For anyone considering braces in Marina Del Rey, your first stop should be at United Dental Care. Our dentists offer a free consultation for kids and adults getting braces in Marina Del Rey. We'll be able to work with you to explore your different options, including traditional metal braces, the popular new Invisalign “braces”, as well as clear braces. No matter what your age and your orthodontic situation, United Dental Care stands ready to help.

Marina Del Rey Invisalign Braces

Invisalign technology is the hottest advance in orthodontics today. Using a clear, nearly invisible device, you can align your teeth without sacrificing your beautiful smile. For the teen who doesn't want the embarrassment of braces, or the adult professional who can't afford the immature look braces tend to give, investigate Invisalign as an alignment alternative to braces. Usually, treatment using Invisalign “braces” is complete within a year. What's more, the Invisalign devices can be temporarily removed any time you need to, such as for a big event, a first date, or just because you want to indulge in your favorite sticky food.

Marina Del Rey Clear Braces

When you come into our office to talk about braces in Marina Del Rey, be sure to ask about the option of clear braces. Clear braces are a little less unsightly than the traditional metal ones, and many people – especially adults who are long past the “braces age” -- tend to prefer clear braces to metal braces.

For residents of Marina Del Rey, kids' braces are also no problem. We have a staff of dedicated dentists and hygienists who can make patients of any age feel comfortable with their new braces. In Marina Del Rey, there are few dentists' offices with the combined years of experience you'll find at United Dental Care. As we like to say, come on in, and welcome to the family!

Smiling confidently is something that everyone should be able to do. However, if you are embarrassed by your crooked, missing, yellow, or stained teeth you would probably rather do just about anything other than smile. If cover your mouth with your hand or try to keep your lips together tightly when smiling, you might want to consider scheduling a consultation with a cosmetic dentist. A Culver City cosmetic dentist can help you attain the smile you have always wanted. As cosmetic dentists, we have a mission to provide you with a gorgeous smile of which you can be proud. We take our jobs very seriously.

It is important to visit your family dentist, general dentist, or kids dentist for regular checkups. If you are concerned about your smile, these dentists can let you know if you need to see a cosmetic dentist. A Culver City cosmetic dentist will be able to explain the cosmetic dentistry procedures available to you that can transform your smile. A Culver City dentist may suggest teeth whitening if your teeth are stained or yellow. If you have missing teeth a partial may be the answer to your smile woes. Crooked or misshapen teeth may be corrected by applying porcelain veneers. Whatever your tooth problems are a cosmetic dentist will be able to help. We want to give you a smile that seems larger than life, and we want you to have the confidence to show off your special smile.

Some cosmetic procedures can be performed by a family dentist or a general dentist. A kids dentist may also offer some cosmetic dental procedures. If you require more treatment than a family dentist, general dentist, or kids dentist can offer, a Culver City dentist can help you. Your smile is important to you and those around you. A cosmetic dentist can help you have the confidence you need to smile without trepidation and light up the world with your new, sparkling smile.

Please call 310.390.6000 or fill out this form for free cosmetic dentistry consultation.

Current understanding of maternal and fetal physiology indicates that the benefits of providing dental care during pregnancy far outweigh potential risks. Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases, including needed dental radiographs and use of local anesthesia, are highly beneficial and can be undertaken during pregnancy with no additional fetal or maternal risk when compared to the risk of not providing care. The American Academy of Periodontology, for example, urges oral health professionals to provide preventive services as early in pregnancy as possible and to provide treatment for acute infection or sources of sepsis irrespective of the stage of pregnancy.

The timing of such care is vital given that the oral health of pregnant women has the potential to impact the oral health status of their children. Further, assessment of oral health risks in infants and young children with appropriate intervention, along with anticipatory guidance for parents and other caregivers, has the potential to prevent the transmissibility and development of early childhood caries (ECC).

The most common complications of pregnancy include spontaneous abortion (miscarriage), preterm birth, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. The current scientific studies, referenced in this document, regarding these conditions related to dental care indicate:

• Control of oral diseases in pregnant women has the potential to reduce the transmission of oral bacteria from mothers to their children.
• There is no evidence relating early spontaneous abortion to first trimester oral health care or dental procedures.
• Preeclampsia is a challenging condition in the management of the pregnant patient, but preeclampsia is not a contraindication to dental care.
• While research is ongoing, the best available evidence to date shows that periodontal treatment has no effect on birth outcomes of preterm labor and low preterm birthweight and is safe for the mother and fetus.
• Best practice suggests that because it has been shown to be safe and effective in reducing periodontal disease and periodontal pathogens, periodontal care should be provided during pregnancy.

Brushing your teeth regularly is not the only way of keeping them healthy, and it's certainly not enough. Diet and food choices also play an important role.
Since we were young kids and as we grow up, we've been constantly told by our parents and our kids dentists, general dentist and family dentists that sugary foods are not good for our teeth and we all know they increase tooth decays, both in kids and adults. But what we should eat is definitely as important as what we should not eat. We need enough nutrients during the day to help keep our teeth healthy and our jawbones strong and as pretty much every kids dentist, general dentist and family dentist has told you about 100 times by now, milk is the best source of nutrients that contribute to the health of our teeth.
Almost all mothers know that most of a child's teeth are formed by the time the baby is born. Therefore, it's essential for pregnant mothers to pay more attention to what they eat and what they don't eat to make sure they have enough intake of their required nutrients.  Calcium is probably the most important nutrient needed in forming teeth and jawbones. You can get the enough amount of calcium by drinking milk or taking calcium supplements.
Also, you should not forget that young kids need lots of calcium to support the growth of their jawbones and teeth. As teeth form and mineralize, they need enough calcium and phosphorus to become strong and as this growth takes place over a long period of time, it's essential for kids to have enough calcium intake as they grow and become older.
All kids dentists agree that milk is the best source of calcium and plays an important role in building healthy teeth. Milk also has phosphorus, which helps in building string jawbones. Jawbones hold the teeth in place, and the calcium in the milk gives them enough strength to do so. In addition milk is a good source of vitamins A and D. Vitamin A helps in maintaining the mucous membranes of the mouth and vitamin D increases calcium absorption in the body, therefore, contributes to the growth of teeth and jawbones and keeping them healthy and strong.  

We all have calcium fluoride in our bodies. It is mainly found in bone and teeth and the proper amount of it makes teeth strong by hardening the tooth enamel and preventing initiation of dental caries and tooth decay resulting from acid contained in sugars and the breakdown of carbohydrates. Lack of it, on the other hand, can danger the health of our bones and teeth. For kids under 6 years old, fluoride is essential for development of permanent teeth and that makes it vital for kids between 6 and 16 years old to have enough intake of fluoride in order to have healthy, strong teeth and far less cavities. Topical fluoride -- from toothpastes, mouth rinses, and fluoride treatments -- are important in fighting tooth decays in adults as well.

Fluoride in small amounts can reduce tooth decays. Adding fluoride to tap water has helped reducing the tooth cavities in children by 50 - 60%. These are the amounts of fluoride needed to be taken daily for each age group as recommended by The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine:
Infants

    * 0 - 6 months: 0.01 milligrams mg/day
    * 7 - 12 months: 0.5 mg/day

Children

    * 1 - 3 years: 0.7 mg/day
    * 4 - 8 years: 1.0 mg/day
    * 9 - 13 years: 2.0 mg/day

Adolescents and Adults

    * Males age 14 to 18 years: 3.0 mg/day
    * Males over 18 years: 4.0 mg/day
    * Females over 14 years: 3.0 mg/day

As a family dentist I suggest you meet the required intake of fluoride (and all the other essential minerals and vitamins) by having a balanced diet with variety of foods.
As a kids dentist I suggest using fluoride toothpaste when your kids become preschool-age. Use only a small amount of the toothpaste. Swallowing too much fluoride can leave permanent stains on the teeth (enamel hypermineralization). Your family dentist or your kids dentist can help you determine if you and your child are getting enough fluoride. 

Bleeding gums can be a sign of periodontal diseases, especially gingivitis. Gums bleed mainly because of inadequate removal of plaque from teeth and gums, especially gum lines. If plaque is not removed from teeth and gums through regular brushing and flossing and professional dental cleanings by a general dentist, it will harden on the gum lines and lead to inflammation of the gums, called gingivitis and causes them to bleed. If not treated, it leads to increased bleeding and advanced gum and jawbone diseases called periodontitis. Eventually, it will destroy the soft tissue and bone supporting the teeth and your teeth may become loose and fall out.
Bleeding of gums can also be sign of bleeding disorders, hormonal changes during pregnancy in women, ill-fitting dentures, infections related to teeth or gum, Leukemia, Scurvy, use of blood thinners or simply brushing too hard, improper flossing of deficiency in Vitamin K. Before you jump to any conclusions, consult with your general dentist about it.

Regular professional cleanings by a specialist can help prevent gingivitis and other gum diseases. Also regular checkups by your general dentist can determine any early signs of periodontal diseases (gum diseases) and your dentist can refer you to a periodontist to cure the problem before it irritates you or causes permanent damage to your teeth and gum.
Brush at least twice a day, but do it gently and with a soft-bristle toothbrush. Also, floss your teeth at least once a day to prevent plaque from building up between your teeth. If your gums bleed, make an appointment with one of our dentists or periodontists at United Dental Care (also known as Culver City Dentist, Beverly Hills Dentist, Los Angeles Dentist and West Los Angeles Dentist). Meanwhile apply pressure to the bleeding point with a gauze pad. You may rinse with salt water but avoid alcohol-containing mouthwashes. If you wear dentures consult with your orthodontist first. 

Your teeth and gums are not safe from high blood sugar. As your blood sugar level goes higher and higher the risk of tooth decays (cavities) and gum diseases become more and more.
Mouth naturally contains many kinds of bacteria. Sugar and starches in the foods we take interact with these bacteria and form a sticky film on the teeth which we call plaque. The acid in the plaque eats away the enamel of the teeth and can lead to cavities. With the higher blood sugar that comes with diabetes, the wear on the teeth becomes more and the risk of cavities becomes higher.
If you don't brush and floss regularly, not only the plaque is not removed from your teeth, it will harden under your gum line and turn into a substance called tartar or calculus. The more the tartar stays on your gums, the more the part of your gum around the base of the teeth, which is called gingivia, gets irritated, swollen and finally start to bleed. That's what we call gingivitis.
If gingivitis is not treated in time, the serious infection caused by it will destroy soft tissue and bone that support your teeth (periodontitis). In the long run, periodontitis causes your gums to pull away from your teeth. Your teeth may become loose and fall out as a result of untreated periodontitis, which is more sever among people with diabetes. In people with diabetes the resistance to infections is lower and healing takes more time. Infections as a result of periodontitis tend to cause the blood sugar level to rise and the diabetes would be harder to control.
Controlling your blood sugar level is the first step in preventing these diseases. As a general dentist, I believe brushing and flossing are the most important things you have to do to prevent gum and teeth diseases, not only in people with diabetes but for everyone. Brush at least twice a day, all the better if you do it after meals and snacks, and make sure to floss at least one each day. Have one of our dentists at Culver City Dentist, Beverly Hills Dentist or Los Angeles Dentist professionally clean your teeth twice a year and check for early signs of gum diseases.

Dental care for kids should start even before their teeth come out. Just because you can't see the teeth doesn't mean that they're not there. Many babies are born with several teeth completely developed in their jaw. Wipe your baby's gums with a soft damp cloth after each feeding. It helps preventing the buildup of bacteria. After the teeth appear, start brushing them with a soft kid's toothbrush twice a day. As a kids dentist I recommend using fluoride toothpastes only when your child is pre-school age. Always use only a small amount of them. Kids usually swallow most of these toothpastes and swallowing too much of them can leave permanent stains on the teeth.
Another one of my concerns as a kids dentist is cavities. Cavities are holes made by bacteria in the teeth and unfortunately are very common in kids. Consuming a lot of sugary foods and drinks increases the risk of cavities. Having your kids teeth regularly checked by one of our dentists at Culver City Dentist, Mar Vista Dentist, West Los Angeles Dentist, Beverly Hills Dentist or any other one of our dental offices helps preventing cavities. Avoid sweets, sticky foods and between-meals snacks and don't forget brushing your kid's teeth.
Baby-bottle tooth decay is another issue for kids. When you put your baby to sleep with a bottle, or your kid just goes around the house with a bottle in his or her mouth, milk or juice in the bottle remain on the teeth and their sugar eats away the enamel, making an ideal environment for the bacteria to gather and grow.
Thumb-sucking is not a danger for your kid's teeth before age 4-6. If your kid still sucks his or her thumb, fingers or pacifier after age 4, ask your kids dentist to watch for signs of any problem. Thumb-sucking could be a problem if it persists by the time permanent front teeth start to appear.
Finally start taking your kids to kids dentist around their first birthday. Regular checkups can help preventing many dental and oral diseases and damage to their teeth. 

There is a joint on each side of the head in front of the ears which connects lower jaw bones to skull. They are called temporomandibular joints (TMJ). These joints allow you to yawn, talk and chew. TMJ disorders cause pain, tenderness and discomfort in these joints. About 10 million people have TMJ disorders in United States and women are more likely to be affected by them then men. At United Dental Care we recommend self-managed care and non-surgical treatments for mild cases of these disorders, but in severe cases dental or surgical interventions might be needed. We offer these surgeries at Culver City Dentist and our other dental offices (Beverly Hills Dentist, Westwood Dentist, Los Angeles Dentist, ...) as well.
Pain and tenderness in jaws and around the ears, discomfort when chewing, headaches, painful clicking of the jaw, locking of the joints that makes it difficult to open or close the mouth and uneven bite are symptoms of TMJ. You may hear a clicking sound or have a grinding sensation when you open or close your mouth, but as long as there is no pain or limitation of movement you don't have a TMJ disorder.
Trauma to the jaw can be one cause of TMJ disorders, but in many cases the source of the problem is not clear. Some experts say that anxiety, stress or Rheumatoid arthritis can cause TMJ disorders. Tooth grinding, jaw clenching, fibromyalgia and congenital deformity of the facial bones have also been associated with TMJ disorders.
There are no specific tests for diagnosing them. At Culver City Dentist we check muscles and joints for tenderness, clicking or popping and difficulty in opening and closing the mouth. We may also take x-rays or a mold of your teeth to see how they fit together. As sinus problems and earaches can cause facial pain as well, we need to make sure the cause of your jaw problems is correctly diagnosed. Our dentists will look for high fillings, a tipped or cracked tooth and signs of wear that indicate tooth grinding to make sure the problem is not caused by a dental issue.
If the problem is persistent, we start by recommending you to reduce your stress, avoid chewing gums, use bite guards to reduce the wear caused by tooth grinding and take over-the-counter anti-inflammatories. If the symptoms persist, we recommend corrective dental treatments and surgeries.  

Xerostomia or dry mouth condition can be really annoying. It is caused by lack of saliva in the mouth which can be a side effect of some health conditions or medications. Saliva washes away food particles and plaque, limits bacterial growth in the mouth and reduces the chance of tooth decays. Therefore, lack of it in the mouth can be a danger to the health of your teeth.
Dryness in the mouth, thick and stringy saliva, bad breath, cracked lips, split skin at the corners of the mouth, sore throat, difficulty speaking or swallowing, fungal infection in the mouth, an altered sense of taste or an increase in tooth decay, gum disease and plaque can all be symptoms of Xerostomia.
Medications, tobacco, nerve damage, cancer therapy or simply aging are causes of dry mouth condition. Drugs used for treating depression and anxiety, decongestants, anti-diarrhea medications, muscle relaxants, antihistamines, high blood pressure medications, drugs used for treating urinary incontinence and Parkinson's disease medications are some of the drugs that can cause Xerostomia. Smoking or chewing tobacco can also increase the symptoms of dry mouth condition. Nerve damage in head and neck caused by an injury or during a surgery can be reasons for having a dry mouth too. Radiation treatments to head and neck as well as chemotherapy drugs can change the nature of saliva. Aging on its own is not a reason for Xerostomia, but as we get older we are more likely to have health conditions and take medications that affect saliva.
Drinking water and chewing gum (preferably sugar-free) can help you increase your saliva. Caffeine and acidic or sugary foods make your mouth drier, so avoid them as much as you can. Brushing with fluoride toothpastes, using fluoride rinses and adding moisture to the air especially at night can help. You can ask from one of the dentists at Culver City Dentist or our other dental offices if prescription fluoride toothpastes are beneficial to you. In case your dry mouth condition is a side effect of the medication you are taking, your doctor can adjust the dosage or in some cases change your medication. Sometimes medications can be prescribed to cure Xerostomia.