Procedures

Cleanings & Prevention

Good oral hygiene and regular dentist visits are important for everyone, teeth cleaning by your dentist or hygienist, however is extremely crucial– as it promotes good oral health. Teeth cleanings can be much more than just having plaque or tarter removed. Recent studies have linked heart attacks and strokes to gum disease hence its really important keep your teeth clean in order to maintain overall health.

Digital X-Rays

Modern technology has improved the way dentists practice. Thanks to science as these techniques allow patients to receive dental treatment without the pain and also save a lot of their quality time. Dental technology is developed to make dental X-rays safer and more convenient. Dental X-rays emit very low amounts of radiation and every precaution is taken to protect patients from exposure.

Dental Exams & Cleanings

A professional dental cleaning at least twice a year can improve your oral health, reports the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), an organization of general dentists dedicated to continuing dental education. AGD strongly recommends that a dentist or hygienist perform a dental cleaning twice in a year, best if it every 6 months. Dental cleaning emphasizes the home-care oral health regimen of brushing and flossing and gives the dentist an opportunity to locate areas in the mouth that may need special attention. People who regularly have good oral hygiene at home with proper brushing and flossing techniques do not experience discomfort during a cleaning. However, those who have neglected their oral hygiene habits may experience some discomfort or sensitivity during a dental cleaning.

Home Care

Some patients have limited access to get to a dental office and most of the time they have dental needs that need to be attended to. We also see patients that are just interested in seeking care at the comfort of their own homes. We try and make it as comfortable as possible. We offer services in all fields of dentistry, from exams, cleanings, extractions, dentures to crowns and bridges. We know how much oral health is important and how it affects the overall health of an individual.

How to Properly Brush & Floss

Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, as this is the best. Make sure to brush for at least three minutes; it takes several minutes of brushing to do a thorough job. Floss removes plaque and debris that sticks to teeth and gums in between teeth, polishes tooth surfaces, and controls bad breath. By flossing your teeth daily, you increase the chance of keeping them for a lifetime and decrease the chance of getting gum disease. Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral exams.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are replacement tooth roots. Implants provide a strong foundation for permanent or removable replacement teeth that are made to match your natural teeth. There are many advantages to dental implants to name a few, it helps in improving appearance, speech and moreover is extremely comfortable and with proper care, implants can last a lifetime.

Porcelain Onlays

Porcelain onlays are so popular because they resemble your natural teeth. An onlay is sometimes also referred to as a partial crown. Porcelain onlays are made by a professional dental laboratory and is permanently cemented onto the tooth by us. Onlays can be utilized to conservatively repair teeth that have large defective fillings or have been damaged by decay or trauma. Onlays are an ideal alternative to crowns because less tooth structure is removed in the preparation of onlays.

Tooth Whitening

Changes in the color of your teeth can be caused by such factors as the food and beverages consumed. Teeth whitening’s popularity is increasing tremendously, and it is quickly becoming the most popular form of cosmetic dentistry in the market. Teeth whitening is gaining such momentum because there are so many benefits associated with this procedure. Other known factors for discoloration may include childhood medications or illnesses, tobacco use or improper oral hygiene. There are numerous benefits associated with teeth whitening like it bring a vibrant smile, teeth whitening removes persistent stains and brightens your smile, leaving you with more self-confidence and less embarrassment about your stained smile. Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and oral exams.

Composite Fillings

Aesthetics are the main advantage of composites, since we can blend shades to create a color which is identical to that of the actual tooth. Composites bond to the tooth to support the remaining tooth structure, which helps to prevent breakage and insulate the tooth from excessive temperature changes. When the process is finished, we will shape the composite to fit the tooth. We then polish the composite to prevent staining and early wear.

Porcelain Crowns (Caps)

Dental porcelain can be crafted to closely replicate the look of natural tooth enamel, while providing desirable strength and durability. Porcelain crowns are an excellent choice when it comes to recreating the form and function of a damaged tooth, because a crown basically replaces the entire external portion of the tooth right to the gum level. Crowns are not limited to simply replacing the original tooth, but can be designed to create an even better appearance.

Porcelain Fixed Bridges

Missing teeth can have a serious effect not only on your smile, but also on your personality and oral health. Missing teeth can also impact the alignment of your surrounding teeth, causing you further problems down the road. And missing teeth can also result in unwanted tooth disease leading to its decay. Visit to Dr. Latha’s office that provides dental bridges to patients in need.

Porcelain Veneers

Veneers are thin, semi-translucent cups ( shells ) typically attached to your front teeth. Veneers are customized from porcelain material and permanently bonded to your teeth. Veneers are a great alternative to otherwise painful dental procedures to improve the appearance of your smile.

Common problems that veneers are used for:

• Spaces between your teeth
• Broken/chipped teeth
• Stained or discolored teeth
• Permanently stained or discolored teeth
• Crooked or misshapen teeth

Veneers are a great aesthetic solution to your smile that may even help you avoid orthodontic treatment. Subtle changes to your smile can be achieved with veneers, and in most cases, veneer application is completed in only two office visits.

Periodontal Disease

If you have been told you have periodontal (gum) disease, you’re not alone. Many adults around the world currently have some form of the disease. Periodontal diseases range from simple gum inflammation to serious disease that results in major damage to the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth. In the worst case scenarios you may loose your teeth.

Whether your gum disease is stopped, slowed, or gets worse depends a great deal on how well you care for your teeth and gums every day, from this point forward. Visit us today to help you serve your dental problems.

Mouth – Body Connection

There is mounting evidence of connection between oral health and a person’s overall health. It is well documented that a high percentage of health conditions have an oral component such as swollen or bleeding gums, ulcers, dry mouth, bad breath, metallic taste and various other changes in the oral cavity. Since most people have regular oral examinations, their dentist may be the first health care provider to diagnose a health problem in its early stages, however if these issues are not addressed on time they may pose some severe health problems in the long run.

Periodontal Disease and Diabetes

While inflammation plays an obvious role in periodontal diseases, evidence in the medical literature also supports the role of inflammation as a major component in the pathogenesis of diabetes and diabetic complications. Research suggests that, as an infectious process with a prominent inflammatory component, periodontal disease can adversely affect the metabolic control of diabetes. Conversely, treatment of periodontal disease and reduction of oral inflammation may have a positive effect on the diabetic condition, although evidence for this remains somewhat equivocal.

Periodontal Disease, Heart Disease and Stroke

Several studies have shown that periodontal disease is associated with heart disease. While a cause-and-effect relationship has not yet been proven, research has indicated that periodontal disease increases the risk of heart disease.

Scientists believe that inflammation caused by periodontal disease may be responsible for the association.

Periodontal disease can also exacerbate existing heart conditions. Patients at risk for infective endocarditis may require antibiotics prior to dental procedures. Your periodontist and cardiologist will be able to determine if your heart condition requires use of antibiotics prior to dental procedures.

Periodontal Disease and Pregnancy

Pregnant women are particularly prone to periodontal (gum) disease due to hormonal changes associated with pregnancy. Research has found that women with periodontal disease may be at higher risk for delivering pre-term, low birth weight (PLBW) infants. What effects can periodontal disease have on my pregnancy?

If you are pregnant, the hormonal changes you are undergoing will make you particularly prone to periodontal disease. And, according to research findings, if you have periodontal disease and you are pregnant, you may be at higher risk of delivering a pre-term low-birth-weight infant, that is, an infant born before the 37th week of pregnancy.

Periodontal Disease and Osteoporosis

Conventional radiography is not sensitive enough to diagnose osteoporosis, until the total bone density has decreased by 50% . At this time, the gold standard for osteoporosis diagnosis is the measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) by dual energy x-ray absortiometry (DXA).

DXA uses an x-ray source for BMD measurement and the measurement is expressed as “area density” in units of grams/cm2. The World Health Organization defines osteoporosis as a bone density score greater than 2.5 standard deviations below the young adult mean in a female population aged 20 to 40 years. A bone density score between 1 and 2.5 standard deviations below the mean is termed osteopenia or low bone mass

What is Periodontal (Gum) Disease?

Non-Invasive Laser Treatment
Our Los Gatos staff uses lasers to disinfect hard to reach gum tissue and treat periodontal diseases. Lasers are non-invasive, painless, and promote tissue healing. These cutting-edge lasers eliminate gum disease quickly and comfortably.

Thorough, Meticulous Care

The dentists at Los Gatos Dental Group know that good oral health contributes to good overall health, so they use microscopes to continually test for bacteria, ensuring that your periodontal disease is effectively treated. Their attention to detail and meticulous care take the guesswork out of treating gum disease.

Education and Experience

At Los Gatos Dental Group they have specialized training and education to treat gum disease and bleeding gums comfortably. Their cutting-edge, non-surgical treatment options eliminate periodontal disease so you can get back to eating your favorite foods, pain-free.

Diagnosis

Symptoms of gum disease include:
• Bad breath that won’t go away
• Red or swollen gums
• Tender or bleeding gums
• Painful chewing
• Loose teeth
• Sensitive teeth
• Receding gums or longer appearing teeth

Any of these symptoms may be a sign of a serious problem, which should be checked by a dentist. At your dental visit the dentist or hygienist should:

• Ask about your medical history to identify underlying conditions or risk factors (such as smoking) that may contribute to gum disease.
• Examine your gums and note any signs of inflammation.
• Use a tiny ruler called a “probe” to check for and measure any pockets. In a healthy mouth, the depth of these pockets is usually between 1 and 3 millimeters. This test for pocket depth is usually painless.

Treatment

The main goal of treatment is to control the infection. The number and types of treatment will vary, depending on the extent of the gum disease. Any type of treatment requires that the patient keep up good daily care at home. The doctor may also suggest changing certain behaviors, such as quitting smoking, as a way to improve treatment outcome.

Maintenance

• Brush your teeth twice a day (with a fluoride toothpaste).
• Floss regularly to remove plaque from between teeth. Or use a device such as a special brush or wooden or plastic pick recommended by a dental professional.
• Visit the dentist routinely for a check-up and professional cleaning.
• Don’t smoke

Restorations

In some studies, researchers have observed that people with gum disease (when compared to people without gum disease) were more likely to develop heart disease or have difficulty controlling blood sugar. Other studies showed that women with gum disease were more likely than those with healthy gums to deliver preterm, low birth weight babies. But so far, it has not been determined whether gum disease is the cause of these conditions.

There may be other reasons people with gum disease sometimes develop additional health problems.

For example, something else may be causing both the gum disease and the other condition, or it could be a coincidence that gum disease and other health problems are present together.

Dentures & Partial Dentures

Complete dentures can be either “conventional” or “immediate.” Made after the teeth have been removed and the gum tissue has begun to heal, a conventional denture is ready for placement in the mouth about eight to 12 weeks after the teeth have been removed. A removable partial denture or bridge usually consists of replacement teeth attached to a pink or gum-colored plastic base, which is connected by metal framework that holds the denture in place in the mouth. Partial dentures are used when one or more natural teeth remain in the upper or lower jaw. A fixed (permanent) bridge replaces one or more teeth by placing crowns on the teeth on either side of the space and attaching artificial teeth to them. This “bridge” is then cemented into place. Not only does a partial denture fill in the spaces created by missing teeth, it prevents other teeth from changing position. A precision partial denture is removable and has internal attachments rather than clasps that attach to the adjacent crowns. This is a more natural-looking appliance.