Dr. Afar earned his DDS and Master of Science in Oral Biology from UCLA School of Dentistry and
received the California State Fellowship, Hortense Fishbaugh's Fellowship and a coveted NIH
Dentist-Scientist Fellowship that enabled him to continue his studies in the fields for
periodontology and oral implantology. He obtained his specialty degree from the University of
Washington in Seattle.
Dr. Bijan Afar, Los Angeles dentist, graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Microbiology degree from UCLA, and went on to receive his Master of Science in Oral Biology and Doctorate of Dental Surgery Degree from the UCLA School of Dentistry. He was the among the top 5% of graduating dental students in the nation to receive the Dentist-Scientist Fellowship from The National Institute of Health to continue his dental education and research in Periodontics and Implant Dentistry at the University of Washington, in Seattle.
Dr. Afar, Los Angeles periodontist, has decades of experience in periodontics and is an active member of many professional dentistry organizations. He is highly-skilled in all phases of implant dentistry and a former UCLA School of Dentistry Clinical Faculty and Research Associate. Dr. Afar is an internationally-recognized expert and lecturer in the field of oral implants.
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Dr. Poneh Ghasri
Dr. Poneh Ghasri dedicates herself to providing the best quality dentistry for her patients using the safest and the most effective techniques dentistry has to offer.
With over a decade of experience as a premier cosmetic dentist, Dr. Ghasri creates smile makeovers on a daily basis. Her advanced training expertise in restorative, cosmetic, and implant dentistry allows her the ability to successfully perform more complex procedures, such as full-mouth rehabilitation cases, alongside a team of expert specialists. Well-versed in a variety of dental procedures that make her a trusted name in the modeling and entertainment industries, Dr. Ghasri is recognized by Invisalign as a "Preferred Provider" and by Denmat as a "Top Lumineers Dentist," based on her experience in her field. She has also written multiple articles and has participated in several research studies in numerous areas of dentistry.
Dr. Ghasri's passion for dentistry started when she was a young girl eager to visit her father at his dental office. Besides inheriting his genes, Dr. Ghasri also learned from her father the importance of serving the community both in and out of the dental office. Raised and educated in Los Angeles as a proud Angeleno, Dr. Ghasri is working to improve the dental health and education of her community through her practice and outreach. She is a dual graduate of UCLA, first earning her Bachelor's Degree with honors in Neuroscience from the UCLA College of Letters and Science before obtaining her Doctorate of Dental Surgery Degree from the prestigious UCLA School of Dentistry.
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Dr. Alina Tiraspolskaya
After graduating with honors from UCLA with a degree in Biochemistry, Dr. Alina Tiraspolskaya continued her education at the UCLA School of Dentistry and obtained a Doctorate of Dental Surgery Degree and graduated among top 5% of her class.
Continuing her training, Dr. Tiraspolskaya entered into a residency program at Wilson-Jennings-Bloomfield UCLA Venice Dental Center for Advanced Education in General Dentistry. By completing courses in cosmetic dentistry, implant dentistry and general dentistry, Dr. Tiraspolskaya is able to diagnose and treat even the most complex cases of partial or complete absence of teeth. She is skilled at treating patients using implant restorations and/or prosthetic dentistry. She is an active member of several Los Angeles dental societies and peer review groups.
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Dr. Sheila Morim
An experienced cosmetic and restorative dentist, Dr. Morim graduated in the top 5 percent of her class at UCLA School of Dentistry and is a member of several dental society programs.
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Dr. Payman Kakoli
Endodontics (Root Canal Specialist)
Dr. Kakoli graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor's degree in Biology. He received his Doctorate of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry and attended hospital general practice residency at the Department of Veteran's Affairs Medical Center in Baltimore.
He continued his advanced postgraduate studies at the University of Maryland, where he completed his residency in Endodontics and received his Master's degree in Biomedical Sciences during the course of his dental education. Dr. Kakoli has received numerous honors and awards such as the Harry E. Latcham Memorial Medal for Excellence in Complete Oral Restoration, and membership in the coveted Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) Honorary Dental Society.
Dr. Kakoli is an active member of the American Dental Association (ADA), the California Dental Association (CDA), and the American Association of Endodontists Annual Sessions. His endodontic research has been published in the prestigious Journal of Endodontics.
Dr. Jacobson
Orthodontics and Invisalign
Dr. Jacobson is a native of the Los Angeles area and proud alumnus of the University of Southern California, where he obtained his undergraduate and Doctorate of Dental Surgery degrees.
After USC, Dr. Jacobson spent a few years on the east coast where he completed his residency in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics at the University of Connecticut. While in Connecticut, he also earned a Master's degree in Cranio-Facial Biology for his work on aesthetics and the presentation of dentition during speech. He has extensive training in both the use of traditional orthodontic appliances as well as the latest in modern orthodontic techniques. His goal for all orthodontia patients is to attain the most aesthetically pleasing smile without compromising functionality and comfort.
Dr. Emma Chioma Onwuka
Pedodontics
Dr. Emma Chioma Onwuka is a pediatric dentist specializing in the comprehensive dental care of children and adolescents of all ages, including those with special healthcare needs. She enjoys delivering compassionate, quality dental care to her patients and educating her patients and their families on how to maintain a healthy smile. She is a friendly, hardworking, and ethical clinician who takes pride in the work that she does for the community she serves.
Dr. Onwuka received her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from Stanford University and her dental degree from the UCLA School of Dentistry. While a student at UCLA, Dr. Onwuka received several honors, including the Award for Excellence in Pediatric Dentistry at UCLA by the Southern California Society of Dentistry for Children. After completion of a two year specialty training program, she received her pediatric dental certificate from the University of Washington. She is an active member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Dental Association, and the California Dental Association.
During her free time, Dr, Onwuka enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time with her family and friends.
Dr. Siamak Eshaghian
Dental Anesthesiologist
Dr. Eshaghian is independently contracted to provide intravenous sedation and general anesthesia for those patients that prefer to be fully sedated for their procedure(s). He is board certified by the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology.
Dr. Eshaghian is a graduate of the UCLA School of Dentistry. He has completed an extensive two-year general anesthesia residency program at Loma Linda University. This residency consisted of various medical rotations and anesthesia training at the Loma Linda University Medical Center and other local area hospital operating rooms. Dr. Eshaghian has received intensive anesthesia training in dental surgery centers and offices, which has made him proficient in anesthetic management and techniques as they are used in a dental setting.
Dr. Eshaghian is proficient in treating a wide variety of patients. This includes patients with anxiety and phobia about dental treatments and needles, patients requiring extensive dental work or more invasive procedures, patients unable to comply with the required dental treatments (as is sometimes encountered with children and special needs), patients with an altered pain threshold, patients with difficulty getting numb, patients with an overactive gag reflex, and patients with significant medical conditions. Using the appropriate anesthetic technique, he can ensure that these patients are completely relaxed and comfortable or fully asleep for the duration of their dental procedure(s).
Products And Services
Dental Exam and X-Rays
Regular dental exams can play an important role in maintaining your dental and general health. Most patients need dental exams at least twice a year. Our El Monte dental exam expert may recommend a more frequent exam schedule if you have certain dental or overall health issues so that we can reduce any associated risks.
Our expert in dental exam in El Monte will begin by evaluating your overall health and your dental hygiene. This allows us to better determine your risk of serious dental disease, such as periodontal disease, tooth decay, root decay and bone loss. We will also evaluate your need for restorations or replacement teeth and check your bite for any abnormalities. A thorough cleaning will remove plaque, tartar and superficial stains from your teeth. After reviewing your at-home dental hygiene practices, we may make recommendations that can help you improve or maintain your dental health.
Dental X-rays can be a helpful diagnostic tool. They allow us to see between your teeth and check the structures beneath your gums and around your teeth. Our El Monte dental X-ray expert may recommend annual bitewing X-rays that allow us to better see the crowns of your teeth. Periapical X-rays allow us to see the bone and the surrounding structures, and occlusal X-rays allow us to check your bite. These X-rays may be performed only on an as-needed basis to diagnose or rule out specific dental health concerns. A panoramic X-ray may be performed at regular intervals or before beginning specific treatment protocols. Discuss your needs with our expert in dental X-ray in El Monte, who can better address your unique smile concerns.
After your dental exam, we will discuss our findings. If you have symptoms of dental disease, we will discuss the next appropriate steps, which may include further diagnostics or the development of a treatment plan. We will explore each of your treatment options and explain alternatives. If you are ready to learn more or schedule your appointment with our El Monte dentist, give us a call today.
One of the main reasons the American Dental Association recommends to everyone that they should schedule a visit to the dentist at least twice a year is to have their teeth cleaned professionally. A professional cleaning by a dentist cleans teeth much better than brushing and flossing alone will be able to. Our El Monte dental cleaning expert explains how dental cleanings work.
Plaque is the sticky pale substance on our teeth that, when not removed, turns into tartar. Tartar is a harder substance and brushing and flossing alone will not be able to remove it. A Dental cleaning by our expert in dental cleaning in El Monte is designed to remove tartar from teeth, including even hard-to-reach areas like under the gums on the tooth roots.
When a person has a tooth that is decaying, or has become damaged for any other reason, so much so that it is impossible to restore, our dentist in El Monte often recommends having the tooth extracted. A tooth extraction is a procedure that completely removes a tooth from a patient’s mouth and jaw. Such a treatment is often necessary to prevent other teeth from becoming damaged and allow for the replacement of the tooth that is no longer functioning.
A tooth that has a cavity so severe that the patient is in extreme pain, it is impossible to restore the function and health of the tooth, or both, will most likely require extraction. Our El Monte dental extraction expert performs an extraction by first measuring the tooth and gaining a full visual of it by taking an x-ray. Once it is decided that the tooth must be extracted, the area around the tooth is numbed. Once the patient is pain free, the dentist will use a pair of forceps to grip the tooth and gently slide it out of the socket. For tooth extractions that are slightly more complicated, a small surgical incision may be necessary to fully remove all of the tooth’s structure.
Wisdom teeth are relics of human’s past. Just like our tail bone and appendix, wisdom teeth are body parts which were once essential to our ancestors but have little to no use to us nowadays. Our El Monte dentist explains.
Tens of thousands of years ago when our ancestors ate raw meats and hard grains, and before the times of toothbrushes and dentists, their teeth would become easily damaged. Halfway through their lives, wisdom teeth would grow in to help them replenish teeth which were lost or damaged.
Today, when our wisdom teeth grow in, they often do more harm than good. Because many individual’s teeth are in perfect health in their late teens and twenties when their wisdom teeth come in, there is no space in the mouth for extra teeth. Therefore, wisdom teeth end up creating alignment issues by shifting teeth that are perfectly straight, or not protruding through the gums at all and causing pain.
Porcelain veneers are one of the most versatile treatment options available in cosmetic dentistry. Our El Monte dental veneers expert can use dental veneers to correct many different aesthetic issues, including:
• Chipped teeth
• Stained or discolored teeth
• Worn enamel
• Fractured teeth
• Small or misshapen teeth
• Misaligned teeth
• Gapped teeth
Veneers are wafer-thin porcelain shells that are bonded to the visible part of your teeth. Our El Monte porcelain veneers expert may recommend porcelain veneers on their own or use them in tandem with other treatments as a part of a smile makeover. Traditional porcelain veneers may require three dental visits. During these visits, our expert in dental veneers in El Monte will design your treatment plan, prepare your teeth, place temporary veneers to protect your teeth, evaluate your new veneers for fit and appearance and bond your veneers to your teeth.
Teeth whitening is a popular cosmetic treatment that can brighten and renew your entire smile. Teeth whitening is most successful in patients who have generally healthy teeth without any visible restorations, such as tooth-colored fillings or porcelain crowns. It can be used alone or as part of a smile makeover. Many whitening systems are available both over the counter and through our El Monte teeth whitening expert.
Whitening toothpastes and over-the-counter strips and gels are some of the most common whitening products available today. Toothpastes contain mild abrasives that polish superficial stains much in the same way that professional dental cleanings can. OTC strips and gels can take once- or twice-daily applications for about two weeks. Teeth may be noticeably brighter at the end of treatment, and results can last a few months. Although these whitening products can be effective on minor stains, our expert in teeth whitening in El Monte recommends professional whitening products for those who are in search of dramatically brighter teeth.
Our El Monte teeth whitening expert offers both tray-based whitening systems and in-office treatments. Tray-based systems use a prescription-strength gel whitening product with a powerful peroxide bleaching agent. It is applied using a customized mouth tray for a period of time every day throughout the prescribed treatment period. The amount of time needed to whiten your smile is based on the level of staining and preferred results. You may see results within a few days.
Lumineers are an excellent cosmetic alternative that can help you achieve that megawatt smile that you have been craving. Our El Monte Lumineers expert often recommends Lumineers for patients who are looking for a pain-free way to whiten, straighten and smooth out their smiles without making any permanent alterations to their teeth.
Made of strong Cerinate porcelain, Lumineers are incredibly thin. They are generally no thicker than a contact lens, which means that our expert in Lumineers in El Monte can apply them directly to the top of the tooth unlike traditional veneers, which require at least some enamel reduction. With Lumineers, there is no need to alter the teeth or use painful shots or uncomfortable drilling.
Our El Monte Lumineers expert can often place Lumineers in just three visits. You will not need temporary veneers as you wait for your final restorations. They can be applied without reducing teeth, which means that they are considered reversible, and they can even be applied over porcelain crowns or dental bridges for the ultimate in versatility.
A beautiful smile can make a powerful first impression. Unfortunately, a less-than-attractive smile can also make an impression, but it may not be the one you want to make. If your smile is chipped, discolored, worn down or even missing teeth, our El Monte smile makeover expert can help.
Our expert in smile makeover in El Monte offers a wide range of cosmetic services to help our patients design the smiles of their dreams. Some options include:
• Teeth whitening, which is often recommended when teeth have accumulated extrinsic stains from substances such as nicotine, coffee, wine and cola
• Invisalign, which can be used to straighten teeth and create a smooth, even smile line without gaps or crowding
• Porcelain veneers, which can conceal intrinsic stains and discolorations, chips, flaws, worn enamel or misshapen teeth or act as instant orthodontics to straighten and perfect an uneven, crowded or crooked smile
• Tooth-colored fillings, which can replace old, worn metal fillings
• Dental implants, fixed bridges and dentures, which can replace missing teeth
Each smile we treat is unique, and each smile makeover our El Monte smile makeover expert performs is customized. We talk about your goals, your lifestyle and your concerns at your initial consultation so that we can learn more about how we can give you the smile you have always wanted. We discuss each of your treatment options and answer your questions so that you can determine the best steps for your journey towards a beautiful new smile.
Dental implants are used to replace missing teeth. They offer a wide range of benefits for patients ranging from improved dental health and function to preserved bone density and smile aesthetics. If you are missing one or more teeth, our El Monte dental implants expert may recommend dental implants.
One of the biggest reasons to replace your lost teeth with dental implants is to maintain bone tissue. After the loss of a tooth, your jawbone and facial bones can begin to deteriorate due to the lack of stimulation. Our expert in dental implants in El Monte can use dental implants to replace teeth, and the evenly distributed bite forces will continue to stimulate and preserve bone tissue while restoring the aesthetics of your smile.
Dental implants also eliminate the need for altering other teeth during the restoration process. A titanium device is implanted into the jaw, and the bone tissue fuses with the device. Our El Monte dental implants expert will then attach the implant to the screw-like device for a tooth that looks just like your own natural tooth. This tooth will also function just like your tooth. You can even clean it as you usually clean your teeth without the need for any special tools, devices or solutions.
Gaps in your smile can really affect your self-confidence. They can also affect the health of your smile. Remaining teeth may shift to close the gap, or they may tilt into the space. This can increase the risk of gum disease or tooth decay as well as the risk of developing alignment problems or TMJ disorders. Our El Monte dental bridges expert may recommend replacing your lost tooth or teeth with a dental bridge.
Dental bridges are generally made of porcelain or porcelain that is fused to metal. They are securely bonded to abutment teeth or dental implants and support pontics, or false teeth. If you are a candidate for dental bridges, you may need two to three visits with our expert in dental bridges in El Monte.
Dental bonding is one of the fastest, most affordable ways to improve and enhance your smile. Our El Monte dental bonding expert can use dental bonding to close gaps between your teeth, cover sensitive exposed roots, conceal stains or discolorations and renew teeth that have become chipped, cracked or worn.
Nearly anyone with small cosmetic flaws in their smiles may be a candidate for dental bonding. It can often be performed without the need for anesthetic, which makes it a remarkably comfortable procedure. Our expert in dental bonding in El Monte may also use dental bonding in ways that can improve your dental health as well as your smile. It can be used to repair small cavities and to protect your teeth if your gums have receded.
Patients who have lost teeth can restore much of their ability to function normally with full or partial dentures. Here is deeper look at the unique properties and advantages of full dentures and partial dentures.
Our El Monte full dentures expert says that full dentures are used for patients who have had all of their teeth extracted. Comfort and proper fit are supported by the use of computer images and dental impressions, and patients only have to wait for their gums to heal before they can start enjoying functionality and appearance again. When patients choose immediate dentures, our dentist does not have to wait until healing is complete before first placing the dentures.
Patients who have lost only a few teeth can receive partial dentures from our El Monte partial dentures expert. As sets of false teeth that are attached to frames and held in place with clasps, partial dentures are popular alternatives to bridges because their placement does not require damaging neighboring teeth. In addition, partial dentures are easily customized to enhance appearance and functionality.
Patients who need to replace all of their teeth can contact our expert in full dentures in El Monte to find out whether they are candidates for the procedure. For patients with only a few missing teeth, our expert in partial dentures in El Monte can restore dental function in only a few appointments. Whether patients receive full dentures or partial dentures, they can help maintain their long-term oral health with regular cleanings and checkups from our El Monte dentist.
A full mouth reconstruction is the process of rebuilding the teeth to restore proper function and good dental health. Our El Monte full mouth reconstruction expert may recommend a full mouth reconstruction if you have TMJ disorders, severe bite abnormalities, advanced periodontal disease or severe dental decay or trauma.
Each full mouth reconstruction that is designed by our expert in full mouth reconstruction in El Monte is tailored to the patient’s specific needs. We will examine your mouth, including the teeth, the gums, facial muscles and the jawbone, and we will explore various treatment options. Our El Monte full mouth reconstruction expert may use dental X-rays, advanced imaging and photographs to design your treatment plan.
If you have a tooth that has suffered significant damage, you may be happy to discover that there are treatment options that can help you avoid dental extraction. In the past, porcelain crowns were generally recommended for teeth that had suffered damage beyond what could be treated with a traditional dental filling. Today, you may be able to choose inlays or onlays, or indirect fillings, instead. Our El Monte inlays and onlays expert often recommends inlays an onlays as a conservative alternative to porcelain crowns.
Orthodontic treatment can be beneficial for adults as well as kids and teens. In fact, 20 percent of orthodontic patients are over 21. In fact, you are never too old to have a great smile. Although many adults are often leery of wearing traditional metal braces, most today have an alternative: Invisalign clear plastic aligners. Our El Monte Invisalign provider can help you learn more about the procedure and determine if you are a candidate.
Invisalign is an appealing alternative to the often-unsightly metal braces. Our expert in Invisalign in El Monte can use a series of clear, comfortable aligners to shift teeth into healthy alignment. We use 3-D computer technology to create the treatment plan that will gently move your teeth without the discomfort, irritation and embarrassment that are so commonly associated with traditional braces. We can even share your virtual treatment plan with you so that you can get a preview of your new smile and adjust it as necessary.
When it goes untreated, periodontal disease can cause major harm to a person’s oral health. Gums can become so inflamed that they will begin to pull away from the teeth. This will cause the teeth to become loose or even fall out. If you experience any of the signs that periodontal disease, such as gums that bleed when you brush them, visit our expert in periodontal treatments in El Monte today to get the help you need.
Periodontal disease generally starts out as gingivitis and progresses to a more serious disease known as periodontitis. Gingivitis is very common and typically easy to treat. Out El Monte periodontal treatments expert will remove all the infectious bacteria from below the gumline with a cleaning procedure known as scaling and root planing. Patients with gingivitis must practice excellent oral hygiene in order to stop the disease in its tracks and return their gums to good health.
A root canal treatment is used by our El Monte dentist to restore the function and health of tooth that is decaying due to a bad cavity. A cavity that is left untreated will become so severe that the infection caused by the bacteria will begin to not only affect the outside of the tooth, but the inside as well. The center part of the tooth, called the pulp, is connected to a major nerve, and, once this becomes infected, it can be quite painful.
Once the tooth’s pulp has become infected, the patient’s only two options may be to have the tooth extracted, or to have our El Monte root canal treatment expert perform this procedure. A root canal is the process of removing the entire infected are of the tooth, including the pulp inside. This essentially kills the tooth but it does allow the structure to remain, which is an advantage this treatment has over an extraction. Our expert in root canal treatment in El Monte will drill out the cavity, and then use a tool to clean the inside of the tooth all the way down to the root.
he temporomandibular joint is the joint that opens and closes the mouth and is one of the hardest working moving parts in the entire body. If you are experiencing any problems with your jaw, our El Monte TMJ treatment expert can help.
There are many symptoms associated with TMJ that are usually very noticeable and are a clear sign that something is wrong with the jaw joint. Many times there is a clicking or popping that can be felt and even heard, according to our expert in TMJ treatment in El Monte. Pain in the ears, face, and neck are one of the most common symptoms that patients report and often this pain is so bad that they cannot perform their regular daily activities like working and taking care of their children.
According to our expert in sleep apnea treatment in El Monte, sleep apnea does not only affect a person while they are asleep but has a lasting effect throughout the day because they will be left feeling fatigued due to a lack of deep sleep. Sleep apnea occurs when there are problems with breathing while a person is sleeping and can be caused by many different issues.
Some of the most common causes include being overweight or obese or having large tonsils that block the airway. When sleep apnea is caused by one of these problems it is known as obstructive sleep apnea because there is something physically obstructing the airway.
Obstructive sleep apnea is the easiest type to treat. For those whose sleep apnea is caused by obesity, lifestyle changes may be suggested by our El Monte sleep apnea treatment expert. Such changes might include a more balanced diet or more exercise to help lose the weight that is causing the obstruction. Enlarged tonsils are often the cause of sleep apnea in children and can be surgically removed in order to treat the child’s sleep apnea.
Childhood dental care is the foundation of good oral health for a lifetime. With regular check-ups and healthy dental hygiene, children and adolescents are more likely to develop strong teeth and avoid more expensive care later. Here is more from our dentist in El Monte about how young patients benefit from dental care.
Teeth begin to develop during infancy, and proper dental dare is essential during this time for guiding growth and preventing early oral health problems. Because babies must be fed frequently, their teeth are highly prone to decay if they are not cleaned regularly. With advice from our expert in pediatric dentistry in El Monte, parents are better prepared to help their infants develop and maintain optimal oral health.
Infant dental care calls for a different approach compared to care for adults. Our dentist has extensive experience treating this age group, providing effective treatment plans that address dental issues that can affect development. This gives young patients a better chance of reaching adolescence and adulthood with healthy teeth.
