Diagnostic

• Dental Examination
  Many people ask why it is so important to visit a pediatric dentist, and the answer is simple – experience. While many dentists may treat children if they are not a kids dentist, they may lack the experience necessary to keep a child comfortable during their dental treatments. When treating children, it is not enough to get the job done, how it is done is equally important. At Sunset Center for Dental Excellence, we understand that how a child feels during their first several dental visits, will influence how they react to dentistry throughout their lifetime. A positive experience now can set the tone for ongoing, regular dental care throughout their adult life. A negative or scary dental visit can have the opposite effect and make them not want to visit the dentist anymore. In our office, we can treat children and take active steps to ensure their emotional and physical comfort. To learn more or to schedule a dental exam, call (310) 205-5551.
• X-rays
  A. There is very little risk in dental X-rays. Family dentists are especially careful to limit the amount of radiation to which you and your family are exposed. Lead aprons and high-speed film are used to ensure safety and minimize the amount of radiation. Digital x-rays provide an even greater level of protection by using up to 90 percent less radiation.
• Oral Cancer Screening
  At Sunset Center for Dental Excellence, we encourage you to schedule an oral cancer screening today. If you have not yet taken this life-saving measure, you should. Oral cancer is a disease not frequently discussed. There are few, if any, advertising campaigns, walks, or fundraisers supporting its treatment. Still, oral cancer claims one life every day in the United States. The reason for the high mortality rate is that most people do not seek medical help until the cancer has advanced. As with all forms of cancer, early detection and treatment are critical to the ability to be cured. Therefore, the sooner you know that you are at risk for cancer or are developing signs of it, the better your chances are of beating it.

Preventive

• Teeth Cleaning
  At Sunset Center for Dental Excellence, we help patients throughout West Hollywood to stay in excellent oral health. With a focus on preventative care, we take the time to get to know each of our patients, creating a plan for lifelong oral health. With only one set of permanent adult teeth, it is important to care for them and be proactive in taking the steps to prevent cavities, infections, and gum disease. We recommend that you visit our dental office for a teeth cleaning twice a year so that we can remove plaque buildup and tartar, keeping your mouth healthy and clean. To schedule an appointment, call (310) 205-5551. In the meantime, here are steps that you can take at home to keep your mouth healthy.
• Fluoride Treatment
  At Sunset Center for Dental Excellence, we are a family dentist office that uses fluoride on a regular basis. We recommend that all of our youth patients under the age of eighteen have a fluoride treatment, at least once a year. Statistically, these treatments reduce the risk of getting cavities by 30 percent. This is significant considering that tooth decay is one of the primary reasons children miss days from school. Adults can also benefit from receiving a fluoride treatment and if you would like to find out if it is right for you, call 310-205-5551 to schedule an appointment. The treatment itself only takes a couple of minutes. The fluoride is applied directly to the teeth. It has no odor or smell and after a few minutes, patients are free to leave. It is one of the easiest ways to prevent cavities.
• Dental Sealants
  A. Sealants work by filling in the crevasses on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. This shuts out food particles that could get caught in the teeth, causing cavities. The application is fast and comfortable and can effectively protect teeth for many years.

Restorative

• Fillings
• Veneers
  We provide dental veneers so that patients can restore damaged teeth or transform their smile into something beautiful. At Sunset Center for Dental Excellence we often treat patients that have a variety of dental concerns. Some patients visit our West Hollywood office because they break their tooth, while others are looking to create a Hollywood smile. Most people are candidates for the procedure as long as their tooth structure and roots are in place. If, however, you have a cavity or gum disease, this will need to be treated before we complete the procedure.
• Crowns
  A dental crown is a cap that surrounds the tooth. We typically use a crown to restore a damaged tooth, but they can also use it to improve the appearance of a smile. A crown can consist of three different materials, all-metal, ceramic-on-metal and all-ceramic. The location of the crown in the teeth will determine the best material to use. For example, front teeth need to have an all-ceramic crown, if possible, since it looks the most natural. Patients may often use ceramic-on-metal crowns since they look natural but have the durability that only metal can provide.
• Bridges
  A fixed provisional bridge is a dental bridge that a dentist cements in place for a temporary amount of time to see if it works properly before making the bridge permanent.
• Dental Bonding
  Dental bonding is a procedure that helps a lot of people who are in need of dental restoration. The procedure itself is relatively simple and doesn’t involve a lot of pain. When people receive a dental bonding application, they are typically able to achieve restoration from it. However, often times, later on down the line a…

Endodontics

• Pulpotomy
  A pulpotomy is a procedure involving the removal of a portion of diseased or infected pulp in order to protect the healthy portions of the pulp and teeth still in the mouth.
• Root Canal Treatment
  At Sunset Center for Dental Excellence, we regularly perform a root canal endodontic treatment in order to remove infections and save our patients' teeth. We can complete the procedure and work to keep patients comfortable. Root canals are a common procedure. If you live in the West Hollywood area and are currently experiencing tooth pain, we invite you to call (310) 205-5551 to schedule an appointment and see if you need a root canal endodontic treatment.

Periodontics

• Periodontal Surgery
  Periodontal surgery is the treatment of extreme levels of periodontal disease that can involve multiple techniques to remove the inflamed tissue and infection before it spreads.
• Deep Cleaning
  Yes, you should. At Sunset Center for Dental Excellence, we encourage all our patients to pay attention to their gum health. We encourage them to call us right away if they see their gums bleeding, swelling or receding. We want to examine the patient as soon as possible in order to determine if gum disease is present and treat it. You are best served by receiving immediate care since we can treat the problem using less invasive methods. For example, you may only need a deep cleaning if you come in right away or perhaps you will need an antibiotic treatment as well, but by coming in early, you give your gums the best chance for restoration without the need for a gum graft. Otherwise, if you delay, they could recede to the point that the health of your teeth, your jawbone, and your entire smile are at risk. After all, the majority of people who lose an adult tooth also had gum disease at the time. Preventing and treating it is truly one of the best things you can do for your oral health.

Prosthodontics

• Dentures
  If you have dentures, it is important to handle them with care so they can remain in as good a condition as possible. Still, it is wise to ask, "What do I do if I damage my dentures?" We can offer the information and tools necessary to address a problem if you have one. At Sunset Center for Dental Excellence can answer any questions you have regarding denture care. To schedule an appointment with our dental office, call (310) 205-5551. In the meantime, here is what you should know.

Implants

• Dental Implants
  If you are considering getting dental implants you are already on the road to restoring your smile. Since dental implants are surgically placed and inserted into the jawbone, one of the questions our West Hollywood patients ask is whether or not they will need a bone graft prior to the procedure. We encourage you to visit our dental office for an examination and X-rays so that we can answer this question based on your health. You can schedule an appointment by calling (310) 205-5551. In the meantime, here are some answers to frequently asked questions about the bone graft procedure.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

• Oral Surgery
  If your wisdom teeth have grown in straight, removing them is fairly easy. In this case, you would visit a dentist to have them pulled out using dental tools. Most likely, no surgery would be required. However, if your teeth are impacted, the procedure requires oral surgery. In order to access the actual tooth, the gum tissue covering it will need to be cut open. After numbing the area, a flap will be created in the gum tissue. This allows the dentist or oral surgeon to view the tooth. If muscle or bone is covering it, that will also need to be cut away to provide clear access to the actual tooth. At this point, your dentist may be able to grab the tooth and simply lift it out of the socket. If, however, it does not budge when being wiggled, then the actual tooth will need to be broken into several pieces that can be extracted individually.
• Jaw Surgery
  When straightening teeth we do more than move physical teeth into the right position. We also align the bite. Otherwise, you will continue to have problems and discomfort. When wearing braces, the bite is often aligned using a series of rubber bands that hold the jaw in a particular position by stringing a band from one bracket on the top palate to one on the lower jaw. When straightening teeth with Invisalign®, pressure is applied to the teeth to move them into the right position. This means that if your underbite or overbite is caused by your teeth, it can be corrected using aligners. However, if you have a physical problem with your jaw, you may need to have jaw surgery in addition to wearing your aligners. Another option for misaligned jaws, that cannot be fixed using aligners, is to wear traditional braces. When you visit our dental office, we will let you know if your bite problems can be solved with Invisalign® and very often they can be.
• Flap Surgery
  Gingival flap surgery is a procedure in which the periodontist separates the gums from the teeth temporarily to reach the root of the tooth and nearby bone.
• Gum Surgery
  Perhaps one of the most significant advances that gentle dentistry has made is associated with treating gum disease. This condition is so common that most adults will suffer from some form of gum disease in their lifetime. The symptoms typically start with red, swollen, and bleeding gums but if left untreated, it can lead to gum recession. Receding gums are particularly dangerous because more of the tooth and roots will become exposed and open for attack by bacteria. Many people suffer bone and tooth loss as a result. Treating gum disease, therefore, is critical for preserving your teeth as you age. The traditional method of treatment involves pulling the gums away from the tooth and using metal dental tools to scrape off the bacteria, plaque and tartar that has formed on the tooth but underneath the gums. This can be uncomfortable to say the least. Laser dentistry has completely changed the procedure. We offer periodontic care, and our patients can have their gum disease treated by using lasers to break up the plaque and tartar. This will remove the irritant that is causing the gum disease in the first place. Typically, the gums will then return to good health. Since this is a non-invasive procedure, our patients start to feel better right away. Not all dentists in the West Hollywood area offer this new method of treating gum disease, making it important to visit a laser dentistry office.
• Tooth Extractions
  You may need a wisdom teeth extraction at some point in your life. It is rare for a person to have enough room for all of their wisdom teeth, and as a result, they tend to grow in impacted. This can be uncomfortable, push your other teeth forward, and create a space for food to become trapped; it can also increase your risk of infection and decay. This is why we often recommend that our patients have their wisdom teeth removed. When you schedule an appointment with Sunset Center for Dental Excellence, we can examine you, take X-rays, and let you know if and when you should schedule an extraction procedure. You can reach us by calling (310) 205-5551.
• Bone Grafting
  Immediately following your bone grafting procedure you will be very sore. To combat this, you will want to take ibuprofen and use ice packs for fifteen minutes at a time. You will also be given antibiotics to take and want to use an antibacterial mouthwash to prevent an infection. It is essential that you keep pressure off of the area and are careful with what you eat for several weeks.

Orthodontics

• Orthodontics
  Some people may also use dental implants to straighten teeth that are crooked or teeth that are not responding to orthodontics. This is an important part of a smile makeover because if all of your teeth are white and beautiful, but one is severely crooked, your new smile will feel incomplete.
• Invisalign Orthodontics
  Teenagers and adults love Invisalign® because it straightens teeth without anyone noticing that you are correcting your smile.
• Braces
  Instead of relying on metal brackets and wires to move teeth, ClearCorrect® braces use a series of clear aligners to move teeth into place. The aligners are made of a clear and comfortable plastic that looks similar to a full retainer. By taking care of them and refraining from scratching their surface, aligners will remain clear and virtually invisible when worn. At Sunset Center for Dental Excellence, we can show you how to keep your aligners in perfect condition during the treatment process.

General

• Teeth Whitening
  At Sunset Center for Dental Excellence, we provide our patients with Zoom teeth whitening as an innovative and effective way to transform the appearance of teeth. If you no longer enjoy your smile, have yellow or dull looking teeth, dark stains or simply need to refresh your appearance, call (310) 205-5551 to schedule an appointment with our West Hollywood dental office. In one appointment, we can dramatically improve your smile so that you can feel confident just in time for a special occasion.
• Cosmetic Dentistry
  If you want a gorgeous smile, call us to ask about a smile makeover. Our team at Sunset Center for Dental Excellence focuses on transforming ordinary smiles into something that is brilliant and stunning. Regardless of how your teeth look today, we can do everything in our power to improve your smile using a variety of cosmetic dentistry procedures. Patients count on us because we have an unsurpassed reputation for excellence. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling (310) 205-5551.
• General Dentistry
  At Sunset Center for Dental Excellence, Dr. Chaves prides himself on placing his patients 1st and helping them achieve the smile of their dreams with the highest care and professionalism. From general dentistry procedures to cosmetic dentistry to dental emergencies, Dr. Chaves has a 20-year track record. Throughout his career, Dr. Chaves has been featured on...