What is the difference between Invisalign and Fixed Braces?

Invisible braces are removable, comfortable and almost invisible. In contrast, fixed braces are less comfortable due to the metal brackets and will be rather visible on your teeth.

How much does Invisalign cost?

As with other types of orthodontic treatment, the cost of Invisalign is dependent on the complexity of your case. Your dentist will advise you on the treatment fees after assessing your teeth condition.

How long am I supposed to wear Invisalign?
On a daily basis, you are required to wear your aligners for at least 20 – 22 hours.

Depending on the complexity of your case, the duration of your treatment can range from 6 – 24 months. Your dentist will evaluate your case and provide you with an estimated treatment time.

How often do I need to visit the dentist during my Invisalign treatment?

An appointment will be scheduled with your dentist every 4 to 8 weeks to monitor your progress and to collect your aligners.

Will I be able to speak normally?

Lisping may be a problem at first, but with time, you will quickly adapt to your aligners and speak clearly again.

Can I do sports while wearing my aligners?

You are advised to remove and keep them temporarily in a provided casing.  A mouth guard can be worn during the sports activity after which the aligners should be put back on as soon as possible.

Can I still play musical instruments?

For removable aligners, it is best to remove and store them safely in a provided casing. After playing, you should put your aligners back as soon as possible.

What types of food and drinks should I avoid during my aligners treatment?

As Invisalign is removable, you can remove them during meals. Hence, you don’t need to worry about any dietary restrictions and you can continue enjoying your food. However, do remember to brush your teeth thoroughly before wearing your aligners back.

How should I clean my teeth and aligners?

As Invisalign is removable, you can remove them and carry out your regular brushing and flossing. Toothbrush and toothpaste should be used to clean your aligners as well.

How long am I supposed to wear dental braces?
Fixed orthodontic treatment usually requires you to wear braces for 12-24 months depending on the complexity of the case. Treatment time varies depending on the complexity of the case. Your dentist will evaluate your case and provide you with an estimated treatment time.

How often do I need to visit the dentist during my braces treatment?

An appointment will be scheduled with your dentist every 4 to 8 weeks to have your braces adjusted. It is extremely important that you meet your dentist on your scheduled dental appointment dates to stick to the treatment time frame.

Will my mouth be sore in-between visits?

At the onset of wearing braces, you will need to undergo a period of adaptation to get used to having something foreign in your mouth. At the start of the treatment and after every subsequent braces adjustment, you will experience dull aching in your teeth. Painkillers like paracetamol can help alleviate the pain. The metal brackets may also cause irritation of gums and lips resulting in ulcers. However, this could be remedied by placing clear wax over the metal brackets.

Will I be able to speak normally?

Lisping may be a problem at first, but with time, you will quickly adapt to your braces and speak clearly again.

Can I do sports while wearing my braces?

For fixed braces, wearing a special mouth guard over your braces is advised during contact sports.

Can I still play musical instruments?

Fixed Braces may affect your ability to play wind instruments, but after some practice, one should be able to get used to.

What types of food and drinks should I avoid during my braces treatment?

Eating some types of food can damage or even break your braces. For the first few days of your braces treatment, it is advisable that you keep to soft food or food cut into small pieces. With fixed braces, you should avoid these foods and drinks:

• Sticky, chewy & sugary food – These can stick to your braces and are very difficult to remove.
• Hard food – Hard food such as whole apples, carrots, French bread and crusty rolls can break the wires and brackets of your braces.
• Fizzy drinks & natural fruit juices – These are often high in sugar and/or are rather acidic with high chance of causing tooth decay and erosion. To minimise the staining of your brackets, use a straw to consume them.

Why should I take care of my mouth when I wear braces?

It is extremely important that you put in time and effort to keep your teeth and braces clean to avoid problems such as dental decay and gum inflammation. During this period, regular dental check-ups are required so that the health of your teeth and gums can be constantly monitored by your dentist.

How should I clean my mouth and braces? 

You should clean your teeth and braces thoroughly after each meal. Pay special attention to each individual tooth and the gum line around it. Gently brush your braces with toothpaste before rinsing them thoroughly with clean water.

The following are items that are used for cleaning your teeth

• Total care toothpastes & oral mousse – These contain a number of active ingredients such as fluoride or tartar control that help to control plaque, dental decay and gum disease besides freshening your breath.
• Inter-dental brushes – These come with special compact bristles that can squeeze in-between your teeth and help to clean around the brackets of fixed braces.
• Floss threaders – You can use these to help you to get your dental floss under your braces wire to remove trapped food particles in-between your teeth.
• Disclosing tablets – These contain a harmless dye that stains dental plaque. With this, it makes it easier for you to spot and remove plaque on your teeth when you are brushing.
• Fluoride mouth rinses – Using this regularly can help to prevent dental decay and tooth decalcification. However, you should only use them under the guidance and instruction of your dentist.

What should I do if I lose or damage my braces?

If you lose or damage your braces, you need to contact our clinic immediately. Do not wait until your next routine appointment as your treatment progress might be affected.

What is root canal treatment (RCT)?
Root canal treatment (also called endodontic treatment) is needed when the blood or nerve supply of the tooth (known as the pulp) is infected through decay or injury. You may not feel any pain in the early stages of the infection. In some cases, your tooth could darken in colour which may mean that the nerve of the tooth has died (or is dying). This would require root canal treatment as a remedy.

Is there a rationale for root canal treatment?
If the pulp becomes infected, the infection may spread through the root canal system of the tooth. This may eventually lead to an abscess. An abscess is an inflamed area in which pus collects, causing swelling of the tissues around the tooth. The symptoms of an abscess can range from dull ache to severe pain and may be tender when you bite. If root canal treatment is not carried out, the infection may spread to surrounding areas.

Does the root canal treatment hurt?
No. A local anaesthetic is used and the treatment should feel no different to having an ordinary filling done.

Will the appearance of my tooth change during or after RCT?
A tooth which requires RCT is non-vital (dead) and possible sign or symptom of that is discolouration of the tooth, especially in trauma cases. However, dental aesthetic treatments are available to treat the discolouration once the RCT is completed.

What happens in the event of re-infection?
Root canal treatment usually has a high success rate. If the infection occurs again, treatment can be repeated.

What if I choose not to undergo the treatment?
Once the tooth is non-vital (dead), the pulp chamber in the tooth becomes infected and cannot recover. The alternative to RCT is to extract the tooth and replace it. There are undesirable consequences of not replacing a missing tooth. E.g. adjacent teeth may tip into the gap of the missing tooth.

Is RCT all that necessary for an infected tooth?
A root canal treated tooth is more brittle due to the cavity created to access and disinfect the pulp chamber. In a significant proportion of cases it may be necessary to restore the tooth with a crown to provide extra support and strength to the tooth.

Is there any special care needed for a root canal treated tooth?
Root-treated teeth should be treated just the same as any other tooth. Remember to clean your teeth at least twice a day, preferably with a fluoride toothpaste. Cut down on sugary snacks, and keep them only to mealtimes if possible. See your dentist as often as they recommend for regular check-ups.

What is gum disease?

Gum disease is the infection of the tissues supporting the teeth. Infected gum tissues usually display signs of swelling and soreness. There are two main forms of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontal disease.

What is gingivitis?

Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gums. This is when the gums around the teeth become very red and swollen. Swollen gums often bleed during the brushing of teeth.

What is periodontal disease?

Periodontal disease is the result of long-standing gingivitis that affects the tissues supporting the teeth. As the disease worsens, the bone anchoring the teeth in the jaw depletes and causes teeth to become loose. If this is not treated, teeth may eventually fall out. In fact, more teeth are lost through periodontal disease than tooth decay.

Am I likely to suffer from gum disease?

Everyone is likely to suffer from some form of gum disease, which is the major cause of tooth loss in adults. Fortunately, the disease develops very slowly in most people, and it can be slowed down to a rate that allows you to keep most of your teeth for life.

What is the cause of gum disease?

All gum disease is caused by plaque. Plaque is a layer of bacteria which forms on the surface of the teeth and gums every day. Most bacteria in plaque are harmless, but there are some which have been shown to be the main cause of gum disease. To prevent and treat gum disease, you need to ensure that you brush and floss your teeth every day to remove plaque from them.

How will smoking affect my gums and teeth?

Smoking can worsen gum disease. Patients who smoke are more likely to form more bad plaque on their teeth which leads to gum disease. Smoking depletes oxygen in the bloodstream causing infected gums to fail in healing.

What happens if gum disease is not treated?

Gum disease progresses painlessly so most of its damage goes unnoticed. If left untreated early, gum abscesses and pus may form around teeth. Depletion of bone around the teeth may also occur after several years.

How do I know if I have gum disease?

The first sign is blood on the toothbrush or in the rinsing water you spit out during your brushing of teeth. Your gums may also bleed when you are eating, leaving a bad taste in your mouth. You may also notice that your breath becomes unpleasant.

What should I do if I think I have gum disease?

The first thing to do is visit your dentist for a thorough check-up of your teeth and gums. Your dentist can measure the ‘cuff’ of gum around each tooth to check for signs of periodontal disease. X-rays may also be taken to check for bone loss. This assessment is very important; the correct treatment needs to be prescribed for you.

What happens during the treatment?

The treatment prescribed by your dentist will depend on the clinical finding based on the severity of gum disease. In cases of gingivitis or controlled periodontitis, scaling is all that is required. In more severe cases such as active periodontitis, root planing (cleaning of the root surfaces of bacterial deposit is needed to stabilise the condition. In small number of cases, surgical therapy may be indicated.

Am I likely to suffer from periodontal diseases again after the first time?

Periodontal diseases can never be fully cured, but it can be controlled as long as you practise the good dental cleaning habits that you have been taught. Any further bone loss then will be very gradual or stop altogether. However, you must ensure that you remove your plaque properly every day, and attend regular check-ups by the dentist.

What are the benefits of Mini Dental Implants (MDIs)?

• Less costly: Due to their small size, MDIs do not require as much bone structure as ordinary implants. With less bone needed, costly, painful and time consuming bone grafting are not usually needed. In many cases, MDIs procedures cost half as much as those for traditional or conventional implants.
• Less bone loss: MDIs preserve bones as well as the shape of your face
• Less invasive: As MDIs require only a small pilot hole to be inserted, it is less traumatic and invasive to the bone and soft tissue as compared to conventional implants that usually involve extensive surgery and bone grafts.
• Shorter healing time: It only takes several days for gum and bone tissues to heal in MDIs procedures.
• Less discomfort: Most patients only require over-the-counter pain medication for a day or so after the procedure.
• Lower risk of decay & periodontal diseases: Implants made of titanium are not susceptible to decay or periodontal diseases.
• Fewer complications: MDIs failures and complications are very rare.
• Minimal daily interferences: Patients can enjoy a light meal an hour or so after having their MDIs inserted.

How can I reduce pain and complications after the wisdom tooth surgery?

You can do so by:

• Biting down firmly on the gauze packs placed over the surgical areas
• Take the prescribed medications as soon as discomfort occurs
• Do not rinse vigorously or spit for at least 24 hours following surgery
• Place ice packs to the sides of the face where surgery was performed
• Do not smoke for at least 48 hours
• Do not consume alcohol during the course of medication prescribed

SNOREPRO™

What is SNOREPRO™ and how does it work?

SNOREPRO™ is a patented mandibular advancement splint used to reduce snoring by moving the lower jaw forward while sleeping. This will ensure a continuous airflow into our lungs to promote a better sleep quality.

What is the success rate of SNOREPRO™?

If the snoring is caused by the narrowing of the air-way through the mouth, the success rate is almost 100%. However, for snoring that are due to the narrow air-way through the nose, SNOREPRO™ will not be suitable.

Will SNOREPRO™ cause any discomfort during sleep?

In the first 2 – 3 weeks when using SNOREPRO™, the user will feel a little discomfort while sleeping since there is another object inside one’s mouth. However, this discomfort will go away after the user get used to it.

Since SNOREPRO™ is inserted into the mouth, any chance of it falling back onto the throat, causing choking?

Since SNOREPRO™ is seated nicely onto the user’s teeth and gum, it will not have any chance of falling back onto the throat.

Will SNOREPRO™ cause any permanent deformation of the lower jaw structure after using for many years?

No, SNOREPRO™ does not cause any permanent deformation even if one uses for life.

Which age groups are suitable to use SNOREPRO™?

Adults from 18 – 80 years old are possible users. However, you will need a minimum of 4 teeth to be able to hold SNOREPRO™ in place.

What is the shelf-life of SNOREPRO™?

SNOREPRO™ does not have a shelf-life but users are recommended to change a new one after 5 – 10 years of use. For users who grind their teeth when sleeping, it may be lesser years of use.

How do we store SNOREPRO™ and how to maintain it?

When taken out from the mouth, rinse the device using tap water and use a toothbrush to brush lightly to clean the surface. Thereafter, soak in the given container filled with NEWAY Eliminator Mouthwash. Change with fresh Eliminator solution every 3 days.

If I have gum disease, can I still use SNOREPRO™?

If depends on the type of gum disease. It is best to consult the dentists to check on your oral condition first.

Can I still use SNOREPRO™ if I am having fever, flu or sore throat?

Yes, unless you are coughing.

If mid-way through using SNOREPRO™, I have my tooth/teeth extracted, how will it affect the usage of SNOREPRO™?

In this case, users have to bring the SNOREPRO™ back to the dentists for modifying and to redo the bite registration. For severe cases, a new device may be needed.

Do I have to wear SNOREPRO™ every night?

It depends on your preference. It is highly recommended to wear SNOREPRO™ to sleep every night to have a better sleep quality.

What is the difference between SNOREPRO™ & CPAP?

CPAP is an electronic device to facilitate pumping of air into your lungs while SNOREPRO™ allows the user to still breathe normally via our mouth.