Elena Benjamin's Schools

• USC School of Dentistry , Class of 1997 Bachelors DDS; Dentistry

Elena Benjamin's Publications

• Porcelain/Dental Veneers, Elena Benjamin January, 2011 At my dental practice on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, I offer the latest in dental technology, ensuring that patients leave with bright teeth and wide smiles. I frequently perform standard cosmetic dentistry procedures, including implants, veneers, and Zoom® whitening. Porcelain veneers, also known as dental veneers or dental porcelain laminates, offer a quick and effective way to achieve remarkable cosmetic improvement to the size, color, texture, and position of the teeth. Whether the tooth is chipped, discolored, or misaligned, the wafer-thin porcelain veneer instantly bonds to the tooth, correcting the problem and protecting the teeth for 10 to 15 years or longer. Porcelain veneers are relatively strong and durable, and they can even correct significant cosmetic issues such as wide spaces between teeth. Patients should take care not to abuse veneers because the shells may wear down with overuse. I find it interesting, considering my office location near Hollywood, that California dentist Charles Pincus invented veneers in the 1930s for use by movie production studios. Although dental adhesives of the time did not allow veneers to stay in place for long, they were invaluable in allowing actors to inhabit different characters. Dracula and the Wolfman come to mind, but I am sure there were more subtle applications as well. Despite this early use of veneers, full crowns were the only long-lasting way to correct dental imperfections for the next fifty years until modern porcelain veneers were developed. In the early 1980s, researchers etched porcelain with hydrofluoric acid, creating sufficient bond strength between composite resins and porcelain for veneers to take permanent hold. The process of creating and attaching the veneer is simple and painless, requiring just two visits to my office. On the initial visit, I take an impression of the tooth or set of teeth that need work and consult with the patient on color and appearance. I next send the impression the dental lab, where it is cast in porcelain. Upon receiving the veneer from the lab, I arrange a second visit. At this time, I permanently bond the porcelain veneer to the patient’s prepared tooth, allowing him or her to walk out of my office with a brand new smile. For more details on porcelain veneers and the other cosmetic procedures I perform, visit my practice online at www.elenadds.com.

• Russian Authors, Elena Benjamin, DDS January, 2011 Interested in the stark worlds portrayed by 19th century Russian authors, Dr. Elena Benjamin maintains a special interest in Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Count Lyev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, more commonly known as Leo Tolstoy. Born on September 9th, 1828, Leo Tolstoy became famous for the breadth and vividness with which he depicted 19th century Russian Life in War and Peace, Anna Karenina, and other epic novels. A leader of what is now known as realistic fiction, Mr. Tolstoy also earned a name for himself as a dramatist, essayist, religious theorist, and reformer. A devoted Christian, Leo Tolstoy developed strong ideas of nonviolent resistance. Mr. Tolstoy founded many of his religious beliefs on the teachings of Jesus Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, which includes a number of famous injunctions, including lines describing the doctrine commonly known as “turning the other cheek.” His ideas would later play a role in shaping the opinions of major 20th century civil disobedience leaders like Mahatama H. Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Mr. Tolstoy explored themes of nonviolence and civil resistance in several of his works, including The Kingdom of God is Within You. Born November 11th, 1821, Fyodor Mikhaylovich Dostoyevsky stands as one of the most psychologically apt authors ever to write. Exiled to Siberia from 1849 until 1854, Dostoyevsky’s political and religious views underwent extensive change during his incarceration. By the time of his release, Dostoyevsky showed an increasing tendency for Christian orthodoxy. He also turned away from the principles of contemporary Western European philosophical doctrines, paying more attention to the values and traditions of rustic Russian life. In many of his writings, Fyodor Dostoyevsky praises the ideals of humility, sacrifice, and openness to suffering. Abandoning an earlier style that dealt often with melodramas placed in domestic settings, Dostoyevsky crafted increasingly complex storylines centered on mental uncertainty, spiritual turmoil, and religious realization.

Elena Benjamin's Links