Non Surgical Options for Treating Gum Disease

Gum disease ranges in severity from mild to advanced. While advanced periodontitis can require surgery to resolve, early gingivitis often responds to non-surgical treatments. The following options are examples of non-surgical solutions our Los Angeles periodontists may recommend for gum disease.

Improved Oral Hygiene

Very early in the course of gum disease, simply improving oral hygiene practices can stop and reverse the problem. This includes more frequent brushing and flossing, and a focus on foods that are good for the teeth and gums. 

Deep Cleaning

Also known as scaling and root planing, this treatment involves pulling back the gums from the teeth to clean underneath. The goal is to remove accumulated plaque and bacteria from the tooth roots and prevent periodontal pockets from enlarging further.

Antibiotics

Anti-bacterial measures used to treat gum disease include antiseptic mouthwash and antibiotic medications. Whereas antiseptic mouthwash often helps treat early gingivitis, prescription antibiotics are usually only used for stopping acute infections in severe periodontitis.

Gum disease treatment is simplest when the condition is in its early stages. With prompt care, oral and systemic complications are also less likely to develop. Patients can schedule a consultation with our expert in non surgicalperiodontal treatments in Los Angeles to learn more about the non-surgical methods of gum disease treatment.

Keeping Dentures Clean

Your expert in dentures in Beverly Hills may have told you upon receiving dentures that they can last between five and seven years. It is important to know the best ways to keep your dentures clean, so as to ensure their long and healthy life span.

The following are some tips and rules to keeping your dentures clean:

·         Remove and rinse your dentures after eating meals. This will eliminate any food stuck that can cause wear and tear.

·         Handle carefully. Be sure to clean your dentures over a full sink of water, so if you accidentally drop them they do not land on the hard counter surface, which could chip or break them.

·         Be sure to clean your mouth after removing them by rinsing.

·         Brush your dentures at least once daily. Again, this will help to get rid of any debris.

·         Soak them over night.

·         Rinse them before putting them back on, especially after they have been soaked in any sort of cleaning solution.

·         Be sure to schedule regular checkups with a dentist in Beverly Hills.

·         Pay attention to how they fit. Your dentures are very dependent on your gum health, and looseness can indicate a problem with the gums.

Contact our office for more information.

How are Damaged Teeth Restored?

Teeth can become damaged in a variety of ways, and the treatment options for restoring a tooth depend on the type and degree of the damage it has suffered.

Some of the common tooth damage our San Fernando Valley dentist can treat are cracks, chips, enamel erosion and decayed teeth, among many other problems. Here is a look at some of the most common restorative treatments used to correct dental problems.

•    Bonding: Consisting of a composite resin material, dental bonding can be used to repair a number of tooth problems including small cavities and minor chips and cracks.
•    Crowns: Normally made of a porcelain material, crowns are used to correct many dental problems including chipped, cracked or broken teeth, large cavities and tooth decay.
•    Root Canals: Root canal therapy is necessary when the inside of the tooth, called the pulp, becomes inflamed or infected as a result of severe tooth decay, cracks, a faulty crown, or trauma.
•    Implants: Sometimes a badly damaged tooth cannot be restored. In these cases, a dental implant can often be used to provide a strong, permanent replacement for the tooth.

If you have a tooth that has sustained damage and would like to learn more about these or other treatment options, contact our expert in dental restoration in San Fernando Valley to set up a consultation.

Root Canal and Its Pain

When decay or injury has affected the tooth to the point that it has seriously damaged or infected the pulp of the tooth, a root canal treatment is the only way for you to save the tooth. If you are in need of a root canal, there is a good chance that the pain you are currently feeling is substantially worse than the pain that will be experienced during the root canal treatment itself. Despite its reputation in popular culture, the root canal procedure itself is not particularly painful.

In fact, most patients report that root canal pain is no worse than the pain that is experienced when you are having a filling placed. Part of the reason for this is that you will receive a local anesthetic before the procedure that will numb the tooth and its surrounding area. Most dentists are also able to administer a mild sedative, such as nitrous oxide, to further put you at ease during the procedure.

If you are in need of a root canal due to infection, it is extremely important that you have it taken of as soon as possible. The infection is capable of spreading to other teeth and also to other parts of the body. In some instances, an untreated tooth infection can even prove fatal. So if you are in need of a root canal treatment, contact our Los Angeles endodontist to set up an appointment.

When decay or injury has affected the tooth to the point that it has seriously damaged or infected the pulp of the tooth, a root canal treatment is the only way for you to save the tooth. If you are in need of a root canal, there is a good chance that the pain you are currently feeling is substantially worse than the pain that will be experienced during the root canal treatment itself. Despite its reputation in popular culture, the root canal procedure itself is not particularly painful.

Lo que debe buscar en un buen dentista

Muchas personas se quedan con un dentista que no es necesariamente un buen ajuste durante mucho más tiempo de lo que deberían. Y algunas personas simplemente evitan el cuidado dental en su totalidad si no les gusta su dentista. Creemos que usted se merece para encontrar un dentista que amas. Puede encontrar el dentista que es adecuado para usted mediante la adopción de algunas medidas adicionales.

1. Pida recomendaciones.
Hablar con los amigos, familiares o vecinos acerca de sus dentistas. La mayoría de la gente sólo recomendar a alguien que realmente les gusta y respeto. Una referencia de un amigo o miembro de la familia puede incluso ayudar a cabo también.

2. Revise sus beneficios para la salud dental.
Si bien es posible que no desee elegir un dentista basándose únicamente en sus beneficios de seguro, éstos pueden ser un buen punto de partida. Si usted tiene un HMO, usted puede estar limitado a un dentista dentro de la red de proveedores. Sin embargo, un plan PPO puede extender sus opciones.

3. Programar una consulta.
Muchos dentistas ofrecen consultas gratuitas o de bajo costo donde se puede llegar a conocer el dentista y aprender más acerca de la práctica. Haga una lista de preguntas, y llevarlo con usted. Preguntar acerca de los tratamientos dentales que se ofrecen, las organizaciones miembros, la flexibilidad de horarios y otras preguntas. Una vez que llegue, prestar atención a los detalles: ¿Es la oficina limpia y ordenada? Es el personal amable y servicial? Es la oficina favorable a los niños?

Llámenos para obtener más información o para programar una cita con nuestro dentista en North Hollywood.

How Long Does a Dental Exam Take?

In addition to regularly brushing and flossing your teeth at home, it is strongly recommended that you visit a dentist every six months for a dental exam. The length of time that a dental exam will take typically depends on a case-by-case basis.

Most dental exams last around forty-five minutes, but they can be shorter if you are in exceptionally good oral health, or longer if you have several issues that need to be addressed. During the course of the exam, the dentist will evaluate your overall oral health and clean your teeth. They will look for signs of decay or gum disease. They will likely check to make sure there are no issues with your bite or with your jaw. They will also check you for oral cancer and other health issues. X-rays may or may not be taken, depending on your dental health and the last time you took X-rays. For a healthy individual, you may only need X-rays every few years. For those with gum disease or other health concerns, more frequent X-rays may be necessary. More frequent dental cleanings may also be more necessary for those individuals with gum disease.

If it has been a while since your last dental exam, contact our Northridge dentists to schedule a consultation.

How Do Dentists Whiten the Teeth?

Every day, a thin coating called pellicle forms on the enamel, or the hard protective layer, of your teeth. Pellicle picks up stains, and your tooth enamel has pores that can hold stains, too. This is why it is important to have your teeth whitened by an Orange County cosmetic dentist.

Common substances or factors that create stains on your teeth are:

•    Tobacco or smoking
•    Liquids, like coffee, dark sodas, tea, red wine, etc.
•    Bad dental health
•    Aging

If you are planning a visit to an expert in teeth whitening in Orange County, or are considering planning one, it may be helpful to know what to expect. The following are the typical steps of having your teeth whitened by a dentist.

•    Your dentist or dental assistant will begin by taking a photograph of your teeth. This is to compare to your progress throughout the treatment.
•    They will spend some time removing a film of bacteria, food, and, other substances that have built up over time.
•    Your dentist will apply a special gel to your teeth, which will contain varying levels of hydrogen peroxide. This is a bleaching gel.
•    The bleaching gel will be activated by a laser, which speeds up the bleaching process.

These are the usual, basic steps of a Vital whitening, but other steps may be necessary depending on your specific needs. Typical whitening treatment takes one to three appointments, lasting between thirty to ninety minutes each.

How to Afford Braces

If you are in need of orthodontic treatment with braces, you may be wondering how you are going to afford them. Although you may or may not be able to find cheap braces in Los Angeles, there are a few different methods that are available to help you pay for them either way.

If you have dental insurance that has orthodontic benefits, your insurance company may cover part of the expense. You will want to contact them to be absolutely sure about what they will or will not cover. If you do not have insurance or if your insurance only partly covers your treatment, most dentists and orthodontists offer flexible financing options that can help you with your payment. If you have a flexible spending account or a health savings account, you can apply those funds to your orthodontic treatment. Another option that may be available to you is receiving your treatment through a dental or orthodontic school located at a local university. Those in training at the school will be supervised by experienced orthodontists.

If you would like to schedule a consultation and discuss your options with a dental professional, contact our Los Angeles orthodontist today for more information.

Problems Fixed with Invisalign

When Invisalign was first introduced in 1999, the range of treatments was exceptionally limited. However, as the technology got better and more treatments were done, it eventually reached the point it is at now, which means that it can fix a wide variety of bite and tooth problems. In fact, it can fix most problems.

Here is an incomplete list of some of the orthodontic issues addressed by Invisalign Full through our Invisalign doctor in Los Angeles.

•    Crooked teeth
•    Misaligned teeth
•    Gapped teeth
•    Crowded teeth
•    Overbite
•    Underbite
•    Crossbite
•    Open bite

As you can see, the number of problems that Invisalign can address is nearly exhaustive. There are a few limited things that Invisalign might not be able to treat, such as horizontal misalignments, but most patients make excellent candidates.

If you are concerned about whether or not you will be able to qualify for Invisalign, there are two things you can do. First, look at before and after Invisalign pictures online to see if others have been able to have Invisalign treat issues similar to your own. More importantly, however, contact our providers for a consultation. That is truly the only way to know what you qualify for or not.

Clear Braces and Their Costs

If you are looking for an alternative to traditional metal braces, clear braces may be the answer for you. As far as the cost of clear braces is concerned, that is usually determined by a few different factors.

The first element you should take into consideration when it comes to the cost of clear braces is the complexity of your case. Clear braces utilize a system of clear plastic aligners in order to straighten your teeth. Each set of aligners is worn for two weeks at a time before being replaced with a new set of aligners. Each new set of aligners is designed to move your teeth one small step closer to your overall treatment goal. The more complex your treatment case, the more aligners required to reach your overall treatment goal. The more aligners needed, the greater the cost. The geographic location of where you are receiving your treatment will also affect the cost. Major metropolitan areas and coastal regions tend to be more expensive that minor cities and rural regions. For instance, the clear braces cost in Los Angeles will likely be more expensive than it is in Youngstown, OH. You will also want to keep in mind that more experienced providers charge higher fees for their services.

If you would like to know more about how much clear braces would cost in your particular case, contact our Los Angeles orthodontists for more information.