Welcome to Chatsworth Cosmetic Dental Care, the office of James A. Pasternak, D.D.S., a leading dental care practice in Chatsworth, California. Our goal is to help you achieve and maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.

Dr. Pasternak and his professional team care about you and your dental needs. Working as a team, they strive to provide personalized and thorough treatment at each visit.

Dr. Pasternak is highly trained and skilled in several areas of dentistry, including cosmetic dentistry, periodontal care, dental implants, and quality orthodontic treatment using Invisalign®, a state-of-the-art alternative to traditional metal braces.

Nothing exudes beauty and confidence like a bright, vibrant smile, and at the office of James A. Pasternak, you can expect, personalized, professional and comfortable dentistry, with a commitment to excellence!

DDS, University of Southern California School of Dentistry

Invisalign®: Invisalign is a teeth straightening procedure that is a virtually invisible substitute for metal braces. It is proven technology designed to give you the smile you've always wanted, without the pain and anxiety associated with metal braces.

LumiBrite™ Teeth Whitening: A gentle, safe and effective professional whitening method, Lumibrite Whitening produces whitening results in as little as 30 minutes of treatment time. Formulated with 35 percent hydrogen peroxide, this professional whitening system can be used by your dentist with or without a light. However, when used in conjunction with the Sapphire Supreme Light, the system is proven to produce greater whitening effects.

LUMINEERS®: Ultra-thin LUMINEERS are a type of dental veneer that is custom designed to give you the beautiful smile you’ve always dreamed of. Unlike traditional veneers, there are no shots, no drilling of sensitive tooth structure, and no pain. They’re even reversible, so you have nothing to lose and a beautiful smile to gain.

LumiSmile™: LumiSmile provides you with a before and after photo of the proposed outcome of your dental treatment. Seeing a picture of your new smile can help you understand the dramatic improvements dental treatment can provide.

Sapphire® Lesion Detection: Sapphire Lesion Detection allows our office to potentially discover oral lesions early. Without the aid of Sapphire Plus Lesion Detection, cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions could go undetected and possibly spread, causing pain, disfiguration or death. The earlier cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions are detected, the greater the chances of successful prevention, treatment and recovery.

Snap-On Smile®: Snap-on Smile's unique, proprietary formula of hi-tech dental resin make it very thin yet extremely strong. It fits right over your own teeth to give you a beautiful, natural looking smile—even if you have stains, chips, gaps or missing teeth.

Bonding: Dental bonding is a procedure in which a tooth-colored resin material is applied to your teeth and hardened with a special light, which ultimately "bonds" the material to the tooth to restore or improve your smile.

Braces: Dental braces are used to help align and straighten teeth and help to position them with regard to a person’s bite, while also working to improve dental health. There are many options available including traditional braces, ClearCorrect®, Invisalign®, Fastbraces®, and Six Month Smiles®.

Broken Tooth / Chipped Tooth: A broken tooth requires immediate attention. Our office can help you with the care and treatment of broken teeth.

Bruxism Appliances: Stress or misalignment of the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) can cause a patient to grind or clench teeth, a condition known as bruxism. Most patients experience bruxism during sleep and are unaware that they grind teeth. Bruxism can cause tooth wear, cracks, and chips; our office offers bruxism appliances to prevent grinding and clenching.

Caps: Many people find themselves with teeth that are no longer structurally sound. Root canals, lost fillings, decay below a filling, and chipping and cracking of the enamel are things that may lead to large scale defects in a tooth's surface. When the entire surface of the tooth is a problem, but the root system is intact, a cap might be appropriate for you.

Checkup, Exam, X-ray and Cleaning: Professional dental cleanings are usually performed by Registered Dental Hygienists. Your cleaning appointment will include a dental exam and the removal of tartar, removal of plaque, and teeth polishing. Tartar is hardened plaque that has been left on the tooth for some time and is now firmly attached to the tooth surface. Tartar forms above and below the gum line and can only be removed with special dental instruments. Plaque is a sticky, almost invisible film that forms on the teeth. It is a growing colony of living bacteria, food debris, and saliva. The bacteria produce toxins (poisons) that inflame the gums. This inflammation is the start of periodontal disease! Teeth polishing helps remove stains and plaque that is not otherwise removed during tooth brushing and scaling.

Cosmetic Dentistry / Smile MakeOvers: Cosmetic dentistry or Smile MakeOvers are terms generally used to refer to any dental work that improves the appearance of a person's teeth, gums and/or smile.

Crowns & Bridges: Crowns and bridges are two restorative techniques that repair damaged or missing teeth. They restore tooth function and appearance, and avoid shifting teeth which can happen after a tooth is lost. By maintaining or restoring your bite and smile, the effects of the tooth damage or loss are reversed.

Cosmetic Contouring: Cosmetic contouring corrects crooked teeth, chipped teeth, cracked teeth or even overlapping teeth in just one session. A few millimeters of reduction and a few millimeters of tooth-colored laminate can create a beautiful smile with no discomfort.

Cosmetic Dental Fillings (Cavity Correction): Advances in dental materials and techniques allows teeth to be restored with a more aesthetic and natural appearance. There are different types of cosmetic fillings currently available. The type used will depend on the location of the tooth and the amount of tooth structure that needs to be repaired.

Dental Implants: A dental implant is a titanium "root" or “pole” that is used as a support for the restoration that will replace one or more missing teeth.

Dental Sealants: Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings that are applied to the grooves on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth to protect them from tooth decay. Most tooth decay in children and teens occurs on these surfaces. Sealants protect the chewing surfaces from tooth decay by keeping germs and food particles out of these grooves.

Dentures / Specialty Dentures: Dentures are prosthetic devices constructed to replace missing teeth, and supported by surrounding soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. Conventional dentures are removable; however there are many different denture designs, some which rely on bonding or clasping onto teeth or dental implants. Our office uses technological advancements to create dentures that are lightweight and mimic the look and feel of natural teeth.

Emergency Appointments: Dental emergencies arise when you least expect them. And while every emergency causes worry, knowing our office handles dental emergencies can help ease your mind.

Excessive or Uneven Gums: Many people inherit the problem of excessive or uneven gums. An aesthetic surgical procedure called a gum lift can be used to correct this problem.

Inlays and Onlays: Inlays and Onlays are indirect restorations that strengthen an existing tooth. An inlay consists of a solid substance, such as gold or porcelain, fitted to a cavity in a tooth and cemented into place. An onlay is the same as an inlay, except that it extends to replace a cusp. Crowns are onlays which completely cover all surfaces of a tooth. An inlay or onlay is used when the existing tooth is too damaged for a filling, but not damaged enough to require a dental crown or other treatment.

Jaw / TMJ Treatment: TMJ syndrome is an umbrella term covering acute or chronic inflammation of the temporomandibular joint, which connects the mandible to the skull. The disorder and resultant dysfunction can result in significant pain and impairment. Our office can evaluate your symptoms and determine how to best address TMJ problems.

Laser Dentistry: The use of high-tech lasers in dental procedures may increase precision, increase patient comfort and offer faster healing time than more traditional alternatives. Lasers can be used to treat tooth decay, gum disease, biopsy or lesion removal, teeth whitening and more.

Laser Periodontal Therapy: The use of lasers as part of periodontal therapy planning may improve the effectiveness of treatment. In addition, the use of lasers during periodontal therapy can result in less bleeding, swelling and discomfort during surgery.

Mouth Guards / Sports Guards: Sports mouth guards are resilient plastic appliances designed to cover and encase an athlete's teeth and the gums and bone that support them. When a guard is worn it helps to provide protection for the hard (teeth and jaw) and soft (lips, cheeks, gums) tissues of the mouth by way of absorbing and redistributing the forces generated by traumatic blows.

Oral Cancer / Lesion Detection: Lesion Detection allows our office to potentially discover oral lesions. The earlier cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions are detected, the greater the chances of successful prevention, treatment and recovery. The procedure involves a simple, quick examination of the oral cavity as a whole in the search for abnormalities that may or may not be oral cancer. A thorough oral screening may include feeling the floor of your mouth and portions of the back of your throat, indirect examination of the nasopharynx and larynx, and involves manually feeling the outside of the neck for swollen lymph nodes, and other abnormalities such as hardened masses, and often the use of a lesion detection device, which uses light.

Oral Surgery: Oral Surgery is a recognized international specialty in dentistry. It includes the diagnosis, surgical and related treatment of diseases, injuries and defects involving both the functional and esthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the head, mouth, teeth, gums, jaws and neck.

Pediatric Dentistry: Pediatric Dentistry is the branch of dentistry dealing with children from birth through adolescence. Our training in pediatric dentistry addresses the special needs of children with a gentle touch.

Periodontics & Gum Disease: Periodontics is the treatment of diseases that effect alveolar bone, periodontal ligament, cementum and gingival. Gum disease or gingivitis is a form of periodontal disease involving inflammation and infection that destroys the tissues that support the teeth, including the gums, the periodontal ligaments, and the tooth sockets (alveolar bone). Gingivitis is due to the long-term effects of plaque deposits. The best way to start periodontal care is to come in for a visit. The dentist will be able to help you decide on the best course of treatment.

Endodontics & Root Canal Therapy: Endodontics refers to treating the tooth pulp and the tissues surrounding the root of a tooth, including root canal therapy, endodontic retreatment, surgery, treating cracked teeth, and treating dental trauma. Root canal therapy is one of the most common procedures and is designed to correct disorders of the dental pulp -- the soft tissue inside the tooth that contains nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. Teeth with abscessed or infected nerves were once removed with corrective therapy. But now, in 95 percent of these cases, the natural tooth can be saved with modern endodontic care.

Scaling & Root Planing: Root planing and scaling is one of the most effective ways to treat gum disease before it becomes severe. Root planing and scaling cleans between the gums and the teeth down to the roots.

Sedation and Anesthesia: Our office offers sedation and anesthesia during treatment to ensure you have the most comfortable treatment experience.

Sleep Apnea Solutions: Sleep apnea is a common condition in which a person stops breathing during sleep. Finding sleep apnea solutions for anyone suffering from the disorder is vital to preventing the numerous health problems that are associated with sleep apnea.

Snoring Solutions: Snoring is a common condition affecting many people. If snoring is disturbing your sleep the dentist can help you with the latest in snoring solution technology.

Teeth Whitening / Teeth Bleaching: Tooth Whitening or Tooth Bleaching is ideal for people who have healthy teeth and gums but would like a whiter, brighter smile. Many teeth whitening systems are available, both at-home and in-office, including BriteSmile®, NiteWhite®, DayWhite®, LumiBrite™, ZOOM!®, and Opalescence®.

Toothache / Tooth Pain: Toothache or tooth pain is caused when the nerve root of a tooth is irritated. Dental (tooth) infection, decay, injury, or loss of a tooth are the most common causes of dental pain. Our office is here to help you if you are experiencing any tooth pain.

Tooth Extraction: A tooth that is severely damaged may need to be removed by extraction. Our office specializes in extraction, providing you with the safest, most comfortable care possible.

Wisdom Teeth: A wisdom tooth is any of the usually four third molars. Wisdom teeth usually appear between the ages of 17 and 25. Most adults have four wisdom teeth, but it is possible to have more. Wisdom teeth commonly affect other teeth as they develop, becoming impacted or "coming in sideways." They are often extracted when this occurs. Our office offers wisdom tooth extraction with an emphasis on quality and comfort.

Veneers & LUMINEERS®: A veneer is a thin layer of restorative material placed over a tooth surface, either to improve the aesthetics of a tooth, or to protect a damaged tooth surface. There are several versions of veneers including traditional veneers and ultra-thin LUMINEERS, which require no shots, no drilling of sensitive tooth structure, and no pain. Veneers & LUMINEERS are custom made to give you a beautiful smile.