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A healthy diet is a balanced diet that includes the major food groups such as fruits, vegetables, grains, meat and beans, and milk in the right servings. A healthy balanced diet is not just essential for overall growth and development of a child but also required for teeth and gums to develop properly.

Frequent intake of a diet high in sugar puts a person at extra risk of tooth decay. Sugar can be found in soda, juices and many foods especially the processed foods. It can also be found in milk. We have to look beyond the sugar and candy dish when checking for sugar. This does not mean that we have to give up all foods with sugar; the key is to select and serve wisely. Foods that are sweet and sticky have more potential to cause cavities. Sugary foods are safer for teeth when eaten with a meal than as a snack. You can ask your paediatric dentist to help assess your child’s diet.

Aesthetic dentistry (aka Cosmetic Dentistry) is the integration of three ideals – looking good, good health and a healthy, enduring smile. The bonus is that typically you will be looking younger as well.

There are a variety of aesthetic dentistry/cosmetic dentistry treatments which can improve your smile – from replacing old amalgam (silver) fillings with tooth-coloured bonding material, to dental veneers which restore shape and colour to the teeth, or crowns and implants to replace irreparable loss. The important thing is, you do have simple, cost effective aesthetic dentistry/cosmetic dentistry options.

Veneers for aesthetic dentistry / cosmetic dentistry

Veneers are a great solution for misshapen or broken teeth. Dental veneers are thin, tooth-coloured shells made from porcelain or resin, which are carefully crafted to bond to and cover the front of unsightly teeth. While porcelain veneers will have a more lustrous and durable finish, composite resin veneers also create an attractive finish.

Composite resin is not a new material. It has been around since the 1960s, however modern techniques have allowed us to use this material in unique ways. Composite resin is primarily made of a nano-sized (one thousandth of a millimeter) glass-like particle matrix. It is a paste material that once set by a blue light (UV or LED), will harden to the texture and hardness of enamel.

Advantages of porcelain veneers for aesthetic dentistry / cosmetic dentistry

• Porcelain veneers create a more life-like tooth effect. Porcelain has a translucency that is similar to your natural teeth, and while teeth lose this luster as you age, porcelain veneers retain their beautiful, natural and youthful look.
• Porcelain veneers are stain-resistant, which is particularly important for those who smoke, or drink black coffee or red wine.

Advantages of resin veneers

• Resin veneers can be placed on the tooth directly, so a final result is achieved in a single visit. Porcelain veneers are constructed in a lab, so you need to make two visits.
• Resin veneers are molded by the dentist into the ideal shape directly onto the tooth. Porcelain veneers are fabricated in the lab based on the impression taken by the dentist.
• Resin veneers are very conservative, that is, only a very small amount of your original tooth needs to be pared back for the veneer. Porcelain veneers require a little more of the tooth to be pared.
• Resin veneers are easily re-shaped, repaired, polished and maintained.
• Resin veneers are cheaper as there are no dental lab costs are incurred.

Resin veneers are best done on teeth with minor to moderate size or shape defects on teeth. If your teeth have been untouched by any fillings, and you are not sure how much smile improvement (i.e. aesthetic dentistry/cosmetic dentistry) you want, resin dental veneers are best. They are strong, durable and cost effective, and there is always the option of ‘upgrading’ to porcelain later.

Dental implants/Tooth Implants are the single most important advancement in dentistry.

Tooth extraction is quite common due to poor dental health and gum disease. Leaving the missing tooth space empty may not sound too serious, but the consequences of not filling in the space can include:

• Adjacent teeth changing position
• Shrinking of the jawbone, making the face appear prematurely older
• Reduced self-confidence and a less appealing smile

What are dental implants?

Dental Implants are small titanium screws placed in bone to replace the root of a missing tooth. The titanium dental implant becomes integrated with the bone in a process known as osseointegration.

The abutment, and a crown or bridge, restores the missing part of the tooth/teeth above the gum.

The dental implant-supported restoration looks, feels and functions virtually like a real tooth. It is a permanent replacement solution for a missing tooth and can be used to replace dentures anywhere in the mouth. Dental implant supported restorations can truly increase the quality of life and allow you to enjoy food better.

Types of dental implant restorations:

• Crowns
• Bridges
• Dental implant-supported hybrid dentures
• Dental implant-retained bridges

A dental implant should be considered when:

• A tooth is beyond repair and requires an extraction
• Teeth are missing
• The number of teeth is insufficient for a tooth-supported bridge
• Upper and lower jaws are edentulous
• Dentures are loose or uncomfortable

Benefits of Getting Dental Implants

Undergoing a dental implant procedure delivers benefits that are unique from other tooth treatment or replacement options. A few of them are:

• Improves Speech Ability – Missing teeth affect your ability to speak properly. Dental implants function and feel like ordinary teeth, allowing you to pronounce words clearly and easily.
• Looks Like Natural Teeth – The dentist performing the tooth implant makes sure the replacement tooth fits nicely and matches the colour of your natural teeth.
• Keeps Your Smile Consistent and Straight – A missing tooth forms a gap, which could cause neighbouring teeth to shift positions. Dental implants solve this gap to give you an even and beautiful smile.
• Supports the Structure of Your Face – Your teeth play an important role in preserving your facial structure. Losing them could alter the shape of your face. An area of your face, for instance, could look sunken or collapsed. Oral implants provide essential support to your face.
• Improves Self-Confidence – Having missing teeth negatively affects self-esteem. Replacing them with natural-looking oral implants allows you to flash a flawless and beautiful smile.

Who is suitable for dental implants?

Basically, if you are healthy enough to have a tooth taken out, you are probably healthy enough to have a dental implant placed.

Patients are usually concerned about being too old for the procedure. There is no maximum age limit to who can receive a dental implant, only a minimum age limit. Patients who are still growing are usually not suitable for dental implant procedure.

Who is not suitable for dental implants?

Patients with the following conditions must be carefully evaluated:

•  Uncontrolled diabetes
• Steroid therapy
• Connective tissue disorders

Complete Your Smile with TP Dental

Our clinic in Singapore is equipped with the latest technology to replace your missing or lost teeth with our oral implants. With our advanced dental technology and team of experienced dentists, you can look forward to a restored smile.

All parents know that a young child is not a small adult. Similarly, baby teeth are different from permanent teeth and present with their own unique set of conditions and treatment needs, such as Early Childhood Caries, an aggressive form of tooth decay in very young children often linked to milk bottle habits.

In addition to this, younger infants and pre-schooling children often present a challenge both in what they can understand, and what procedures they can cope with in the dental chair.

Paediatric Dentistry is thus an age-defined specialty, just like Paediatric Medicine. It encompasses all aspects of oral care in children from birth all the way to adolescence.

Here at TP dental our dentists are trained and adept in providing the dental care that your children require, in a safe and fun environment.

What to Expect on your Child’s First Dental Visit?

The primary goal of this visit is to examine your child by gaining their trust and cooperation. Your child will be orientated to the dental setting and shown the dental chair and examination tools in a fun and non-threatening way.

After an examination involving “counting teeth”, x-rays may be taken if necessary. A dental risk assessment and treatment plan will then be discussed, along with instructions on oral hygiene, diet and prevention.

Depending on the situation and cooperation of your child, the first visit may be brief and involve no treatment, especially if your child is fearful. However most children are able to cope with an initial round of tooth cleaning. Most importantly, your child’s first dental visit is the key to instilling a positive dental attitude in both child and parent, and in setting the tone for future treatment visits and reviews.

DO’s and DON’T’s of preparing your child for the first dental visit:

DO’s

• Show your child before-hand what a trip to the dentist looks like, using online resources, books or apps.
• Practice the examination at home before-hand, by asking your child to open wide while you place a toothbrush in their mouth like a dental mirror
• Before the visit, tell your child that they are going to the dentist to have their teeth “counted” and to learn how to brush their teeth better.
• Make sure that your child is well-rested and fed with a light meal before the dental visit.
• Bring along your child’s favourite comfort toy/blanket if it will help to calm them during the examination. 
• Treat the visit as just another fun activity you introduce to your child, and not a particularly significant event.

DONT’s

• Threaten a misbehaving child by promising them a trip to the dentist.
• Use words like “pain”, “drill”, “needle”, “injection”, and “pluck out all your teeth” before and during the dental visit.
• Tell your child that you yourself are afraid of dentists, as this fear will certainly be transmitted to them.
• Feed your child too much food before the visit as there is a risk that they may throw up in an unfamiliar environment.
• Come for the dental visit if your child is feeling unwell or not rested properly and thus not in the best of moods.
• Tell your child that you are bringing them to the playground or shopping, when in fact you are coming for the dental visit.
• Wait until your child complains of pain before bringing them for a dental examination!

What Happens If Your Child is Simply too Fearful?

Sometimes however, no matter how well you prepare your children, they may simply be too young, fearful or unwilling to cooperate, or their treatment needs may be too complex. At TP Dental our Pedodontist is on hand for just this situation.

A pedodontist is a dental specialist who has undergone 3 years of extensive post-graduate training in addition to the basic dental degree in order to acquire the knowledge and expertise to manage all aspects of childhood dental health. Pedodontists are registered as dental specialists with the Singapore Dental Council (SDC).

The pedodontist cares for your child’s dental health in the following ways:

• Risk assessment and prevention of early childhood dental disease such as milk bottle dental caries.
• Behaviour management of childhood fear and anxiety in the dental chair, as well as behaviour-shaping for a positive dental attitude.
• Management of extensive and/or complex restorative dental needs, such as multiple fillings or root canal treatment in baby te
• Emergency management of accidental traumatic injuries such as falls or sports injuries to the teeth.
• Dental care of children with special needs or complex medical conditions (the pedodontist is accredited to perform hospital-care dentistry, in this case with the Mount Elizabeth Orchard Hospital).

Endodontist / Endodontics

Endodontics is the area of dentistry that deals with issues involving the innermost region of each individual tooth. Within the walls of every tooth, comprising the enamel and dentine, is a space containing the pulp. This space is called the pulp chamber, which extends into the roots of the tooth, making up the root canals. The pulp has many tiny blood vessels and nerve endings and it is this that make teeth “sensitive”.

When the pulp of a tooth is irritated, it becomes inflamed in a process called pulpitis.

If the irritation is persistant or severe, then irreversible pulpitis ensues and the symptoms can be severe toothache. The most common cause of such irritation is dental caries or tooth decay with cavities. Other causes include trauma (eg accidents) or severe wear and tear leading to attrition and cracks. Teeth with fillings which are very deep or teeth with crowns and bridges may also subsequently develop pulpitis due to prior damage to the pulp. In some situations, the pulp may become infected and a dental abscess or gum boil may form even in the absence of pain. Discolouration or darker coloured teeth can also be indications of root canal problems.

Treatment for irreversible pulpitis or infection of the root canals is called root canal treatment. This involves cleaning and re-shaping the root canals so that medicaments can be placed in them. The root canals will subsequently need to be obturated or sealed up to prevent ingress of germs which can cause infection. Analgesics or pain killers are often prescribed to help to resolve the painful symptoms. Antibiotic therapy is sometimes necessary to help fight infection. Root canal treated teeth often require crowning to restore them to function and to prevent further damage to the teeth.

Sometimes, previously root canal treated teeth can become infected if the seal of the root canal filling is breached by bacteria. Re-treatment of the root canals may become necessary. Surgical treatment, where the infection around the root tips are treated by a procedure called apicoectomy, is sometimes indicated.

The alternative to root canal treatment is usually extraction of the teeth, which is why Endodontists are often considered specialists in saving teeth.

What are root canal treatments?

Root canal treatment saves your teeth! “Endo” is the Greek word for “inside” and “odont” is Greek for “tooth.” Endodontic treatment treats the inside of the tooth. One of the most common endodontic treatments is root canal treatment.

Inside a tooth is a soft, living tissue called the pulp (also called the “nerve”). The pulp contains blood vessels, fibers and nerves. A root canal treatment is needed when the pulp becomes inflamed or infected. The endodontist (root canal specialist) will remove the inflamed or infected pulp, carefully clean and shape the inside of the root canal, then fill and seal the space.

Your dentist or prosthodontist will then place a crown or other restoration on the tooth to protect and restore it to full function. After restoration, the tooth continues to look, feel and function like any other tooth.

Benefits of Undergoing a Root Canal Treatment 

Dentists may recommend a root canal treatment as a way to save and treat a damaged or infected tooth. Patients going through this oral procedure will enjoy the following benefits, later on:

• Relief of Pain and Other Symptoms – The root canal procedure involves taking out the diseased tissue to remove tooth sensitivity and pain. Eliminating the infected tissue also offers relief from related symptoms, such as abscess discharge and fever.
• Prevention of Complications – An oral infection, if left unchecked or untreated, could result in more serious health problems. The infection, for instance, could travel to other organs. Root canal therapy eliminates the infection, thereby helping to prevent sepsis and other major complications.
• Restored Chewing Efficiency – A decayed tooth can affect a person’s chewing ability. Undergoing root canal treatment and preserving the tooth brings the chewing efficiency of the teeth back to normal.

Check If You Need Root Canal Therapy

Turn to TP Dental if you’re experiencing oral symptoms that may require root canal therapy. Our dentist in Singapore will determine if this treatment option is ideal for your situation.

What is Topical Fluoride?

Topical Fluoride is a natural element which is found as an active ingredient in many dental products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, gels and varnishes. It is used routinely to prevent tooth decay.

Topical Fluoride prevents the loss of minerals from tooth enamel and encourages remineralization. It forms a more acid resistant surface which is less prone to acid attacks by the bacteria.

The use of Topical Fluoride to prevent and control decay has been proven to be safe and effective. Nevertheless, ingestion of excessive fluoride in young children can lead to fluorosis of the developing adult teeth. Fluorosis is usually mild, appearing as white streaks or specks on the tooth surface. In severe cases, the teeth may be pitted and discoloured brown. Check with your paediatric dentist for the right amount of toothpaste to use for your young children. Parents should always dispense toothpaste for their young children to prevent them from swallowing excessive amount.

Application of Topical Fluoride

Professionally applied topical fluoride is a preventive agent that contains fluoride in high concentration. It can come as a gel that is placed on a foam tray and held against the teeth for a few minutes or as a varnish that is painted on the enamel of the teeth. Varnish is useful for young patients and those patients who may not be able to tolerate the foam tray.

What are dentures

Dentures are artificial teeth that can be removed. Many people who are missing one tooth, several teeth or all their teeth, benefit greatly from denture teeth. Made from the latest polymer resin materials, dentures are very natural looking and they can be matched in color and appearance to your other teeth.

Why do people need dentures?

Without support from teeth and dentures, facial muscles sag, making a person look older. With dentures, you’ll be able to eat and speak – things that people often take for granted until their natural teeth are gone.

Types of dentures

A complete denture is for people who have no teeth in their lower jaw or upper jaw, or both jaws. Complete dentures should be removed and cleaned daily to keep your gums healthy and to allow your tissues to relax.

Partial dentures are for people who have some natural teeth remaining, or who only need to replace a few teeth. The benefits are the same as for full denture wearers: your facial muscles will be supported, your smile improved and your ability to chew and speak will be enhanced. The dentures should be removed and cleaned daily to keep your gums healthy and to allow your tissues to relax.