Information on our General and Specialty Dentistry Center                                                                    

Operative Dentistry Service and Treatment

Dental Fillings                                                                  

● Obturating the cavity with tooth-colored material, gives the tooth a natural appearance that resembles the tooth prior to the decay.

Diastema Closure

● Diastema or spacing between teeth, such as the gap between two anterior teeth can be closed with filling using tooth-colored material. This simulates a pair of natural-looking teeth with tight contact without the need for orthodontic treatment.

Chipped tooth repair

● A lower or upper anterior tooth may chip or break off during a traumatic accident. If the tooth chips off, without reaching the dental pulp (composed of nerves and blood vessels), a restoration can be done to resemble a natural tooth, and there is no need for a crown restoration.

Pediatric Dentistry

Interesting facts about caring for primary teeth                                                                                                             

●   Oral health checkup in children is imperative and should be done starting from the eruption of the first primary tooth (or when the child is approximately 6 months old). Dental visits do not just consist of checking the oral cavity but give the dentist a chance to advise guardians on age-appropriate oral health care and give dietary recommendations.                                                                   

●   Children with tooth decay are advised to visit the dentist and get their decay treated. In the past, it was believed that primary tooth decay does not matter because primary teeth will eventually be replaced with permanent teeth. However, that is incorrect. A healthy set of primary teeth is needed to obtain healthy permanent teeth. A healthy set of primary teeth allow proper food consumption and proper development of the jaw and facial structures. A healthy child will lead to a healthy set of permanent teeth.

Benefits of Fluoride

●   The idea that fluoride contributes to effectively preventing decay is widely accepted, thus dentists may recommend various means by which fluoride can be administered in children, such as follows:

1. Through fluoridated drinks (in some areas which contain a natural concentration of fluoride in the water supply) or fluoride supplements. Both of these need to be assessed by the dentist if intake is necessary.                                                                                                          

2. Clinical application of fluoride agents by dentists                                             

3. Brushing with fluoridated toothpaste in children of all ages or rinsing with fluoride mouthwash in children older than 6                                                                                                                          According to research, fluoride can reduce the incidence of tooth decay by more than 50 % of children.

Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Bottle-feeding is found to be the main cause of tooth decay in young children. This is caused by the exposure of teeth to fluids containing sugar, such as bottled milk, breast milk, fruit juice, and sugary drinks. To prevent tooth decay in children, start when the baby is just 2-3days old. Parents can start by cleaning the baby's oral cavity after every breastfeeding session. Use a damp cloth or gauze to wipe the gums to remove any remnants. Do not allow the child to bottle or breastfeed for too long and avoid falling asleep with a bottle containing milk or sugary drinks. If the child feels attached to the bottle, fill the bottle with plain drinking water instead. It is recommended to start bottle weaning as soon as possible and start switching from bottles to cups as soon as the child is able to hold the cup. Cultivate children in making healthy food choices and encourage children to have good eating habits.

Dental Sealant

Dental sealant or coating the pits and grooves help to prevent tooth decay on the occlusal or chewing surfaces. The material used can be clear plastic or other colors. Filling in the pits and grooves, areas where tooth decay frequently occurs, helps prevent tooth decay.

Finger Sucking

In babies or young toddlers, thumb sucking is considered normal. However, if the habit remains after the permanent teeth begin to erupt into the oral cavity, the child may have abnormal development of structures in the oral cavity, structures of the jaw, and malalignment of teeth. Children should stop sucking their fingers before the age of 4. If the child is able to do so, parents should reward the child. If admonitions with reasoning or positive reinforcements do not work, parents can wrap a bandage around the child's finger or put a sock on their hand before bed to prevent finger sucking.

Protective Mouth Guards

Children who like to exercise or play sports such as football, cycling, rollerblading, and skating should wear mouthguards to prevent any traumatic incidents that may endanger teeth, gum, and oral cavity. Prefabricated mouthguards that come in different sizes can be easily found and purchased in stores. However, for a perfect fit mouth guard, consult your dentist to fabricate one.

Dental Emergency

In any emergency scenario, correct handling will determine whether or not the child will be able to keep the tooth. In case of dental avulsion or the tooth is displaced out of its socket in an accident, and the tooth is dirty, hold the tooth by the crown, not by the root, and rinse the tooth under cool running water for no more than 10 seconds . . . Do not try to remove the tissue that may remain on the root. Try to replant the tooth in the same location, before taking the child to the dentist. If the aforementioned cannot be done, place the tooth in a cup of milk or normal saline and take it to the dentist with the child. If possible, visit the dentist within 30minutes. Parents should bring their child for an immediate check-up, to reduce the possible consequences of an accident and receive advice on post-accident care.

Orthodontics       

Orthodontic   treatment with removable appliance

●   Orthodontic treatment with fixed appliance, metal and tooth-colored.                

●   Fast orthodontic treatment with Damon system                                                                

●   Clear orthodontic treatment without metal brackets (Invisalign)

Root canal treatment

 Root canal treatment is the removal of inflamed tissue or pus in a tooth canal. This helps get rid of the pain and allows the patient to keep their natural tooth function.

Symptoms of teeth that may require a root canal treatment

A root canal treatment may be necessary when inflammation or infection exacerbates in a tooth with deep decay, a tooth that experienced a traumatic accident, or a tooth that is fractured. If the following penetrates the pulp cavity, the tissue will eventually become necrotic. When the pulp tissue is inflamed, it usually leads to sensitivity when drinking cold water or hot water. Then, spontaneous pain may occur without any stimuli. The toothache may come and go and sometimes be intense enough to disrupt sleep, and there may also be discoloration of the tooth. However, on the other hand, there may not be any symptoms. If the pulp cavity and root canal are left infected without treatment for too long, bacteria may penetrate out of the root canal and destroy the surrounding bone. Once this happens, there may be pain upon chewing or sinus tract, also known as pus opening in the oral cavity of the face. Moreover, if a large amount of supporting bone is destroyed, the dentist may not be able to preserve the tooth.

Consequences of extraction instead of root canal treatment          

●   Bone in that area will recede. As a result, tooth replacement alternatives may not be as esthetic as natural teeth, and occlusion may be less effective.

●   If teeth have been extracted for a long time without replacement, adjacent teeth will tilt, causing gaps between teeth. These gaps will result in food impaction and subsequently may lead to gum inflammation and periodontal disease.

 ●   The opposing tooth may extrude into the extracted space, causing an uneven occlusal plane. If the opposing tooth extrudes to the extent in which it bites onto the opposite gum, the extruded tooth may have to be extracted as well.