General and Cosmetic Dentistry

Crowns refer to individual caps on specific teeth. These may be all porcelain, or a combination of porcelain and metal. Generally, crowns are permanent, although patient diet, home care, and dental maintenance can have an effect on their longevity.

Bridges are multiple teeth connected together to form one chewing unit. They may be from three to more teeth in size. Typically, they are cemented in place and are generally permanent.

Veneers are laminated porcelain facings that are made in a dental lab and cemented over the front of your natural teeth. This procedure is especially attractive to people who have discolored teeth, but don't want to have their teeth prepared for conventional crowning. Scroll below to find out more about a new technique in veneers that may be right for you.

Bonding refers to facings, like the veneers above, only using plastic resin, rather than porcelain. And, they are made right on the spot, without a dental lab involved.

The advantage of bonding is that there is usually no anesthetic or tooth preparation involved. The disadvantage is that, because they are resins, they do not last as long as veneers, and they can discolor with age.

Whitening is the #1 requested and performed cosmetic dental procedure. A variety of options are available today for patients to brighten their smiles, but dentist-supervised treatments remain the safest and most effective way to whiten teeth.

Removable Dentures are an available option for those who have lost some or all of their teeth. Full or partial dentures can be fabricated, and in many cases, implants can be used to aid in the support and function of the denture. For patients with cosmetic concerns, we can create a cosmetic partial denture so that no "clasps" will be visible. Please call us to discuss the many variations of removable dentures available for tooth replacement.

Sleep Dentistry

Sleep Dentistry (Conscious Sedation) - is the process by which a patient is sedated through medication taken in our office and monitored by the doctor using special instrumentation such as a pulse oximeter. Many times people feel so comfortable that they actually fall asleep. At any given point, however, the patient is conscious enough to notify us if they feel or need anything and is therefore always in control. Patients often recall being relaxed at the treatment appointment.

Sleep Dentistry is very different from general anesthesia and does not involve some of the risks associated with general anesthesia. General anesthesia is where the patient is rendered completely unconscious. Sleep dentistry is available in our office on an appointment basis.

What this provides is a way for the very fearful or especially sensitive patient to benefit from complete dental care without having to deal with the actual "drilling."

When a patient asks for sleep dentistry, We do a thorough medical assessment; to be sure there are no contraindications that would put the patient at risk.

Treatment durations can range from one to three hours, and require that the patient have a ride to and from the office. There are certain dietary restrictions for our patients the morning of the treatment. The use of sleep dentistry can be very normal and uncomplicated.

If you think this mode of dental care would be of benefit to you, please contact us at (310) 273-7397.

Dental Implants

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is placed into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Dental implants are an ideal option for people in good general oral health who have lost a tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease, injury, or other reasons.

While high-tech in nature, dental implants are actually more “tooth-saving “than traditional bridgework, since implants do not rely on neighboring teeth for support.

Dental implants are so natural-looking and feeling; you may even forget you ever lost a tooth. You know that confidence about your teeth affects how you feel about yourself, both personally and professionally. Perhaps you hide your smile because of spaces from missing teeth. Maybe your dentures don't feel secure. Perhaps you have difficulty chewing. If you are missing one or more teeth and would like to smile, speak and eat again with comfort and confidence, there is good news! Dental implants are teeth that can look and feel just like your own! Under proper conditions, such as accurate surgical placement, correct occlusion (bite adjustment) and diligent patient maintenance, Dr. Boyajian’s selected implants can last a lifetime. Long-term studies continue to show improving success rates for implants. To read more about implants, click on the Implantologist link.

Gum Treatment

Gum disease (periodontitis) is a problem for over 60% of the adult population. Because it often goes unnoticed until the later stages, it has often been called a "silent epidemic" in American culture. Some of the signs and symptoms of gum disease are red, swollen gum tissue, bleeding of the gums when you brush or floss, chronic bad breath, and loose teeth.

Root-Canal Treatment

Endodontics or root canal therapy is a process where the nerve and associated blood-vessels and lymphatics are removed from the tooth and replaced with an inert rubber material called gutta percha.

The most common reasons for needing a root canal are:

extensive tooth decay
a large cavity under a filling or crown
a dental abscess
the fracture of a tooth.

The most common symptom is a toothache.

When we suspect that the nerve is dead, we will take an x-ray to determine if there is an abscess. Sometimes, however, the abscess is not visible yet, and we have to use your description, or other secondary diagnostic signs, to decide if a root canal is needed.

There is a line of thinking among many dentists in the holistic community that root canals are necessarily bad and should never be done if you need one. They would rather see a tooth pulled, than a root canal performed under any circumstances. Before you let any dentist remove one or more of your teeth - possibly making you a dental cripple - check out what treatment options are being offered following the tooth removal and see if what is offered makes sense to you. Always remember, it's your body, and only you can decide what's right for it. Get a good understanding of the issues so you can make an informed decision about your body.

Cerinate Veneers

Cerinate porcelain veneers can be made with

No preparation, No injection, No temporary!

Look at the amazing results that can be achieved without shots or the reduction of tooth structure.

For more information on Lumineers, please visit http://cerinate.com/

Lumineers


Before	After


Before	After

Guaranteed against breakage

The secret to this process lies in a new material called Cerinate Feldspathic Porcelain.

This type of porcelain is so strong that it can be made to a thinness of 1/3 mm (about the thickness of a contact lens). Conventional porcelain must usually be at least 1 full mm thick. And yet the Feldspathic porcelain is strong enough that the manufacturers give a five year warrantee against breakage.

How can they offer such a guarantee? The answer is that in the 16 years of research that has been done on this product, they have had no failures. In fact, if anything cracks, it is not the veneer but the tooth itself. The bond is that strong!

Key Benefits

Cerinate veneers can dramatically improve your smile.

Here are some of the key benefits:

They can be made in just two visits.
There is generally no tooth reduction necessary.
They don't chip, crack or discolor with age.
There is no need for temporization.
Anesthetic is not needed (no shots!).
They have a 16 year proven track record.
The impressions are quick and easy to make.
The bonding resin actually strengthens the tooth.
The esthetic results are immediate - like instant orthodontics.
And, patients love them!!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can the Cerinate porcelain veneers (also called Lumineers) be placed when teeth are discolored, twisted or broken?

A. Yes - in fact, this is one of the best applications for this type of veneer, because the bonding resin actually strengthens the tooth.

Q. Does insurance cover these veneers?

A. Unfortunately, the answer here is no - but, sometimes they will allow benefits based on the strength afforded to the tooth. We will be glad to submit to your carrier for reimbursement, but you must assume that they will not pay.

Q. How long does it take from start to finish?

A. The first appointment is usually a consultation. At that time, we will often take study models, photographs, and a detailed record of your teeth. This may be enough to begin, or we may need to send the case out to our labs for a diagnostic wax up or computer analysis.

If there is no need for extended analysis, the case can usually be made in 14 days. If we do need to study your bite or smile more extensively, this adds another week to the process.

Q. What if you have to do minimal tooth reduction for a badly twisted or mal-positioned tooth. Will I need anesthetic?

A. No. Any reduction that is ever needed is very minimal and is in enamel, so there is no need for an injection.

Q. How much do Cerinate porcelain veneers cost?

A. Our fee is similar to the price of a porcelain crown in our office, unlike other comparable offices that charge up to twice the amount of a crown.

Q. Can I eat anything I want?

A. Yes, but we do advise that you be a little careful with extremely hard foods, such as very hard French bread crust and candy, like Butter Brickel. But all normal foods are OK.

Q. Do the Cerinate veneers stain or can I assume the shade will last?

A. There is no staining with this porcelain. Even coffee or tea has no visible effect on the color.

Q. What if I need a porcelain crown near the veneers... can the colors be made to match?

A. Yes, the labs use the exact same material for full coverage porcelain crowns as they do with the Lumineers.

Q. What about extreme staining... can the thin Cerinate veneers cover dark stains, or will the color show through?

A. The cementing resins are engineered to take care of this. What we do is tint the cement to compensate for the discolored enamel of the tooth. We can also use a masking cement when the color is severe.

Q. How many Cerinate veneers should I have? How do I decide what is best for my smile?

A. The only way to answer this is to let us examine your mouth. Once we have looked at all the options, we can better advise you regarding the actual treatment plan.

More Before and After Cosmetic Dentistry Cases

If you would like a complimentary exam, to see how we might be able to improve your smile, please contact us by phone at (310) 273-7397.