Preventive Dental Cares

Regular Dental Examination, Clean and Flouride Treatment (every 6 months)

During an initial comprehensive or periodic dental exam we will thoroughly check your teeth, gums and general oral condition.

If any treatment is needed, we will explain options, procedures and costs in plain language you can understand. Verbal and/or written estimates will be given for any treatment upon request.

Having your teeth cleaned regularly (normally every 6 months) is an essential part of keeping your teeth and gums healthy. Plaque and calculus (i.e. calcified plaque or hard tartar) will be gently removed. These deposits are sometimes visible above the gum or hidden under the gum where the gum and tooth meet. Plaque and calculus contain large amount of bacteria and if not removed cause decay, bleeding gums as well as bad breath. In severe cases this leads to a chronic advanced gum disease called periodontitis.

After a thorough clean we normally apply concentrated fluoride gel to strengthen the tooth surfaces and help prevent decay.

Regular Dental X-Rays

We use digital x-rays which have much lower dose of radiation compared to the conventional ones. Digital images are shown on the computer screen in seconds and recorded to your file. The images can then be manipulated using the software to further enhance the diagnostic value of the x-rays. Taking low-dose digital x-rays ensures patients’ radiation safety in the dental care.

Mouthguards

Anyone who participates in a sport that carries a risk of contact to the face should wear a mouthguard. This includes obvious sports such as football, boxing and rugby, as well as collision sports where unexpected contact often happens, such as basketball, hockey, water polo, lacrosse, netball, baseball, softball, squash, soccer, BMX bike riding, horse riding, skateboarding, in-line skating, trampolining, cricket, water skiing and snow ski racing.

A mouthguard helps absorb the shock experienced by a blow to the face, which might otherwise result in an injury to the mouth or jaw. A heavy collision can result in chipped or broken teeth, internal damage to a tooth, tooth loss, injuries to the soft tissue of the mouth, and, in severe cases, concussion or a broken jaw.

Injuries like these can lead to long and potentially expensive treatment to restore teeth and the mouth back to normal function and appearance. Therefore, mouthguards should be worn whilst playing and training for any sport that could involve contact to the face.

Wearing a custom-fitted mouthguard, which is routinely created at Prime Dental Care, is the easiest way to protect you from devastating oral trauma and expensive dental bills.

Teeth grinding during nights can be caused not only by stress and anxiety but also by sleep disorders, an abnormal bite or teeth that are missing or crooked. The symptoms of teeth grinding include:

• dull headaches
  
• jaw soreness
  
• teeth that are painful or loose
  
• fractured teeth
  

Teeth grinding is also common in children. Although in adults teeth grinding is often the result of stress, the same is not always true with children.

Other possible causes of teeth grinding in children include irritation in the mouth, allergies,and misaligned teeth.

However, because their teeth and jaws change and grow so quickly it is not usually a damaging habit that requires treatment and most outgrow it by adolescence.

If you're concerned about your teeth grinding or your child's teeth grinding, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will discuss about the potential causes with you and, if necessary, we can fit you or your child with a mouthguard to protect your teeth during sleep.

Tooth Fillings (We only use white fillings)

Composite resins (i.e. white fillings) are used to restore decayed teeth for a few decades. Their mechanical properties have been improved dramatically since late 20th century. White composite fillings are bonded to the tooth surface, which is completely different to the mechanism of the mechanical retention of the amalgam fillings. Because they are more preservative and aesthetic, we only use the colour-matched white composite fillings to fill the teeth.

After medical consultation with their GPs as well as doing some blood tests, some people may have health concerns associated with their old amalgam fillings. Others may concern about the aesthetics of these “black” fillings even though they are in the back teeth. Therefore white composite fillings are not only used for replacing amalgam fillings but also used for cosmetic improvements of the smile by changing the colour of the teeth or reshaping disfigured teeth. We offer the service to remove the existing amalgam fillings and refill the teeth with white composite fillings.

Root Canal Treatment (We do RCT not only for the front teeth, but also for the premolar and molar teeth)

Root canal treatment (i.e. endodontic treatment) treats the inside of the tooth when the pulp (i.e. dental nerve) becomes inflamed or infected. The inflammation or infection can have a variety of causes, such as deep decay, repeated dental procedures on the tooth, faulty crowns, or a crack or chip in the tooth. In addition, trauma to a tooth may cause pulp damage even if the tooth has no visible chips or cracks. If pulp inflammation or infection is left untreated, it can cause pain or lead to an abscess. 

Saving the natural tooth with root canal treatment has many advantages:

• Efficient chewing
  
• Normal biting force and sensation
  
• Natural appearance
  
• Protects other teeth from excessive wear or strain
  

We routinely do root canal treatment for the patients who have irreversible nerve infection in their front teeth, premolar teeth as well as molar teeth. By doing root canal treatment we help patients maintain their natural smile, continue eating the foods they love and limit the need for ongoing dental work. With our proper care, most teeth that have had root canal treatment can last as long as other natural teeth and often for a lifetime.

Crowns & Bridges

Both crowns and most bridges are fixed prosthetic devices. Unlike removable devices such as dentures, which you can take out and clean daily, crowns and bridges are cemented onto existing teeth or implants, and can only be removed by a dentist.

A crown is used to entirely cover or “cap” a damaged tooth. Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve its appearance, shape or alignment. A crown can also be placed on top of an implant to provide a tooth-like shape and structure for function. Porcelain or ceramic crowns can be matched to the colour of your natural teeth. Other materials include gold, metal alloys, and acrylic. Metal alloys are generally stronger than porcelain and may be recommended for back teeth. Porcelain bonded to a metal shell is often used because it is both strong and attractive. Nevertheless, full ceramic crowns are often used for the front teeth for better aesthetic results.

We recommend a crown in the following conditions:

• Replace a large filling when there isn't enough tooth remaining
  
• Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
  
• Restore a fractured tooth
  
• Attach a bridge
  
• Cover a dental implant
  
• Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment
  

Bridges are commonly used to replace one or more missing teeth. Gaps left by missing teeth eventually cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a bad bite. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can also lead to gum disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space. These teeth, called abutments, serve as anchors for the bridge. A replacement tooth, called a pontic, is attached to the crowns that cover the abutments. As with crowns, you have a choice of materials for bridges. Porcelain or ceramic bridges can be matched to the colour of your natural teeth. We can help you decide which to use, based on the location of the missing tooth or teeth, its function, aesthetic considerations and cost..

Extractions (We do both simple and surgical extractions including wisdom teeth extractions)

There are several reasons for extracting a tooth:

• Severely damaged or traumatised teeth
  
• Malpositioned or non-functioning teeth
  
• Orthodontic treatment (e.g. premolars)
  
• Extra teeth (i.e. supernumerary teeth)
  
• Before head and neck radiation therapy
  
• Before chemotherapy
  
• Before organ transplant
  
• Commonly extracted teeth (e.g. wisdom teeth)
  
• Some permanent teeth that have not erupted (e.g. the embedded canines)
  

There are two types of tooth extractions: simple extractions and surgical extractions. Simple extractions are normally straightforward and take less time to complete. Surgical extractions are often referred to as difficult extractions, which normally include tooth division and bone removal. We routinely offer the services for both simple and surgical extractions as well as wisdom teeth extractions.

Gum Treatment

Our mouths are full of bacteria. These bacteria, along with mucus and other particles, constantly form a sticky and colourless film called “plaque” on teeth. Brushing and flossing help get rid of plaque. Plaque that is not removed can harden and form tartar (i.e. calculus) that brushing doesn’t clean. Only a professional cleaning by a dentist or dental hygienist can remove the hard tartar.

The longer plaque and tartar are on teeth, the more harmful they become. The bacteria cause inflammation of the gums that is called “gingivitis”. In gingivitis, the gums become red, swollen and can bleed easily even when you brush the teeth. Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease that can usually be reversed with daily brushing and flossing, as well as regular professional cleaning by a dentist or dental hygienist. This form of gum disease does not include any loss of bone and tissue that hold teeth in place.

When gingivitis is not treated, it can advance to “periodontitis”. In periodontitis, gums pull away from the teeth and form spaces called “pockets” that become infected. The body’s immune system fights the bacteria as the plaque spreads and grows below the gum line. Bacterial toxins and the body’s natural response to infection start to break down the bone and connective tissue that hold teeth in place. If not treated, the bones, gums, and tissue that support the teeth are destroyed. The teeth may eventually become loose and have to be removed.

We offer routine gum treatment (i.e. deep scaling/clean) as well as emergency management for acute gum infection. We also do the restoration-related gum treatment, such as crown lengthening, gingivectomy, etc.

Dental Emergency Management

The common dental emergencies that we normally treat include toothache, dental trauma, lost restorations, broken fillings or teeth, orofacial swelling, acute gum infection (i.e. pericoronitis) associated with wisdom teeth, and post-operative haemorrhage following dental extraction, etc.

As we do keep emergency time set aside to accommodate dental emergencies, the same day management or treatment is normally provided if you contact us before lunch time.