Below you will find a wide array of interesting and educational links that we feel will benefit your understanding and knowledge of your dental health.

If you have a suggestion for a link that you feel would be of interest, please feel free to email it to us so we can share it with all of our patients.

Dental Associations

Academy of General Dentistry

American Dental Association

Dental Procedures and Topics

Air Abrasion

Anesthesia

Bad Breath

Braces

Bridges

Bruxism

Canker Sore

Composites/Bonding

Crowns

Digital X-ray

Extractions

Flap Surgery

Flossing

Flouride

Gum Disease

Impacted Teeth

Implants

TMJ

Lasers

Oral Cancer

Plaque

Scaling and Root Planing

Sealants

Sensitive Teeth

Tooth Decay

Our friendly, dedicated, and energetic team is committed to working with you and your family to create a positive experience every time you visit our practice.

We welcome you with warm smiles to our practice!

USC GRADUATE
Oral & Maxillofacial Suregon
Dr. Ian Woo, MS, DDS, MD, Oral and Maxillofacial / Implant Surgery a board-eligible surgeon, is in private practice limited to Oral and Maxillofacial surgery. Dr. Woo is both a licensed physician and a dental specialist. He currently holds the volunteering teaching position as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the LAC/USC Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Dr. Woo graduated from the University of Sou
thern California School of Dentistry as the class valedictorian with multiple awards and honors. He also completed his medical training from the University of Southern California School of Medicine. He then entered a General Surgery internship at the Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, CA, and a full residency in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Southern California.
Dr. Woo was trained and served as the Chief resident at the Los Angeles County/ University of Southern California Medical Center, one of the world’s largest and busiest trauma centers. He is dedicated to providing his patients with the newest technology and the highest quality of care. Dr. Woo is a diplomate of the American Dental Society of Anesthesia, a member of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Medical Association and American Dental Association.

TEMPLE GRADUATE
Orthodontist
Invisalign Certified

Dr. Gianquinto has expertise in: correcting overbites, overjets, and underbites; eliminating crowding; closing spaces; correcting jaw discrepancies; and expanding upper and lower jaws (thereby eliminating permanent tooth extractions). He accomplishes these with braces, Invisalign, or a combination of both. Dr Gianquinto specialized in Orthodontics at Temple University under Dr. Orhan Tuncay, author of the book “The Invisalign System”.

USC GRADUATE
General & Cosmetic Dentistry
Invisalign Certified

Dr. Sasha Rahnama obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from University of California San Diego in La Jolla, and his Dental Degree from the USC School of Dentistry, where he graduated on the Dean’s List. Dr. Rahnama has concentrated his Orange County practice on General and Cosmetic Dentistry.
After your first visit, you’ll quickly appreciate why Dr. Rahnama comes so highly recommended by his current patients. Committed to offering the latest equipment, highest-quality materials, and most innovative techniques in dentistry, Dr. Sasha and our office strive for successful, long-lasting results for all patients.
Our number one priority is your comfort. Dr. Rahnama uses gentle techniques and high quality materials to set you at ease and safeguard your smile for years.

Dr. Debora received her degree from (USC) the University Of Southern California. Dr. Debora completed a residency in Periodontics and was awarded for obtaining the highest score in the exam for admission in periodontics specialization by ABO-Rio de Janeiro-Brazil. Dr. Debora has performed general and emergency dental care at multiple Navy facilities. She also was an assistant professor in periodontics at Loma Linda School of Dentistry. Upon graduation from USC she is experienced in all phases of dentistry. Dr. Debora has successfully completed hundreds of hours of continuing education.

Professional Association:

• American Dental Association
• California Dental Association
• Los Angeles Dental Society

Volunteer Experience:

Dr. Debora has volunteered her time in multiple disadvantaged communities, providing families with dental care and educating them on the importance of oral health. She has also volunteered at high-poverty schools where she educated both staff and children on the importance of oral health.

Personal Quote:

“A goal without a plan is just a wish”

Personal Favorites:

Dr. Debora loves to read and spend time with her family. “I have a wonderful husband and a beautiful baby daughter that I am so thankful for. “ “We enjoy going to Disneyland together, having BBQs on the weekends and watching movies”.

Favorite Movies:

• Breakfast At Tiffany’s
• Gone With The Wind

• Overcrowding – This occurs when there is too little space for the teeth to align normally in the mouth.  Overcrowding can cause tooth decay and increase the likelihood of gum disease.
• Large gaps between teeth – This can sometimes occur because teeth are missing or because the jaw continues to grow abnormally.
• Crossbite – This common dental problem occurs when one or multiple upper teeth bite inside the lower teeth.  As a consequence, uneven wear can lead to bone erosion and gum disease.
• Overbite – This problem occurs when the upper teeth project further than, or completely cover, the lower teeth.  Eventually, jaw pain and TMJ may occur.
• Underbite – This is the inverse of the overbite; the lower teeth project further than, or completely cover, the upper teeth.  Eventually, jaw pain and TMJ can occur.

If you have any other question schedule a complimentary consultation with our doctors.

 

The classic decision for people experiencing a toothache is whether to save or extract the tooth. Although the standard of care nowadays includes implants, for the cost-conscious patient who does not want to lose the tooth, the best option is often endodontic treatment, also known as endo therapy. Another name for this is RCT (Root Canal Treatment).

Bear in mind that Heather Ridge Dentistry can provide all possible treatment options. It does cover a good cross-section of possible treatments. Our dentist and staff will work their hardest to provide the highest quality dental work at a reasonable cost during convenient hours.

Using state-of-the-art equipment and materials, we offer you a variety of dental services for your improved appearance and enhanced oral health. Our services are developed around an understanding of your goals: to look better and feel better.

Bonding is a popular method to enhance the aesthetics of your smile. Bonding can be used to correct cracks or gaps in teeth, as a filling after a cavity has been removed, or to cover up stains or discolored teeth.

A composite resin is used on the affected tooth or teeth. It is molded and sculpted over an adhesive gel that is placed on the tooth. After the resin has been applied an ultraviolet light is used to harden the resin, which is then polished to give you a fresh, new smile.

Bonding is an obvious improvement over unsightly silver amalgam fillings. With the advancements in dental technology, bonding usually lasts for over 10 years. It is a safe, affordable, and attractive solution for many dental problems.

When decay occurs below the gumline, it may be necessary to remove a small amount of bone and gum tissue. Your dentist may ask for this procedure before he or she makes a new crown for your tooth.

Crown Lengthening procedures are done for both restorative dentistry and/or to improve the esthetics of your gum line. General practitioners often refer for crown lengthening procedures prior to restoration of broken or severely decayed teeth. This procedure adjusts the gum and bone level to expose more of the tooth so it can be restored.

Sometimes crown lengthening is done to improve a “gummy” smile because the teeth appear short. The teeth may actually be the proper length but excess gum tissue may be covering these teeth. During this procedure, excess gum and bone tissue is reshaped to expose more of the natural tooth

While at our office, we make sure that you receive the highest level of service and ensure that our dental work is of the highest quality. To ensure that you maintain great oral health, this level of quality needs to extend into your personal oral hygiene routine. We can help you establish a dental hygiene routine that will keep your teeth healthy and white. If you have any questions about your current hygiene plan please ask us.

Your teeth are not the only important part of your mouth. Your gums are essential to oral hygiene as well. We can provide periodontal cleanings and treatment, or refer you to one of our recommended specialists. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Oral cancer screenings

Oral cancer screenings are a very important part of the dental visit for the patient. With the advances in modern technology, we are now able to pinpoint the start of a potential problem much earlier in its evolution. The ability to do so is extremely important in being able to treat any issues prior to them becoming a major irreversible problem.

The oral cancer screening is often completed with an ultraviolet light or similar device that allows us to view issues that can’t always be detected by the human eye under normal conditions.

Certain lifestyle choices can have a great impact on the health of tissues and your overall health in the mouth. If you are a smoker or heavy drinker, make sure to get regular screenings when you visit the dentist.

Root Planing

Often there is plaque and tartar that accumulates below the gum line. In this scenario, we will clean and smooth this area with special instruments to ensure that the area is completely spotless. If this area is not kept clean the entire area can become irritated with the bacteria that resides in the tartar and plaque. It’s very important to have your dentist check this area if you have bleeding during brushing.

Dental implants are a permanent and appealing solution to replace missing or extracted teeth. They are better than other alternatives like bridges because no additional teeth need to be altered to place the new tooth.

The entire implant process is performed over the course of a few months. The first part of the process is to install the implant itself, where a screw is placed into the jaw bone. An incision is made in the gum so that the implant can be inserted. Multiple implants can be placed at once if necessary. After the implants are placed the gums are sutured.

The implant must be allowed about 3-6 months to heal, and during this time the jaw bone will form around the implant in a process called osseointegration. During this healing time you can have temporary crowns installed so that you can eat and speak normally and maintain a proper aesthetic appearance for your smile.

After the implant has healed it is time to place an abutment on the implant. The abutment serves as the base for your new tooth. One this is placed an impression of the abutment is taken and is used to create your permanent restoration. Some offices have an onsite lab to create the crown, but others will have to send it to an outside lab. Once the restoration is completed you can return to the office to attach the restoration permanently. Your smile will look just like it used to, and after a short period of getting used to the implant it will feel just like one of your own teeth.

Dentures are a replacement for missing teeth that can be removed and put back into your mouth as you please. Depending on each individual patient case, they may receive full or partial dentures. Full dentures are used when all of the natural teeth are removed from the mouth and replaced with a full set of dentures. There are two types of full dentures.

Conventional Full Dentures – This is when all the teeth are removed and the tissue is given time to heal before the dentures are placed. It could take a few months for the gum tissue to heal completely, and during this time you will be without teeth.
Immediate Full Dentures – Prior to having your teeth removed, your dentist takes measurements and has dentures fitted for your mouth. After removing the teeth, the dentures are immediately placed in your mouth. The benefit is that you do not have to spend any time without teeth. You will, however, need to have a follow up visit to refit your dentures because the jaw bone will slightly change shape as your mouth heels. The dentures will need to be tightened after the jaw bone has healed.
Partial dentures are another option when not all of your teeth need to be removed. This is similar to a bridge, but it is not a permanent fixture in your mouth.

Your dentures may take some time to get used to. The flesh colored base of the dentures is placed over your gums. Some people say that it feels bulky or that they don’t have enough room for their tongue. Other times the dentures might feel loose. These feelings will affect the way you eat and talk for a little while. Over time, your mouth becomes trained to eat and speak with your dentures and they begin to feel more and more like your natural teeth. They may never feel perfectly comfortable, but it is much better than the alternative of not having teeth.

Even though dentures are not real teeth, you should care for them like they are. You should brush them to remove plaque and food particles before removing your dentures. After they have been removed you should place them directly into room temperature water or a denture cleaning solution. Never use hot water because it could warp the dentures. Your dentures are delicate, so make sure you are careful when handling them so you don’t drop them. Also, never try to adjust your dentures yourself. You could ruin them, so you should always seek assistance from your dentist if they feel uncomfortable or loose.

Wisdom teeth extractions are a fairly common procedure. Wisdom teeth often cause problems as they are trying to protrude through the gums. When a wisdom tooth is impacted, it means the tooth is coming in at an angle and not straight through the gum line. This can cause pain, the tooth can come in unevenly, or the tooth may only emerge partially.

When a wisdom tooth only emerges partially a flap of skin, called an operculum, may form over the tooth. This can make the tooth hard to clean, and pieces of food may be caught under the skin. This makes it easy for an infection, called pericoronitis, to develop. It will usually go away on its own, but it causes swelling and pain in the area.

Impacted teeth and wisdom teeth that can potentially cause problems, like infections, need to be removed. Extractions can range from a single tooth, to removing all four wisdom teeth at once. Based on the preference of the doctor and/or the patient, a local anesthetic could be used to numb the areas where the teeth will be extracted. Others will prefer to go under a general anesthetic so that they will be sedated during the procedure.

The gum tissue around the wisdom tooth is cut open to reveal the tooth. The tooth is loosened by gripping it tightly and wiggling it back and forth until it can be lifted out of the gums. Sometimes a tooth may be impacted so tightly that it cannot be simply lifted out of the gums. In cases like this the tooth will be broken up into pieces first before being removed. Depending on the incision and extraction site, sutures may be needed to close the area. Soluble sutures are the best option, which will dissolve on their own.

After the surgery you will need to rest. You need to be driven home by a friend or family member because of the anesthesia. You can expect for the extraction site to bleed for a little while after the surgery. Gauze will be applied at the completion of the surgery, and you will need to change it when it becomes soaked. If bleeding continues for longer than 24 hours you should call your dentist. Rest when you return home, but do not lie flat. This could prolong the bleeding. Prop your head up on a pillow when lying down. Your dentist will prescribe you pain medication, so if you become sore take as directed. You can also use an ice pack for the pain. Your dentist might also provide you with a cleaning solution to clean the extraction site.

You will be limited to soft foods for a few days after your surgery. Some recommended foods are:

• Gelatin
• Pudding
• Yogurt
• Mashed Potatoes
• Ice Cream
• Thin Soups
• …and other food you can eat without chewing.

When drinking, make sure you do not use a straw. The sucking motion can loosen your sutures and slow the clotting process. The same goes for smoking. If you have prolonged pain, bleeding, irritation, or don’t feel that the extraction site is healing properly call your dentist for a follow up.

Inlays and onlays are often referred to as partial crowns. They use the existing tooth as a base and fit the inlay or onlay onto the tooth. This is done to strengthen the tooth, restore its shape, and prevent further damage. An inlay is done when there is no damage to the cusps of the tooth and the inlay can be placed right on the tooth. An inlay is used when the damage is a little more extensive.

The decayed area of the tooth is first removed during the procedure. A mold of the tooth is then taken and sent to a dental lab. They create a restoration made from porcelain, gold, or a composite resin. The restoration takes about 2-3 weeks to make, so a temporary inlay or onlay will be placed on the tooth for that time. During your next visit the inlay or onlay will be placed into your mouth and set with cement. Your tooth will look natural and you or anyone else won’t be able to tell the difference.

Nitrous Oxide or “Laughing Gas” is one of the safest forms of sedation available and can take the anxiety out of most routine dental procedures to include cleanings. Non-allergenic and non-irritating, most feel the onset effects within minutes and these effects are completely reversed within about 5 minutes of gas termination. This complete reversal allows you to safely drive home or go to work right after your appointment! Almost anyone can have nitrous oxide treatment. We can vary the depth of sedation depending on your level of anxiety.

It is important to follow instructions after you have oral surgery to ensure proper healing and to avoid complications. As a rule of thumb, you should always wait two hours after surgery before eating to let the anesthesia wear off. Trying to eat before this could result in soft tissue damage because you are not able to feel all of your mouth. The instructions found below are guidelines. After your surgery the doctor or dental assistant will give you full instructions on how to properly recover from surgery.

Root Canal Therapy

You can expect soreness after a root canal procedure for a few days. You should avoid chewing on the side of your mouth where the procedure was performed so you do not irritate the area and also to ensure that the temporary restorative material properly sets. You will also need to take an antibiotic to treat any remaining infection in your tooth. If you notice an increasing amount of pain or tenderness, a reaction to the medication, or the loss of the temporary restoration (filling) call your dentist immediately.

Crowns and Bridges

Before you receive your permanent crown/bridge you will first receive a temporary restoration. This is not as sturdy as the permanent version, so you should be careful when cleaning and eating. You should brush the area gently and should not pull up on the tooth when flossing because it could become dislodged. The same goes for eating. You should avoid sticky or chewy foods while you have the temporary in.

There may be some sensitivity and irritation after the temporary or permanent is placed. This is normal and will subside after the soft tissue heals. A warm salt water rinse will help, and you can also take Advil or Tylenol if the pain does not go away.

When the permanent crown or bridge is placed it may feel a little awkward for a few days. Your mouth needs to adjust to the new tooth, and it should feel like one of your natural tooth in less than a week. If your bite feels abnormal in any way, you should let your dentist know. Caring for your bridge or crown is just like caring for your own teeth. You should brush and floss regularly.

White Fillings (Bonding)

After the anesthesia wears off your teeth will likely be sensitive. You should avoid hot and cold food or drink for the next few days. After that initial period, your treated teeth will feel as good as new. Continue your normal hygiene plan to ensure that your fillings last for a long time.

Scaling and Root Planing

After this procedure your gums will probably be slightly sore and irritated for a few days. You should rinse your mouth with warm salt water (1 tsp salt/8 oz water) 2-3 times a day. This will relieve the pain and cleanse the area. Brushing and flossing should be continued right after the procedure, but you should brush gently so that you do not further irritate the area. If you experience any swelling or stiffness in the area you can place a cold compress on the area and take some pain relieving medicine. Avoid any hard or chewy foods for 2-3 days after the surgery to ensure the area heals correctly. If you continue to experience pain or swelling after a few days contact your dentist.

Veneers

Before you receive your permanent veneer you will first receive a temporary restoration. This is not as sturdy as the permanent version, so you should be careful when cleaning and eating. You should brush the area gently and should not pull up on the tooth when flossing because it could become dislodged. The same goes for eating. You should avoid sticky or chewy foods while you have the temporary in.

There may be some sensitivity and irritation after the temporary or permanent is placed. This is normal and will subside after the soft tissue heals. A warm salt water rinse will help, and you can also take Advil or Tylenol if the pain does not go away.

When the veneer is placed it may feel a little awkward for a few days. Your mouth needs to adjust to the new tooth, and it should feel like one of your natural tooth in less than a week. If your bite feels abnormal in any way, you should let your dentist know. When brushing and flossing you should pay close attention to the area between the veneer and the tooth at the gum line.

Extractions

After the surgery you will need to rest. You need to be driven home by a friend or family member because of the anesthesia. You can expect for the extraction site to bleed for a little while after the surgery. Gauze will be applied at the completion of the surgery, and you will need to change it when it becomes soaked. If bleeding continues for longer than 24 hours you should call your dentist. Rest when you return home, but do not lie flat. This could prolong the bleeding. Prop your head up on a pillow when lying down. Your dentist will prescribe you pain medication, so if you become sore take as directed. You can also use an ice pack for the pain. Your dentist might also provide you with a cleaning solution to clean the extraction site.

You will be limited to soft foods for a few days after your surgery. Some recommended foods are:

• Gelatin
• Pudding
• Yogurt
• Mashed Potatoes
• Ice Cream
• Thin Soups
• …and other food you can eat without chewing.

When drinking, make sure you do not use a straw. The sucking motion can loosen your sutures and slow the clotting process. The same goes for smoking. If you have prolonged pain, bleeding, irritation, or don’t feel that the extraction site is healing properly call your dentist for a follow up.

Endodontics is the dental specialty that deals with the nerves of the teeth. Root canals are probably the most notorious procedure in dentistry and the most common procedure relating to endodontics. When a tooth becomes infected it is usually related to the nerves in the root of the tooth. The infected nerves need to be removed. If left untreated an infection can turn into an abscess, which is a much more serious problem that includes bone loss in the jaw.

The area around the tooth is numbed with a local anesthetic to start the procedure. The dentist will then drill down into the tooth to create an opening into the canal. They will then be able to remove infected tissue and clean the canal. After the infection has been removed, the space if filled with a sealant called gutta percha. It is highly recommended that a tooth that has undergone a root canal is fitted with a crown. This will improve the appearance of the tooth, and will also make it much more likely that the root canal is successful.

“Root canal” has become a scary term for dental patients to hear, but the benefits of the procedure and advances in dental technology have made it much less “scary”. Local anesthetics and proper pain medication allow the procedure to be performed with little to no pain in most cases. There may be some soreness following the procedure, but that is normal for most dental procedures. Over the counter painkillers are usually enough to relieve any pain afterwards, but your dentist may prescribe medication. The procedure will also relieve you from pain caused by the infection allowing you to enjoy all the foods you love without any pain from heat, cold, or biting too hard. If you are experiencing pain consult your dentist today.

Oral Sedation or Sleep Dentistry utilizes the oldest of all routes of drug administration, the mouth. Safe, economical, and convenient, oral sedation when properly used can deliver a deeper relaxation state than nitrous and provide some amnesic effects. If you suffer more from the thought of coming in than actually being here, this may be the choice for you. After an initial consultation to determine if you need anxiety relief or just need to complete extensive treatment in one visit, we will take baseline vital signs and write a prescription. A sedating pill will be taken about an hour before your dental appointment, so you will be relaxed before we start. Although awake, you will feel relaxed and drowsy. During your treatment, we will monitor your pulse, oxygen saturation rate, and your blood pressure with state of the art patient monitors. We never leave your side. The same medication can also be given to you the night before to help you sleep. So, don’t let anxiety prevent you from having the confident smile or healthy mouth you have always wanted. Take the time to come in and meet us so we can decide together what is best for you. If you would like a first appointment to simply talk about your anxieties and fears, we will do that and no dental exam would be done, it would be a complimentary consultation and there is no cost or obligation.

Veneers are an excellent way to redesign and reshape your entire mouth. Veneers are a very thin ceramic shell that covers your existing tooth structure. In placing these new veneers on your teeth, you are able to fix the look of issues such as staining, cracked teeth, spaces, misaligned teeth, chipped teeth and many other issues.

In terms of the process to place veneers, it is a process that takes approximately two to three visits. In the first visit, we will discuss the new shape and look of what we are going to accomplish by placing the veneers. Once we have put a plan in place, we will carefully prepare the teeth for the placement of the new veneers. As we complete this piece of the process, the next step is to take an impression of the newly prepared teeth. This impression will be sent to our laboratory for the final product to be fabricated. We only utilize the highest standard laboratory for fabrication of all of our work. This process at the laboratory takes between 10-14 days. While the new veneers are being fabricated at the lab, we will provide you with a beautiful temporary solution to wear for this time. 

As the veneers are finalized, we will make every effort to make sure that your new veneers will feel just like your natural teeth. We will bond them into place ensuring that you can enjoy your new smile for a very long time!

Keeping our teeth their whitest is a lot harder than it sounds. With all the coffee, wine, smoking and other foods that have the ability to stain our teeth on a daily basis, even proper maintenance sometimes leaves them a little lackluster. Teeth whitening is an excellent way to restore the natural color of your teeth or even make them whiter than your natural color if you would like.

To accomplish the whitening of your teeth, we utilize a tray whitening system. This tray whitening system is completed in 2 steps. The first step is to make an impression of your teeth. With this impression, we’ll craft you custom whitening trays that you can use over and over. Finally, you will take the whitening gel and put it in the gel for a short period of time over a period of a few days. This often results in a whiter smile of 4 – 8 shades!

Please contact us today to see if you are a candidate for this type of whitening

Advancements in new dental technology offer better solutions for traditional oral health problems than ever before. The trend in dentistry is utilizing technology to make dentistry more comfortable, durable, efficient and natural-looking for the patient as possible.

Patients and their dentists benefit from newer techniques that are less invasive and more dependable than the years of past. Procedures that formerly took multiple trips to the dentist or required multiple health care providers can often be performed in the comfort of one office by one qualified provider.

There are many new advancements in dentistry that your dentist may choose to offer for an enhanced state of comfort and improved oral health. These dental advances play an important role in the comfort of the patients as well as the dentists, dental specialists, hygienists, and office managers at the practice, allowing them to provide the highest standard of dental care possible.

Digital x-rays are quickly becoming adopted by a large percentage of the dental industry. A digital x-ray allows the dentist to take an image of the tooth or teeth and put it into an imaging program. Within this imaging program, there are a number of tools that will allow the dentist to take a very close look at the teeth and surrounding structures with amazing accuracy. As a benefit to the patient, the digital x-ray also provides nearly 80% less radiation than a standard x-ray. This is due to the fact that the digital version of the x-ray is much more sensitive to this radiation and has been specifically designed with the patient in mind.

There are basically two types of handpieces, air-driven and electric. Electric handpieces are much stronger than air-driven due to the fact that a motor is spinning the bur as opposed to air. This allows the doctor to remove decay at a faster pace. This will cut down on the time it takes to complete a procedure.

The intraoral camera is an amazing diagnostic tool for viewing different angles in the mouth that we would not have been able to just a few years ago. The camera gives us the ability to view the entire mouth on a monitor so that we can get a closer look at any potential issues or problems that may arise. In addition, the patient will have the ability to see for themselves first hand the same images we are seeing. These digital images are also excellent for gaining procedure acceptance from insurance companies.

Endodontics, more commonly known as root canal, is a procedure where the roots or nerves of the tooth are removed. This is often due to the fact that they are infected and the tooth is causing pain.

Rotary Endodontics is a way of performing the root canal utilizing a specific electrical handpiece. This tool often makes the process faster and allows the dentist to perform the process with greater ease.

This is an example page. It’s different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this:

Hi there! I’m a bike messenger by day, aspiring actor by night, and this is my blog. I live in Los Angeles, have a great dog named Jack, and I like piña coladas. (And gettin’ caught in the rain.)

…or something like this:

The XYZ Doohickey Company was founded in 1971, and has been providing quality doohickies to the public ever since. Located in Gotham City, XYZ employs over 2,000 people and does all kinds of awesome things for the Gotham community.

As a new WordPress user, you should go to your dashboard to delete this page and create new pages for your content. Have fun!

WHAT IS SEDATION DENTISTRY?

We use sedation to allow you to receive dental care through deeply relaxing and non-threatening appointments.
You are relaxed and comfortable as you sleep through your dental appointment.
Before any dental procedures, you will be given sedative medications which make you deeply relaxed and unaware of the procedures as they are being completed.
You are closely monitored throughout the appointment.  Sedative medications may be added in increments to keep the level of sedation safe and effective.  Following the appointment, you will recover quickly from the medications with no memory of the treatment completed.

IS SEDATION DENTISTRY RIGHT FOR ME?

At Heather Ridge Dentistry, we want our patients to have the safest and most predictable sedation experience.  This is why, in most cases, we recommend Intravenous (IV) Sedation.
Most Recommended
When sedation is needed or requested, IV Sedation is most recommended by our dentists.  Because each patient responds differently to sedative medications, it is important to be able to fine tune the sedation to each individual.
Safest and Most Predictable
Using an IV achieves the most predictable sedation.  This means that the onset and level of sedation can be controlled very accurately.  There is no extended waiting time for the onset of sedation and no guesswork involved in achieving a safe and effective level of sedation.  IV Sedation gives the best assurance that each patient will have a successful sedation and a comfortable appointment.

WHO WILL PERFORM MY SEDATION?

Your sedation is performed by our Board Certified Oral Surgeon Dr. Ian Woo MD DDS.
MEMBER: American Dental Society of Anesthesiology
Dr. Woo is an experienced Dental Surgeon who graduated from USC and was the class valedictorian.  He has performed thousands of successful sedation appointments for his patients.

HOW DOES THE SEDATION PROCESS WORK?

Consultation and review
Treatment begins with a complete review of the your medical history, and a meeting with your dentist to discuss your treatment and concerns.  Consultations with your physician(s) regarding all medical conditions and medications are completed when necessary.
Your questions are answered
You will meet with our professional staff to answer your questions.  You will be given all the information you will need to properly prepare for your sedation appointment.  At Heather Ridge Dentistry, we want you to have all of your questions and concerns addressed completely.
Your appointment
Before you are taken back you will be given a relaxing medication and before any dental procedures are begun, an IV will be started for you to quickly put you into a deeply relaxed state.  You are monitored by Dr. Woo and staff with the help of hospital grade monitoring equipment to ensure that your level of sedation is kept safe and constant throughout your appointment. Once your dental care is completed you will recover quickly from the sedation.  You will be pleasantly surprised and very happy to find that your appointment is over and your treatment has been successfully completed.
After your appointment
At the conclusion of your dental treatment we will continue to monitor and observe you, to determine when you may be safely released to the person responsible for your ride home.  You may feel capable of driving yourself, but your safety is our most important concern.  For your sedation appointment, you will need to arrange to have a family member or other responsible adult drive you home from your appointment.

Veneers

Patient had moderate staining and decay. She received five porcelain veneers to complete this beautiful new smile.

Teeth Whitening

Patient had moderate staining on upper teeth. Pre-treated with whitening trays and patient had one hour in-office whitening.  Whiter teeth by 8 shades!

Veneers