If a trip to the dentist has meant an hour or two of great discomfort, mystery and anxiety you would be one of so many people who actively avoid the dentist. What if it could be painless, precise and stress-free?

Our Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, Beverly Hills gentle dentist, has pioneered the use of drill-free dentistry whenever possible. Drill-free dentistry is described, in the doctor’s words, “as a mini-sandblaster that removes decay without the normal whirring of the drill or the strong smell and no grating vibration. Best of all, it is shot free as no anesthetic is needed with air-abrasion.”

Diagnosis has been simplified too and is much more comfortable. X-rays are taken with a digital system so you can see the results right away and with minimal radiation exposure. The practice also uses Diagnodent, a laser-based system that detects decay invisible to the naked eye and x-ray. Dr. Maddahi believes that our patients should know what’s being done to their teeth, so everything is explained and even shown to you, so it’s less scary.

Now that decay can be detected long before major damage has occurred and given that it can be treated with practically no loss of healthy tooth structure it is possible to keep your teeth in great condition with little or no discomfort. When decay is found, it’s treated and filled with a non-toxic material. Our Dr. Maddahi never uses mercury in his practice.

Drill-free dentistry is pain-free dentistry. It is only sensible to ensure that your dentist is gentle and see him sooner rather than later. Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, Beverly Hills gentle dentist, will show you a new kind of dentistry, rarely experienced.

The standard way for a dentist to inspect teeth has been to take a small mirror, open your mouth and dig around, usually while wearing reading glasses. More recently dentists began to wear a small magnifying glass over one eye, greatly improving their ability to see teeth.

Well now there’s a high-tech way to view what is happening in the mouth and with the teeth. Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, employs a small pen-shaped camera. This camera can easily and comfortably be positioned to show each tooth, and all the gums in the mouth and display exactly what it is that is going on, on a large screen. So the patient can actually see and understand what they are looking at!

IntraOral Cameras are a new high-tech tool that Dr. Maddahi uses so that he and the patient can see on a computer screen, with crystal clarity, every tooth and gum surface in the patient’s mouth as the camera is moved from structure to structure.  It is a wonderful diagnostic tool for the doctor and likewise gives the patient the exact same view of what the cosmetic dentist is viewing. 

It is also an effective educational tool, as a patient can ask questions about anything seen and become more knowledgeable of his/her mouth’s physical peculiarities. This usually leads to a patient becoming more responsible for the care of their teeth and gums. Also, a patient can have viewed all the aspects of his/her mouth that concerns the cosmetic dentist and get a photograph of it for their insurance company, or just take pictures home to discuss the treatment plan with other family members. 

OK, so you do not like to go to the dentist? What is it that you find you have an aversion to there?

What if you did not have to have your teeth drilled every time that your dentist found a cavity? Our Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, a high-tech dentist in Beverly Hills has the answer!

Drill-free dentistry, by air-abrasion, is like a mini sandblaster aimed to take the decay out of the tooth with a fine aluminum oxide (baking soda) powder.  Dr. Maddahi says drill-free air abrasion dentistry is every patient’s dream.  No vibration, no burning smell (the teeth never get hot), no whining drills, and no anesthetic required. 

It’s almost no dentistry! 

Drill-free dentistry goes hand-in-glove with DIAGNOdent, a laser system that finds decayed areas prior their to even appearing as a hole on the surface of the tooth, thereby locating decayed areas that x-rays will not detect.  Drill-free air abrasion dentistry allows Dr. Maddahi to practice micro-dentistry, the removal of small, hard to get to, fissures and pit decay.  Prior to this technology the dentist had to remove healthy tooth structure in order to clean out a tiny hole in a tooth. 

Before these recent high-tech developments in dentistry, dentists were programmed to “watch” teeth like this because using the tools available would cause the loss of too much tooth structure to get out the decay.  Now with micro dentistry’s air abrasion technique the decay can be delicately removed without the large loss of healthy tooth structure.  The only limitations of this instrument are the skill of the operator. 

Additionally, sealants can be securely bonded to the clean, dry, surface that is delicately created by air abrasion drill-free dentistry.  This protects the tooth from any further decay.

Located in the mouth are two of the most complicated joints in the human body: the temporomandibular joints (TMJ). This joint not only allows the mouth to open, but also for the mandible (lower jaw) to move forward and back, and side to side. Besides the joints, there are many muscles, ligaments, discs and bones involved in those motions. As time wears on these body parts, sometimes a person can get pain in or near his or her jaw.

This pain is called TMJ disorder or TMD. Dentists are fully trained in analyzing pain in and around the mouth, and they can determine if it is from a cavity, an oral infection, or TMD. TMD can be caused by a large number of scenarios. It can be from arthritis, an impact injury to the jaw, one’s bite (alignment of teeth), night-time tooth grinding or stress. Sometimes it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of TMD, but there are certain treatments for TMJ problems that can make a huge improvement.

TMJ treatments can include massage in the area of the jaw pain to help loosen up the muscles, in addition to a handling of one’s poor posture – which can lead to misalignment of the neck and back, which are connected to the jaw muscles. If the dentist determines the pain is a result of poor bite/tooth alignment, braces may be used; tooth reshaping is another popular option. Some dentists will provide pain reducing medicine that will temporarily treat the situation. For certain situations, a dentist may recommend a tooth guard to prevent night-time tooth grinding. Depending on the patient’s particular situation, the dentist may recommend a variety of workable solutions.

Kourosh Maddahi, DDS, Los Angeles dentist, will work carefully and thoroughly with you to find the cause of your TMJ and therefore resolve your situation. In the twenty-plus years of practice he has solved many TMJ problems for his patients.

Everywhere you look these days you see beautiful smiles, of women and men seemingly born with such perfect teeth. Perhaps you’ve wondered why it is that you were not so lucky? Maybe you’ve imagined that they were blessed, unlike you, with parents having perfect teeth genes. Most likely this is not the case.

Porcelain veneers have become the standard in aesthetic dental care. Reasonably priced, with a nearly painless dental procedure and usually taking only a few visits to the dentist, dental veneers have made the perfect smile easy to achieve. Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, is known for his superior and flawless porcelain veneer work.

The word veneer is French in origin and in dentistry means to apply a thin layer of restorative material to the teeth. Emplyed to improve the appearance of a tooth or protect a damaged tooth surface, veneers are the contemporary solution to unsightly or imperfect smiles. 

Veneers are best made from porcelain. These have the advantage of very good aesthetics with minimal tooth preparation. It is also easy to correct teeth that are incorrectly positioned with veneers, rather than correcting with braces, or even in conjunction with braces.  Expert dentistry is required to place veneers so as to enhance one’s appearance.  Done right, patients report that their friends ask if they have had a face lift!

Dental Veneers: Porcelain Veneers vs. Composite Veneers

There are two types of dental veneers, porcelain veneers and composite veneers.  Both porcelain and composite veneers may be created in the laboratory by a technician and are thin layers of restorative material with an aesthetic or protective purpose. 

Porcelain veneers are the veneers of choice for several reasons.  They have the benefit of correcting flawed teeth, such as making them thicker and straighter, without the use of orthodontics.  Sometimes orthodontics is combined with veneers to create the full aesthetic effect. 

Porcelain veneers advertised advantage is that they are less likely to stain, more durable when bonded to tooth structure and will not fracture like composite veneers.  Color, shape, form, and alignment are all possible with porcelain veneers.  But most notably porcelain veneers are the cosmetic dentist’s veneers of choice because they create a very life-like appearance due to their luster and translucency, which is unachievable with composites. 

The selection of toothbrushes available these days is so diverse; your choices can take up almost the length of a whole aisle at the grocery store. But how is it that you choose a toothbrush? How do you know which one is best for you? Is it better to invest in an electric toothbrush or one of those new battery operated ones?

According to our Beverly Hills dentist, Kourosh Maddahi, “The important thing is that you choose a soft brush and that it has round-ended bristles.  This will be sturdy enough to clean the teeth and stimulate the gums, but not to scrub them.”

“An electric toothbrush may help those who have difficulty brushing their teeth,” Dr. Maddahi continues, “but it has not proven to clean better than a regular toothbrush. And, remember to replace your toothbrush every two to three months, as well as after colds, to keep it in top shape and hygienic.”

Toothpaste is formulated to clean and polish teeth and contains abrasives such as silica, alumina, calcium and baking soda.  Too abrasive a paste can damage teeth, creating places for bacteria to accumulate. If a toothpaste is called anti-plaque that means that the paste has been proven to prevent gingivitis.  Tartar-control toothpastes help to prevent further buildup, but won’t defeat existing tartar.  Tooth whitening agents may extend the brightness your teeth have after a professional cleaning.

Flossing is important and often neglected.  There are many types of floss to choose from: waxed, unwaxed, flavored, ribbon, flat, etc. The new flossing implements are very handy and do make flossing so much easier.  Factually, the type of floss that you use is not important, but what is important, is that you floss daily.

Daily brushing, three times a day; Flossing daily and using effective toothpaste are the important activities in the care of teeth leading to dental health.

Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, combines new techniques and advanced tools and here T.S. tells her story, how she found that dentistry does not have to be stressful and painful, but can be a pleasurable experience. 

I just came from the most pleasant dental experience EVER!  Yes, I did say pleasant and dental in the same sentence!  Me, who is not entirely uncomfortable with going to the dentist (only had one cavity thus far), but afraid to go as it has been five years since my last appointment!

Here’s what happened.  I have personally known Dr. Maddahi through my last employer in Beverly Hills.  I liked him and knew he was a dentist.  Whenever I smiled around him, I kept my mouth kind of shut for fear of him seeing my teeth!  Not that they were crooked, but unkempt!!!  Funny huh?

So, finally I decide to go in for a cleaning (I just had a baby a year ago and was waiting until after I was breastfeeding to go since I KNEW I had a cavity) and finally get myself a new dentist in the LA area.  Of course he had to be in Beverly Hills and I was thinking BIG BUCKS!  Keep reading…

I arrive to what looks like a spa!  Yes, very soothing. Staffed with lovely, friendly, and caring people and surrounded by aesthetics.  I was not exactly ready to confront my cleaning since I have known the Doctor for over a year now.  To my surprise, dentistry has changed!  Instead of picking at my teeth with a scraper the hygienist used a tool that gently removed the buildup on my teeth and another that polished them.  NO PAIN!  Next was the dreaded full set of x-rays.  (I have a small mouth and this part normally hurts me.)  The x-ray machine is all digital – 90% less radiation than the conventional equipment!  (And if I ever need dental work outside of his office, he can e-mail them to the other doctor.)

After the cleaning and x-rays was the dental exam with the doctor.  Dreaded because I KNOW I have a cavity.  He carefully looks over all my teeth.  The whole way through explaining to me what he is using and doing.  Educating me.  He couldn’t see the cavity on the x-rays, but explains that if the cavity were between the teeth or into the deeper part of the tooth, only then would it show up on x-ray.  Was there hope that there wasn’t a cavity?  No.  He has this laser that finds all cavities on the surface of the tooth.  I thought it was pretty cool, no more picking with that metal tool.  I felt nothing with the laser, not a single thing, just a light in my mouth, same feeling as shining a flashlight in your mouth to scare people when you were little!  But, then it beeped and we found the cavity!  Ugh!

Ready to schedule the next appointment to come back to remove it, Dr. Maddahi told me he could do it right now.  Looking for reasons to leave I said, “I am breastfeeding, so I will wait until I am done”.  He explained there is no anesthetic needed.  It’s painless.  “OK, let’s do it, promise me it won’t hurt?”  He smiled and said yes.

Sure enough, it was painless and no anesthetic!  I was done in 15 minutes, and the best part was NO DRILL!  How you ask?  The cavity is removed with air and powder so only the cavity is removed and not the good part of the tooth.

As I mentioned above, Dr. Maddahi is educating me as we go on the most state- of-the-art innovations.  He even has all the current biological dentistry (mercury free) equipment, air filters and procedures for removing mercury.  He explained that he removed two mercury fillings in a lady’s extreme back teeth and replaced them with biocompatible materials in 35 minutes and she went directly around the corner to lunch without a swollen tongue or crooked smile from anesthetic and was able to talk normally and eat immediately!  Very cool!  Not that I need any of that, this was only my second cavity ever in my 32 years, but I was very interested in knowing since I was going to start sending people to him for these reasons! 

Last step, the bill!  I did dread that as we are in Beverly Hills after all!  Knowing that I had to pay for the treatment and his office staff would bill the insurance company for me (saving me the paper work and putting in all the codes so that I would get the best return rate for my visit) I asked the dreaded question, “How much will my visit be?”  Remember I had a new exam, new full mouth x-rays, cleaning and a cavity filled with all state of the art equipment!  Instead of being shocked I was pleasantly surprised!

Funny, because I always felt it was unfair to pay for the pain a dentist can dish out.  Quite the contrary, my entire experience was not only pain free, drug free, and noise free, but the bill was painless as well and completely in line with my local dentist in Redondo Beach.  Now this is a miracle!

Amazing!