Routine Dentistry
Scaling and Polishing
Our dentists will remove the plaque and tartar deposits that have accumulated on the teeth over time. Regular scaling and polishing will help you in keeping your teeth healthy, clean and in working condition.
During this visit, we also check for any decay and other problems. We believe in a preventive approach to dentistry – meaning we try to identify potential problems before they occur.
Tooth Coloured Fillings
A tooth filling repairs broken, damaged, or decayed parts of your teeth. The dentist first cleans and removes decaying areas before building the tooth back to its original form using a tooth-coloured filling material. This is usually a fairly painless procedure. However, knowing that everyone has different levels of pain tolerance, we are able to numb your tooth before working on it, at your request.
Many patients do not feel any pain or sensitivity during the early stages of tooth decay. Most are unaware that they have any decay at all, until the decay process gets more advanced.
If you have a decaying tooth, it is important to repair it with a filling. Not only does this prevent a possible toothache, it also avoids the need for more complex and expensive treatment in the future.
At Tanglin Dental, we only use imported filling materials from premium American and Japanese brands like 3M, GC and Shofu. All our filling materials are tooth-coloured and mercury-free.
Tooth Extraction/Removal
Why do I need to take out my tooth?
Tooth Decay
Poor oral hygiene and a highly acidic / sugary diet causes tooth decay. Tooth decay simply means that there is a “hole” in the tooth. In more severe cases if the hole is too big and too much of the tooth is decayed, it may be better to remove the tooth and consider teeth replacement options such as dental implant, dental bridge or dentures.
Periodontal or Gum Disease
Gum disease is often a silent problem that continues with no pain and no real problem until it gets severe enough that the tooth starts to become mobile “shaky”. A shaky tooth can cause pain on biting due to the unstable position of the tooth pressing on the infected gums. Periodontal (gum) disease is often caused by the build-up of plaque and tartar on the teeth. Gum disease is usually a combination of hygiene issues (like not flossing regularly), genetic predisposition, chronic health issues (heart disease or diabetes) and age.
Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums surrounding the teeth, while periodontitis is the inflammation of the bones and tissues surrounding the teeth.
If the integrity of the bone or gum around the tooth deteriorates too much, then it may be necessary to remove the tooth in favor of a dental bridge or dental crown to preserve the surrounding teeth.
Trauma
Sometimes, an accident causes a tooth to become too damaged to save. When this is the case, tooth extraction is a necessary part of the recovery process. Otherwise, a damaged tooth could become severely infected and eventually require a procedure like a root canal that can be just as painful.
Overcrowding
Aside from pain, tooth impaction can also cause overcrowding of the teeth, which can further cause otherwise straight and well-aligned smiles to become crooked. Removing the problematic teeth in the back of the mouth can open up free space for the rest of the teeth to spread out as needed, preserving your straight smile without the need for braces.
Root Canal Treatment
In some cases of severe tooth pain, root canal treatment may be required.
This procedure is usually done in 2 stages.
Removing the irreversibly inflamed or infected tooth nerves that lie within the tooth. The root canals are cleaned with special rotary endodontic files. This stage usually gets rid of the toothache.
Once the pain and infection is gone, the root canals and the tooth are filled up. Most root canal treated teeth are quite brittle and require a protective cap called a crown.
Contrary to popular belief, root canal treatment generally is not painful! We use a strong local anaesthetic and only start the treatment once the patient is fully numb.
Bad Breath Treatment
Bad breath odors vary, depending on the source or the underlying cause. Because it's difficult to assess how your own breath smells, ask a close friend or relative to confirm your bad-breath questions.
If you have bad breath, review your oral hygiene habits. Try making lifestyle changes, such as brushing your teeth and tongue after eating, using dental floss, and drinking plenty of water.
If your bad breath persists after making such changes, see your dentist. If your dentist suspects a more serious condition is causing your bad breath, he or she may refer you to a physician to find the cause of the odor.
Image source: mayoclinic.org/
