Oral hygiene (also known as dental hygiene) is the term defining the process of furnishing preventative dental care to lessen the chances of dental emergencies. Taking care of your teeth at home is the basis of a good dental hygiene program. In addition, your home treatment can be supplemented with professional care from dentists and licensed hygienists. You need to take responsibility for your daily oral care, even though you can supplement that care with visits to family dentists, dental hygienists, or cosmetic dentists.

You’ll Need More Than a Toothbrush to Attack Tartar Build-Up

Correctly brushing your teeth is one of the basic ways to keep your teeth and gums healthy. But it is impossible to rid yourself of tartar and plaque that builds up on your teeth by just brushing your teeth alone. By getting rid of tartar, you can lessen your chances of periodontal disease, cavities, toothaches, and tooth loss. Plus, preventing tartar build-up can reduce your possibility of needing major dental work.

Tartar gradually accumulates on teeth over time. When tartar starts at the gum line or below it, this can allow bacteria to start to grow and cause numerous dental problems. To ensure optimal dental hygiene, the tissue beneath the gum line and between the teeth must be properly maintained and regularly treated. Investigating these issues yourself is a wild goose chase. Therefore, seek expert help.

Let Your Dentist & Hygienist be Your Preventive Care Power Team

Your dental hygienist works alongside your dentist to scrape tartar, clean teeth, take x-rays, remove calculus deposits, and investigate bone structure as well as bite abnormalities. All this is done to ensure optimal dental hygiene.

Your dentist and hygienist also work as a team to examine your teeth, gums, and mouth and to determine whether any treatment is necessary for gum disease or tooth decay. Dental visits assist in the prevention of cavities and are vital in order to maintain proper dental hygiene, regardless of age. According to the American Dental Association, it is best to have a dental check up twice a year to maintain your teeth properly.

The way to keep your teeth healthy for you whole life is really no hidden secret. You need to take a few easy preventative steps. Our goal at Smile Studio LA, is to provide each patient with the best oral health possible by offering a comprehensive dental exam and a preventative maintenance program to follow. We offer basic needs such as cleanings and general examinations as well as specialty services such as night guards and sports guards. All patients, upon discharge, receive instructions that are easy to follow in order to properly care for themselves when they are at home.

Smile Studio LA is pleased to offer our service and experience to clients in the Studio City and Los Angeles region. Contact a dental professional at Smile Studio LA by calling 818-788-1352 for more information about our preventative care services!

Treat Your Smile to Smoother Teeth With Custom Dental Fillings

Dental fillings are created to fix cracked teeth, fill in cavities, and provide a smooth coating over damaged teeth. The most often used materials to fill cavities are silver amalgam, porcelain and composites. To prevent excess biting or chewing, we often use these substances to smooth teeth.

When tooth decay is present, lost enamel is a common occurrence. This can often increase the sensitivity of teeth to hot or cold temperatures. Using the appropriate dental material can relieve, decrease, or just plain eliminate tooth sensitivity caused by the loss of enamel. For dental reconstruction above and beyond that which is possible with a traditional filling, the treatments outlined below may be required:

• Dental Crowns: These may be necessary for teeth needing more support than what a traditional filling can provide.

• Dental Implants and Dental Bridges: Implants and bridges may be required for tooth damage that is beyond repair and requires tooth extraction.
  
  
• Root Canals: Nerve damaged, abscessed, or infected teeth may need a root canal treatment.

What Should I Expect With Dental Fillings?

Your regularly scheduled dental visit is important because it allows us to check for deterioration in your gums, teeth, or bone structure. Our dentists will numb the damaged tooth and the surrounding area prior to restoring it. Near the end of a restoration, we use a specialized tool to clean your mouth of loose debris while removing bacteria.

Here’s the process in a little more detail.

The damaged tooth is first isolated then the composite filling is placed. During the bonding procedure, many adhesives are used. As the initial adhesives are applied, then the bonding material is applied as the next step. In the last step we use a bonding light until it is tempered. Because of this, isolating the tooth to insure the optimal composite restoration process is vital as moisture must be avoided to prevent failure or slowing of the bonding process. When the restoration process is finally completed, the repaired tooth will look completely natural and function perfectly.

How Can I Be Sure My Dental Fillings Will Last?

The normal amalgam filling lasts approximately 12 years while the composite filling last only 5 to 7 years. As you can see, the amalgam filling is much more durable. The lifetime of the fillings depends on how you care for your teeth.

Smile Studio LA is able to offer these kinds of natural-looking composite fillings that make the silver fillings appear outdated. While porcelain onlays and inlays require multiple appointments, natural-colored fillings can often be finished in a single visit. A lot of our patients choose to have their prior fillings replaced by new fillings that are the same color as their teeth since mercury and silver fillings can cause cracked teeth.

Discover how we have improved smiles not only in Studio City, but in the entire LA area. If you'd like more information about dental fillings, feel free to call Smile Studio LA at 818-788-1352 where our friendly staff is waiting to help.

Give Your Smile a Complete Makeover with Dental Bonding

One viable alternative to procedures such as porcelain veneers and teeth whitening is dental bonding. In this process, a tooth-colored resin material is bonded to your tooth for the purpose of restoring your smile Bonding is the most important method of repairing and fixing broken, chiped or cracked teeth. This can also be used to replace amalgam fillings that contain silver-mercury mixtures. A smile can be made over instantly and easily through the process of dental bonding.

Dental Bonding Options

• Bonding to Link Two Surfaces - Two dental surfaces can be bonded together by covering a tooth with either a silver amalgam filling or a composite that's the same color of the tooth. This method is also helpful for making crowns instead of the way we cement them.

• Direct Bonding - Dental bonding has recently become more popular as solution for repairing chipped, decayed, cracked, or otherwise unattractive teeth. If your dentist chooses a method of direct bonding, he will apply a resinous material directly onto the tooth to fill in, cover and protect the area needing repair.

What Should I Expect With Dental Bonding?

While the bonding procedure is taking place, we will isolate your damaged tooth. This very important part of dental bonding prevents moisture from interfering with the procedure.

Once the tooth is isolated, a mild phosphoric acid is put on the surface of the tooth. This is also referred to as acid etching and doing this greatly improves the bonding strength of the resin. The acid is left on the tooth for 15 seconds, then it is taken off and replaced by a liquid bonding resin. Using a blue light to help shape and cure, a composite resin is applied onto the natural surface of the tooth. It usually takes several resin applications to get the resin into the appropriate form and shape.

Dental bonding differs with each dentist's technique so our cosmetic dentists will execute certain steps to create a finish that ensures the resin bonding does not come off or your tooth does not become sensitive. Following dental bonding, many of our patients often experience some kind of tooth sensitivity. This bit of sensitivity is usually short-lived. But if it continues, you should schedule a follow-up appointment with your dentist.

Dental Bonding: Final Word

Dr. Calvo and Dr. Johnson's objective is to find convenient ways of improving your smile through dental bonding treatments that require only one appointment. Smile Studio LA and our professional dental staff have been successful in improving the teeth of many happy patients in the Studio City and Los Angeles areas. To know more about dental bonding, kindly contact the helpful staff of Smile Studio at LA, phone 818-788-1352 now!

Dental Crowns Adorn Your Teeth With a Royal New Look

Dental crowns or “caps”, as they're typically called, help maintain the functionality of damaged teeth. Crowns are useful for protecting teeth that have been cracked, repairing a badly decayed tooth, or replacing an existing crown. Our all-porcelain dental crowns use a specially created material to cover teeth that are damaged, cracked, or decaying. Our modern dentists can provide effective tooth restoration using many different, convenient methods of treatment. If at all possible, you should review these other options with us prior to deciding on a full coverage crown.

How Does the Dental Crown Procedure Work?

Before a dental crown is done, we get ready by making a mold impression of the tooth to be treated. This mold impression is then sent off to be examined by a dental lab. After that, a temporary crown will be applied to protect your tooth for a short-term period while the actual crown is being created in a dental lab. As soon as it is done, the new crown can be attached at a future date.

Expedite the Process With CAD/CAM Technology

Medical advancements known as CAD/CAM have been developed recently. CAD/CAM technology has been produced so that 3-D photographs of your teeth can be made. To correctly complete and create a restoration for your tooth, a ceramic block must be fashioned. Since our dental office is equipped with CAD/CAM technology, then you won't need to revisit our office for the last cementation process neither will you need a temporary crown.

The Collaboration Between Dental Crowns, Implants, and Fixed Partial Dentures

Lost teeth can be replaced by dental implantation which involves installing a titanium root replica. Then, the crown can be placed over the implant just above the gums. Dental implants are a common way of eliminating the necessity of crowning adjacent teeth while restoring the bite's strength. While fixed partial dentures may work well as a cosmetic and functional solution, dental implants remain one of today's most popular treatments for a missing tooth or teeth. Like many others, you can choose to go beyond a dental crown and receive dental bridges which are fixed partial dentures that replace missing teeth.

Dental Crowns: Final Word

If you have badly damaged teeth, you will probably discover dental crowns are the best treatment option for you. Our crown procedure here at Smile Studio LA uses tooth-shaped covers for increased comfort and strength. Metal crowns will make your teeth look less natural in shape and color than our porcelain crowns. Light-years beyond traditional crowns, our porcelain crowns offer superior functionality and appearance.

Smile Studio LA and our all-porcelain crown technology has transformed the smiles of Studio City and the greater Los Angeles area. Countless smiling faces can't be wrong. Give us a call at 818-788-1352 to find out more about our custom crafted all-porcelain crowns.

Regain Your Confidence and Show Off Those Pearly Whites With Dental Bridges

If you have had the misfortune of losing one or more teeth, then you understand how this affects your ability to speak and chew, in addition to marring the appearance of your smile. A number of dental problems can occur if you are missing teeth including speech impediments, shifting of teeth, greater incidence of tooth decay, an elevated risk of periodontal disease, and changes in occlusion (bite) as well as TMJ disorder

Dental bridges, like implants and partial dentures, are often used to replace missing teeth. Many different repair options exist. These options include immovable dental bridges, resin-bonded bridges, cantilever bridges, and conventional fixed bridges.

In general, cantilever and conventional bridges require the teeth around the missing tooth to be shaped for best results. Crowns are then put onto the teeth that have been shaped and joined to a ponti (artificial tooth).

When resin-bonded bridges are used, there is less preparation of the adjacent teeth required. This option is often used to replace front teeth. This procedure is effective provided the surrounding teeth have few fillings and the nearby gum tissue is healthy.

What Should I Expect When Choosing Dental Bridges?

When you initially visit with one of our cosmetic dentists, we will need to determine the health of your gums and surrounding teeth to see if you can qualify for a dental bridge. The teeth supporting a dental bridge will undergo significant preparation and local anesthetic will be required if you are a candidate for a dental bridge. If the supporting teeth are badly damaged or have significant decay, then our dentists may have to restore them to an optimum condition before they can be used to support a dental bridge.

Once the support teeth have been treated, we use putty to model an impression of the teeth to be treated; this model is used as the basis of forming your bridge. The model is accurately made by a skilled lab technician so that the teeth that are prepared fit well. It is crucial that your restoration is a perfect fit; otherwise tooth decay and other oral health problems may arise.

Lastly, our dentists will fit you with a temporary bridge while your permanent bridge is being created. Your teeth and gums will be guarded by the temporary bridge. To complete the process of installing a dental bridge, you will have to make two more visits to our office. During these visits we’ll be fitting and cementing your permanent bridge.

At Smile Studio LA, we have had tremendous success in merging the latest advanced materials and tissue management techniques to provide our patents with the best and most beautiful results possible. Our dental professionals have created countless smiles throughout Studio City and the greater Los Angeles area that are both brighter and better functioning. Give our friendly and knowledgeable team at Smile Studio LA a call at 818-788-1352 to learn more about dental bridges.

Safely Recover Your Bright Beautiful Smile With Dental Implants

On occasion, a person may experience the permanent loss of a tooth as a result of an unexpected extraction, a traumatic injury or disease, or an accident. During these instances, dental implants are often used as a sturdy, functional replacement option because they don't depend on nearby teeth for support.

In general, dental implants are tiny cylindrical objects made from titanium which are inserted into and bonded to the jaw bone. After the cylinders have been secured, the individual artificial teeth are anchored to the implant. You can also use dental implants along with bridges or dentures.

How Does the Process of Dental Implantation Work?

With today's technology, dental implants are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth when viewed by the naked eye. The reason for this original appearance is because of the link between function and structure among the living bone and the dental implant. In most cases, osseointegration takes just one treatment; however there are some times where more visits are needed for implanting dental replacements.

The jaw bone and a dental implant become directly anchored during osseointegration. The most widely used dental implants are the osseointegrated implants, which are also the most successful. The healing time required for an osseointegrated implant ranges from three to six months. Our cosmetic dentists finish the procedure by placing a crown as soon as your tooth has healed. We may also want to put on an artificial prosthesis once the dental implant has anchored into the jaw bone. The dental implant will not be successful if osseointegration does not properly occur. As a result, this process is extremely important.

Two Primary Components of Dental Implantation
Preparing the Jaw – A dental implant is generally made up of a crown and a titanium material screw. A small opening (pilot hole) is frequently drilled at a point in the jaw where no tooth exists to direct the titanium screw accurately and to efficiently secure the dental implant in place. Our dentists use great skill and care when drilling a hole into your jaw and sizing the jaw bone so as to avoid damaging important face and jaw structures such as the inferior alveolar nerve in the mandible (mandible).

Placing the Implant – As soon as the primary hole is made at a suitable place in the jaw, it is slowly widened to make place for putting dental implant screw. To allow the implant area to heal properly and to facilitate osseointegration, the first screw implanted is covered by a second cover screw for protection. We will remove the protective and place a temporary crown on the top of your dental implant, this will be done after several months have passed. This temporary crown acts as a template to encourage the gums to grow and shape naturally. When the temporary crown is replaced by the permanent crown the process is complete.

Our experienced staff at Smile Studio LA has treated a number of patients in Studio City and the general Los Angeles area with dental implants. The dental treatments provided by our office are among the best in Los Angeles and can help you achieve the smile you always wanted. If you would like to know more about dental implantation at Smile Studio LA, don't hesitate to call our friendly and knowledgeable staff at 818-788-1352 today!

Dentures: The Classic Solution for Replacing Missing Teeth & Improving Your Appearance

Tooth decay, periodontal disease, or traumatic injury are the causes for tooth loss in most people. Missing teeth must be replaced soon. Failing to replace missing teeth can result in an inability to bite or chew properly along with a considerable shift in the remaining teeth. If teeth are left missing, patients can even suffer from facial sagging. A person may look much older than they actually are because of this.

If you have lost all of your teeth, then you may be able to substitute them with a full denture set. For patients that have a small amount of teeth left, the treatment will include partials or over dentures

One of the best aspects about contemporary dentures is that, besides being functional, they are also comfortable. You will know you have found great dentures when they look like your natural teeth and greatly improve your facial appearance and smile.

How Do I Know I’ve Found the Right Dentist?

As you search for the right dentist to prepare your dentures, be sure to ask them about their experience and education. For example, many general dentists who don’t really specialize in any particular aspect of dentistry may perform this operation. However, orthodontists receive more specialized education in restorative dentistry as they must complete three years of advanced training in this area.

Well-Placed Dental Implants Help to Stabilize Dentures

Millions and millions of people around the world do not have teeth either in their upper or lower areas or in both jaws. Lots of these people have problems securing their dentures, particularly lower jaw dentures. If you have had your dentures slip out of your mouth during a conversation, you have already discovered firsthand how devastating this experience can be. You may be frustrated by your inability to eat the foods that you desire because of the ineffectiveness of your denture adhesive. There is a new process that's come about to help dentures work in the way that they are supposed to. Dental implants are used as stabilizers for dentures using this new method.

The benefits of denture stabilization with dental implants include:

• Improved speech and confidence

• Increased comfort with less irritation of gum tissue

• No more hassle form the costs and inconvenience of denture adhesives

• Involves a minimally invasive procedure
  
  
• Restoration of proper chewing, allowing for a better diet and improved health

At Smile Studio LA, we've found the use of dental implants for stabilizing dentures to be extremely successful. This method alone has been proven to work well for hundreds of thousands of people and this number is growing every day as more people find out about the effectiveness of this procedure.

Learn how Smile Studio L.A. has changed the lives of countless patients, providing quality dental care to Studio City and the entire Los Angeles area. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff can be reached at 818-788-1352 if you have any questions about our exciting denture placement methods.

Get Rid of That Gummy Smile and Flash Your Pearly Whites with Confidence Again

The idea of smiling without displaying red gums and little teeth can seem to be virtually impossible for a lot of people. We refer to that problem as having a "gummy smile." People who show a lot of their gums with every smile tend to think that they have small teeth or big gums and may think that nothing can be done to fix this. In order to make gummy smiles more pleasing to the eye, there are several treatments available.

What Are My Options for Treating a Gummy Smile

Some people may appear to have shorter teeth when in fact, in a lot of cases, they just have too much gum tissue. A specialist in gum disease, known as a periodontist, can remove the excess gum tissue. If you have a gummy smile, there are a number of different treatments available to you.

Flap Surgery

Flap surgery is necessary when the underlying bone needs to be exposed in order to remove a portion of it. Teeth that are badly worn, naturally short, or have thick and irregular bone contours benefit most from flap surgery. A gummy smile can be repaired with a periodontal dressing during this procedure. While flap surgery can be somewhat more uncomfortable than other types of gummy smile treatments, it offers better results for some patients.

Gingivectomy

A gummy smile can often be treated using a procedure in which an incision is made into the tissue of the gums; this procedure is referred to as gingivoplasty or gingivectomy. Since it removes surplus gum tissue without exposing the underlying bone, a gingivectomy is the least invasive of the treatments for a gummy smile. Those gum and tooth tissues that are in the process of healing are usually protected by the application of a special periodontal dressing. Most patients experience some discomfort and minor pain during this procedure. However, because a gingivectomy is not very invasive, patients generally experience no pain at all after the surgery.

Hypermobile Lip Surgery

One of the newer option for people wishing to correct the problem of having a high lip line is an innovative procedure known as hypermobile lip surgery. Although it was originally developed during the 1970's, hypermobile lip surgery is only now gaining popularity as a treatment for gummy smile as the interest in cosmetic improvement has increased.

The procedure, which is non-surgical and performed under a local anesthetic, re-attaches the gum tissue below the lip more closely to the teeth. For patients with high lip lines, this method can be used to stop the lip from moving upwards excessively. As a result, hypermobile lip surgery can provide significant improvements. Patients should be advised, though, that this procedure will not produce perfect results every time.

At Smile Studio LA, we have a long history of successfully treating gummy smile patients and patients with other gum problems from all over Studio City. The most profound successes have appeared when implementing re-contouring in order to accent a realistic smile line.

Surgical modification of the gum-line can provide a more aesthetically pleasing smile. It has been proven to produce some pretty dramatic results when we combine our gummy smile treatment with veneers or crowns. The Smile Studio LA staff is waiting to tell you about our gummy smile treatment, just call 818-788-1352 today!

Quickly & Easily Achieve a Brand New Smile With Instant Orthodontics

Misaligned teeth or crooked smiles can be straightened in as little as two visits by using Instant Orthodontics. This procedure can be done so quickly because, rather than applying traditional metal braces, our dentists use porcelain veneers instead.

Our custom-crafted veneers are thin porcelain covers installed on the anterior of your teeth. They leave your teeth looking and feeling natural while restoring natural beauty to your teeth. Porcelain veneers are extremely tarnish-resistant. Therefore, a bright, white, and natural looking smile is achievable.

What Should I Expect With Instant Orthodontics?

After we have determined which of your teeth require the placement of veneers, we will take an impression of your teeth and ship it to a dental laboratory. Once the lab has created a mold out of wax, we will examine it with you to make sure it’s good enough. Upon acceptance, your replacement porcelain teeth will be made from a mold. We’ll then prepare and fit your teeth with temporary veneers and you’ll wear them until the new porcelain veneers can be bonded to your teeth.

Innovative Technologies Used With Instant Orthodontics

While every dentist is different, there are four common technologies that are usually used in instant orthodontics:

Digital Imaging – This method shows you a digitally enhanced picture of you with your new smile so you can get a better understanding of what the final result will be.

IntraOral Camera – This is a small, pen-like device which generates a magnified image of your teeth and sends it to a computer screen in order to help your dentist determine a diagnose and the treatment each tooth requires.

The Wand – This is an anesthesia device completely controlled by computer, which results in virtually painless injections.

The Loft Tissue Laser – This allows your dentist to change the contour of your gum line or surgically remove the frenum, which is a muscle found between the front teeth that often causes a space between them.

What’s The Recovery Period Like With Instant Orthodontics?

Patients can expect the recovery time for instant orthodontics to be on par with other dental procedures. Soon after porcelain veneers are secured to your teeth, the gums may become swollen and tender to the touch. Any mild pain or discomfort you might experience can be treated and eased with an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen. In order to improve your comfort, you might need to have adjustments made to your porcelain veneers once they have been on for several days.

Within as few as two visits, your teeth will be straighter, whiter, more beautiful and free of braces. At Smile Studio LA, we use the most modern tools and techniques to employ instant orthodontics as a convenient method of fixing mild to moderate crowding of the anterior teeth.

Almost all of our patients who choose instant orthodontics have already thought about conventional orthodontics. However, they simply thought 2 to 3 years with metal braces was less desirable than the 2 to 3 visits required with instant orthodontics. One of the major benefits of instant orthodontics is that the results are long lasting and look totally natural.

Find out the way that Smile Studio LA has had positive results in using instant orthodontics to make beautiful smiles all over Studio City and greater Los Angeles. Give our friendly and knowledgeable staff here at Smile Studio LA a call at 818-788-1352 to find out more about how you can improve your smile using instant orthodontics.

Give Your Smile a Complete Overhaul With Full Mouth Rejuvenation

Full Mouth Rejuvenation is used in cosmetic dentistry to enhance the appearance of your smile and correct imperfections in the position of your bite. The best candidates for this procedure are those with chipped, broken, short, or worn teeth. Your smile can be made more attractive and more comfortable through full mouth rejuvenation, a method that uses both the artistic elements of Cosmetic Dentistry and the scientific elements of Neuromuscular Dentistry.

Neuromuscular Dentistry is used to measure and let you know what the best position is for the jaw. Misaligned jaws can be re-aligned using orthotics. Different procedures may be used to correct the position of the jaw such as onlays, crowns, or porcelain veneers. These methods of restoration not only improve how your teeth work, but they also improve the attractiveness of your smile.

How Does Full Mouth Rejuvenation Work?

Using advanced technology, our cosmetic dentists will run computerized scans in order to measure the muscle function of your jaw in both relaxed and stressed positions. We may determine there is an imbalance, in which case we will decide which is most suitable for you, an orthotic appliance or a restorative dental procedure.
To help your bite move to a more relaxed resting position, an orthotic can be used. This is an appliance that can be removable or permanent. Once the orthotic has been used for several weeks to months, your jaw will naturally drop into the position that's most comfortable. Once those steps have been completed, we will be ready to start repairing your bite. In most cases, we prefer to use porcelain restorations for this process. With this adjustment, most patients experience a little pain and discomfort or none at all. At the same time, they enjoy a significant improvement in their overall oral health.

Smart New Technologies for Full Mouth Rejuvenation

Tens - To exercise the muscles of the jaw and help get rid of the lactic acid buildup that is caused by using jaw muscles too much in incorrect positions, we use a low level electrical impulse device called a tens.

Myotronics K7 - We use a piece of technology known as a Myotronics K7 to determine how your jaw muscles are working both when relaxed and when tensed.

Sonograph - Your jaw can be examined using a device known as a sonograph.

Tomograph - Tomographs are x-rays that measure the jaw to skull ratio and help with diagnosis.

Digital Imaging Technology – We may use this technology to show you what your new smile will look like prior to your full mouth rejuvenation.

Full Mouth Rejuvenation: What to Expect During the Recovery Period

It can take up to a full year of treatment with an orthotic before your bite has been completely fixed. As the bite is incrementally repositioned into a more suitable position, you will receive careful monitoring.

A full mouth rejuvenation requires no more recovery time than most dental treatments. Minor discomfort, if experienced, can be easily relieved with non-prescription medication such as Ibuprofen.

Full mouth rejuvenation is one viable choice for those patients that need a more advanced treatment than basic restorative procedures. Smile Studio is a place to find a high-quality doctor in Los Angeles. Dr. Calvo has been extensively trained to perform full mouth rejuvenation, and she is skilled at treating even extremely complex cases.

Find out how the dental experts of Smile Studio LA have entirely repaired smiles in the Studio City and LA regions with our complete mouth rejuvenation process. To learn more about what a full mouth rejuvenation involves, please phone Smile Studio LA's friendly professionals at 818-788-1352 today!

Oral hygiene (also known as dental hygiene) is the term defining the process of furnishing preventative dental care to lessen the chances of dental emergencies. Taking care of your teeth at home is the basis of a good dental hygiene program. In addition, your home treatment can be supplemented with professional care from dentists and licensed hygienists. You need to take responsibility for your daily oral care, even though you can supplement that care with visits to family dentists, dental hygienists, or cosmetic dentists.

You’ll Need More Than a Toothbrush to Attack Tartar Build-Up

Correctly brushing your teeth is one of the basic ways to keep your teeth and gums healthy. But it is impossible to rid yourself of tartar and plaque that builds up on your teeth by just brushing your teeth alone. By getting rid of tartar, you can lessen your chances of periodontal disease, cavities, toothaches, and tooth loss. Plus, preventing tartar build-up can reduce your possibility of needing major dental work.

Tartar gradually accumulates on teeth over time. When tartar starts at the gum line or below it, this can allow bacteria to start to grow and cause numerous dental problems. To ensure optimal dental hygiene, the tissue beneath the gum line and between the teeth must be properly maintained and regularly treated. Investigating these issues yourself is a wild goose chase. Therefore, seek expert help.

Let Your Dentist & Hygienist be Your Preventive Care Power Team

Your dental hygienist works alongside your dentist to scrape tartar, clean teeth, take x-rays, remove calculus deposits, and investigate bone structure as well as bite abnormalities. All this is done to ensure optimal dental hygiene.

Your dentist and hygienist also work as a team to examine your teeth, gums, and mouth and to determine whether any treatment is necessary for gum disease or tooth decay. Dental visits assist in the prevention of cavities and are vital in order to maintain proper dental hygiene, regardless of age. According to the American Dental Association, it is best to have a dental check up twice a year to maintain your teeth properly.

The way to keep your teeth healthy for you whole life is really no hidden secret. You need to take a few easy preventative steps. Our goal at Smile Studio LA, is to provide each patient with the best oral health possible by offering a comprehensive dental exam and a preventative maintenance program to follow. We offer basic needs such as cleanings and general examinations as well as specialty services such as night guards and sports guards. All patients, upon discharge, receive instructions that are easy to follow in order to properly care for themselves when they are at home.

Smile Studio LA is pleased to offer our service and experience to clients in the Studio City and Los Angeles region. Contact a dental professional at Smile Studio LA by calling 818-788-1352 for more information about our preventative care services!

Treat Your Smile to Smoother Teeth With Custom Dental Fillings

Dental fillings are created to fix cracked teeth, fill in cavities, and provide a smooth coating over damaged teeth. The most often used materials to fill cavities are silver amalgam, porcelain and composites. To prevent excess biting or chewing, we often use these substances to smooth teeth.

When tooth decay is present, lost enamel is a common occurrence. This can often increase the sensitivity of teeth to hot or cold temperatures. Using the appropriate dental material can relieve, decrease, or just plain eliminate tooth sensitivity caused by the loss of enamel. For dental reconstruction above and beyond that which is possible with a traditional filling, the treatments outlined below may be required:

• Dental Crowns: These may be necessary for teeth needing more support than what a traditional filling can provide.

• Dental Implants and Dental Bridges: Implants and bridges may be required for tooth damage that is beyond repair and requires tooth extraction.
  
  
• Root Canals: Nerve damaged, abscessed, or infected teeth may need a root canal treatment.

What Should I Expect With Dental Fillings?

Your regularly scheduled dental visit is important because it allows us to check for deterioration in your gums, teeth, or bone structure. Our dentists will numb the damaged tooth and the surrounding area prior to restoring it. Near the end of a restoration, we use a specialized tool to clean your mouth of loose debris while removing bacteria.

Here’s the process in a little more detail.

The damaged tooth is first isolated then the composite filling is placed. During the bonding procedure, many adhesives are used. As the initial adhesives are applied, then the bonding material is applied as the next step. In the last step we use a bonding light until it is tempered. Because of this, isolating the tooth to insure the optimal composite restoration process is vital as moisture must be avoided to prevent failure or slowing of the bonding process. When the restoration process is finally completed, the repaired tooth will look completely natural and function perfectly.

How Can I Be Sure My Dental Fillings Will Last?

The normal amalgam filling lasts approximately 12 years while the composite filling last only 5 to 7 years. As you can see, the amalgam filling is much more durable. The lifetime of the fillings depends on how you care for your teeth.

Smile Studio LA is able to offer these kinds of natural-looking composite fillings that make the silver fillings appear outdated. While porcelain onlays and inlays require multiple appointments, natural-colored fillings can often be finished in a single visit. A lot of our patients choose to have their prior fillings replaced by new fillings that are the same color as their teeth since mercury and silver fillings can cause cracked teeth.

Discover how we have improved smiles not only in Studio City, but in the entire LA area. If you'd like more information about dental fillings, feel free to call Smile Studio LA at 818-788-1352 where our friendly staff is waiting to help.

Give Your Smile a Complete Makeover with Dental Bonding

One viable alternative to procedures such as porcelain veneers and teeth whitening is dental bonding. In this process, a tooth-colored resin material is bonded to your tooth for the purpose of restoring your smile Bonding is the most important method of repairing and fixing broken, chiped or cracked teeth. This can also be used to replace amalgam fillings that contain silver-mercury mixtures. A smile can be made over instantly and easily through the process of dental bonding.

Dental Bonding Options

• Bonding to Link Two Surfaces - Two dental surfaces can be bonded together by covering a tooth with either a silver amalgam filling or a composite that's the same color of the tooth. This method is also helpful for making crowns instead of the way we cement them.

• Direct Bonding - Dental bonding has recently become more popular as solution for repairing chipped, decayed, cracked, or otherwise unattractive teeth. If your dentist chooses a method of direct bonding, he will apply a resinous material directly onto the tooth to fill in, cover and protect the area needing repair.

What Should I Expect With Dental Bonding?

While the bonding procedure is taking place, we will isolate your damaged tooth. This very important part of dental bonding prevents moisture from interfering with the procedure.

Once the tooth is isolated, a mild phosphoric acid is put on the surface of the tooth. This is also referred to as acid etching and doing this greatly improves the bonding strength of the resin. The acid is left on the tooth for 15 seconds, then it is taken off and replaced by a liquid bonding resin. Using a blue light to help shape and cure, a composite resin is applied onto the natural surface of the tooth. It usually takes several resin applications to get the resin into the appropriate form and shape.

Dental bonding differs with each dentist's technique so our cosmetic dentists will execute certain steps to create a finish that ensures the resin bonding does not come off or your tooth does not become sensitive. Following dental bonding, many of our patients often experience some kind of tooth sensitivity. This bit of sensitivity is usually short-lived. But if it continues, you should schedule a follow-up appointment with your dentist.

Dental Bonding: Final Word

Dr. Calvo and Dr. Johnson's objective is to find convenient ways of improving your smile through dental bonding treatments that require only one appointment. Smile Studio LA and our professional dental staff have been successful in improving the teeth of many happy patients in the Studio City and Los Angeles areas. To know more about dental bonding, kindly contact the helpful staff of Smile Studio at LA, phone 818-788-1352 now!

Dental Crowns Adorn Your Teeth With a Royal New Look

Dental crowns or “caps”, as they're typically called, help maintain the functionality of damaged teeth. Crowns are useful for protecting teeth that have been cracked, repairing a badly decayed tooth, or replacing an existing crown. Our all-porcelain dental crowns use a specially created material to cover teeth that are damaged, cracked, or decaying. Our modern dentists can provide effective tooth restoration using many different, convenient methods of treatment. If at all possible, you should review these other options with us prior to deciding on a full coverage crown.

How Does the Dental Crown Procedure Work?

Before a dental crown is done, we get ready by making a mold impression of the tooth to be treated. This mold impression is then sent off to be examined by a dental lab. After that, a temporary crown will be applied to protect your tooth for a short-term period while the actual crown is being created in a dental lab. As soon as it is done, the new crown can be attached at a future date.

Expedite the Process With CAD/CAM Technology

Medical advancements known as CAD/CAM have been developed recently. CAD/CAM technology has been produced so that 3-D photographs of your teeth can be made. To correctly complete and create a restoration for your tooth, a ceramic block must be fashioned. Since our dental office is equipped with CAD/CAM technology, then you won't need to revisit our office for the last cementation process neither will you need a temporary crown.

The Collaboration Between Dental Crowns, Implants, and Fixed Partial Dentures

Lost teeth can be replaced by dental implantation which involves installing a titanium root replica. Then, the crown can be placed over the implant just above the gums. Dental implants are a common way of eliminating the necessity of crowning adjacent teeth while restoring the bite's strength. While fixed partial dentures may work well as a cosmetic and functional solution, dental implants remain one of today's most popular treatments for a missing tooth or teeth. Like many others, you can choose to go beyond a dental crown and receive dental bridges which are fixed partial dentures that replace missing teeth.

Dental Crowns: Final Word

If you have badly damaged teeth, you will probably discover dental crowns are the best treatment option for you. Our crown procedure here at Smile Studio LA uses tooth-shaped covers for increased comfort and strength. Metal crowns will make your teeth look less natural in shape and color than our porcelain crowns. Light-years beyond traditional crowns, our porcelain crowns offer superior functionality and appearance.

Smile Studio LA and our all-porcelain crown technology has transformed the smiles of Studio City and the greater Los Angeles area. Countless smiling faces can't be wrong. Give us a call at 818-788-1352 to find out more about our custom crafted all-porcelain crowns.

Regain Your Confidence and Show Off Those Pearly Whites With Dental Bridges

If you have had the misfortune of losing one or more teeth, then you understand how this affects your ability to speak and chew, in addition to marring the appearance of your smile. A number of dental problems can occur if you are missing teeth including speech impediments, shifting of teeth, greater incidence of tooth decay, an elevated risk of periodontal disease, and changes in occlusion (bite) as well as TMJ disorder

Dental bridges, like implants and partial dentures, are often used to replace missing teeth. Many different repair options exist. These options include immovable dental bridges, resin-bonded bridges, cantilever bridges, and conventional fixed bridges.

In general, cantilever and conventional bridges require the teeth around the missing tooth to be shaped for best results. Crowns are then put onto the teeth that have been shaped and joined to a ponti (artificial tooth).

When resin-bonded bridges are used, there is less preparation of the adjacent teeth required. This option is often used to replace front teeth. This procedure is effective provided the surrounding teeth have few fillings and the nearby gum tissue is healthy.

What Should I Expect When Choosing Dental Bridges?

When you initially visit with one of our cosmetic dentists, we will need to determine the health of your gums and surrounding teeth to see if you can qualify for a dental bridge. The teeth supporting a dental bridge will undergo significant preparation and local anesthetic will be required if you are a candidate for a dental bridge. If the supporting teeth are badly damaged or have significant decay, then our dentists may have to restore them to an optimum condition before they can be used to support a dental bridge.

Once the support teeth have been treated, we use putty to model an impression of the teeth to be treated; this model is used as the basis of forming your bridge. The model is accurately made by a skilled lab technician so that the teeth that are prepared fit well. It is crucial that your restoration is a perfect fit; otherwise tooth decay and other oral health problems may arise.

Lastly, our dentists will fit you with a temporary bridge while your permanent bridge is being created. Your teeth and gums will be guarded by the temporary bridge. To complete the process of installing a dental bridge, you will have to make two more visits to our office. During these visits we’ll be fitting and cementing your permanent bridge.

At Smile Studio LA, we have had tremendous success in merging the latest advanced materials and tissue management techniques to provide our patents with the best and most beautiful results possible. Our dental professionals have created countless smiles throughout Studio City and the greater Los Angeles area that are both brighter and better functioning. Give our friendly and knowledgeable team at Smile Studio LA a call at 818-788-1352 to learn more about dental bridges.

Safely Recover Your Bright Beautiful Smile With Dental Implants

On occasion, a person may experience the permanent loss of a tooth as a result of an unexpected extraction, a traumatic injury or disease, or an accident. During these instances, dental implants are often used as a sturdy, functional replacement option because they don't depend on nearby teeth for support.

In general, dental implants are tiny cylindrical objects made from titanium which are inserted into and bonded to the jaw bone. After the cylinders have been secured, the individual artificial teeth are anchored to the implant. You can also use dental implants along with bridges or dentures.

How Does the Process of Dental Implantation Work?

With today's technology, dental implants are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth when viewed by the naked eye. The reason for this original appearance is because of the link between function and structure among the living bone and the dental implant. In most cases, osseointegration takes just one treatment; however there are some times where more visits are needed for implanting dental replacements.

The jaw bone and a dental implant become directly anchored during osseointegration. The most widely used dental implants are the osseointegrated implants, which are also the most successful. The healing time required for an osseointegrated implant ranges from three to six months. Our cosmetic dentists finish the procedure by placing a crown as soon as your tooth has healed. We may also want to put on an artificial prosthesis once the dental implant has anchored into the jaw bone. The dental implant will not be successful if osseointegration does not properly occur. As a result, this process is extremely important.

Two Primary Components of Dental Implantation
Preparing the Jaw – A dental implant is generally made up of a crown and a titanium material screw. A small opening (pilot hole) is frequently drilled at a point in the jaw where no tooth exists to direct the titanium screw accurately and to efficiently secure the dental implant in place. Our dentists use great skill and care when drilling a hole into your jaw and sizing the jaw bone so as to avoid damaging important face and jaw structures such as the inferior alveolar nerve in the mandible (mandible).

Placing the Implant – As soon as the primary hole is made at a suitable place in the jaw, it is slowly widened to make place for putting dental implant screw. To allow the implant area to heal properly and to facilitate osseointegration, the first screw implanted is covered by a second cover screw for protection. We will remove the protective and place a temporary crown on the top of your dental implant, this will be done after several months have passed. This temporary crown acts as a template to encourage the gums to grow and shape naturally. When the temporary crown is replaced by the permanent crown the process is complete.

Our experienced staff at Smile Studio LA has treated a number of patients in Studio City and the general Los Angeles area with dental implants. The dental treatments provided by our office are among the best in Los Angeles and can help you achieve the smile you always wanted. If you would like to know more about dental implantation at Smile Studio LA, don't hesitate to call our friendly and knowledgeable staff at 818-788-1352 today!

Dentures: The Classic Solution for Replacing Missing Teeth & Improving Your Appearance

Tooth decay, periodontal disease, or traumatic injury are the causes for tooth loss in most people. Missing teeth must be replaced soon. Failing to replace missing teeth can result in an inability to bite or chew properly along with a considerable shift in the remaining teeth. If teeth are left missing, patients can even suffer from facial sagging. A person may look much older than they actually are because of this.

If you have lost all of your teeth, then you may be able to substitute them with a full denture set. For patients that have a small amount of teeth left, the treatment will include partials or over dentures

One of the best aspects about contemporary dentures is that, besides being functional, they are also comfortable. You will know you have found great dentures when they look like your natural teeth and greatly improve your facial appearance and smile.

How Do I Know I’ve Found the Right Dentist?

As you search for the right dentist to prepare your dentures, be sure to ask them about their experience and education. For example, many general dentists who don’t really specialize in any particular aspect of dentistry may perform this operation. However, orthodontists receive more specialized education in restorative dentistry as they must complete three years of advanced training in this area.

Well-Placed Dental Implants Help to Stabilize Dentures

Millions and millions of people around the world do not have teeth either in their upper or lower areas or in both jaws. Lots of these people have problems securing their dentures, particularly lower jaw dentures. If you have had your dentures slip out of your mouth during a conversation, you have already discovered firsthand how devastating this experience can be. You may be frustrated by your inability to eat the foods that you desire because of the ineffectiveness of your denture adhesive. There is a new process that's come about to help dentures work in the way that they are supposed to. Dental implants are used as stabilizers for dentures using this new method.

The benefits of denture stabilization with dental implants include:

• Improved speech and confidence

• Increased comfort with less irritation of gum tissue

• No more hassle form the costs and inconvenience of denture adhesives

• Involves a minimally invasive procedure
  
  
• Restoration of proper chewing, allowing for a better diet and improved health

At Smile Studio LA, we've found the use of dental implants for stabilizing dentures to be extremely successful. This method alone has been proven to work well for hundreds of thousands of people and this number is growing every day as more people find out about the effectiveness of this procedure.

Learn how Smile Studio L.A. has changed the lives of countless patients, providing quality dental care to Studio City and the entire Los Angeles area. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff can be reached at 818-788-1352 if you have any questions about our exciting denture placement methods.

Get Rid of That Gummy Smile and Flash Your Pearly Whites with Confidence Again

The idea of smiling without displaying red gums and little teeth can seem to be virtually impossible for a lot of people. We refer to that problem as having a "gummy smile." People who show a lot of their gums with every smile tend to think that they have small teeth or big gums and may think that nothing can be done to fix this. In order to make gummy smiles more pleasing to the eye, there are several treatments available.

What Are My Options for Treating a Gummy Smile

Some people may appear to have shorter teeth when in fact, in a lot of cases, they just have too much gum tissue. A specialist in gum disease, known as a periodontist, can remove the excess gum tissue. If you have a gummy smile, there are a number of different treatments available to you.

Flap Surgery

Flap surgery is necessary when the underlying bone needs to be exposed in order to remove a portion of it. Teeth that are badly worn, naturally short, or have thick and irregular bone contours benefit most from flap surgery. A gummy smile can be repaired with a periodontal dressing during this procedure. While flap surgery can be somewhat more uncomfortable than other types of gummy smile treatments, it offers better results for some patients.

Gingivectomy

A gummy smile can often be treated using a procedure in which an incision is made into the tissue of the gums; this procedure is referred to as gingivoplasty or gingivectomy. Since it removes surplus gum tissue without exposing the underlying bone, a gingivectomy is the least invasive of the treatments for a gummy smile. Those gum and tooth tissues that are in the process of healing are usually protected by the application of a special periodontal dressing. Most patients experience some discomfort and minor pain during this procedure. However, because a gingivectomy is not very invasive, patients generally experience no pain at all after the surgery.

Hypermobile Lip Surgery

One of the newer option for people wishing to correct the problem of having a high lip line is an innovative procedure known as hypermobile lip surgery. Although it was originally developed during the 1970's, hypermobile lip surgery is only now gaining popularity as a treatment for gummy smile as the interest in cosmetic improvement has increased.

The procedure, which is non-surgical and performed under a local anesthetic, re-attaches the gum tissue below the lip more closely to the teeth. For patients with high lip lines, this method can be used to stop the lip from moving upwards excessively. As a result, hypermobile lip surgery can provide significant improvements. Patients should be advised, though, that this procedure will not produce perfect results every time.

At Smile Studio LA, we have a long history of successfully treating gummy smile patients and patients with other gum problems from all over Studio City. The most profound successes have appeared when implementing re-contouring in order to accent a realistic smile line.

Surgical modification of the gum-line can provide a more aesthetically pleasing smile. It has been proven to produce some pretty dramatic results when we combine our gummy smile treatment with veneers or crowns. The Smile Studio LA staff is waiting to tell you about our gummy smile treatment, just call 818-788-1352 today!

Quickly & Easily Achieve a Brand New Smile With Instant Orthodontics

Misaligned teeth or crooked smiles can be straightened in as little as two visits by using Instant Orthodontics. This procedure can be done so quickly because, rather than applying traditional metal braces, our dentists use porcelain veneers instead.

Our custom-crafted veneers are thin porcelain covers installed on the anterior of your teeth. They leave your teeth looking and feeling natural while restoring natural beauty to your teeth. Porcelain veneers are extremely tarnish-resistant. Therefore, a bright, white, and natural looking smile is achievable.

What Should I Expect With Instant Orthodontics?

After we have determined which of your teeth require the placement of veneers, we will take an impression of your teeth and ship it to a dental laboratory. Once the lab has created a mold out of wax, we will examine it with you to make sure it’s good enough. Upon acceptance, your replacement porcelain teeth will be made from a mold. We’ll then prepare and fit your teeth with temporary veneers and you’ll wear them until the new porcelain veneers can be bonded to your teeth.

Innovative Technologies Used With Instant Orthodontics

While every dentist is different, there are four common technologies that are usually used in instant orthodontics:

Digital Imaging – This method shows you a digitally enhanced picture of you with your new smile so you can get a better understanding of what the final result will be.

IntraOral Camera – This is a small, pen-like device which generates a magnified image of your teeth and sends it to a computer screen in order to help your dentist determine a diagnose and the treatment each tooth requires.

The Wand – This is an anesthesia device completely controlled by computer, which results in virtually painless injections.

The Loft Tissue Laser – This allows your dentist to change the contour of your gum line or surgically remove the frenum, which is a muscle found between the front teeth that often causes a space between them.

What’s The Recovery Period Like With Instant Orthodontics?

Patients can expect the recovery time for instant orthodontics to be on par with other dental procedures. Soon after porcelain veneers are secured to your teeth, the gums may become swollen and tender to the touch. Any mild pain or discomfort you might experience can be treated and eased with an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen. In order to improve your comfort, you might need to have adjustments made to your porcelain veneers once they have been on for several days.

Within as few as two visits, your teeth will be straighter, whiter, more beautiful and free of braces. At Smile Studio LA, we use the most modern tools and techniques to employ instant orthodontics as a convenient method of fixing mild to moderate crowding of the anterior teeth.

Almost all of our patients who choose instant orthodontics have already thought about conventional orthodontics. However, they simply thought 2 to 3 years with metal braces was less desirable than the 2 to 3 visits required with instant orthodontics. One of the major benefits of instant orthodontics is that the results are long lasting and look totally natural.

Find out the way that Smile Studio LA has had positive results in using instant orthodontics to make beautiful smiles all over Studio City and greater Los Angeles. Give our friendly and knowledgeable staff here at Smile Studio LA a call at 818-788-1352 to find out more about how you can improve your smile using instant orthodontics.

Give Your Smile a Complete Overhaul With Full Mouth Rejuvenation

Full Mouth Rejuvenation is used in cosmetic dentistry to enhance the appearance of your smile and correct imperfections in the position of your bite. The best candidates for this procedure are those with chipped, broken, short, or worn teeth. Your smile can be made more attractive and more comfortable through full mouth rejuvenation, a method that uses both the artistic elements of Cosmetic Dentistry and the scientific elements of Neuromuscular Dentistry.

Neuromuscular Dentistry is used to measure and let you know what the best position is for the jaw. Misaligned jaws can be re-aligned using orthotics. Different procedures may be used to correct the position of the jaw such as onlays, crowns, or porcelain veneers. These methods of restoration not only improve how your teeth work, but they also improve the attractiveness of your smile.

How Does Full Mouth Rejuvenation Work?

Using advanced technology, our cosmetic dentists will run computerized scans in order to measure the muscle function of your jaw in both relaxed and stressed positions. We may determine there is an imbalance, in which case we will decide which is most suitable for you, an orthotic appliance or a restorative dental procedure.
To help your bite move to a more relaxed resting position, an orthotic can be used. This is an appliance that can be removable or permanent. Once the orthotic has been used for several weeks to months, your jaw will naturally drop into the position that's most comfortable. Once those steps have been completed, we will be ready to start repairing your bite. In most cases, we prefer to use porcelain restorations for this process. With this adjustment, most patients experience a little pain and discomfort or none at all. At the same time, they enjoy a significant improvement in their overall oral health.

Smart New Technologies for Full Mouth Rejuvenation

Tens - To exercise the muscles of the jaw and help get rid of the lactic acid buildup that is caused by using jaw muscles too much in incorrect positions, we use a low level electrical impulse device called a tens.

Myotronics K7 - We use a piece of technology known as a Myotronics K7 to determine how your jaw muscles are working both when relaxed and when tensed.

Sonograph - Your jaw can be examined using a device known as a sonograph.

Tomograph - Tomographs are x-rays that measure the jaw to skull ratio and help with diagnosis.

Digital Imaging Technology – We may use this technology to show you what your new smile will look like prior to your full mouth rejuvenation.

Full Mouth Rejuvenation: What to Expect During the Recovery Period

It can take up to a full year of treatment with an orthotic before your bite has been completely fixed. As the bite is incrementally repositioned into a more suitable position, you will receive careful monitoring.

A full mouth rejuvenation requires no more recovery time than most dental treatments. Minor discomfort, if experienced, can be easily relieved with non-prescription medication such as Ibuprofen.

Full mouth rejuvenation is one viable choice for those patients that need a more advanced treatment than basic restorative procedures. Smile Studio is a place to find a high-quality doctor in Los Angeles. Dr. Calvo has been extensively trained to perform full mouth rejuvenation, and she is skilled at treating even extremely complex cases.

Find out how the dental experts of Smile Studio LA have entirely repaired smiles in the Studio City and LA regions with our complete mouth rejuvenation process. To learn more about what a full mouth rejuvenation involves, please phone Smile Studio LA's friendly professionals at 818-788-1352 today!