Frequently Asked Questions

At Westlake Dental Arts, we offer a variety of cosmetic and restorative services to help you improve and enhance the appearance of your smile. If you want whiter, brighter teeth we may recommend a Zoom 2 teeth whitening session or apply porcelain veneers to your smile. We can replace gaps or missing teeth with bridges, dentures or dental implant supported devices. If you have older fillings, we can replace these with natural looking composite fillings or onlays. We may even combine these services in a full mouth reconstruction.

Since each mouth is unique, we need to examine your smile and talk to you about your expectations. After our comprehensive exam, we can discuss various treatments and how they will change the appearance of your smile. To schedule your first appointment, call our practice at 818-889-0400 or 805-373-8811.

At Westlake Dental Arts, we are particularly concerned with periodontal disease because it has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, and premature low-weight babies. Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is an inflammation of the gums and other tissues that surround your teeth. When your gum tissue remains infected, it can erode bone and cause abnormal pockets around the roots, exposing them to further infection. We check for periodontal disease during every examination. If we detect you have gum disease, we have several treatments, including deep cleanings, needless anesthesia, non-surgical therapy with a diode laser, and the locally delivered antibiotic Arestin, which can take care of the problem and help you maintain good dental health.

Neuromuscular dentistry is an area of dentistry that focuses on your jaw’s muscles and joints. When these muscles are in a comfortable, relaxed position, your teeth and joints work without problem. If the muscles are out of line, a variety of problems, including loose or chipped teeth, TMJ disorder, severe headaches, myofacial pain, and even pain in other parts of your body, can occur.

If you are suffering from any of the above symptoms, we offer a comprehensive neuromuscular examination and utilize a myomonitor to see if your muscles and joints are working properly. If there is a problem, we have a variety of services to treat you. You can call our practice at 818-889-0400 or 805-373-8811 to schedule an appointment for an evaluation.

At Westlake Dental Arts, we’ll be happy to help you with any insurance concerns you have. For your convenience, we will help you maximize your benefits and file your claims for you. At the time of your appointment, we request that you pay your co-pay amount with cash, check or credit cards, such as Visa, Master Card, Discover, or American Express.  We also offer Care Credit, low interest rate financing, for qualified patients.

Since most insurance companies cover only a portion of the total cost, not the entire amount of your visit, we ask that you review your insurance policy before your appointment.

To achieve a bright, healthy smile, our practice offers in-office and at-home teeth whitening that is safe, effective, and long-lasting. 

During an in-office teeth whitening session, a special chemical solution created by Zoom 2 is placed on the surface of your natural teeth, and within an hour, your teeth will be whiter. The effects of the bleaching are semi-permanent (only some of the color change is permanent) so you will need to maintain your smile with periodic touch-up sessions.

If you want to bleach from the comfort of your own home, we can provide you with custom made take home trays and professional strength bleaching gel. Although you may have to use these products for one or more weeks, you will notice the teeth whitening effects on your smile over several days. This is also a good way to maintain and touch up the in-office Zoom 2 sessions.

Before you whiten with any product, in office or over-the-counter, we need to evaluate your teeth to recommend the best method. If your teeth are cracked, chipped or discolored, Dr. Carson may recommend restorative services, such as porcelain veneers or bonding, in addition to or instead of teeth whitening.

If you’re nervous, we want to assure you that our entire team is very gentle and focuses on your comfort while you’re in our practice. We are always happy to take the time to explain procedures as we perform them and will pause if you need a few moments before proceeding.

If you’re still nervous, we have several amenities, including nitrous oxide (laughing gas), the WAND® Computerized Medication Delivery System, Oraqix needless anesthetic and oral conscious sedation, to make your visit comfortable.

We often receive questions about oral conscious sedation. If you are a candidate for this service, we prescribe a sedative or anti-anxiety pill for you to take before your visit. As we work, you’ll feel completely comfortable. Afterward, you will have a friend take you home to relax.

If you have questions about oral conscious sedation, talk to Dr. Carson during your visit or call our office at 818-889-0400 or 805-373-8811.

A porcelain veneer is a thin layer of porcelain that is applied to the tooth surface to change the size, shape and color of your teeth. Veneers mimic the tooth’s enamel and are extremely strong and stain resistant. Dr. Carson may suggest veneers to improve the appearance of your smile. We welcome your questions.

Many years ago, dentists used amalgams, a mixture of silver, mercury, and other metals, to fill cavities since it was durable, non-corrosive, and long-lasting. Unfortunately, amalgam fillings are known to break, contribute to tooth fracturing, and can irritate the gums. There currently is a controversy in the medical field over the continued use of this material, as it contains mercury.

At our office we prefer to provide our patients with the newest and best alternatives available, which are bonded ceramic composite resins. Not only do they look natural, they are long lasting and provide a much better restoration and protection for your teeth, as they eliminate all of the shortcomings of the silver/mercury fillings. They seal your teeth and insulate against hot and cold better.

A bridge is a set of composite teeth used to replace your missing, natural teeth. We may recommend a bridge to stabilize your bite, prevent periodontal disease, and help your teeth maintain their position.

There are several types of bridges available. When Dr. Carson applies a bonded bridge, they place crowns to the healthy teeth on each side of the gap and anchor a bridge to those teeth for support.

We can also apply an implant supported bridge. Implants begin with placing titanium screws in your jawbone to act as an artificial substitute for tooth roots and to anchor the bridge in place. Once completed, the bridge is permanent and you can eat, talk and smile just as naturally as you did before.

An onlay is a tooth-shaped restoration made of composite resin or porcelain that completely or partially covers the natural tooth.  It is for those restorations that need to be stronger than a simple filling yet don’t require a full crown. Often, Dr. Carson may suggest onlays as an alternative treatment to crowns if it means saving more healthy natural tooth structure.