Orthodontic treatment

Orthodontic treatment is a series of processes that move the teeth to the desired positions in the mouth by orthodontic appliances. Whether you have crowding, spacing or relapsed teeth, it would pose negative impact on the health of your teeth and gums.

There are two types of braces. One can be removed for cleaning, known as removable braces. The second type of braces is fixed to the teeth and cannot be removed for cleaning.

Orthodontic brackets are attached to the tooth surfaces in appropriate positions so that when the orthodontic brackets and orthodontic wire are tied up, the spring back action of the orthodontic wire will move the teeth, Gradually, the teeth are moved to the desired positions determined by the shape of the orthodontic wire. It is important you still have check-ups and adjustment regularly.

Have the brace fitted is not painful. However, it is common to have slightly tender teeth for 3-5 days after each fitting and adjustment appointment.

Comparisons of two types of orthodontic treatment - fixed brace and removable brace

	Fixed Brace	Removable brace
Removable	Cannot	Can
Treatment duration	1.5-3 years	0.5-1years
Materials	elastics or stainless steel wires	springs and screws

	Invisalign	General orthodontic treatment
Materials	Medical grade plastic	elastics or stainless steel wires
Appearance	Invisible	Non-invisible

Reference information: www.bjdental.com

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Veneers

Severely stained or chipped teeth may require Veneers, ultra-thin sculpted pieces of tooth-colored porcelain that fit over the front of your teeth.

At first, the dentist will check and examine your tooth. To prepare a tooth for a veneer, your dentist will remove the enamel from the tooth surface, which is an amount nearly equal to the thickness of the veneer to be added to the tooth surface.

Next, your dentist will make an impression (mould) of your tooth. The veneer color can be adjusted with the shade of cement to be used. Next, your tooth will be cleaned, polished, and etched -- Once properly position on the tooth, your dentist will apply a special light beam to the dental veneer, which activates chemicals in the cement causing it to harden or cure very quickly.

The final steps involve removing any excess cement, evaluating your bite and making any final adjustments in the veneer as necessary. The Veneer could be removed technicially by dentist if needed.

Reference information: www.bjdental.com , www.invisalign.com.hk

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Tooth Whitening

There are several factors affecting the color of teeth, like natural aging process, nicotine stains, drinking coffee or tea, accumulation of plaque and tartar deposits etc. To prevent teeth coloring, you are recommend to brush / floss after meal and regular dentist cleaning. Improper use of bleaching agents will damage gums and tooth supporting tissues. Be careful when using bleaching agents and consult your dentist for proper usage of bleaching agents and it’s harmful to health if bleaching agent is ingested accidentally, so it is recommended to consult your dentist before.

What is/ are the treatment(s) for tooth whitening?

1. Laser Bleaching. The blue light has been clinically-proven for bleaching tooth enamel and can be done in dental office.

2. Take Home Dentist Supervised Bleaching. Impressions (mould) of teeth are taken to make a model and a custom whitening tray is constructed from this model. The trays are filled with a gentle whitening solution, and are inserted and worn over the teeth overnight.


Comparisons of the professional tooth whitening and Over-the-counter whitening toothpaste:

	Professional tooth whitening	OTC whitening toothpaste
Treatment Time	1 hour	1 month
Color Change	Average of 8 shades	1-2 shades
Fadeback	Less	More
Duration	Long lasting	Loss of results with discontinued use
Stains	Superficial and interprismatic stains	Superficial stains only

Reference information: www.bjdental.com

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Artificial crowns

A dental crown is a customized tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth - covering the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and/or to improve its appearance.

The crown can :

(i) protect a weak tooth from breaking;

(ii) restore tooth that has been severely worn down;

(iii) Cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't a lot of tooth left;

(iv) Cover misshapened or severely discolored teeth. Preparing a tooth for a crown usually requires two visits to the dentist -- the first step involves examining and preparing the tooth and the second visit involves placement of the permanent crown.

Reference information: www.bjdental.com , www.invisalign.com.hk

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Dental Implant

Dental implants are replacement tooth roots. Implants provide a strong foundation for fixed (permanent) or removable replacement teeth that are made to match your natural teeth. A dental implant is a biocompatible (titanium) structure implanted in the jawbone which is used to support false teeth without injuring the remaining teeth in the mouth.

Periodontal disease

The toxins released by the dental plaque cause inflammation of the periodontal tissues (Pericoronitis). The symptoms of gum disease include bad breath, red or swollen gums, bleeding gums, loose teeth, sensitive teeth. 。

What is/are the treatment(s) for periodontal disease?

1) Deep cleaning (Scaling and root planning). Scaling means scraping off the tartar from above and below the gum line. Root planing gets rid of rough spots on the tooth root where the germs gather, and helps remove bacteria that contribute to the disease.

2) Flap surgery.

3) Prescribe medications like oral antibiotics

4) Instructions and nutritional counseling by oral hygienist.

Reference information: www.bjdental.com

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth is the condition that occurs when you don’t have sufficient saliva or spit to keep your mouth wet. The symptoms include mouth sores, dry feeling in your mouth, tongue and throat, cracked lips, trouble chewing, swallowing, tasting or speaking. There are several reasons why salivary glands might not work properly, like side effects of medications, disease (like diabetes), undergoing radiation therapy, chemotherapy and nerve damages.

Dry mouth may cause you difficulties in tasting, chewing, swallowing, and speaking. Also, it can increase your chance to developing dental decay, gum disease and bad mouth. You should consider to consulting your dentist for treatment.

What is/are the treatment(s) for dry mouth?

1) Prescribe medicine that will help make the salivary glands function more efficiently.

2) Use artificial saliva

3) Professional Fluoride treatment

4) Instructions and nutritional counseling by oral hygienist.

Reference information: www.bjdental.com

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars that most people get in their late teens or early twenties. Sometimes these teeth can be a valuable asset to the mouth when healthy and properly aligned, but more often, they are misaligned and require removal.

 Poor alignment of wisdom teeth can crowd or damage adjacent teeth, the jawbone, or nerves. Partially erupted teeth are also more prone to tooth decay and gum disease

What is/are the treatment(s) for wisdom teeth?

1)      Extraction as same as any other tooth.

2)      If a wisdom tooth that is underneath the gums and embedded in the jawbone will require an incision into the gums and then removal of the portion of bone that lies over the tooth.

Reference information: www.bjdental.com

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth (II)

C. Treatment

1. If wisdom tooth is completely buried inside the jawbone, nothing needs to be done given that there is no symptom. You would keep it under observation at regular dental check-up in case of any disease changes.

2. If Consider removal of impacted wisdom tooth

• Wisdom tooth problems
• Frequent inflammation of gingivae covering the wisdom tooth causing recurrent Pericoronitis
• Suffered from severe Pericoronitis
• Severe caries, periodontal disease, pulpitis or periapical infections of wisdom tooth
• Impacted wisdom tooth causing root resorption of adjacent teeth
• Cyst around the wisdom tooth can damage the structure of jawbone. If there is a cyst formation, the cyst together with the impacted wisdom tooth must be extracted

• Prior to the following treatments
• Extraction of mal-positioned wisdom tooth prior to orthodontic treatment
• Radiotherapy
• Jawbone reconstruction surgery

The decision to remove an impacted wisdom tooth or not depends on the clinical situation, the diagnosis of dentist and the preference of patient.

3. To avoid bleeding of the wound after the surgical extraction of the wisdom tooth, you should pay attention to the following：

• On the day of surgery
• Do not disturb the wound, rinse and brush the teeth
• Take soft diet for a few days and use the teeth of the opposite side of the jaw for chewing
• Do not perform heavy work or strenuous exercise
• Do not smoke or drink alcoholic beverages

On the day following the surgery, resume gentle toothbrushing and normal chew.

4. Reduce discomfort after surgical extraction of wisdom tooth

• Wound pain, facial swelling and difficulty on mouth opening are common after surgery
• On the day of surgery, apply ice pack to minimize facial swelling to the affected side of your face.
• On the day 2, apply a warm towel to the swollen area to reduce discomfort
• Maintain good oral hygiene to prevent wound infection
• On day 3 or 4, take soft diet. If there is pain from these wound ,take painkiller as prescribed by the dentist

Normally, any discomfort will slowly subside in a week after surgery. Meanwhile, consult your dentist if you have any queries.

Reference information: www.bjdental.com

It is not intended as medical advice to any specific person. If you have any need for personal advice or have any questions regarding your health, please consult your Dentist for diagnosis and treatment.