General Dentistry

Preventive Measures

Bad breath/ mouth odour is also known as halitosis which is an embarrassing condition that can affect anyone anytime. There can be variety of causes for halitosis. Some of them involve medical problems that can be quite serious. So it is always worth diagnosing the problem before getting it treated. The common causes are- 1) Infrequent brushing and flossing. 2) Plaque and tartar. 3) Oral diseases and infection. 4) Dry mouth 5) Cigarrete smoking 6) Medical conditions like- a) Diabetes b) Chronic kidney failure c) Respiratory problems d) Sinusitis Treatment and Prevention Root cause should be identified and treated. Visit your dentist every six months for a routine check-up and cleaning of your teeth. Brush and floss regularly. For a temporary relief you can use chewing gums, mints, breath sprays and certain mouth rinses. Crown & Bridges Crowns A crown is a tooth cap which covers the tooth to restore its shape, size, function and strength. A crown is recommended in following situations- To restore a large filling when there isn’t enough tooth structure remaining. After a root canal treatment to prevent the tooth from fracture. Placed on the top of dental implant to provide form, function and aesthetic of a natural tooth. To restore the fractured tooth. Can be used in smile makeover/smile designing cases. To improve the appearance of a discoloured or poorly shaped tooth. Types of dental crowns- 1. Porcelain fused to metal crowns 2. Captek crowns 3. All porcelain crowns 4. Zirconia crowns 5. CAD/CAM crowns Bridges A bridge is used to replace one or more missing teeth by “bridging” the gap between two remaining teeth. Gaps left by missing teeth cause various problems like rotation or shifting of adjacent teeth which results in disturbing the bite. Thus a bridge helps to- Prevent the rotation or tilting of adjacent teeth into empty places. Prevent the bad bite due to shifting of adjacent teeth. Prevent the supra eruption of opposing tooth. Prevent the gum diseases. Prevent the TMJ disorderthat results due to imbalance of bite. Prevent the decay of adjacent teeth. To replace a missing tooth with a conventional 3-unit    bridge, the teeth adjacent to the gap are prepared      The custom-made       bridge is fitted,         adjusted, and        permanently     cemented into place. Tooth Decay What is tooth decay (caries)? Tooth decay is a process of cavitation of tooth that occurs when bacteria in your mouth make acids which dissolve the outer layer of the tooth. Causes of decay It occurs when your teeth are frequently exposed to food containing carbohydrates. The combination of food and bacteria causes the decay. Signs and symptoms of tooth decay The tooth decay at initial stage usually does not have any sign and symptom. Treatment The treatment depends on the severity of the dental decay. To prevent the decay- pit and fissure sealants should be applied on the occlusal surface of teeth. To reverse the slightest decay- fluoride application should be given to teeth biannually specially to children. To fix superficial cavities caused by mild tooth decay-tooth colored fillings are required. For severe decay involving pulp (nerves) - root canal treatment is required. For extreme cases of decay- extraction may be required. Tooth Colored Fillings Tooth coloured filling is the process by which enamel-like composite resin is bonded to the tooth’s surface, sculpted to an ideal shape, hardened and polished. This technique can be used for both front and back cavities. Wisdom Teeth Removal Wisdom teeth, also referred to as the "third molars", are as important as other teeth, but more prone to problems during their eruption (breaking through the gum tissue). Since wisdom teeth are the last to erupt — usually between the ages of 17 and 21 — there often is little room left in the mouth. As a result, wisdom teeth may erupt sideways, only partially, or become trapped (impacted), leading to pain, infection, and gum line and facial swelling. When any of these conditions arise, we may determine that wisdom tooth extraction is necessary. We at Signature Smiles perform wisdom teeth removal with a minor surgical procedure performed under general anesthesia by a oral surgeon Painless Extraction We at signature smiles, try our best to save each and every tooth possible. However, sometimes in case of extensive decay and infection the removal of the tooth becomes mandatory. In such cases minor surgical procedure is performed under local anesthesia by a skilled surgeon. At signature Smiles tooth extraction is done with the help of advanced techniques to minimize pain and to preserve the gums and supporting bone, so that our patients are comfortable, saving their tooth supporting bone, for further replacement by implants.