Dentistry without a Drill from Dr. Latner

October 2, 2012

What, more than anything, keeps you from regular dental visits? For some it’s the sounds and sensations created by a dental drill. For others it’s the shot of anesthetic just about every filling appointment begins with. In both cases, air abrasion can help.

Air abrasion uses a high-powered stream of air and powder, instead of a drill, to remove decay from teeth. What’s more, because there’s no drilling involved, a shot is often unnecessary. All of which means you can receive the important care you need without two of the most dreaded aspects of dentistry.

Not every cavity can be treated with air abrasion, though; it’s intended for small cavities on the chewing surfaces of back teeth. But with regular checkups at Dr. Latner’s Los Angeles dental office, it’s more likely that any cavities you get can be treated with air abrasion instead of traditional tools.

How long has it been since your last checkup with Dr. Latner and his team at Westside Dental Associates? If it’s been more than six months, consider calling us today at (310) 477-1081 to reserve your appointment. At Westside Dental Associates you’ll find that Dr. Latner offers a comprehensive selection of services to meet the preventive, cosmetic, and restorative needs of his Los Angeles-area patients.

Quality Restorative Care with Inlays and Onlays

August 29, 2012

We’re pretty certain you’ve heard of porcelain crowns before, but do you know anything about porcelain inlays and onlays?

As a cosmetic/restorative service available at Dr. Les Latner’s Los Angeles dental office, porcelain inlays and onlays can help you restore teeth suffering from decay or damage. That makes them similar to fillings and porcelain crowns, but you might think of them as an in-between solution.

Despite fulfilling a cosmetic-restorative function, though, inlays and onlays aren’t interchangeable. They’re very similar to each other, but they restore different parts of the smile.

Inlays are specifically for restoring the small space on the top surface of the tooth, between the rounded edges known as the cusps. Because this area is indented and sees a lot of wear, it is particularly vulnerable to decay.

Onlays, on the other hand, are designed to actually restore cusps instead of just merely restoring what’s between them. They are a conservative option that lets Dr. Latner preserve more of your natural tooth than something like a porcelain crown would.

Does your smile need important restorative help? Dr. Latner can help. Call our Los Angeles office today to schedule a consultation visit with us. During a consultation visit Dr. Latner can take a close look at your smile and help you understand exactly what kind of care you need, whether it’s an inlay, onlay, or something else.

Call us today! We serve patients from all around the Los Angeles area.

Dr. Latner Detects Cavities Early with DIAGNOdent

June 20, 2012

In our last post, we talked about how tooth-colored fillings can help us restore smile affected by decay. In this post, we’re going to introduce you to a unique tool Dr. Les Latner is using every day to catch decay before it becomes a serious problem. It’s called DIAGNOdent.

How Does DIAGNOdent Work?

Using a laser, DIAGNOdent examines the surfaces of teeth for signs of decay, matching what it finds against a health baseline reading. When it finds something that differs from that initial healthy reading, a sound is emitted, indicating that decay may be present.

As a benefit for you, finding decay early means shallower, simpler fillings that let you preserve more of your natural smile. And when used in combination with X-rays, it provides Dr. Latner with a clearer understanding of your total oral health so that we can make even better treatment decision for you going forward.

Learn More About DIAGNOdent Today

Want to learn more? You can do so in a couple of ways. First, you can visit the official page for DIAGNOdent. You can also our own website, where you can learn more about DIAGNOdent and all our great services.  And lastly, you can give our office a call. We’d be happy to answer any of your questions, in addition to scheduling a visit for you with Dr. Latner.

Westside Dental Associates is located in Los Angeles and serve patients from West Los Angeles, Westwood, Santa Monica, Rancho Park, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Venice, Marina del Rey, and surrounding areas.

Stop Decay and Restore Your Smile with Tooth-Colored Fillings from Westside Dental Associates

June 13, 2012

Most patients have trouble with tooth decay at some point. That’s why fillings are a standard part of any dental office. But even with so many offices offering fillings, not every office offers tooth-colored fillings.

Tooth-colored fillings are a cosmetic alternative to traditional amalgam fillings. Instead of using a combination of metals, including mercury, to repair teeth and stop decay, tooth-colored fillings use strong composite resins to restore smiles.

What does that mean for you?

It means a healthier smile that also looks completely natural. That’s because composite resins can be custom-shaded to match the color of your smile. As a result, no one but you and Dr. Latner will ever have to know that you’ve had fillings.

As an added benefit, you can look forward to your tooth-colored fillings last just as long as amalgam fillings would. What’s more, tooth-colored fillings actually bond to teeth, supporting their natural structure instead of just acting as a barrier to decay. This keeps teeth stronger and helps prevent bacterial reinvasion.

Would you like to learn more about how tooth-colored fillings can help you restore your smile? Call Westside Dental Associates today with your questions or to schedule an appointment. Dr. Latner serves patients from Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, Westwood, Santa Monica, Rancho Park, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Venice, Marina del Rey, and surrounding areas.

Creating New Smiles with the Give Back a Smile Program

June 6, 2012

As a dedicated Los Angeles cosmetic dentist, Dr. Les Latner takes great pride in creating beautiful smiles for his patients. But as important as every smile is, some are more precious than others. That’s why Dr. Latner is proud to participate in the Give Back a Smile program from the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

Restoring Vulnerable Smiles, Free of Charge

If you’ve never heard of it before, the Give Back a Smile program is dedicated to helping survivors of domestic abuse reclaim their lives and their smiles with free cosmetic dentistry treatment. Because a beautiful, functional smile is important for more than just self-confidence, Dr. Latner is happy to provide treatment to those in need.

Our cosmetic dentistry services include:

These are some of the most popular and effective cosmetic dentistry services available anywhere, and through the Give Back a Smile program, domestic abuse survivors have access to them completely free of charge.

What’s more, in honor of all of his work in the Los Angeles area, Dr. Latner was recently given a special award from the AACDCF for his work with domestic abuse survivors.

Would you like to learn more about the Give Back a Smile program? Visit them at their website here or call them at (800)773-4227. You can also explore Dr. Latner’s cosmetic dentistry options by exploring our site, or you can give us a call with your questions or to schedule a visit. Dr. Latner serves patients from Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, Westwood, Santa Monica, Rancho Park, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Venice, Marina del Rey, and surrounding areas.

Meeting the General Dentistry Needs of Patients from Los Angeles

April 2, 2012

We applaud anyone with regular brushing and flossing routine. But not even the best at-home regiment can get a smile as clean as it needs to be. It takes a trained eye and special tools, like the kind Dr. Latner and our team at Westside Dental Associates use, to really get a smile at its cleanest.

That’s why we recommend that patients see us every six months. While you’re in our office, Dr. Latner will check your smile signs of gum disease and tooth decay, in addition to signs of teeth grinding, TMJ dysfunction, and even oral cancer. Letting us keep a close eye on these things helps you give you the most personalized care possible. If we find anything, we can immediately begin working on a treatment plan that’s based on your medical history and is most right for you.

Not sure what services we offer? Explore our website to find out more about what we offer. And if you’re ready to schedule an appointment with us, just call our Los Angeles office today at (310) 477-1081. Dr. Latner would be happy to answer your questions and do everything possible to help you achieve optimal oral health.