How Complex is Root Canal Procedure?

A root canal procedure is generally needed when a tooth becomes infected or inflamed as a result of dental trauma, deep decay or other factors. If you need a root canal, our Los Angeles endodontists will explain the process to you. In most cases, root canal therapy is fairly straightforward.

First, we will X-ray or take other images of the tooth that will be treated. This allows us to see the number and shape of all the root canals, or the chambers that contain the pulp, or soft tissues, inside the tooth. Next, the tooth will be numbed to ensure your comfort throughout the procedure. The next step is to access the root canals, which is done by creating an access point in the tooth.

Once we have accessed the canals, we remove the diseased tissues. This part of the process can vary in complexity based on the number and shape of the tooth’s canals. Teeth that have several or curly canals may take longer to clean and seal than teeth with only a few canals that are straight. However, once the canals have been cleaned, sealed and filled, the final step is to restore the tooth.

Call our office today to learn more or to schedule your appointment with our expert in root canal procedure in LA.

What Can Snap On Smile Do?

Perhaps the best service Snap On Smile provides is backup for the dentally compromised who can’t get the usual cosmetic or orthodontic treatments. This might be because of financial hardship, a pre-existing medical condition, or dental phobia.

If your teeth are fatally flawed because of too much rotation, staining, or spacing, Snap On Smile gives you the chance to go on smiling with no interference or embarrassment. This is because the Snap On Smile prosthetic camouflages your smile zone, just by being itself. You put in the device as you need to, and wear it all day if you want. Or you can take it out as it suits you.

The device is made from the same non-toxic resin NASA uses in its cabinetry. It’s durable, flexible, and custom-fit based on your own dental impressions taken by your Snap On Smile dentist.

Because of its removable and transient nature, Snap On Smile is ideal for special occasions. A photo opportunity you were dreading, or the day of a big presentation, can be made stress-free with your newly customized smile device.

Ask our West Hollywood cosmetic dentist if you qualify for Snap On Smile.

Cómo se arregla un diente roto?

Un diente roto puede ser más asustadizo de lo que debe ser, sólo con el ruido solo. Pero es una solución relativamente fácil con una invasión mínima. Cómo se cuida el diente se relaciona mucho con la naturaleza de la ruptura, y cualquier triage que fueron capaces de realizar usted mismo en la escena. Esto incluye recuperar el diente y colocarlo en la leche o en el agua, o colocarlo con delicadeza en su receptáculo.

Bajo ninguna circunstancia debe tocar la raíz de un diente que ha sido eliminado, ya que esto puede conducir a la infección. Del mismo modo, si el diente se rompió en la línea de las encías, dejando sólo la raíz intacta, es posible que necesite terapia de conducto para evitar que las bacterias de la colonización.

Su dentista puede utilizar la unión simple para reparar un diente con una rotura vertical, especialmente si el diente está en el frente. La unión es simplemente resina compuesta aplicada a una brecha en el esmalte. Si la ruptura es a la línea de la goma, el dentista puede acumular la estructura de soporte restante suficiente para recibir una corona. Las opciones de la corona incluyen todo-cerámica, porcelana fundida al metal, y oro o aleación del metal de base.

Para más información acerca de los dientes rotos, comuníquese con nuestro Los Angeles dentista.

Problems Fixed with Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are very popular, with many reasons to be so. Veneers can correct a wide range of cosmetic issues with the teeth, all in one product that is individually created to fit to your specific needs.

Porcelain veneers are thin as a wafer and fit right over the surfaces of prepared teeth. They are semi-translucent, so they look very natural in color to natural teeth. You can cover up a myriad of cosmetic flaws through the placement of veneers.

Veneers can be used to cover up stains or discoloration on the teeth. When attached to the fronts of your teeth, they provide a whiter and brighter covering that looks completely natural.

Cosmetic porcelain veneers can also be used to cover teeth that are cracked or chipped. Once any damage has been fixed, veneers can be placed to provide a new look for your teeth.

Many people choose to have veneers because they can make slightly crooked teeth appear to be straighter. Minor gaps can also be filled in with the placement of cosmetic veneers. Small teeth can also be made to appear larger. Discuss your options for a better smile with your Los Angeles porcelain veneers dentist.

How are Dental Bridges Placed?

Modern restorative and cosmetic dentistry offers several options for replacing missing teeth. The primary method recommended by professionals is typically dental implants, which are surgically inserted into the jaw bone. Older patients often choose dentures, as they require less invasive methods and support. Dental bridges offer the best of both worlds.

Dental bridges are comprised of two main components – pontics (or artificial teeth) and crowns. The pontic or pontics are attached to dental crowns at both ends, which are then placed onto the adjacent teeth.

This tooth replacement option provides stability from the neighboring healthy teeth, working around the need for jaw bone integration and the months-long process required with it. You might be a candidate for a bridge if your teeth and gums on either side of your gap are healthy and stable. Your bridge will be custom created, specifically to you and your needs. While there are a few materials that can be used, porcelain is often preferred, as it offers several benefits. These benefits include stain resistance and a similar look to dental enamel.

It is important to not procrastinate if you are missing a tooth, as the effects of tooth loss are often serious. If you are looking for more information about dental bridges, contact our cosmetic dentist in West Hollywood today.

How is Sleep Apnea Treated?

A sleep apnea diagnosis can only be delivered by a doctor certified in sleep medicine. Such a diagnosis may require several rounds of testing, starting with a sleep journal you keep yourself and continuing through a full night’s sleep under observation, at a designated site. Using information gathered by a full array of body sensors, our Thousand Oaks sleep apnea doctor can make a diagnosis and start talking treatment.

The most commonly-used weapon against sleep apnea is CPAP therapy. CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure, which is exerted using a regulator and mask. The mask keeps your airway open during sleep, while the regulator lowers blood pressure. Most cases see results with CPAP. However, the mask is an intrusion not all claustrophobes can handle. Alternative treatments include oral appliances, which look like ordinary mouth guards but either hold the tongue back or the jaw forward, depending on your physicality.

Another option if CPAP doesn’t work is the Winx system, which manipulates the soft palate and uvula to enlarge the upper airway.

Before prescribing CPAP for sleep apnea treatment, the doctor may suggest simple lifestyle fixes, like weight loss or quitting drinking or smoking. Personal habits inform your sleep schedule, and your body’s status while at rest, more than you know.

How Teeth Whitening Works

When choosing products from the store or from your dentist to get whiter and brighter teeth, you may wonder how these products can get the job done. While there are many different types of products, they generally work to whiten the teeth in one of two ways. These are through abrasion or lightening.

Many products that you can buy over the counter will work by the abrasion method. Small particles scrub away surface stains to reduce discoloration caused by foods, beverages, and lifestyle choices. However, abrasive materials can only do so much and may actually be damaging to the teeth if used improperly over time.

Gels, trays, and strips may use peroxide to help remove stains from beneath the surface of the teeth for actual whitening effects. The peroxide can work inside of the teeth to lift away particles that cause discoloration.

Your dental care provider can offer products that are much stronger than those that you can purchase at the store. This can help you to achieve greater results in a shorter time frame. Because of the risk of irritation to gums and sensitivity to the teeth, it is important that a qualified dentist be the one to use these teeth whitening treatments.

History of Veneers

In the early days of Hollywood, actors often had shockingly bad teeth due to inadequate or nonexistent dental care. Preventive dental care was virtually unheard of during the first years of the 20th century, so tooth decay, gum disease, and other serious dental problems were common, and cosmetic dentistry was a dream on the distant horizon. Although the actors were able to maintain a glamorous appearance up to a point, the second they opened their mouths to speak, the illusion was destroyed.

Dr. Charles Pincus found a solution in 1930 when he created the Hollywood smile. He found a way to make temporary veneers, or thin shells that could be attached to the front surfaces of actors’ teeth to cover up all the stains, chips, and other unsightly flaws. The bond between the veneers and teeth was just strong enough to keep the actors’ smiles looking good during filming, but it was not a long-term solution yet. In the 1980s, a team of researchers found that etching the surface of teeth could create a rougher surface and superior bond. This one small change resulted in the ability to keep veneers attached to teeth for more than a decade.

Today, dental veneers are one of the most popular treatments in cosmetic dentistry, and virtually anyone can have a beautiful, Hollywood smile. Call our office today to learn more about porcelain veneers or to schedule an appointment with our team.

Unnoticed Signs of Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease affects more than half of Americans over the age of thirty-five, but most of them are unaware they have anything wrong with their gums. Early signs of periodontal disease are easy to miss, but missing this chronic, progressive infection can have disastrous consequences for your smile. Although periodontal disease often starts as simple gum inflammation, it can end with widespread tooth and bone loss.

Our Los Angeles periodontics expert will examine your gums for signs of periodontal disease at each checkup, but recognizing the signs at home is just as important and can help you get treatment sooner, before the condition has a chance to progress. Symptoms can include redness, inflamed gums, swelling, pain, tenderness, bleeding gums, bad breath, or a bad taste in the mouth. As the condition progresses, teeth may shift, gaps can develop, and you may notice a difference in the way your teeth fit together. The gums may look as though they are pulling away from teeth. Your teeth may look longer, or the roots may be visible. You may have heavy plaque or tartar buildup, and pus might be visible at the gum line.

These are serious symptoms that need to be addressed as soon as possible. A deep cleaning procedure that removes plaque and tartar buildup along the gum line and creates a healthier oral environment will typically be needed. If the infection has progressed, you might also need surgery. Call our office today to learn more about periodontal disease symptoms or to schedule an appointment with our team.

Are Dental Implants Expensive?

Commitment to your smile usually comes with a price tag, and some people balk at getting implants when they’re quoted the per-tooth price. Based on where you live and the specialist you see, this quote will vary. But dental implants deserve consideration for being the best—no other restoration gets as close to how natural teeth look and function.

Remember, implants are a surgical procedure. Ideally your specialist will have both a high degree of training and experience with implants. That combination doesn’t come cheap. Also remember that on top of its surgical nature, the procedure involves a tiny space that leaves very little margin for error. Mere millimeters of difference can cause the implant to fail.

There may be other variables with your implant. For example, patients with dental phobia may require sedation dentistry. And if you have low bone density or require a sinus lift, your price will go up significantly.

Our expert in dental implants in Beverly Hills invites you to consider implants as an investment in your future. Smile design is always forward-looking, and wants to keep your later years as attractive as your younger ones. With proper care, implants last decades.

Call our office for more about the cost of dental implants.