Maintaining good oral health is partly achieved through "lifestyle habits" like regular (and proper) brushing & flossing and limiting the amount of high-sugar foods & drinks in your diet. However, to keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible for as long as possible, you will also need help from an experienced local dentist, whom you can rely on for preventative, corrective, and emergency dental care.
Choosing a new dentist will involve careful consideration of a number of important factors; convenience of location, range of offered services, education & training level of the dentist, and financial issues like which dental insurance plans are accepted or whether in-house financing is offered. At Tarzana Dental Care we have been meeting the needs of the Woodlands Hills residents for years in all of these areas and more. We have many regular, fully satisfied patients.
About Tarzana Dental Care
Located in Tarzana, California, just a short 10 to 15-minute drive from Woodland Hills. Tarzana Dental Care is conveniently located in the Tarzana Square Medical Building with plenty of free parking.
You will find our office is clean and comfortable and is fully equipped with all of the most up to date dental instruments and equipment. We use the latest techniques and technology such as intraoral mini-cameras, digital X-rays, lasers, cat scans, titanium and zirconia dental implants, to give each patient the best possible experience and results.
We are an IN-NETWORK PROVIDER on all of our dental insurance plans, and we accept most forms of dental insurance. Please refer to our website for a complete listing of insurance providers. Our prices are competitive and, for those without dental insurance, we offer in-house financing plans with zero interest and affordable payment schedules.
No Pain Policy
If we can’t achieve adequate anesthesia, we won’t work on you. Meaning if we can’t get you numb and comfortable we will not proceed with your treatment. You are in control when to proceed or when to stop treatment. We administer local anesthetic using a special technique which minimizes pain most of the time. Often (but not always) our patients say they could not even feel the injection.
We also use Nitrous Oxide (“laughing gas”) and sedatives for our apprehensive patients to help relax and minimize their stress.
About Our Dentists
Our dentist and owner at Tarzana Dental Care is Dr. Siavash Zargarpour, whom most patients simply call "Dr. Zar." Dr. Zar has graduated with high honors from the New York University School of Dentistry where he also earned a specialist degree in Prosthodontics.
What is a Prosthodontist?
Essentially, prosthodontists are THE recognized experts when anything needs to be replaced in your mouth. This can range from a single tooth, multiple teeth, implants, or all teeth and gums in the mouth. While many other dentists can do some of these treatments, prosthodontists are the specialists dedicated to this type of care. To achieve this level of expertise, they must be accepted and attend a rigorous ADA accredited dental school for 2-3 years on a full time basis, treating patients that need extensive dental care. They work closely with all the other dental specialists like periodontists and oral surgeons to provide the best care for their patients.
Prosthodontists have advanced training in restoring and replacing teeth. They are considered to be the leaders of the dental treatment plan. They advise and teach general dentists, specialists, and other health professionals to develop solutions for your dental needs.
In summary, Dr. Zar not only performs general dentistry (fillings and crowns) but also treats people who need full mouth reconstruction and have severely damaged oral conditions. Dr. Zar often involves other specialists whom he works with in the office to give you the best dental care possible when restoring the function and appearance of lost or damaged teeth.
Dr. Zar's education, training and more than 20 years of experience as a dental practitioner establishes him as the ideal dentist for Woodland Hills residents who are looking for a new dentist with a great reputation in this community. His experience and training have equipped him with a wide range of skills, much more than what the average dentist possesses. He not only is at home in general dentistry but has the ability to provide dental implants, full mouth reconstruction & rehabilitation, all areas of cosmetic dentistry, and much more.
Dr. Smolkin our Endodontist
Darren Smolkin, DDS, received his undergraduate degree from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from McGill University and completed his graduate training in endodontics (root canal therapy) from the University of Southern California.
His goal is “to provide the highest quality of pain-free dental treatment.” Dr. Smolkin uses the latest in dental technology to perform root canal therapy that allows treatments to be more predictable, comfortable, and completed in less time.
Dr. Malek our Periodontist
Reza Malek, DDS, received his BS in Biology from the ADA Logo University of California Riverside and was on the Dean’s list all four years. He received his DDS degree from UCLA and certificate in Periodontics from Oregon Health Science University. He is board certified from the American Academy of Periodontology: a distinction only one third of all practicing periodontists have achieved. He has co-authored several published articles in Scientific Peer Review Journals and is frequent speaker to numerous groups and professional societies regarding periodontics and dental implants. Dr. Malek holds dental licenses in the states of Washington, Oregon and California.
Dr. Malek is a member of California Dental Association, American Dental Association and The American Academy of Periodontology.
Our Team
Our dental assistants and hygienist at Tarzana Dental Care have also received strong training, and our entire staff is always friendly and helpful, ready to address all of your questions and respond to all of your needs.
Our Offered Services
Our Woodland Hills Dental Care practice brings together a wide array of dental services in one convenient location, in fact, all the dental care that most patients will ever need.
Some of our more commonly requested services are listed below, including both general practice areas and specialty dentistry.
General Dentistry and Prosthodontics
Our dentists will follow the progress of your oral health and help plan the best way to maintain your teeth for life. Everyone has special and different needs which your dentist must recognize and address specifically for you.
In our Woodland Hills general dentistry practice our most prominent service area is recall dental exams, which the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends be done at least once every six months. Our dental exams involve checking each tooth for any signs of decay or weakening, monitoring your gums for early signs of periodontal (gum) disease, thoroughly cleaning your teeth of plaque deposits, and taking digital dental X-rays (which have 75% less radiation than earlier methods) when necessary. Additionally, we screen you for oral cancer and give you a TMJ exam.
Ideally, dentistry is preventative, but when problems arise, we can catch them and treat them as early as possible. Restorative procedures in general dentistry include:
- Fillings replace decayed tooth structure, with “white” porcelain inlays or composite fillings. Depending on the amount of tooth structure that needs to be replaced, Porcelain inlays and onlays are often used for back teeth and enamel-colored resin or composite fillings are ideal for front teeth.
- Root canals are performed only if absolutely necessary used to save internally infected teeth to avoid the need for an extraction and replacement. Infected "pulp" or nerve tissue is removed, the tooth cavity cleansed and filled with gutta percha, and a crown attached on top to add strength and mimic the look of your natural tooth crown.
- Root planing and scaling, used to remove built-up plaque, tartar, and bacteria from periodontal tissue and help prevent a return of periodontal disease. In the most serious cases, gum grafting or laser-assisted removal of bacteria pockets may be necessary.
Family Dentistry
By "family dentistry," we mean the ability to manage oral health via customized dental hygiene plans and to treat most dental problems for every member of the family. Our understanding of how teeth develop throughout life and what the needs of each age group are allows us to treat both baby teeth and permanent teeth with equal aptitude.
Removal of wisdom teeth, which often get painfully impacted or badly decayed because they are difficult to clean, is one service families often rely on.
Traditional metal | ceramic braces are often the only option for younger children, but teenagers and adults often wish to take advantage of Invisalign "invisible" braces.
Invisalign uses a series of clear, acrylic aligner trays to gently push your teeth into proper position. All trays are digitally designed and manufactured at the beginning of treatment. You switch trays every two weeks, and treatment periods are usually shorter than with traditional metal braces (12 to 18 months). Dental appointments are only necessary once every six weeks, and you can remove your trays for eating, exercising and sports as long as they are worn 20 to 22 hours per day.
Restorative Dentistry
When teeth are missing, adjacent teeth begin to drift, underlying bone & gum tissue weakens, and exposed teeth are at more risk to be struck and chip. There are several ways we can restore your teeth, two of the most common methods being:
Dental Implants
Dental implants consist of very high tech titanium or zirconia screws that are inserted through your gums and firmly fused to your jawbone. A special customized post (called an abutment) is then screwed on to the implant. This abutment or post is necessary to hold the crown on to your implant. The final result is natural-looking, fixed and fully functional crown(s) replacing missing teeth. Dental implants normally last a lifetime, are non-toxic, prevent underlying bone & gums from shrinking from non-use, and can support dentures to restore multiple teeth using only a few implants.
Dentures
Modern dentures can closely match the coloration of your teeth & gums and, with proper care, will last for many years. They can be made in traditional chrome-acrylic or can use clear clasps & precision attachments. While materials vary, they are all safe and comfortable in your mouth. We can form a new denture that exactly fits the contour of your mouth or even modify an existing denture.
Bridges
Bridges differ from dentures in that they are permanently attached and use adjacent teeth and implants for support. We can help you decide if bridges, dentures, or implants are right for you.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Cosmetic dentistry focuses on improving the aesthetic appearance more than the function of teeth, though the same procedures often help with both. Dr. Zar has many cosmetic options to offer his Woodland Hills cosmetic dentistry patients, including:
Teeth Whitening
Over time, teeth can become deeply stained from coffee, tea, smoking, certain medications, and from other causes. When there is no other major problem with a tooth besides deeply ingrained stains that brushing and over-the-counter "bleaching" kits will not solve, it may be time for professional teeth whitening.
We use the Zoom tooth bleaching system, which utilizes a powerful whitening gel that is activated when exposed to light. Stains are broken up within 20 minutes in most cases, and teeth are often lightened by two or more shades. First you have be cleared for bleaching. Once you have been prepared and cleared for the whitening process, Zoom does not damage your teeth, and it is 100% non-toxic and safe.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding involves using tooth colored composite resins to fill in small nicks and tiny fissures in teeth and to cover over stubborn stains and prevent cavities. Composite bonding is also used to fill in cavities after decay has been removed from your teeth. Composite bonding is also used to shield and cover exposed tooth roots from decay or wear.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are tooth-colored, laminate shells that are ultra-thin and designed to bond to the front surface of teeth. We customize each veneer to each tooth to ensure a natural look and feel. Veneers are used to cover cracks and severe staining and to reduce over-sized interdental gaps.
Emergency Dentistry
While many dental procedures and operations can be safely scheduled days or weeks in advance, at Tarzana Dental Care we understand that others demand immediate attention. For this reason, we offer a Woodland Hills Emergency Dentistry option and we encourage our customers to pick the phone up and get the help they need when they most need it.
Some examples include: a tooth that has been knocked out or loose, a crown or other dental appliance that has been dislodged, a tooth that is badly cracked, gums that are swelling and/or bleeding, and an excruciatingly painful tooth ache.
See our helpful web page on how to deal with Woodland Hills dental emergencies.
Contact Us Today
At Tarzana Dental Care, we offer full-ranged services to cover most of your dental needs and strive to be the most trusted and reliable family dentist for all of Woodland Hills and the surrounding areas.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call us at 818-708-3232 or visit our website.