on top and a prosthetic root underneath. With one or more implants, patients can enjoy a smile that looks and feels natural again.

A list of our other cosmetic and restorative services includes:

Are any of these services right for you? Dr. Latner can help you decide with a simple consultation visit at his Los Angeles dental office. Call us today if you live in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Vista, Culver City, Rancho Park, Westwood, Brentwood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista, and beyond. We can help you make 2014 a momentous year for your smile.

Schedule Your First Appointment of 2014 Today

January 2, 2014

Enjoying a beautiful, healthy smile begins with regular care from Dr. Les Latner and the team at Westside Dental Associates. We recommend that patients of all ages come to us for a checkup and cleaning at least twice in a single year. That might sound like a lot, but there’s a good reason for it. The quicker we can diagnose issues like gum disease, tooth decay, teeth grinding, TMJ dysfunction, or oral cancer, the sooner we can offer care—which is exactly what general and preventive dentistry is all about. With early care, we can help you preserve the smile you have and prevent new issues from developing in the future.

Gum disease in particular is a very common issue and can dramatically affect oral health and overall wellbeing. Besides the swelling, bleeding and persistent bad breath that come with it, gum disease also causes tooth loss and may increase your risk for other kinds of health problems, like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and preterm birth. By offering a service like periodontal therapy, in addition to regular cleanings and exams, we can help our Los Angeles-area patients in a wide variety of ways.

But before we design any kind of advanced treatment plan, we have to know what your oral health is currently like. During your visit, Dr. Latner will look closely for signs of gum disease or tooth decay. We’ll also look for wear and tear that might indicate a struggle with bruxism or TMJ dysfunction. We’ll even look for signs of oral cancer. For every patient, we want to make an early diagnosis so we can provide truly preventive care.

Has it been more than six months since your last visit with Dr. Latner? Call Westside Dental Associates for an appointment. We’re happy to offer excellent general and preventive dental care to patients from Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Vista, Culver City, Rancho Park, Westwood, Brentwood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista, and beyond.

Didn’t Get All Your Appointments In? Make a Resolution to Do It Next Year!

December 16, 2013

Dental Appointment To enjoy good oral health, our dental team at Westside Dental Associates recommends coming in for care at least twice a year for regular exams and cleanings. But we understand how hard it can be to fit multiple visits in during the year. For some patients, seeing the dentist takes courage. For others, it may be that a busy schedule makes it difficult to plan far in the future.

Whatever your situation, the good thing about the brand new year coming up is that you can make a fresh commitment to seeing us for regular care at least twice. Don’t live with your frustrations of missing an appointment this year—but do start thinking about how you can make regular care a priority in 2014.

For patients who have put off care because of anxiety, conscious oral sedation can help. Using conscious oral sedation, Dr. Latner can help patients experience comfortable, anxiety-free care.

For other patients, it may be helpful just to consider how important a healthy smile is. Your oral health doesn’t exist in a bubble; problems in your mouth can potentially contribute to problems in the rest of the body. But through regular exams and cleanings, Dr. Latner can help you enjoy better oral health and overall wellbeing.

Are you ready to schedule your first appointment for 2014? Call Westside Dental Associates today. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been since you’re last appointment—we won’t judge! What’s important is making sure 2014 is a banner year for your smile. We offer comprehensive general dentistry to patients from Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Vista, Culver City, Rancho Park, Westwood, Brentwood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista and nearby areas.

Give Your Smile a Fresh Start in 2014

December 9, 2013

Winter Smile When we think of January and the New Year holiday, we think of fresh starts. Very often, those fresh starts are thought of in terms of resolutions. But what about the idea of giving your smile a fresh start? Using any combination of Dr. Latner’s general, cosmetic, and restorative services, the team at Westside Dental Associates can help you create a healthy, beautiful smile for the beginning of 2014.

Whatever kind of treatment you’re seeking, your plan will begin with a consultation and oral exam at our Los Angeles dental office. Your appointment will let Dr. Latner get a grasp of your current health and your needs. You can also talk to him about specific changes you’d like to make.

Based on the results of your exam, we’ll create a completely personalized plan using one or more of our Los Angeles office’s great services. If you have any questions about that plan, we’ll be happy to answer them.

Depending on what your plan includes, completing work on your smile may take just a single appointment, or it could take two or more. Regardless, we’ll make sure that you’re completely comfortable with the proposal we put forward before beginning work.

Do you want to give your smile a fresh start in 2014? Call Westside Dental Associates to see how that’s possible. We’re happy to serve patients from Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Vista, Culver City, Rancho Park, Westwood, Brentwood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista and beyond with excellent general, cosmetic, and restorative care.

Start Setting Goals for Your Smile Now

November 26, 2013

We still have some time before 2014 arrives, but now is still a good time to start thinking about your smile goals for next year.

Your goals could be simple or they could be more complex. For example, maybe you haven’t been very good in the past about coming to see Dr. Latner for regular checkups and cleanings. In that case, your goal might be as simple as seeing our team at Westside Dental Associates twice a year.

But maybe you’d like to make more extensive cosmetic or restorative changes to your smile. To plan extensive care, you can start by exploring our cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry pages. Here, you’ll find solid information about what we offer and how we can help.

To understand which service (or services) is truly right for you, though, you’ll need to visit Westside Dental Associates in person for a consultation with Dr. Latner. Our promise, to every patient, is to create a personalized treatment plan that addresses your individual needs. What’s more, we can explain how every service works, so that you’re completely comfortable with what we recommend. We don’t want any patient to agree to a treatment plan they don’t understand or aren’t fully comfortable with.

Call us today for an appointment with Dr. Latner. Our Los Angeles team is looking forward to helping you.