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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
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 Braces/Invisalign
| 1. Invisalign vs. conventional braces |
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- Invisalign and conventional braces are similar in the sense that the end results that patients see will be the same. However, invisalign has a few extra advantages such as:
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ClinCheck software enables patient to see and view the progress and end result of treatment, |
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patient have the freedom to remove the invisalign whenever they want |
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Better aesthetic compared to conventional braces as it is “invisible” |
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| 2. I am an adult, it is too late for me to wear braces/invisalign |
- It is never too late for you to wear braces or invisalign to correct your teeth. However it entirely depends on your oral health.
3. Do i have to wear a retainer after treatment even the treatment was done a long time back?
- After Orthodontic Treatment, teeth that has been move has a chance to “relapse” where they return back to their original position due to movement of the periodontal ligament surrounding the tooth. As such it is best to wear your retainer as recommended by your dentist to prevent this from happening
4. What are the common habits of babies which may cause crooked teeth when they grow up?
- The habits of babies which may cause crooked teeth when they grow up are Thumb Sucking, Tongue Thrusting and Prolonged Bottle Feeding. These habits causes crooked teeth as they constantly apply pressure on teeth which causes them to move.
5. How do i ensure that my orthodontic treatment goes as planned?
- To ensure your orthodontic treatment go as planned, do not postpone the appointments made by doctors. If you are instructed to wear accessories such as elastic, be sure to wear them as instructed by your doctors. If you are wearing invisalign, be sure to wear at least 22 hours a day.
6. Is it a must to extract my teeth when i undergo orthodontics treatment?
Extraction of teeth before undergoing orthodontics treatment varies from patient to patient. Some patients have crowding of the teeth which may require extraction of premolar to provide space for tooth movement. We may even advise you to remove your wisdom tooth prior to orthodontic treatment
7. Is there anything that i should avoid when wearing my invisalign?
Be sure to remove your aligners before u eat or drink anything that might stain your aligners. Chewing on hard food increases the risk of breaking your aligners as well. Avoid drinking hot drinks when wearing your aligners as it may distort your aligners.
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| 2. |
Wisdom Tooth Removal
| 1. I've heard cases where patients have paralysis of the mouth after wisdom tooth surgery, is it common and will it be permanent? |
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| X-rays are taken prior to wisdom tooth removal to access the proximity of the wisdom tooth with the mandibular nerve and to access the success rate of the surgery. However, every surgery no matter how big or small comes with a risk, nerve paralysis, although uncommon may still happen. The effect may be permanent or temporary depending on how severe the nerves are damaged. Iron supplements are given to patients to help in repairing the nerves |
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| 2. When should I remove my wisdom tooth? |
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| You should only remove your wisdom tooth only if you have trouble maintaining your oral hygiene at that area or when there is pain. If your wisdom tooth is impacted but there is no pain, it is not necessary to remove it, unless the dentist think it is necessary to remove it to prevent problems in the future. |
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Implant
| 1. Is bone grafting always required before placement of implant? |
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Bone grafting is required only if there isn’t enough bone height or width at the site where implant is to be placed. It is also required to increase the amount of bone adjacent to the maxillary sinus to prevent perforation of the implant into the maxillary sinus.
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| 2. After placing the implant screw, how long do i have to wait before receiving the final crown. |
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| After placing the implant screw into the jaw, we have to wait for a period of 3-6 months to ensure that the implant screw fully integrates with the surrounding bone before the permanent crown is placed. |
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3. Will it be painful?
You will hardly feel a thing during implant procedure as anaesthetic is injected before the procedure. If you still feel anxious, oral sedation is given as well. However, you may experience some swelling after the implant procedure but if you follow the post-operation procedure given by doctors, it will subside within 1-2 days |
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4. Are Implant supported Dentures better than conventional acrylic dentures?
Implant Supported Denture has more advantages compared to conventional acrylic dentures as
a. Implant supported denture has a better fit and is stronger as it is directly anchored to the implant screws.
b. Implant supported denture covers a lesser area of the oral cavity (Roof of the mouth is not covered when wearing implant supported denture). As such, patients will be able to taste and speak better when wearing an implant supported denture.
c. With conventional acrylic denture, you may need to change the denture next time as bone resorption is common when wearing conventional acrylic denture. This does not occur when wearing implant supported denture.
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5. How should i clean or maintain my implant supported dentures?
Just as with regular dentures, you should remove your dentures before going to sleep to prevent “denture stomatitis”. Not only that, be sure to clean and wash the dentures and gums area with toothpaste and soak the dentures in water or denture cleaning tablets.
6. What is the life expectancy of an implant?
Implants could last for decades only if you maintain a proper dental hygiene. |
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Tooth Whitening
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1. I want to whiten my teeth, which method should i use to whiten my teeth?
It is very difficult to tell which method to use as it is necessary to first check what kind of staining of teeth you have before deciding on the treatment plan. There are generally two types of staining: Extrinsic, where staining is limited on the surface of the tooth, and Instrinsic, where the staining is from within the tooth. Extrinsic stains can be removed using home whitening kits, or by whitening strips but intrinsic stains requires special equipment and skills which can only be done by dentist. Also, the cause of your staining also plays a part in determining the treatment plan |
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2. What are the side effects of tooth whitening?
After tooth whitening procedures, you may experience some tooth hypersensitivity due to thinning of the enamel or open dentinal tubules. Sodium Fluoride can be applied on tooth to help reduce hypersensitivity following tooth whitening treatment
Also, if the bleaching agent comes in contact with your gums, you may experience some irritation. To prevent that from happening, a type of gel is applied on your gums to prevent the bleaching agent from coming in contact with your gums
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3. How do i keep and maintain my teeth white after tooth whitening treatment?
In order to ensure the longevity of the tooth whitening treatment, be sure to maintain your oral hygiene (brush your teeth,flossing). Avoid food and drinks which stains your teeth such as coffee, tea, soft drinks. Also, avoid smoking .
However, your teeth naturally does stain over time, hence, tooth whitening retreatment may be required after a period of time. |
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| 5. |
Aesthetic Dentistry
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1. What is the difference between Veneer and Crown?
Crowns are covering which surrounds the whole tooth after the tooth has been “prepared” by removing some tooth structure. There are different types of crowns such as : Porcelain Fused Metal(PFM) Crown, Ceramic, Zirconium any many more.
Veneers only covers the front surface of the tooth, as such less tooth “preparation” is required by the dentist. Veneers can be done using: Composite Veneers(which can be done in a single visit) or Ceramic Veneers (which requires a few days for the laboratory to process the veneers)
2. Should i opt for Implant or Bridge to replace for missing tooth?
It would be difficult to determine which option is best for you if we do not first access the condition of your oral cavity. However, I am able to tell you a general advantages and disadvantages of both bridge compared to implant
Advantages of Bridge over Implant
• Less costly
• Treatment requires lesser time compared to implant as we do not have to wait for surrounding bone to fuse with the implant screw.
• Surgery is not required
Advantages of Implant over Bridge
• No tooth preparation required on adjacent teeth to fit the bridge, therefore less things to worry about such as tooth decay underneath the bridge and RCT treatment
• Life expectancy of an implant is longer than a bridge
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