Murrieta Dental Care

About

About Us:

Story

Our Philosophy -

At Murrieta Dental Care practice emphasizes customer service, comfort, and technology. With an honest and ethical approach, we gain your confidence and build a relationship. We are here to serve you, your family, and your friends.

The Doctor -

Dr. Todd Kamena, DDS

Dr. Kamena was born and raised in Livermore, Ca. His father, Marshall, is the Mayor of Livermore. His mother, Barbara, was also born in Livermore and was a long time Livermore elementary school teacher. His brother, Scott, is a Livermore optometrist (www.MurrietaOptometry.com) and an LARPD Director.

After graduating from Livermore High School, Dr. Kamena went to UC Berkeley and earned a Bachelors Degree in Architecture. He subsequently graduated from UOP School of Dentistry in 2001. In 2006, Dr. Kamena opened Murrieta Dental Care with his wife, Margaret. Throughout all of his professional life, Dr. Kamena has worked in Livermore.

In August of 2009, Dr. Kamena’s wife gave birth to David Henry Kamena.

The friendly staff of Murrieta Dental Care -

Diane Arnold-Riddle, R.D.A. / Office Manager
Monica Rodrigues, Treatment Coordinator
Tricia Lacey, R.D.H.
Amber Gelderman, R.D.H.
Analiese Garcia, R.D.A.
Denise Vasallo, R.D.A.
Esther Harms, D.A

Comfort -

We have designed our office to make your visits as comfortable as possible.
Dental Chair:
- Ultra plush leather chairs with memory foam
- Ergo-Smoothe™ back massager
Living Room:
- Rocking leather chairs
- Antique Coke Machine with complimentary beverages
- Plasma TV
- Current magazines
- Fireplace

Front Office:
Our open air front desk keeps our team at your attention. It also provides for a direct line of sight into the Children's Play Room.

Children’s Play Room:
While your children are here for their visits, they get the added excitement of a Children's Play Room. We have computer games, toys, movies, and bean bag chairs.

N20 (Nitrous Oxide):
We offer a little extra relaxation to those in need.

Garden View:
A pleasant view of nature is always calming. You can see our garden from the chairs in the treatment rooms.

Patient TV:
Each operatory has a TV built into the light. It can easily be seen whether the chair is upright or leaned back.

Procedures -

We offer a wide variety of dental services. Here is a list of some of them:
o Routine and Deep Cleanings
o Periodontal Therapy
o Sealants
o White Fillings (Not silver ones)
o Closing gaps between front teeth
o Root Canals
o Routine Extractions
o Crowns
o Veneers
o Bridges
o Dentures
o Night Guards
o Teeth Whitening
o Cosmetic Dentistry
o And of course, Invisalign!
Please call for details and specific questions.

Technology -

Murrieta Dental Care uses latest in dental technology to help enhance a greater quality of care.

Satellite TV & DVD in each room

We incorporated the Technology Learning Center (TLC) to allow you to view TV or diagnostic pictures. We can even display your X-Rays, so you understand what is happening.

Digital X-Rays
VisualiX eHD intraoral sensor
Digital X-Rays use much less radiation than the old films. This comfortable intraoral sensor offers superior diagnostic image quality!
Intra-Oral Cameras
Einstein wireless intraoral camera
Small and designed for comfort; now capturing and reviewing images of your teeth can be easily done right at your fingertips. Combined with the Satellite TV & DVD in each room, we can show images for instant review.
Oral Cancer Screening
ViziLite Plus
Advanced and easy oral cancer screening can help find cancer while it is still in its early stages.
Laser Cavity Detector
DIAGNO-dent Pen
This handy instrument can help find cavities without X-Rays!
Having a confident smile can change everything. Invisalign makes the decision easy, because you can get a stunning smile without most people even noticing you're going through treatment.
Teeth Whitening
NUPRO White Gold Tooth Whitener
Our in-office treatment provides fast and dramatic results. It is among the best whiteners available!
Oral Antibiotics
ARESTIN®
Your gums and underlying bone provide an important foundation for your teeth. ARESTIN® is an effective antibiotic treatment to aid those with significant periodontal problems.

Financial -

Insurance:
We accept most insurance plans. Call us to check yours before your visit.
Murrieta Dental Care is a preferred provider in the following PPO networks:

Aetna (PPO plan #2)
United Healthcare
Dentemax
Delta Dental (Premier & PPO)
MetLife
United Concordia NFFS
Principal
Anthem Blue Cross
Guardian
Ameritas
Connection Dental
Cigna
Sun Life Financial
Dental Network of America
Lincoln Financial Group
ATA America (Amerident)

We do not accept HMO or Medi-Cal plans.

Treatment Plans:
We will provide you with an itemized breakdown of estimated costs.

Credit Cards:
We gladly accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.

Outside Financing:
We accept Care Credit to provide you with easy and affordable financing. Care Credit offers many plans that are interest free. Apply now

Cash & Checks:
We still accept the old standards.

Parking -

Murrieta Dental Care is located on the same block as the Livermore hospital. Look for the palm trees and the office with the chimney.

After Treatment -

Teeth and gums often need time to heal. The following list should help you know what to expect and what to do following your dental treatment with Murrieta Dental Care:

Extraction
Fillings
Crowns, Bridges, and Veneers
Root Canals
Deep Cleaning
Denture Delivery

Extraction:
o Do not rinse you mouth until the following day.
o On the morning following surgery, rinse your mouth lightly with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water). Repeat this several times throughout the day. Remember to rinse lightly, because vigorous rinsing may delay your healing.
o Keep your fingers and tongue away from the extraction site.
o If food gets stuck in the extraction site, then don’t worry. It will dissolve and be fine. Don’t pick it out.
o Maintain the blood clot in the extraction site. Try to avoid strong spitting, smoking, or sucking through a straw for the first 24 hours. If the blood clot comes out, then you may develop a “dry socket” and experience extreme discomfort. If this happens, then call the office.
o Continue your normal brushing and flossing, but be gentle to the area around the extraction site. Also, very lightly spit out the paste.
o Bleeding- It is normal for saliva to be slightly streaked with blood for about 1-2 days after an extraction. If excess bleeding occurs, then place clean gauze over the extraction site and bite down for 30-45 minutes.
o Discomfort- It is common to feel discomfort following dental surgery. If medication has been prescribed, then take it as instructed. If no medication has been prescribed, then take 3x 200mg Ibuprofen pills (Advil, Motrin) every 4-6hours, unless you cannot take Ibuprofen.
o Swelling and Stiffness- This is normal and should not cause alarm. Place a cold towel or an ice pack to your face during the first 6-8 hours. Leave it on for 15 minutes, and then off for 15 minutes intervals.
o Diet- A liquid or soft diet is advisable during the first 24 hours following dental surgery. Drink lots of fluids!
o If you are supervising a child who had an extraction, then make sure he doesn’t bite on his numb lip or tongue (it can cause serious injury to their soft tissue).
o Call the office if emergency or undue symptoms develop.

Fillings:
o Don’t eat on your new filling until the numbness is gone. You are at risk of biting your numb lip, cheek, or tongue.
o If you are supervising a child who had fillings done, then make sure he doesn’t bite on his numb lip, cheek, or tongue.
o It is common to experience cold sensitivity and some soreness on your gums for the first few days.
o If the bite feels wrong, or if the tooth feels clearly too “tall”, or if the tooth is very cold sensitive for over a week, then it is likely that the filling needs to be adjusted. Please do not wait too long to call the office, because the tooth may develop a severe tooth ache. Adjustments are fast and do not require anesthetic.
o Continue your normal brushing and flossing.
o Call our office if you experience pain or discomfort for more than a few days after the fillings, or if you have any questions.

Crowns, Bridges, and Veneers:
o Don’t eat until your numbness is gone. You are at risk of biting your numb lip, cheek, or tongue.
o While you have the temporary, eat on the other side of your mouth.
o Don’t eat on or floss around the temporary. It may fall off and make the tooth very sensitive. Light brushing is recommended.
o If the temporary falls off, then you need to get it back on. If you have temporary cement, then try to get it back on yourself (be careful not to put in on backwards). If you need assistance, then call the office. We will get you in to replace the temporary. If you do not get the temporary back on, then the tooth may also move and make it difficult to seat the permanent restoration. Please do not throw away a temporary, even if it broken in half.
o It is common to experience cold sensitivity and some soreness on your gums for the first few days.
o After the permanent restoration is placed, you may feel slight pressure for a few days. Also, the bite may feel different for a day or two. If the bite feels wrong, or if the tooth feels clearly too “tall”, or if the tooth is very cold sensitive for over a week, then it is likely that the restoration needs to be adjusted. Please do not wait too long to call the office, because the tooth may develop a severe tooth ache. Adjustments are fast and do not require anesthetic.
o Call our office if you are in pain or if you have any questions.

Root Canals:
o After a root canal, it is common to experience moderate discomfort and sensitivity to pressure on your tooth. The healing process may take several days, but the discomfort should subside gradually.
o Take any medication that was prescribed for you according to instructions.
o Don’t eat until your numbness is gone. You are at risk of biting you numb lip, cheek, or tongue.
o Don’t eat on the tooth for a few days. If you do, then it will probably hurt. Eat on the other side of your mouth.
o The tooth is often reduced in height so that you will not bite on it. It will be restored at a future visit. If the tooth was not reduced in height because it has a crown, then be extra careful to only lightly bite on the tooth.
o Continue your normal brushing and flossing.
o Return to the office for a permanent restoration. A root canal tooth becomes brittle and is likely to break unless it gets a crown. Any unnecessary delay on getting a final restoration may damage the tooth permanently.
o If you are in severe discomfort, or if experience a lot of swelling, or if you have any questions, then call the office.

Deep Cleaning:
o The area cleaned will likely be sore and slightly swollen for the first day.
o It is unlikely that you will need prescription pain medication. Over-the-counter medications should work fine, if you need anything at all.
o Don’t eat until your numbness is gone. You are at risk of biting you numb lip, cheek, or tongue.
o On the first night and in the first morning, lightly rinse with Peroxyl or warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water).
o Continue your normal brushing and flossing, but be gentle to the area cleaned.
o Some bleeding for a day or two after the cleaning is normal, especially after brushing. If you experience any excessive bleeding, then call the office.
o If you are in significant discomfort, or if you have any questions, then call the office.

Denture Delivery:
o You should experience some discomfort for a few days with any new denture.
o Most new dentures need a few adjustments to completely and comfortably fit your mouth. When you find a sore spot, call the office for an adjustment.
o You should take the dentures out every night and keep them in a clean container with water. Your gums need to rest, “breathe”, and heal without the dentures as you sleep.
o Clean the dentures thoroughly with a brush, soap, and water before putting them back in your mouth. Don’t use toothpaste, because the denture will gradually develop a white fluoride film.
o If you are not an experienced denture wearer, then it may be difficult to talk normally with a new denture for a few weeks. You need to train yourself to speak properly again. A good way to practice is to read a book or newspaper out loud everyday. Your tongue and muscles will get used to the new denture. You will talk normally very soon.
o If you are in significant discomfort, or if you have any questions, then call the office.

Emergencies -

If an emergency is extreme, then please call 911 or go to the hospital.

The following summary list may help you in case of an emergency:

Tooth Ache
Begin by cleaning around the sore tooth meticulously. Using warm salt water, rinse the mouth to displace any food trapped between teeth. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you place aspirin on the aching tooth or on the adjacent gums. In the event of facial swelling, apply a cold compress to the area. For temporary pain relief, acetaminophen is recommended. Call the office.
Cut or Bitten Tongue, Lip, or Cheek
Apply ice to any bruised areas. For bleeding, apply firm (but gentle) pressure with sterile gauze or a clean cloth. If the bleeding does not stop with pressure, or if it continues after 15 minutes, then go to an emergency room.
Broken Braces or Wires
Remove a broken appliance only if it comes out easily. If it is lodged or painful to remove, then cover any protruding edges with wax, cotton balls, gauze, or chewing gum. DO NOT REMOVE any wire caught in the gums, cheek, or tongue; see a dentist immediately. Emergency attention is usually not required for loose or broken appliances that cause no discomfort.
Broken Tooth
Rinse the area with warm water. Put a cold compress over the facial area of the injury. Recover any broken tooth fragments. Call the office.
Knocked Out Permanent Tooth
Recover the tooth, making sure to hold it by the crown (top) and not the root end. Rinse, but do not clean or handle the tooth more than necessary. Reinsert the tooth in the socket and hold it in place using a clean piece of gauze or cloth. If the tooth cannot be reinserted, then carry it in a cup containing milk or saliva. Call the office immediately. The tooth may not be savable if it is out of the socket for more than 30 minutes.
Possible Broken Jaw
In the event of jaw injury, tie the mouth closed with a towel, tie, or handkerchief. Go immediately to an emergency room. Our office is not equipped to treat broken jaws.
Bleeding After a Baby Tooth Falls Out
Fold a piece of gauze and place it (tightly) over the bleeding area. Bite down on the gauze for 15 minutes. If bleeding is profuse and prolonged, then call the office. However, it is unlikely that there will be a problem.
Cold or Canker Sores
These sores usually heal on their own within 10 days. Over-the-counter medications will usually provide temporary relief of the discomfort. If sores persist, then call the office.