Root Canal Therapy for Los Angeles and Beyond

March 28, 2014

root canal therapyOur teeth are made up of multiple layers. On the outside you have a protective layer of enamel, beneath that is a sensitive layer of dentin, and at the very center of the tooth is the nerve. When a tooth has been fractured or is severely decayed, this inner chamber can become damaged, making the patient vulnerable to an infection and other uncomfortable symptoms.

To treat these symptoms and prevent tooth loss, Dr. Latner can recommend a root canal. The purpose of a root canal is to save a compromised tooth, and the root underneath, by removing the damaged nerve and any infected material from the center of the tooth. What’s removed will be replaced by a biologically inert material known as gutta-percha. The procedure will end with the tooth being capped by a custom-made crown. This crown will restore your tooth’s appearance and functionality.

Of course, the term “root canal” has a negative connotation, but at Westside Dental Associates, Dr. Latner offers comfortable care with oral conscious sedation. What’s more, our Los Angeles office uses contemporary tools to make care quicker and more efficient. We’ll also talk to you about your procedure beforehand to dispel any myths and answer your most important questions.

Are you concerned that you might need a root canal, or do you simply have questions about the procedure? Call Westside Dental Associates for an appointment with Dr. Latner. During your appointment we’ll complete a thorough oral exam to determine what your needs are. Then we can begin putting your personalized treatment plan together.

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

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.

Enjoy a Diverse Range of Foods with Dental Implants

December 23, 2013

dental implantsOne of the biggest downsides to losing one or more teeth is that it becomes difficult to enjoy your favorite foods. And even with conventional restorative services, there are still foods you may have to avoid. Besides taking some of the fun out of eating, this can also mean that you’re not enjoying the kind of diverse diet you probably should be.

But there is one restorative service that will let you enjoy a comprehensive diet without fear—dental implants. This revolutionary restorative dentistry service uses metal implants as prosthetic roots, creating a stable foundation for a new crown, bridge, partial, or full denture.

Your tooth roots are important. In addition to anchoring your teeth to your jaw, they also encourage new bone growth so that your jaw stays strong throughout your life. When you lose a tooth and the root underneath it, your jaw may weaken over time, possibly contributing to the loss of other teeth.  The implant posts that come with dental implants will take on the role your natural roots once did, including promoting new bone growth. As a result, patients can enjoy their favorite foods again.

Not every patient is a good candidate for dental implants, though. To find out if this great service is right for you, call Westside Dental Associates today for a consultation. We offer excellent restorative 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 beyond.

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.

What If Dental Implants Aren’t Right for Me?

June 6, 2013

restorative dentistryFor patients who are missing one or more teeth, dental implants can do a lot to restore natural functionality and appearance. But as effective as they are, they aren’t right for everyone. It takes a certain amount of bone to support the implant posts that anchor a dental implants restoration. If that isn’t there, dental implants may not be an immediate option. So what might your alternatives be?

In some cases, it may be possible for you to become a candidate through bone grafting. The bone grafting process involves the transplant of bone tissue to where you need it, or a synthetic material may also be used. The result afterwards is a jaw that’s strong enough to anchor one or more implants.

In other cases, traditional options are always possible. Even though they don’t mimic the natural structure of teeth with a prosthetic root, traditional bridges, partial dentures, and full dentures can help you speak clearer, enjoy a more balanced diet. They can also help you improve the appearance of your smile and your confidence.

Do you have gaps in your smile but have been told that dental implants aren’t right for you? Find out how Dr. Latner of Westside Dental Associates can help. Explore our services to find out about our restorative dentistry options, and call us to reserve a consultation appointment. We’re serve patients from Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Vista, and beyond.

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.

The Benefits of All-Porcelain Crowns

March 31, 2013

Filed under: Restorative Dentistry,Uncategorized — Tags: , — Les Latner @ 7:41 am

When teeth become damaged or badly decayed, restorative care becomes essential. For a single tooth in need of help, dentists often turn to all-porcelain crowns. With an all-porcelain crown, it’s possible to provide patients with restored functionality, as well results that blend in with the rest of their smile and look natural.

How is that possible?

It has to do with the way all-porcelain crowns reflect light. Instead of looking unnatural, they reflect light the way natural tooth enamel does. Compare this with the more opaque look at a porcelain-covered metal crown.

Crown Placement

An all-porcelain crown can be placed in just a couple of visits. During the first, your dentist will prep the tooth by numbing area with a gel and a local anesthetic. Then, when the damaged portion of the tooth has been removed and an impression has been taken, a temporary crown will be put in place.

Based on the impression and your doctor’s unique plan for you, a trained ceramist will carefully create a custom-made crown. When it’s finished the patient will return for a second appointment, during which the final crown will be put in place.

Do you need to repair a decayed or broken tooth with an all-porcelain crown? Call us today to learn more or to schedule a consultation.

Is It Possible To Grow New Teeth? It May Be In the Future

March 15, 2013

Right now, one of the best ways for a dentist to restore the natural functionality of his or her patient’s smile is with dental implants. But that could be changing very soon.

Recently, the Journal of Dental Research published research revealing that stem cells taken from a patient’s own gum tissue can be used to bioengineer new teeth. The result is a new tooth more effective than what dental implants can provide.

The process involves taking gum tissues, isolating a particular combination of cells, and then implanting them in the patient’s jaw. From there, those cells will develop into a new tooth.

You won’t find too many dentists offering this service just yet, though. Bioteeth are still just a matter of research. But with the passage of time, it’s not unreasonable to expect that this process could become the new standard, giving patients a genuinely natural smile again.

To learn more about this revolutionary discovery, click here to read the article. And to find out how Dr. Latner of Westside Dental Associates can help you with a missing tooth, call our office. We serve patients from all around the Los Angeles area.

The Rising Popularity of Dental Implants

January 14, 2013

Recently, the American Academy of Implant Dentistry found that close to 30 million Americans are missing all the teeth in one or both of their jaws. The group also found that 15 million Americans are using a crown and bridge to replace a missing tooth. Given all that, restorative dentistry is one of the most important services a dentist can offer.

Crowns, bridges, and dentures have long been used to fill gaps and restore a smile’s appearance and function. But traditional forms of each have their limitations. While they can restore your appearance, they can’t give you back the functionality you once had. They also can’t stop the bone loss you’ll experience.

That explains why dental implants gain in popularity each year. Annually, the number of patients who have dental implants increases by 500,000. What’s more, the success rate for dental implants is 98 percent. Dr. Les Latner performs implant surgery and completes implant restorations in his Los Angeles dental office.

What makes dental implants so effective?

It’s the way they respond to your smile. Dental implants come in two parts, mimicking the structure of a natural tooth. The crown portion fills in the gap in your smile, while the implant portion fuses with your jaw, just like a natural root. When your implant procedure is finished, your smile will have the natural appearance and functionality you’ve been missing.

Not everyone is an ideal candidate for the implant surgery though. If you want to know if dental implants are right for you, call Westside Dental Associates. Dr. Latner would be happy to advise you in his Los Angeles dental office. We serve patients from all across the Los Angeles area.

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