Dr. Les Latner, DDS: Your Trusted Los Angeles Dentist

September 8, 2015

beautiful smiles from the trusted los angeles dentist dr. les latnerWhen you choose a dentist, you want to make sure he or she is someone you can trust — someone with experience, and compassion. Not only that, but you want to feel at home with the whole team so that from the very moment you walk through the door, you feel relaxed and comfortable.
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Tooth Strengthening Restorative Dentistry with Porcelain Inlays and Onlays in West LA

March 22, 2015

121353097Do you need to repair a damaged or decayed tooth? If so, you should consider restorative treatment with porcelain inlays and onlays. Porcelain inlays and onlays are a conservative alternative to traditional dental crowns. Also known as indirect fillings, they offer custom fitted, stronger, and longer lasting reparative solutions for tooth decay and damage. If you’re looking for a minimally invasive and healthy tooth restoration method, make your next restorative dentistry appointment with Dr. Latner at Westside Dental Associates today.  Dr. Latner delivers quality restorative care daily throughout West Los Angeles and the surrounding communities including: Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Rancho Park, and Mar Vista.

What are Porcelain Inlays and Onlays, and How Do They Restore Teeth?

Porcelain inlays and onlays have both cosmetic and functional benefits. Inlays and onlays are made of tooth colored porcelain and can be used in place of traditional dental fillings and crowns to treat tooth decay and trauma. Dental fillings have to be molded into place but porcelain inlays and onlays are fabricated indirectly in a dental lab before being fitted and bonded to your tooth. Inlays describe restorations that are bonded within the center of a tooth. Onlays describe restorations that require the inclusion of one or more points of the tooth or the full coverage of the tooth’s biting surface.

Why Choose Restorative Dentistry with Porcelain Inlays and Onlays?

  • Inlays and onlays are conservative and preserve more healthy tooth structure
  • Inlays and onlays do not discolor over time
  • Your teeth will be easier to clean with inlays and onlays
  • Inlays and onlays are better at sealing teeth to keep out bacteria
  • Inlays and onlays are extremely stable
  • An onlay can protect the weakest areas of a damaged tooth

West LA Restorative Dentistry Appointments

Dental fillings can reduce the strength of your natural teeth, but porcelain inlays and onlays can actually increase the strength of a tooth by up to 75%. To protect and preserve your natural teeth, make an appointment with Dr. Latner at Westside Dental Associates today.  Dr. Latner is a highly qualified restorative dentist, now proudly serving families daily throughout West Los Angeles and the surrounding communities including: Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina Del Rey, Rancho Park, and Mar Vista.

The Cosmetic Dentistry Boom

September 10, 2014

187872302It’s hard to think of dentistry without thinking of teeth whitening, veneers, or natural looking porcelain crowns. However, dental treatments weren’t always focused on improving both the health and appearance of your teeth. In the not so distant past, dental treatment only concerned itself with the treatment and cure of dental maladies like tooth decay and gum disease.  Today, having good-looking teeth has merged with having a healthy mouth, and cosmetic dentistry is now a part of an all-inclusive dental treatment package. Although not an official branch of dentistry according to the ADA, cosmetic dentistry has fast become one of the most popular type dental solutions. Dr. Latner works to provide Los Angeles, CA, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, West LA, and the surrounding communities with comprehensive treatment plans, each designed to address both the health and appearance of their teeth.

What is cosmetic dentistry?

Cosmetic Dentistry encompasses any procedure that improves the appearance of your teeth. This includes: removing teeth stains, professional teeth whitening, reshaping teeth, filling gaps and cracks, placing crowns, veneers, bridges, dentures, dental implants and oral restorations through dental fillings. Advancements in technology have made it possible to get these restorations done and enhance the appearance of your teeth in a single dental visit. Whitening or bleaching is by far the most popular cosmetic dental procedure in the United States.

Why is cosmetic dentistry so important?

Many surveys have shown that tooth loss and decay can significantly deteriorate quality of life for most people. Improved appearance is directly proportional to improved self-esteem. Imperfect smiles can effect personal self esteem and diminish confidence. This can affect your ability to form healthy personal relationships, and can also affect school and work productivity. Simply put, your smile is important.

Representing approximately 41 percent of the total population, Baby Boomers are the first generation to realize the importance of a great smile. The appearance of our teeth naturally changes as we get older. They may stain, yellow or decay. Baby Boomers made the move from hygiene to image enhancement. This desire to improve appearance — partnered with significant advances in the cosmetic dental industry itself — has contributed to the rise of cosmetic dentistry.

Quality Cosmetic Dentistry in Los Angeles, CA

Although having a great looking smile is important, your first priority should be to have a healthy smile. Dr. Latner will work with you to achieve this goal while also addressing your aesthetic concerns. In this case, health and beauty go hand in hand. Continuing advancement in biomimetics (mimicking nature) and biocompatibility (implants that match perfectly with the body and work permanently without causing any harm) have set the stage for the future of cosmetic dentistry industry. Contact Dr. Latner today to achieve your perfect smile. Dr. Latner proudly serves all of Los Angeles, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Rancho Park, Mar Vista, West LA, and the surrounding communities.

Tooth-Colored Fillings

April 18, 2013

Earlier this month, we talked about our preference for white fillings, especially in connection with a tool like air abrasion. We cited their resiliency and appearance as key reasons for this; not only can the bond between a tooth and a white filling last for many years, white fillings support the natural structure of teeth in a way that metal fillings don’t, and they look completely natural.

Here’s what you can expect from treatment with white fillings.

First, Dr. Latner will remove the decay from your tooth, using air abrasion if possible. Then, when the tooth has been prepped, Dr. Latner will take the composite resin he’ll be using and tint it to match the shade of your tooth. When the right color has been achieved, the resin will be put in place and hardened with a curing lamp. Afterwards, Dr. Latner will sculpt and polish your white filling until it looks perfect and fits your bite correctly.

In some cases, we may still need to rely on metal fillings, or on a more advanced service like crowns, inlays, or onlays, but when possible, we prefer to use white fillings.

Call Westside Dental Associates to restore one or more teeth with a white filling. We serve patients from Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Visa, and surrounding communities.

Restoring Teeth with Inlays and Onlays

April 4, 2013

Our last post focused on all-porcelain crowns and the benefits that come with them. Today, we’d like to focus on two similar but slightly different services: porcelain inlays and onlays.

These restorative services are similar to crowns in that they restore fractured or badly decayed teeth, but they’re also slightly different. Inlays are made to restore that small area between a tooth’s rounded cusps. Onlays, on the other hand, are made to fit over one or more cusps.

Dr. Latner will determine your needs during a consultation appointment as his Los Angeles dental office. Not every situation demands an inlay or onlay, but if your situation does, what you need will depend a lot on the results of your tooth-by-tooth exam.

Based on what Dr. Latner sees, he can design a restoration that will match the shape and size of your existing cavity, fracture, or filling. Our lab will then fabricate your restoration based on an impression of your tooth and any other information Dr. Latner sends. The result will be a natural-looking product that restores your smile’s functionality and encourages you to share your smile with others instead of hiding it.

Do you need help restoring one or more teeth with an inlay or onlay? Call Westside Dental Associates today to reserve an appointment. Dr. Latner serves patients from Los Angeles, West LA, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and surrounding communities.

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.

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