Dr Poon Kee Hwang

I certainly agree with Dr Singh’s comments. It sounds like your canine is of poor quality as one dentist advised you to keep the healthy premolars? Extraction treatment plans should answer these questions: 1) does the facial and lip profile need to be softened by changing the lip support via extractions? Would taking out teeth cause excessive space to undermine lip support that is currently good, causing an ageing look? 2) Are there alternative ways to create space other than extraction of teeth? Can this be safely achieved? Will it take forever?

Tooth Extractions create immediate space to alleviate tooth problems that it was indicated for. Often times extractions would be indicated near the site of the problem such as first premolars for severe front teeth crowding. This can save time to resolve dental problems that the extractions were indicated for. Dental extractions create fairly large spaces ranging 6. 5-7. 5mm on average for premolar extractions for severe dental bite problems. Non-extraction methods of creating space are generally less and may not resolve very major dental bite problems.

Hi there and thank you for your question. Invisalign is an orthodontic appliance that works by contacting the surfaces of your teeth to nudge them to the next position. Invisalign is customised and designed to be as close-fitting as possible to your tooth surface to effect tooth movement and have a better grip to stay in the mouth. Cavities restored with fillings that follow the original shape of the teeth pose NO PROBLEMS to Invisalign treatment.

Some people would kill for thick lips! Protrusive lips, on the other hand, may make it difficult of you to keep your lips closed in a relaxed way and affect the way you smile and talk. It is important to determine the cause of the protrusive lips. Could it be your upper front teeth that are protrusive, pushing out the upper lip? Could it be the upper jaw bone that is too protrusive? Could there be an underlying gum problem causing the upper teeth to flare forward and as a result, the upper lips are protruding?

With time, our body changes and ages. Just like skin that looses elasticity and collagen, white hair that appear, bone that looses density, so do teeth shift. It’s a natural, slow physiological process. There are steps we can take to keep this natural teeth shift in check. 1) have regular gum cleaning and rental check ups to keep gums in tip top condition. Gums are like the soil propping up trees. Poor gums result in poor support for your teeth and they are more likely to drift and shift. 2) get your teeth position checked by an Orthodontist.

Orthognathic Surgery requires a Team Approach to a complex problem. Orthodontist and Oral Surgeons work together to correct the skeletal imbalance, get the bite to fit in the correct position and develope a gorgeous smile! An underbite occurs when the lower teeth are in front of the upper teeth. This is often the result of a long Lower jaw and short upper jaw or a combination of the 2 issues. An Orthodontist assesseses if there is a dental/ tooth interference causing the lower jaw to be postured forward, giving an illusion of a long lower jaw.

Hi there! In addition to Dr Sylvia's answer, I would like to add the following tips: 1) Avoid eating and drinking with your clear retainers. Food stains from curry, coffee, beetroot etc will penetrate your clear retainers and are very difficult to clean away. 2) Consistency is the Key. Food and Plaque deposits that are left on clear retainers over a long period of time hardens into calculus. This looks like chalky, white substances that are hard to rub off without professional dental help. 3) Do not try to sterilise clear retainers using hot water as this permanently distorts and warps them!