Frequently Asked Questions about Dental Care in Encino CA

Check up should be done every 6 months for people who do not have any medical issues. People with diabetes or dry mouth or on heavy medications such as anti-depressants may need a check up every 3-4 months. People should not confuse check-up with cleaning. Cleaning, I believe, should be done every 3-4 months, not every 6 months contrary to the common belief. Check up every 6 months would be advisable as it is far easier and cheaper to catch and fix any dental problems early on.

Most common dental procedures are root canals and crowns. Of course fillings and extractions are also very common, followed by implants for people who are missing teeth. The costs can vary depending on the office locations, dentist’s experience and the technology used. For crowns, the type of material used can change the prices. A crown can vary from $600-700 up to $2000 or even more depending on many factors. A Gold crown for example can even cost in the neighborhood of $2500 since Gold is very expensive now. A root canal can vary from $500 to $1800 depending on the number of canals a tooth may have, difficulty (some teeth have severe curves, or may have blockage), and technology used. For example we incorporate lasers in performing root canals which increases the success rate of the root canal treatment, minimizes pain and discomfort that can be associated with some root canal treatments. Sometimes we use special irrigation that further clean the canals beyond what is normally used as part of the treatment. We also use special root canal cements that are proven to be superior to many conventional cements. As you can see, there are many factors that can affect the price and most importantly is the dentist's “time” that is needed for a procedure. If he/ she spends more professional time, it can affect the fee to be higher than another dentist that may take short cuts and rushes through treatment!

Fillings can range from $200-300 up to $600-700 depending on how large they are, how many walls of the tooth need to be restored, and what foundations need to be used to protect the nerve so it does not become a root canal. In our office we disinfect the tooth after we remove the decayed structure, a step that not too many dentists do or are even aware of. For deeper cavities, we sterilize the tooth with a laser and in many cases it prevents a root canal.

Implants can vary in price since there are many components involved. We offer both Titanium implants as well as Ceramic implants for our holistic patients. Ceramic implants are more expensive and dentists must have a good knowledge of how to place them. If a surgical guide is used or not, or how customized the post and crown over the implant need to be, affect the price for the implants.

Of course. As a dentist who has extensive hospital training and has dealt with numerous emergencies, I understand how important it is to get someone out of pain. We always try to see the patients in pain right away.

There are some symptoms such as sensitivity to temperature like hot or cold, sensitivity to sweets, or pain from chewing food and biting. bleeding gums when brushing and / or flossing is an indication of some gum issues. However, It is EXTREMELY important to know that many dental problems can progress with no symptoms at all. It is the most challenging issue for dentists all around the world to discuss a cavity or a root canal or gum disease with a patient who claims he / she “does not have any pain” or “nothing is bothering me”. It is the most common barrier a dentist needs to overcome. We use many aids like intra oral cameras, intra oral scanners, 3D X-rays (CAT scan), digital X-rays that will help us diagnose and to communicate better with our patients and show them where the issues are.

Brushing and flossing is what every dentist recommends. But in my opinion, “proper’ brushing and flossing is the key. People on average brush for 15-20 seconds but when they are asked, they think they brushed for several minutes. 2-minute brushing time is required to have enough time to clean all tooth surfaces. Some people may need to brush for longer. Having a small dental timer would be a great help. Using electric tooth brushes is also very good. They can brush and clean much more in a given time compared to manual brushing. In addition, some of them have built-in timers. Water irrigators such as Waterpik or like, are great additions for many people, Especially for those who have medical issues like diabetes, or take medications, have dry-mouth, or have dental implants.

Dental fillings are two main categories: Amalgam fillings (often called silver filling by mistake) that have mercury in their structure, which is a health concern for many people. The other category is called dental composites, known as “white fillings” or “tooth-colored fillings”. They are very common, but they don’t last very long. The other category is called inlays or onlays that are made from ceramic materials in the lab and are much more durable. They last much longer but they cost more. Some insurances may cover partially for onlays but not inlays. We do many of these in our office and it is done in one visit since we have CEREC one-visit crowns, onlays, inlays. Having CEREC allows us to be very conservative in keeping the enamel and tooth structure. A tooth that has most of its enamel will last longer!

Some people may seek emergency care or go to the ER. Unfortunately, the medical staff don't have necessary training, nor the equipment to take care of dental emergencies. Patients often leave with a prescription in their hand after spending 3-4 hours in the ER, and a note to see their dentist! People with severe pain may be given a prescription for a pain killer or an antibiotic, but no dental treatment. You can manage your pain temporarily by taking NSAIDS (non-steroid inflammatory drugs). The best pain killer for dental pain is Ibuprofen (Advil) or Naproxen (Alleve). Tylenol is good for pain but it is not anti-inflammatory like the other two. Make sure you don’t have any medical conditions or allergies that prevent you from taking those medications. It is always better to call your dentist if you have an emergency and get guidance from him / her since they know you better. He or she can prescribe antibiotics if they suspect an infection until you see them. We have an emergency response for dental pain management after hours. I don’t want patients to be in pain at all and we try to do our best to see them as soon as possible.

Yes. With dental surgical procedures there might be some risks depending on the procedure being performed as well as the nature and complexity of the dental problem. Some risks with minor dental procedures such as fillings or crowns could be the need for a root canal if the cavity is too deep. For wisdom teeth extractions or implants, there might be some risks of numbness if the roots are too close to the nerve that runs in the jaw. Some bleeding may happen after those surgeries. Most risks are preventable by proper planning for the procedure. You need to work with a dentist who takes his / her time and does not rush the procedure, has good training and proper dental equipment to be able to manage your dental issues.

You can take some anti anxiety medications or ask your dentist for laughing gas. I personally try to manage my patient with utmost care and being gentle. I usually assess the condition and then prescribe the proper anti anxiety route that is best for the patient. I try to start with laughing gas at first. It is very safe and works the best and is very affordable. I then may prescribe some medicine for people who are more anxious or afraid of dentists. The next level is using oral sedation that has been working great for our patients.

Aside from anti-anxiety methods used, my recommendation is to start with simple procedures that do not take too long. This way you can gradually build mental strength for more involved procedures. Your dentist can get a better feel on what works best for you, and you can be more familiar with your dentist as well and that will help reduce your anxiety.

Yes. absolutely. Fluoride has been proven to make your teeth more resistant to get cavities. It is extremely important for people who are smokers, have dry mouth, take medications, have gum recessions and other conditions. The controversy that is associated with Fluoride has to do with systemic administration of it via water supply or other methods. Topical application of Fluoride in a dental office especially after your cleaning is very safe and there should not be any cause for concern.

Implants are the closest replacements to natural teeth. I compare them with getting a knee or hip replacement. The advantage is that you do not have to involve other teeth and unnecessarily cut a healthy tooth as it is done by making a bridge. The other options usually are removable teeth that do not provide enough strength to chew foods properly and are greatly limited in function. Our office is mainly focused on implants and we offer both Titanium as well as Ceramic implants. We Only use brand name and reputable implant systems. We do not make any short cuts.

Yes and they should! Regular cleanings can be done and should be done more frequently to avoid pregnancy gingivitis that can be very painful for many pregnant women. My best advice is to have a complete dental check up and cleaning before you are planning to get pregnant. And to make sure you don’t have cavities that can get worse during your pregnancy. The rule of thumb is to avoid elective dental procedures done during your pregnancy unless it is an emergency. You should consult your physician and your dentist.

A custom made gel carrier or gel tray made by your dentist is the safest route for in-home whitening. The tray is fitted for your teeth and prevents whitening gel from getting on your gums. Your dentist can choose the right strength and/ or concentration that can minimize sensitivity while giving you the best results. Some OTC stips can work for some people but care must be taken to use them properly otherwise you may save some money by using them, you may cause some damage to your teeth or gum that will cost you much more to fix!

Bad breath can be from your mouth or from your stomach sometimes. From your mouth, the most common cause is having dental plaque or tartar. Those people who have not had a cleaning for more than 4-6 months, may have bad breath. Interestingly, they may not be aware of it since your sense of smell can be desensitized over time and you don’t notice you have bad breath.

The next cause of bad breath has to do faulty, broken restorations that can harbor plaque that can contribute to bad breath. People on certain medications, or people with certain medical conditions such as diabetes, people who smoke or consume alcohol or have certain GI problems may have bad breath that is not associated with your teeth or gums.

If you are absolutely healthy and you have excellent oral hygiene, my recommendation is to have a cleaning every 4 months and a check up at the same time as your cleanings or every 6 months. If you are on medications that can cause dry mouth (most medications do!), or have diabetes or other medical conditions, if you are a smoker, drink alcohol, or your oral hygiene is not adequate, or you have a lot of restorations such as fillings or crowns in your mouth, you should have a cleaning at least every 3 months or for some people more frequently like every 2 months. You need to discuss your case with your dentist.

Dentist is a general term used to describe people who have successfully finished dental training in an accredited dental school. Some dentists can continue their training to become a specialist in a field of their interest. An orthodontist is a dentist who specializes in moving teeth with braces or clear aligners to provide his/ her patients with a more aesthetic and pleasing teeth arrangement or to improve their bite.

There are many of them and they do work for some conditions. Unfortunately, if a tooth is infected or is broken and part of the nerve is exposed, there are limitations on what can be used from the list of natural remedies. It is better to have the condition checked by a dentist before resorting to using natural remedies that can not cure the dental problem. Delaying having your condition checked by a dentist and relying on using natural remedies alone may worsen your situation.

Sometimes for a small number of root canals yes but not always. It is not the root canal that hurts, it is the condition of the tooth at the time of getting a root canal that can cause pain after treatment. If your tooth hurts while chewing food, or you have a lingering pain, or a toothache that wakes you up at night, you may experience some pain after getting root canal therapy. There are many methods, or steps that can be taken to lessen the incidence of pain after root canals. We use lasers, some special medicaments for the tooth, and use different methods than traditional methods that make doing root canals with minimum discomfort or no pain at all. We are known for painless root canals that we have other dentists referring their patients to us!

NSAIDS such as Advil or Alleve usually are the first options and they work well. If the tooth is infected, you may need to take antibiotics otherwise the pain medications may not have the fullest effect. Some people take narcotic medications such as Vicodin or like, thinking it a “stronger “ medicine and it should work. Unfortunately this is not true. Even though it can dampen the dental pain, if you are not taking NSAIDS, narcotic medications don’t work well and you may be taking too much of it with no effect. Dental pain is mostly caused by inflammation and pressure build up and one should take medicines that will reduce inflammation. A natural food that is anti-inflammatory and works very well is Pineapple! Excellent for after having had dental surgeries or even root canals.

Yes. We offer conscious sedation like laughing gas, oral sedation, and IV sedation to our patients depending on what they require. We have very good results with laughing gas and oral sedation. Both are very safe and very affordable compared to IV sedation.

Though brushing and flossing are very good in lowering the incident of getting cavities, they are not enough. One major factor could be your diet. If you consume foods with high sugar content, or foods that are acidic, or foods that stick to your teeth and don’t come off easily, you are more prone to get cavities. People who consume too much sodas are very prone to get cavities. And remember that it is not brushing, it is how often you brush, how well you brush and how much time you spend on brushing.

In our office we will start by getting a good history about your overall hygiene routine, past dental experiences and your overall health status. We take records like a full set of x-rays with our top of the line digital sensor that requires the least amount of radiation compared to other systems, Then we take a 3D xray ( dental CAT scan) that provides us with more information than the full set of X-rays. We often find conditions that were not present on regular X-rays that were missed by other dentists.

We take photos, and a camera shot of your mouth/ teeth. Then we perform a comprehensive examination and evaluation. We then go over our findings and show you all our findings on X-rays/ photos we collected and you get to see what we see exactly. Then we discuss our treatment options and what we think is the best treatment for you. We then go over the costs and if there is any insurance coverage. We are as up front and clear as possible to avoid any misunderstandings and if needed we can spend as much time as necessary to explain each step to you.

Yes and it is absolutely necessary. The first visit should be around 2 years of age to make sure the child does not have nursing-bottle-caries. For routine check ups and cleanings, they should start around four or four-and-a-half years.

First visit at 2 years old and from 4 or 41/2 years on for routine dental exams and check ups.

Yes. Our office's main focus is on cosmetics and implants. Our philosophy is different from most franchised offices that perform or advertise All-on-4 implants. While they had a cookie-cutter approach that every person gets the same exact treatment, we tend to customize our treatment plan to the patient and what is best for them. We offer many different treatment options that most of the time are far better than All-on-4 option that no dentist offers. We have patients travelling from all over the country to see us because of our reputation, good reviews and treatment plans we offer that they were not told by other centers.

Yes. We do a lot of Smile makeovers for our patients. We offer a complimentary cosmetic or veneer evaluation to see if you are a good candidate for veneers or not. We show you a before and after photo of how your smile would look, free of charge. We also offer a complimentary, no-obligation, temporary veneer that you can have on your teeth to show your loved ones before you commit to any treatment, also free of charge. We never push treatments to patients. Especially for cosmetic works. You must be ready for it. But I guarantee that it will change your life. Almost all of my patients after they get their veneer wished they had done much sooner!

NO. There are many different types of veneers. Some are called Prep-less veneers which mean you don’t have to shave anything at all and the veneer will go over the tooth. However, not everyone is a candidate for that. Every case is different depending on the bite, amount of discoloration of the tooth, size of the tooth, how many teeth one person shows when they smile we decide what would be best for your case. Consultation and work up is complementary with no obligation and you get to try the veneers to see if you like them or not before you commit.

Yes. We work with several financing companies and will do our best to get you the best rates possible so you can get your dental needs taken care of and to have a healthy, pain free oral health.

Yes. absolutely. We offer several methods to address and fix “ gummy smiles” . Many people have too much gum covering their teeth thus they don’t show their true smile. Fixing a gummy smile is life changing for many of our patients. We use lasers to fix the gummy smile that has minimal discomfort with no pain at all.

Laser can also be used to treat pigmented gums to bring natural gum color back to teeth. The process is so painless that you do not need to get numb at all!. We do amazing things with our lasers.

Yes. It is very common now to get a night guard for people of all ages. Dentists have seen a huge spike in the last decade. The reason is “Tech-Neck” that refers to the posture that affects your bite. With the use of cell phones, laptops people have developed a bad posture that affects jaw muscles that then cause grinding or clenching. A night guard will help to reduce the damage to your teeth. We make a special night guard that has two layers. One soft and rubbery that seats on your teeth, and a harder outer layer. It is important to have the right design for your night guard. Do not use over the counter self made night guards as they will potentially cause more damage than good. Some dentists make night guards in their offices that are soft and robbery. Do not get those as they are practically useless. Aside from making night guards, we evaluate the causes for you, we recommend techniques and exercises to help you reduce the cause of grinding and clenching. Our focus is to eliminate or reduce the causing factor rather than just give a device. We also use lasers and other treatments that can help reduce the tension your muscles have.

Yes. We provide all dental procedures all under one roof. From fillings, crowns, bridges, dentures, partial dentures, root canals, implants, implant bridges, wisdom teeth extractions, cosmetic veneers, gum surgery, all-on-4, bone grafting, PRP and PRF, white fillings, inlays, onlays, gold crowns, laser dentistry, laser pain management, laser root canal therapy, sedation dentistry and more are all done in our office.

That is a very good question. Dental insurance in reality is not an insurance and is an aid. If you have insurance from your employer, it is good. If you have to purchase it yourself, you will mostly end up paying more than what you get from the insurance companies. You have to understand that insurance companies are in it to make money not to lose money. They have limitations, exclusions, waiting periods, etc. so they pay less. It is also important to know that they do not cover all dental procedures. So you may have insurance but they won't pay for what you may need.

Another good question. I personally do not like HMO insurance. They do not cover anything. The dentist gets pain something like $8-$12 a month whether you go to see them or not. The incentive for the dentist is for you not to show up. If you do, they have to provide a service on their agreement free of charge. This will cause them to lose money. As a result the dentist is forced to alter the treatment to something that is not part of their contract so they can charge you. This causes many issues and destroys doctor-patient trust and relationships that I consider holy. In addition, you do not have the choice of your dentist. You are assigned to a dentist in your area and that's it. If your friend has a good dentist that you want to see, you can not do so since he or she must be part of the HMO plan. My personal advice is to avoid HMO
PPO is a better form of dental insurance. You have the option to see in-network as well as out-of-network dentists. The compensation will vary but you have the option to see whoever you want to see. But still there are limitations. The most common annual benefit is $1500 for the past 60 years! 60 years ago you could get a few teeth fixed with a root canal and a crown. But at $1500 now, after a cleaning and exam and one root canal you may be just about to run out of your benefits! Check with your insurance or HR what your benefits are. Most people don’t know and when they find out how little their insurance covers a procedure, they get mad at the dentist!
Insurance companies offer too many different plans and coverages that are even confusing to dentists or insurance coordinators. If you want to make sure and know exactly what your out of pocket cost is before you get a dental treatment, you can ask your dentist to submit a “pre-authorization”. This way you know exactly to the penny what your obligations are to the dentist.

In network dentists have a contract to provide some services at an agreed upon fee schedule. This is a good saving for the patient in terms of the money spent. However, the dentists will be limited to the choice of a lab or kind of work that he wants to use. For example, if a dentist wants to do a crown for you and wants to use a lab that is high end and expensive, he can not do so since he loses money on that. He is forced to use a lab that the fee is in range with what he gets paid by the insurance. Whereas if he/ she is out of network, he has the freedom to choose the best lab if he wants to because it is built into the fee he is charging you and you are getting the best quality workmanship if that is what you want to have.