Great question! It is very common to file teeth during Invisalign treatment to create spaces to move the teeth to the correct position. However if the crowding is too severe, then the alternative will be to extract teeth. An assessment by the orthodontist will be able to determine if filing is necessary and the position for filing the teeth. For more information, do come down to our NDCS inaugural public forum “Smile Sparkle Shine- a public forum on Oral Health” on 24 March to find out more!

Thank you for your question! (: There are various ways to whiten your teeth. In order of the “efficiency” and “effectiveness” as what you mentioned, I would rank them accordingly as such from fastest to slowest: In office teeth whitening (in the dental clinic)- generally an hour or so Take home teeth whitening kits (from a dentist)- may take days to 2 weeks OTC teeth whitening products- variable effects Teeth whitening effects are generally “quickened” when the concentration is higher.

Thank you for your question. I am sorry to hear about your accident. “What dentistry procedures would you recommend to replace the tooth? Is implant the best option? ” I assume that the teeth in question are your 2 front teeth? The methods that you can consider to replace your front tooth would be: Dental Implant: Most stable and aesthetic if done well, highest longevity if well maintained. However it is costly and there is a need for surgery. (Dental implant costs are Medisave claimable for the surgical component) Bridge: Good aesthetics achievable.

It may be easier if I outline the similarities and differences here for you: Similarities of MBrace and Invisalign: Both are clear aligners that can move teeth Both needs to be worn at least 20-22hours a day to achieve a good result Both can be removed for brushing teeth and eating Dentists who use both systems will need to undergo a course Both the general dentist and orthodontist can use both systems Differences between MBrace and Invisalign: Invisalign was founded in 1997 and is based in SanJose, California; MBrace was founded in Singapore in 2014.

The extraction of premolar teeth very rarely causes a collapse in face profile, unless it has been carried out without proper diagnosis and treatment planning. You are right that extraction orthodontics are still commonly practised as in Asian faces – most jaws are small, hence teeth are protruding and more crowded. Without extractions, straightening of teeth may sometimes compromise the dental health of the teeth. The reverse orthodontics that you describe is to re-open up the spaces to ‘push’ the teeth back out.

Hi, As for your question on whether you can have any fillings to fill up the gaps, we have to establish the following basic points. 1) How large are the gaps? 2) Are the gaps between the front teeth or at the back? 3) Are they caused by missing teeth or just small general spacings between your teeth? There are numerous ways to fill up the gaps between the teeth eg) with prostheses like implants dentures and bridges. Or normal fillings/ veneers/ crowns to mask the gaps.

I understand that it can be frustrating when faced with a wide range of fees when trying to find a good dentist for your mom. Many clinics all over the island offer dental implant surgery as a treatment option, from the smaller clinics in the suburbs, to the big group practices in town and finally the government institutions like the National Dental Centre. I have written several articles about dental implants, which you can see on my profile.

Thank you for your question about mini-implants. Dr Joanne Lam has answered beautifully in her previous post, and I would just like to add a few thoughts. The use of mini-implants has certainly been controversial. In the dental industry, there have been whispers or rumours of a few dishonest dentists offering mini-implants for patients when they are clearly not appropriate, just to persuade patients to undergo treatment at a lower fee.

Hi there! Most people are generally eligible to some forms of whitening. However, it is advisable for you to inform your practitioner about your teeth sensitivity prior whitening. Not that it will cause disastrous consequences, but it would make your teeth whitening procedure a little less unpleasant. Teeth sensitivity could be due to 1) Decay 2) Persistent gum inflammation 3) General teeth hypersensivity due to wear of enamel layer If teeth sensitive is really an issue prior whitening, I would get it addressed before the procedure.

thanks for the question. Firstly, there are several reasons for the teeth to appear squarish, which prompt people to seek treatment in order to have a set of teeth with nicer dimensions. With the right diagnosis, dentists will be in a better position to advise the chances of relapse. They key term to predict whether the gum will relapse after gum contouring treatment is "Biological Width". The gum needs to be about 3mm away from the bone underneath. A good way to predict whether the gum will relapse is through a technique called "bone sounding".

I fully agree with Dr Lee that chewing on one side will do little to help with the problem. In my experience as an aesthetic physician, it is as Dr Lee said, most of us have mild asymmetries, and almost every case of asymmetry has a mixture of BOTH bony and muscular elements. If the asymmetry is bothering you, I would suggest some botox and fillers first to correct it as a temporary measure. I would refer to my dental or orthodontic colleagues to correct teeth alignment and jaw surgery for better functional outcomes and long-lasting results.

Hi denticonomist! Stains of the enamel surfaces can definitely be treated by microabrasion but this would not be my first line of treatment for a couple of reasons: 1) It is an irreversible procedure. In microabrasion, a very strong acid is applied to the enamel surface and scrubbed in to lift off the surface enamel that contains the defect. Even though this enamel removal is microscopic, your tooth will never be quite the same as an intact virgin tooth.

Thank you for your question. Depending on the cause of your gummy smile, treatment options can range from simply just gingivectomy (i. e. gum contouring only), or crown lengthening (i. e. gum and bone contouring) or orthognathic surgery (i. e. jaw reconstruction). It is not within the scope of treatment of undergraduates. However they can be handled by the postgraduates at NUH (i. e.

Gum contouring can be performed for either esthetic or functional purposes e. g. crown lengthening, pocket reduction, and regenerative procedures. There are also different modes of gum contouring treatment e. g. by laser or scalpel with or without the need to remove bone surrounding the tooth. The prices for the different modes of treatment would be different. Also your insurance and Medisave may be able to cover gum contouring procedures that are performed for functional purposes.

Dear Lynn, Many of my patients have asked me that question too, so rest assured, you’re not the only one wondering about it. In terms of creating a V-shaped face with a sharper chin, this is usually the illusion created as a result of moving the teeth inwards with orthodontic treatment. Most of our Asian patients have protrusive teeth, where the teeth are flared outwards and push the lips forward, making them very prominent. Crooked teeth with outwardly placed upper canine teeth (aka vampire teeth) can also cause the upper lip to be raised and appear full.