Fine-Quality Restorations in Westchester, Los Angeles
A healthy smile is an invaluable gift, with a profound effect on your health and life. At Dove Dental Spa, Dr. Gerosa and our talented team strive to help you identify and overcome challenges and revitalize your smile. From simple treatments like fillings to complete tooth replacement, we offer effective, personalized treatment designed to protect and restore your smile.
Don’t live another day in pain and discomfort! Contact our Westchester, Los Angeles area office to get the care you need today!
CALL US: (310) 645-2886 REQUEST APPOINTMENT
Do My Teeth Need Repairs?
Like your bones, your teeth are among the toughest parts of your body - but they also have to stand up to constant use year after year. Even if you take good care of them, there’s still a chance that they will chip, decay, fracture, or have other problems.
Damaged teeth are more vulnerable to future problems, making it easier for them to break or cause pain. Plus, they are no longer doing their part to distribute the force of your bite when you chew. Untreated damage can accelerate the speed at which other teeth wear out.
Thanks to modern dental treatments, fixing ordinary damage to a tooth is possible in most cases. Even if a tooth suffers extreme trauma, restoring your smile is possible. Doing so improves both your oral health and your quality of life.
Why Replace Missing Teeth?
Missing teeth can contribute to a variety of problems throughout the mouth. If you’ve lost teeth, you’ve likely experienced some, if not all, of these oral health problems.
Missing teeth can impair various functions of the mouth, teeth, gums, and tongue. You may be more likely to lose tissue from your jawbone, which also impacts other facial structures. Speaking and chewing may become harder, which affects digestion.
Empty socket, also known as dry socket, is a condition that can arise when a tooth is lost. Wisdom teeth are at the highest risk, but it can happen with any lost tooth. It describes the failure of a blood clot to develop in place of the tooth, which leads to pain from the exposed nerve. A replacement tooth protects the socket completely and prevents symptoms.
When a tooth is lost, it leaves more of the surface of neighboring teeth vulnerable to bacteria. The soft tissue around the lost tooth may also be prone to infection. While brushing and flossing can help a great deal, the best and most reliable solution is to replace the tooth.
Your teeth distribute about 160 pounds per square inch of force every time you bite down – a remarkable amount. When one tooth is missing, the others must take the load, which can make teeth more likely to chip or crack.
Confidence is a concern for many of our patients. People report feeling self-conscious and even avoid situations where they might have to smile for a photo. Getting teeth replaced can give you a new lease on life. You can have the appealing, healthy smile you want.
Helping Your Smile with Restoration Services
No matter how long it’s been since the last time you visited the dentist, we can provide you with the service you need and get you on the right track to complete dental health. We offer a full range of preventive and restorative dental services for every member of the family, such as:
Gum Disease Treatment
Gum disease is a long-term infection process that targets the soft tissue of the gums. The gums are responsible for providing healthy blood flow and supporting all of your teeth. Over time, bacteria can use food debris, especially sugars, as fuel to spread, irritating and eventually infecting your gums.
There are two common types of gum disease:
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease. It can develop with mild or no symptoms over months or years. If caught early, gingivitis may be reversed with professional cleanings and good home care, while later stages need more invasive treatment. If you notice bleeding, discomfort, or swelling in the gums, it’s important to consult with Dr. Gerosa to see if you need treatment.
Periodontitis (Periodontal Disease)
According to recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, about 64 million Americans have this more advanced form of gum disease. Periodontitis features more severe gum inflammation, pockets of infection beneath the gum line, and eventually gum recession, which can lead to tooth loss.
Controlling gingivitis involves making changes in your daily dental care routine. When periodontitis develops, it requires professional treatment. Scaling and root planing, also known as deep cleaning, will clean out the infection.
Scaling and Root Planing (Periodontal Deep Cleaning)
In the process of scaling and root planing, the dentist uses special tools to clean bacteria from interior pockets underneath the gum line. We use a dental laser to gently and effectively target and remove the infection, giving the gums the chance to recover.
Once the infection is gone, the root of the tooth is smoothed out to reduce the risk of further infection and encourage the gums to reattach to the tooth root.
Dental Laser Technology
A dental laser is the most effective way to perform scaling and root planing. It disrupts bacterial colonies and can eliminate infected tissue without harming nearby healthy gums. Because a laser is remarkably precise, the process is comfortable, and healing typically takes much less time than with traditional instruments.
Antibiotics
Antibiotic medication may be necessary as part of periodontitis treatment or after some other dental procedures, like tooth extraction. Antibiotics can be taken orally or applied directly to the site of the infection during treatment. Dr. Gerosa will talk you through what is needed for your treatment and ensure you have the tools you need to help you get back to a healthy, confident smile.
Sedation Dentistry
Do you feel anxious about going to the dentist? Millions of others have this issue. Our dental team strives to make the experience comfortable for you. One of our most popular features is sedation dentistry, which helps you relax peacefully during your procedure.
Sedation dentistry can be customized to give you the experience you want. Some forms of sedation will simply help you relax, while others can put you in a deep, restful state similar to sleep. Whatever you prefer, just let us know, and we’ll do everything we can to help.
Our sedation options include:
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
Nitrous oxide is the traditional form of dental sedation. Also called “laughing gas,” it is given to the patient through a mask along with oxygen. It only takes a few seconds for a patient to relax. With this method, you feel less concerned or even elated, but you won’t fall asleep and can remain both alert and responsive to questions.
It only takes a few minutes for the effects of nitrous oxide to wear off after treatment. The short time involved is ideal for patients who plan to drive home immediately after their procedure is over.
To ensure your safety and comfort, we may check your blood pressure or ask some health history questions before administering gas.
Oral Sedation
In oral sedation, the patient is prescribed a sedative to take by mouth. There can be up to two doses. One is for the night before your procedure, and one is for an hour before treatment begins. This process is familiar and comfortable for the majority of patients.
Patients usually have no memory of the procedure at all. Sedation methods allow you to receive lengthy or more involved procedures without discomfort, so you get the care you need safely and effectively.
Emergency Dental Appointments
Dental emergencies can happen at any time, and they need to be dealt with quickly. The odds of restoring a lost tooth, for example, are best if it gets care within an hour. An emergency appointment is crucial in these situations:
- Severe tooth pain (whether or not it has a clear cause)
- Excessively bleeding gums
- Lost or broken tooth due to accident, sports injury, or other trauma
If you have a dental emergency, don’t wait. Contact us quickly, and we will make every effort to provide you with same-day treatment to get the care you need.
Reliable Dental Care for Your Los Angeles Smile
At Dove Dental Spa in Westchester, near Culver City, we’re here to help you reach all of your dental health goals. Dr. Gerosa and the rest of the team are passionate about protecting and restoring smiles no matter the damage. We’ll work with you to ensure you get the effective, personalized care you need.
For more information or to set an appointment, contact us today. We look forward to meeting you soon.
CALL US: (310) 645-2886 REQUEST APPOINTMENT
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