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.

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.

The Singapore Dental Council does not list implant dentistry as a separate specialty. The specialties that train dentists for implant placement are oral & maxillofacial surgery, periodontics (gum) and even endodontics (root canal) fields. You can check if your dentist is listed on the specialist dental register here. The Dental Specialist Accreditation Board (DSAB) is the body that is responsible for the accreditation and listing of dental specialists in Singapore. This does not mean that general dentists (non-specialists) are prohibited from placing implants.

Implant procedures can come in different price points due to a few factors. It mainly boils down to 3 factors, which is: 1. Implant brand There are many different implant brands in market, originating from different places/ country. They may come in different sizes too and some may be suitable to you but not to another person. Each brand cost differently and of course each has their own strengths and weaknesses too. 2. Implant procedure There are different procedures in placing an implant.

Most dental clinics that do implants would be able to facilitate an implant retained denture. As Dr JD has explained, cost of total treatment depends on how easy or difficult the implant placement would be in the lower jaw. For the implant surgery portion - this is claimable by medisave. The medisave account used can either be patient's personal account, of account of family member.

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.

The infection happening around the dental implant screw is causing failure in osseointegration (integration between bone and implant screw) and this means the foundation of the Dental Implant is weak. Ossesointegration is one of the most important process in determining the success or failure of Dental Implant procedure. (Think of building a house.

Thank you for your enquiry, dental implants are the gold standard for replacing missing teeth but they are certainly not for everybody. There is a long list of indications and contra-indications for dental implants which is beyond the scope of this sessions, but I will try to mention some of the common ones here. In a generally healthy person with no systemic medical problems or relevant medical history, here are some common issues that might prevent you from being suitable to get dental implants done immediately.

The simple answer to that question is that it depends. The truth is there are many variables that might contribute to whether or not a patient experiences pain when undergoing dental implant surgery.

The short answer is that it depends. Every patient is different and each case is decided upon on its unique merits and clinical situation. Sometimes you can have an immediate implant placed right after the tooth is extracted. Other times , it is best to wait 3-6 months for the site to heal and regenerate before the implant is placed.

Yes, you can fix the gap if you have too many teeth. If your teeth are really crooked and you lose one tooth, one of the options is instead of using dental implants, we actually close the gap. But that would mean that you need to have more teeth than usual. It’ll just be like a normal extraction. That’s actually quite rare. If your teeth are neatly lined up, and then your tooth actually cracks, then you cannot do that because if you shift the teeth in front then you’ll just be missing teeth behind.

It is very difficult to predict the extent of facial changes due to extraction-type braces treatment. Even for patients who have jaw surgery done, the true extent of their facial changes as a result of the treatment cannot be predicted with 100% accuracy. The changes that we tend to see with extraction of 4 premolars is reduction in the protrusion of your lips and softening of the nasolabial folds. It is rare that the chin point will change much in an adult. I am not sure if the hollowing out of your cheeks is due to extraction of the premolars.

Thank you for your question about mini-implants. I get this question a lot at my practice and I am happy to share with you and other readers my views on the matter. The use of mini-implants has certainly been controversial. The key to success for any mini-implant case starts with understanding its indications and contraindications and its pitfalls when indicated wrongly. Latest scientific evidence concludes that Mini implants have limited applications, and should be considered only in certain cases. Here are some common examples when Mini Implants can be considered: 1.

Initial consults for dental implants differ from dentist to dentist. These differences are the result of differences in undergraduate training, postgraduate education, years of experience performing dental implant surgery as well as practice philosophy. Therefore, it is important that you ask questions to clarify doubts during the consultation so that you can make an informed decision.

To list every single risk and complication of dental implant surgery is beyond the scope of this session.