Aesthetika Dental Center-Dr. Rebecca Castaneda

Dr. Castaneda is truely amazing! I had teeth restoration done to my entire mouth and no one can detect they were not my real teeth. Unlike other smile makeovers where you can spot piano keys miles away, Dr. Castaneda custom designed my smile to fit me. I dread to have smiles that looked like everyone elses'.

To my surprise, Dr. Castaneda's expert ceramist technician was present when they fitted me with my new teeth. Toghther they took their time to adjust everyhting, until I was totally satisfied. They were so meticulous and made sure my bite was comfortable and was just right.

This is where it pays to go to experts, who know and care what they are doing!

Posted 07/25/09

I am writing this review as a peer, former employee and current patient of Dr. Castaneda. I continue as a loyal patient because I have seen first hand in all three capacities, the devotion that Dr. Castaneda has to her profession and patients. She is the ultimate perfectionist in every thing that she does. She is kind and compassionate and is a mentor to many people, including myself. Her patients see her as more than just a dentist, I have seen how they trust in her in so many ways, not just as their dental care provider.

I practice general dentistry in the East Bay but I have worked in many dental offices. No where have I seen the same consistent quality of care. This is why I travel to San Francisco, as many of her patients do, to have my dental care with Dr. Castaneda. While I worked with Dr. Castaneda, first as her dental assistant, eventually as her dental hygienist, I could not understand why so many patients traveled so far to see her. Now I understand. When you are in her chair, she is extremely gentle. I don't feel the needle when she gives me an injection. Her touch is reassuring, soft yet deliberate.

Observing Dr. Castaneda, I see that she practices a philosophy that I learned from her about 12 years ago. That is, to have a very clear treatment objective for each patient, and to attain this objective with the minimal amount of treatment. Sometimes this can be extensive and expensive treatment, at other times what appears to be a big problem, she is able to resolve with a simple procedure at a nominal fee. I guess that is the advantage you acquire with 20 years of experience and training in the dental specialty of Prosthodontics.

Dr. Castaneda is the artist that everyone talks about. I have seen her design the smiles of her patients, not relying on the arbitrary fabrication by a remote technician. She works closely with her technician to convert what is tested in the mouth, into the porcelain that her patients walk away with. It is pretty fantastic to see this. I remember a particular patient that wanted very bright teeth. I assisted Dr. Castaneda on this treatment "case" some 10 years ago when the meaning of "white" is not what it is today. And so the patient got what we thought were very, very white veneers (10 of them) and she agreed to the color before we placed the veneers on her teeth. A week later the patient came back complaining that she had wanted even whiter teeth. I do not know of ANY dentist that would have done what Dr. Castaneda did. She looked at the veneers, called the technician in to see the patient, he said he could in fact remake them with a new porcelain bearing the name "California white". Dr. Castaneda graciously replaced the veneers at no charge to the patient. I don't think I would do this myself.

What Dr. Castaneda did for me was to give me a great smile, one that I am proud to show the world. She placed two crowns on my front teeth in such a way that you cannot tell that they are not my own. Her German master ceramist (Jorg) is also a perfectionist. He was present to see that my new crowns matched perfectly; he had to put a custom stain in order to get an exact match. I also had several fillings and crowns on my back teeth placed by Dr Castaneda. Every appointment has been productive, a bit on the long side, but at the end I am so grateful to Dr. Castaneda. Just recently (about 2 weeks ago) I had an old root canal go bad. I had the root canal re-treated, then went to Aesthetika for a new crown. I got the same service and care that I have witnessed going on for twelve years.....

Pros: Perfectionist

Cons: None

Posted 06/28/09

Dr. Castenada is a talented, passionate, prosthodontic artist that provides stellar consultative services and treatment. The cost associated with her work is secondary and irrelevant compared to the final results. What is most amazing is how natural my new teeth look! I am so thrilled that she doesn't provide "manufactured" smiles but takes the time to customize the work according to the patient's bone structure, lifestyle, and personality--this is a lost and dying art which Dr. C is determined not to compromise.

Dr. C was able to get me past my age-old fear of dentists and the noises in a dental office. I had let my fears keep me away far too long and therefore needed quite a bit of work. She was professional, soothing, and her expertise was apparent from the start. Her staff made sure that I didn't make too many escapes and worked with me on insurance concerns. I applaud her highly proficient staff with an absolutely wonderful and rare chair-side manner and Toni who handles all insurance inquiries, interim questions, and scheduling with complete aplomb.

This is my dental story: Years ago, I lost my front teeth to a motorcycle accident. For years I had lived with a fixed bridge replacing those lost teeth. The bridge looked like a row of Chiclets. Additionally, my dentition was a plethora of silver fillings sprinkled with a few gold crowns that were like giant boxcars, ill fitting at the gum line causing soreness and gum bleeding. Finally, with age my teeth were simply worn down and discolored. After a thorough exam, the most thorough I had every had, Dr. C orchestrated a comprehensive dental plan that would include orthodontics and an anterior gum augmentation (as I had lost bone tissue with the lost of my upper front teeth) and several implants. With these interventions accomplished, Dr. C began the process of replacing almost all of my teeth with porcelain crowns and two implant fixed bridges. I was not surprised to hear the orthodontist and the periodontist praise Dr. C. Both of the specialists that Dr. C sent me to were equally professional and at the top of their game. I knew that Dr. C would only send me to the best specialist, so I never felt insecure. Somewhere along the way I lost my fears of dentistry.
The results were a monument to the dental arts! Dr. C's biggest challenge was the anterior implant bridge. Through her artistic ability and clinicical skill she was abe to make the fixed, aritificial front implant bridge appear as individual teeth actually emerging from the gum margin with each tooth having the half-moon shape presentation at the gum margin as with natural teeth. The color, texture and translucence of the porcelain matched the remaining natural teeth perfectly. Dr. C gave me a healty, happy smile.

I finally feel that I have a "healthy" mouth. Further, she talked me out of veneers for my maligned front bottom teeth explaining how healthy they were and talked me into orthodontics instead. A little Zoom whitening along the way brightened my smile.

Two thumbs all the way! I have referred at least 5 people to Dr. Castaneda and will continue to do so. Her overall knowledge, attention to detail, and genuine concern for me, the patient has been amazing. I am a new man!

Pros: Awesome

Cons: None

Posted 06/14/09