Santa Monica Archives - Page 10 of 10 - Westside Dental Associates

What If Dental Implants Aren’t Right for Me?

June 6, 2013

restorative dentistry For 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.

Is There a Difference between a Children’s Dentists and a Pediatric Dentist?

May 30, 2013

pediatric dentistry Regular dental care isn’t just important for adults—children need it too. But are all dentists the same when it comes to offering dental care to kids? For instance, if one doctor says he’s a children’s dentist but another says he’s a pediatric dentist, are they saying different things?

In short, the answer is yes. Even though a children’s dentist is perfectly suited to providing kids with care, in most cases, that means children who are three years old or older. Pediatric dentistry, on the other hand, is a specialty recognized by the American Dental Association and requires special knowledge of how to treat very young patients.

At Westside Dental Associates, Dr. Les Latner offers specialized pediatric care. Dr. Latner has trained as a pediatric dentist at Children’s Hospital/L.A. and USC and teaches pediatric dentistry at UCLA. That means when your child’s first tooth comes in around the age of one, you know who you can turn to for help.

Children should see a dentist from the moment they have their first tooth. That’s because monitoring the development of teeth is important. If they aren’t developing properly, or if there’s a complication, Dr. Latner can provide effective care that your child will benefit from going forward. We can also look for and treat gum disease and tooth decay, just as we would in older patients. Preventing and treating these in young patients is important.

Do you have a child or grandchild who has developed his or her tooth, or will soon? Call Westside Dental Associates to schedule an oral evaluation appointment. We’re proud to serve patients of all ages from Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Vista, and all surrounding areas.

Two Options for Cosmetic Braces, But Which Is Right For Me?

May 23, 2013

If you’ve explored our site before, you may have noticed that Dr. Les Latner offers two options for cosmetic braces: Six Month Smiles and Invisalign. Both offer discreet care and are made to work quickly. But how can you know which one is right for you? Are they even comparable? That’s a question we’d like to look at for this post so you can have a clearer understand of how both work.

Two Cosmetic Options

Invisalign and Six Month Smiles can’t do the work of traditional braces. They’re cosmetic systems and are designed to fix crowding, slight misalignment, and other issues.

The way Invisalign does this is with a series of completely clear trays, not brackets and wires. Instead of having anything tightened, you’ll simply move to a new tray every two weeks, with each one bringing you closer to your goal. You can also take your trays out when you eat, brush, and floss. That means you don’t have to make any changes to your diet or your daily brushing routine. You do have to be committed to wearing your trays 22-24 hours a day, though, with a treatment time of about 12-18 months.

Treatment with Six Months Smiles takes less time than that—literally about six months. There are restrictions on what you can eat, though. What’s more, Six Month Smiles uses clear brackets and tooth-colored wires, making it discreet if not completely invisible. But if you have a special event coming up, like a wedding, a job search, or another big event, Six Month Smiles can help you reach your goal faster than almost any other option.

Which One Is Right For You?

That all depends on your needs. The only way to know which is right for you is with a consultation appointment with Dr. Latner at Westside Dental Associates in Los Angeles. Call us today to reserve your appointment. We serve patients from Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West LA, Mar Vista, and beyond.

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.

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.