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Teeth are important eating partners and you would like to take them along with yourself for your lunch. Without their company, you simply cannot enjoy a meal. Teeth alsohave great aesthetic value, and certainly are more impactful to your appearance and beauty than your dress or even that watch you wear. Missing teeth result in an aged appearance, and it is not confined to visible teeth. A back tooth may as well change alignment so as to shift mouth and result in a less flattering facial appearance, and in that clever way, the missing tooth makes its absence known. Bones, similar to muscles, begin atrophying when not used – yet another side effect of missing teeth. Jaw bones are stimulated while chewing, and even a single missing tooth over time results in the bone underneath to weaken.

Thanks to modern dentistry, missing teeth can be replaced, and it is a job well done at the Hassaan Dental Clinic!

Missing teeth can be replaced in a number of ways, and it is advisable that you know which method is the most to your advantage.

1. Dental Implants
2. Fixed Bridges
3. Removable Partial Dentures

Dental Implants

Implants are the most popular option. They replace both the root and the crown of the tooth. The implant is an artificial tooth root that is anchored to the bone, made of Titanium or some other material accepted by the human body. After the implant is surgically installed, bone begins to grow around it, keeping it strongly in place and thus being highly effective. However, this requires time and the patient needs to wait. The crown is made of porcelain or ceramic and has the outward appearance of a tooth. Once the implant is strongly anchored, a process that may take up to several months in some cases, the crown is attached to the implant using dental cement.

Advantages
Permanent, with little need for replacement, once fixed.
Do not need to be replaced or adjusted, and thus cost-effective in the long run, despite being a more costly option initially.
Since an implant is anchored firmly in the bone, it prevents shrinkage of the jaw bone due to tooth loss.

Disadvantages
Not a suitable option for everyone. Being a surgical procedure, it will pose complications towards people with diabetes or leukemia.
May require Long healing time.
May cost more than other treatments.

Fixed Bridges

Bridges are replacement teeth that fill the space of one or more missing teeth. Bridges are made of metal or ceramics, or alloys, with the ceramic bridges being most natural looking. A bridge consists of a false tooth with hollow crowns on both sides, which are cemented to nearby teeth. To do so, however, the teeth neighbouring the missing tooth need to be reshaped so as to be covered by the new crowns which will support the “pontic”. The pontic is the replacement for the missing tooth. This procedure takes more than one visit to the dentist because it consists of multiple steps

1. Taking an impression of teeth to custom-make the bridge
2. Preparing the teeth around the gap for bridge placement
3. Subsequent cementing of the bridge in place.

Advantages

Cost less than implants
Do not require removal for cleaning

Disadvantages
Affect the teeth next to the bridge
May require being replaced after a long time
Cleaning under the pontic may be difficult.

Removable Partial Dentures

A removable denture is worn during the day to replace an entire arch of missing teeth, i.e. all teeth on the upper or lower jaw. It consists of a plate that fits to the roof of the mouth, false teeth and gums that are fitted over the natural gums. Removable partial dentures may be used to cover a few, and not all, missing teeth in an arch.It may require metal clasps to remain fixed, which may be visible to a disadvantage.

Dentures do not prevent bone loss and with the passage of time, jaw line continues to change in shape and diminish. This may require their replacement, and though dentures may cost less than implants initially, they may end up costing more in the long run.

Advantages
Less expensive
Easy to repair

Disadvantages
Less stable than other choices
May be uncomfortable
May require replacement more frequently than other options

Saving natural teeth is mostly a far healthier alternative to extraction. Implants, while being an indispensable tool to replace missing teeth, do not feel or function quite like the natural teeth. To retain teeth for a lifetime, brushing, flossing and regular check-ups with the dentist are important.

Oft times, however, teeth suffer trauma or decay, or periodontal (gum) disease resulting in a loss of supporting bone, and you might wonder whether extraction is necessary or if the tooth can be saved. In most cases, the tooth can be saved with treatment. Here are some of the primary causes leading to tooth decay:

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Foods high in sugar levels pose many health problems, and coupled with a lack of dental care, may cause tooth decay. Tooth decay is an infection caused by acid-producing bacteria.

         

          

          

          

          

          

          

          

          

      2. Plaque formed around the tooth can harden over time and assume the role of tartar. Tartar can cause gingivitis, a gum condition causing them to bleed frequently and swell.
      3. Trauma caused to a tooth as a result of some injury or accident can cause tooth fracture. The extent of fracture decides if a tooth can be treated or not. Early diagnosis keeps the fracture from spreading and being untreatable.

In addition to merely harming the structure of teeth, these conditions can cause infection of the pulp tissue, or “nerve” of the tooth. Mostly, the solution adopted to battle aggravated pulp infection is Root Canal Therapy, but the leading procedure at Hassaan Dental Clinic is far healthier: Pulp Mummification. This treatment should be the first choice in case of pulp infection, for health and cosmetic reasons. It is also more painless compared to both RCT and tooth extraction.

Whenever possible, teeth should be saved and not extracted. Even if they are not visible, their absence will still negatively impact the quality of life, cause bone atrophying and result in an older appearance, in addition to posing problems while eating and ruining your smile. Getting a tooth pulled because it is easier or more cost-effective is a choice that must never be made if it can be saved.

Reasons for saving natural teeth:

1. 1. If a tooth is missing, neighbouring teeth may start to tilt towards the empty space, causing problems while chewing and cleaning, thus affecting the overall oral health. It also makes teeth appear crooked.
   2. Missing multiple teeth poses much difficulty in eating.
   3. Missing teeth affect speech.
   4. Facial structure alters as a result of tooth extraction.
   5. Teeth stimulate the bone in which they are embedded, and their removal results in bone atrophying whereby the bone loses its density and volume. This affects the gum tissue as well, posing greater problems in speech and eating.
   6. Bone atrophy also results in premature ageing and the face looks caved in and older.
       

       

       

       

   7. Removing teeth can cause problems in the jaw joint, leading to eating problems in addition to persistent headaches and dizziness.
   8. Teeth realign due to a space, and it may be such that opposing teeth (upper and lower) start to migrate outwards unless stopped by an opposing force, in a phenomenon called supra-eruption.

Tips for saving teeth:

1. In case of any symptoms of swelling or pain, a dentist should be consulted immediately. Delaying such visits only aggravates the situation and may cause for it to reach the stage where a tooth can only be pulled out, and not saved.
2. If your dentist advises tooth extraction, first inquire him of any alternative treatments to save it.

Saving teeth helps maintain your natural smile, and eat comfortably. With proper care, teeth can last a life time, insha Allah.

A smile is the most beautiful accessory you can wear, and a beautiful smile can be crafted through smile makeover. Smile Makeover utilizes cosmetic dentistry procedures to make your smile vivacious and vibrant! It incorporates one or more of the following methods:

1. Dental Veneers
2. Composite Bonding
3. Tooth Implants
4. Teeth Whitening

Using these procedures, crooked and misaligned teeth that are either overlapping or with gaps are aligned perfectly through orthodontics.Missing teeth, which not only have a negative aesthetic element but also cause tooth decay, are replaced using a number of ways. Chipped teeth are fixed and a gummy smile is re-contoured to make it more attractive.

Elements of a Beautiful Smile

Smile makeover requires a profound understanding of the physical elements that make a smile beautiful. Although beauty is a subjective notion, with its idea varying over different cultures, research has found that certain variables enhance a smile’s presence and qualify it to be charming. Some of those features are following:

Smile Arc

Smile arc is the imaginary line that the edge of your upper teeth make. Its curve can be convex, plane or inverted. A convex curve is deemed most beautiful, while an inverted curve the least.

Different types of smile arc: A) convex or curved; B) plane or straight; and C) inverted or reverse

The height difference of the central two teeth (central incisors) and the two teeth on each side of central incisors (the lateral incisors) should be around 1.0 to 1.5 mm for women, and 0.5 to 1.0 mm for men, for an ideal smile.

Ratio and Symmetry of Incisors: The width to height ratio (WH ratio) of the central incisors should be between 75 to 85 percent for perfection. If the ratio is greater than this, the teeth become too square, and if it is less than this, the teeth look too narrow and long.

Presence of Gaps (Diastemas)

Gaps in teeth, especially present between central incisors, add to a very unflattering outlook, which is why all diastemas, including those present in lateral teeth, should be closed.

Proportion between Teeth

The width proportion between teeth should be as follows: Lateral incisor’s width is 62% of the central incisor’s, and the canine’s width is 62% of the lateral incisor’s. 62% is the Golden ratio. In other words, the ratio between central incisors to lateral incisors to canines is 1.6:1:0.6

Gingival Margin

Gingival margin is the margin of the gum along teeth. It is more aesthetically pleasing for gingival margin of central incisor to be at level with, or slightly below (0.5 – 1.0mm) canines. Gingival margin of central incisors must be level with or slightly below (0.5mm) below central incisors.

Gingival Exposure

Gingival exposure, or the exposure of gums during smiling is aesthetic if limited to 3mm in height, and not more. It is considered un-aesthetic to expose too much gum while smiling. Taking gingival exposure into consideration, the smile line is divided into three types, high, medium and low. Your dentist can fix your smile if it is too gummy.

Treatment

Teeth length can be altered using composite bonding or porcelain veneers. Gummy smiles can be treated by modifying the gum line and lengthening the appearance of teeth using laser dentistry procedures. Teeth length can also impact the facial appearance, whereby long, shapely teeth can provide a slimming effect on the face.

Precautionary Measures Post Makeover

Treatments such as porcelain veneers may chip off with time, and require replacement. Permanent composite bonding could stain, needing for you to avoid certain drinks. Most of these methods are not permanent and will require some sort of enhancement over time, but this period could be as long as 10 to 15 years. The duration largely depends on regular oral hygiene.

In case you have some oral health problem, such as gum disease, it will have to be fixed before your smile makeover begins!

To prevent cavities, high sugar intake is discouraged. For a stain free smile in case of composite bonding or veneers, consumption of tea and coffee is to be limited. Alcohol is also to be avoided, but it is likely that you already avoid the beverage for religious reasons.

You will also be advised to avoid chewing onto hard objects. For those with bruxism (grinding teeth at night while sleeping), a night guard will be fitted into the mouth to prevent damage to teeth and their treatment.

We have an air-conditioned waiting area with newspapers and magazines with vital information about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For the less bookish, a television will keep you company until you meet the doctor after minimum waiting duration!
 

Our friendly receptionist is always more than glad to give you details on the services provided along with their prices. She will book appointments according to your availability and convenience.

This is where you meet our dentist, who discusses your problem and offers different types of treatment, and advises the solution that suits your case perfectly, considering your budget and affordability.

We follow the latest sterilization techniques in line with the American Dental Association, to keep our equipment maximally clean and safe to be used for treatment.

With the latest equipment and sterilization techniques, our dental services ensure that you experience minimal pain and undergo the safest procedure to have radiant, healthy teeth.