Dental Implants & Other Specialist Dental Services in Singapore

Dental Implants

Aesthetic Implant Dentistry

The appearance of a single or several missing teeth can affect a person’s self-confidence and overall well-being in the following aspects:

1. 1. Speech might be affected and often mispronunciation may occur.
   2. Eating your favourite food may not be enjoyable as function and chewing are affected.
   3. Bone loss will occur at the missing tooth/teeth areas resulting in poorly supported cheeks and lips and an aging appearance.
   4. Adjacent and opposing teeth may shift or drift into the missing space, affecting the way you chew.
   5. Some changes to your lip and facial contour may take place which can result in an aging appearance

There Are Several Reasons For Tooth Loss:

1. • Severe gum disease or root infection
   • Severely decayed and un-restorable teeth
   • Cracked teeth from trauma from hard foods or teeth grinding and clenching.
   • Trauma to the face and jaws
   • Congenitally missing or malformed teeth

A dental implant is a titanium fixture, which behaves like an artificial tooth root. It is inserted into the jaw bone and will osseointegrate (merge with the bone cells) to provide a stable foundation for a replacement restoration (eg. crown/bridge/denture). Dental implants can be used to replace missing teeth – both individual and multiple tooth loss can be corrected. Implants may be at the back of the mouth or at the front of the mouth in the ‘Esthetic Zone’- the area that we display the most when we talk or smile. Implants that are placed in the Esthetic Zone are often very challenging. Special expertise and attention needs to be given to both the hard and soft tissue contour, gingival harmony, symmetry and colour of the restorations. This is to ensure that the final implant prosthesis appear natural looking. Ultimately, patients with dental implants should look and feel like they are having their own teeth; and speak and eat with comfort and confidence. If you’re looking to replace missing teeth, consider how working with one of Singapore’s leading dental implants clinics could assist you. During a dental implant consultation, initial assessment including a through medical and dental history will be done followed by a detailed clinical and radiographic examination. Availability of bone and any anatomical considerations will be analyzed and evaluated. Treatment options and pricing will be then be discussed to arrive at a the most appropriate solution for the patient.

Management of Severe Gum Problems

Periodontal Disease (Gum Disease) Therapy

Periodontal disease (gum disease) or periodontitis is an infection of the tissues that surround and support your teeth. It is caused by bacteria in dental plaque, the sticky substance that forms on your teeth. It is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Because gum disease is usually painless, patients who are affected may not know they have it. There are several signs and symptoms a patient may present when suffering from periodontal disease. The following include:

• gums that bleed easily
• red, swollen, tender gums
• gums that have pulled away from the teeth
• persistent bad breath or bad taste
• permanent teeth that are loose, separating or drifting/shifting
• traumatic tooth/ teeth vibration when biting or clenching

Research between systemic diseases and periodontal diseases is ongoing. There have been suggestions from some studies indicating that severe gum disease may be associated with several other health conditions such as diabetes or stroke. In summary, there are 2 approaches in the management of periodontal disease, namely non-surgical and surgical therapy.

1. Non-surgical treatment is essentially full mouth debridement using deep scaling and root planing techniques. This includes scraping and removing the plaque and tartar off of your teeth and root surfaces by scaling, and then smoothing away any roughness on the roots to prevent bacteria from gathering again. Depending on the severity of the case, SRP may take more than one visit and a local anaesthetic can be used to prevent any discomfort.
2. Surgical treatment involves reflection of the gum tissues to increase accessibility of the affected sites for improved scaling and root planing, removal of infectious bacteria and smoothing areas of damaged bone. This allows better reattachment of the gum tissues to the healthy bone. On certain occasion, regenerative or bone grafting procedures may be performed to promote the growth of bone in an area where bone has been destroyed previously by periodontal disease.

The procedures performed and management of the above gum disease condition will be by our Specialist Periodontist who has undergone postgraduate training and certification in the said field.

Root Canal Treatment

Endodontics – Root Canal Treatment

Same day treatment is available for multi-stage treatments and to prevent further pain and damage to decayed teeth. Our affiliated Root Canal Specialists will endeavour to alleviate the pain and infection as soon as practicable.

Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ), Bite Therapy & Full Mouth Reconstruction

TMJ disorder or TMD describes those with a misaligned bite, an over closed lower jaw (too close to the upper jaw), excessive or natural wear of the teeth due to clenching or grinding, missing teeth, and more. This can trigger different levels of pain, soreness, stiffness and discomfort in those areas. Lack of muscle synchronization that is stressed during jaw movement can send a message to the nervous system that teeth, gums and muscles are out of balance. Symptoms include facial pain, headaches, shoulder and neck aches; nocturnal bruxism or teeth grinding; clicking sound or sharp pain to the the jaw joints; pain and tenderness around the jaw; difficult movement of the jaws; tenderness & locking jaw; ear congestion & ringing or pressure behind the eyes. TMJ (temporomandibular joint) related problems which are associated with teeth grinding and clenching are the most common. They cause:

1. Pain in the jaw joints (TMJ)
2. Cracked, chipped and fractured teeth.
3. Toothache related to fractured and infected teeth.
4. Misshapen and fractured teeth which traumatise the lips and cheeks.
5. Loss of vertical Facial Height
6. Poor aesthetics.
7. An aged smile

The solutions encompass a myriad of treatment modalities including Bite Therapy, Full Mouth Reconstruction and Rehabilitation. From its inception, Smile Inc. has made reconstructive dentistry one of its key strengths.  Dr Ernest Rex Tan, with his 30 years of experience, coupled with the employment of a multidisciplinary approach to provide the best comprehensive, sustainable and aesthetic outcome, is well placed for the management of such cases.

Painless Dentistry For The Apprehensive And Phobic Patient

In this day and age, visiting the dentist has progressed from an event associated with fear and pain to one associated with a lifestyle choice and making one’s smile more attractive. There are however some patients who still feel apprehensive and fearful due to various reasons. At smile Inc. we strive to help these patients have positive dental experiences and to eventually overcome their apprehension. We do this in several ways:

1. Conservative and minimally invasive approach to all restorations and procedures.
2. Experience, technique and angulation in delivering painless local anesthesia.
3. In-house Specialist Anesthetist who will administer intravenous sedation and/or inhalation sedation so that our patients can undergo dental procedures in a stress free and painless manner. Our patients have commented that they would do any future procedure under our sedation protocols as they have never felt so relaxed, pain free and stress free in a dental environment.

These coupled with the relaxing boutique ambience of our facilities allows for a stress free and positive dental experience.