Children's Dentistry

LET US HELP YOU TO BRING BACK YOUR YOUTHFUL SMILE

DENTAL WEAR

The term "WEAR" in dentistry, is the process or the clinical manifestation that include loosing of hard tooth structure or restoration, due to either of the three following reasons:

-Attrition
-Abrasion
-Erosion

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-Attrition is the process of continuous friction between both occluding tooth surfaces.

-Abrasion is the process of losing sound tooth structure due to continuous occlusal forces from opposing restoration, for example wear of a tooth due to opposing porcelain full coverage restoration for a long time.

-Erosion Is the loss of sound tooth structure due to chemical influence

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The best and only way of reducing tooth wear, is to determine and treat the underlying reasons which are causing all the damage to the dental structures.


For more information about happy teeth,
contact Dr. Zia Ur Rehman for a happy advice
E-MAIL: dento.works@live.com

12 Missing, requires replacement

Many of the patients report to me for an implant, for them a dental implant is the best prosthesis out there, with ease of maintenance, and natural aesthetics along with functionality. But there are a few cases, where extraction has been done, and immediate implant placement is not an option. Some of these implant sites are so critically placed that they require immediate attention, and very less number of patients can face the loss of such a critical area.

A similar case reported at my private practice recently, and I made a plan for the patient which involved removable prosthesis (temporary partial denture). I can still remember, the surprise on the patient's face, as i explained to the patient what a removable prosthesis was, and how to maintain the prosthesis till his site for implant placement was not ready. He was reluctant, but on my insistence, the patient agreed for a removable prosthesis.

I wanted a partial denture for the patient, because there was a missing 12, and it was recently extracted at some other practice, where the socket was not prepared for implant placement. I wanted that the area would heal on its own, while we put up some kind of a temporary prosthesis which can be removed afterwards. The plan rules out Bridges and Cast partial dentures, leaving behind a cheaper option, in the form of Temporary Partial Dentures (TPDs).

These TPDs are made-up of acrylic (Heat Cure Acrylic), and smaller ones occasionally sport a metal clasp, made up of stainless steel wire (0.7mm diameter).

Following are the pictures of the case:

The anterior missing tooth, looked very much out of place, and made the patient socially conscious.

Impressions of the patient were made in Alginate material, and send to the laboratory for fabrication. The shade of the visible teeth was matched very carefully and the lab was especially instructed to make the metal clasps and the baseplate as much invisible as possible.

Maximum retention features were incorporated so as to make the prosthesis as much retentive in the oral cavity as possible. The final results were striking.

Despite a very slight difference in the tooth shade, the patient reported back with an excellent experience, and was so happy, that now he had reservations regarding the implant treatment, if the Implant prosthesis would ever be able to produce the same aesthetic results as the TPD.

For more information about happy teeth,
contact Dr. Zia Ur Rehman for a happy advice
0092-3234918491
18:00-20:00 PST

Denture Care

Denture wearers need to avoid plaque buildup that can irritate the tissues under the dentures. Thoroughly clean dentures daily and remove dentures at night to avoid bacteria growth. If you wear dentures, you need to continue to see a dental professional regularly. Because mouths continually change, dentures need to be checked for proper fit to avoid irritation, increased bone loss and infections. A change in the fit of partial dentures could indicate periodontal disease.

Follow the instructions for better oral hygiene and care of your denture:

1. Do not wear your dentures for more than 18 hours a day
2. Place dentures in a plain glass of water, and do not put anything else in the water. Preferably use a container that has a lid or a cap, so that insects can not come in contact with the water.
3. Clean dentures with a toothpaste, liquid soap, or shampoo (whatever is available).
4. Never drop your dentures on the floor or inside a ceramic washbasin, it might get fractured.
5. Use a soft Brush to mechanically clean the mucosal fitting surface of the dentures and visibly try to see the areas under the denture for any abnormality.
6. Dentures no doubt are used for grinding of food, but it is highly recommended that hard foods should be avoided.


For more information about denture care, book your appointment
contact Dr. Zia Ur Rehman for advice
0092-3234918491

HOW TO BRUSH YOUR TEETH

I was visiting my uncle the previous day, and he asked me a question which I doubt, not everyone gets asked but the dentist only. HOW TO BRUSH YOUR TEETH? I started off with a routine method which I have devised of my own, and have been brushing by the same technique myself for a long time now. He listened for a while and then asked me another question, which I must agree, came as a surprise. WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY ABOUT BRUSHING TEETH?
Like my uncle, I am sure many of my patients would like to know the proper method of brushing teeth. For starters, I recommend the following things to my patients, and then tell them to follow the routine twice daily:

1. Always brush after meals, because the toothpaste ingredients get more time to work on the tooth surface, as it is very unlikely that the patient will eat immediately after having one meal.
2. We spend so little time on brushing, that we hardly let the toothpaste make any froth before we spit it out and start rinsing. So try to brush for 3-5 minutes and if required, keep a watch or a clock in view till you complete your time.
3. Brushing is a very simple and a very non-technical art; don’t try to just do a routine. Whenever you brush, your brushing strokes should be from the gums towards the teeth. This means, for upper teeth, brushing strokes should be from upwards to downwards, and for lower teeth they should be from downwards to upwards.
4. Remember, no toothbrush is designed to reach in the space between two adjacent teeth in the same arch. DENTAL FLOSS can make that access very easy. Use a dental floss after every meal, or atleast once a day (after dinner would be alright).

All this is very basic, and must be followed to maintain a healthy mouth. These tricks can definitely be employed by any sensible adult, who wants to save more teeth, so your teeth can give you a pleasant smile, which intern would reflect a dazzling personality.

For more information about happy teeth,
contact Dr. Zia Ur Rehman for a happy advice
0092-3234918491

INSTRUCTIONS TO THE PATIENT AFTER TOOTH EXTRACTION

1. Keep the gauze pad placed over the surgical area with pressure applied by biting down until the bleeding stops.
2. Take your prescribed pain medication as soon as you begin to feel discomfort. This will usually coincide with the local anesthetic becoming less effective. The best way to avoid pain anyway, is to take pain medication while the local anesthesia is still in effect, in that way when the pain kicks in, the medication is already there.
3. Do not suck on a straw, spit, or smoke.
4. Restrict your activities the day of surgery, and resume normal activity when you feel comfortable.
5. Place ice packs on the side of your face where surgery was performed.
6. Use warm saline rinses 24hours after the extraction has been done. The Solution can be prepared by mixing a quarter teaspoon of salt in a luke warm glass of water. Donot rinse thoroughly.
7. Vigorous mouth rinsing or touching the affected area following surgery should be avoided. This may initiate bleeding caused by dislodging the blood clot that has formed. Do not rinse your mouth for the first post-operative day or while there is bleeding. After the first day, use a warm salt water rinse every 4 hours and after meals to flush out particles of food and debris that may lodge in the area.
8. Restrict your diet to liquids and soft foods which are comfortable for you to eat.
9. Sometimes there is need for suture placement, they are to be removed after a week's time. Donot forget to see your dentist after a week.

NOTE: In very limited instances, a very small fragment of tooth might get fractured from the tooth root and stay in the root area of the bone. It is safer to leave that portion of the tooth in the bone.

For further elaboration of the above instructions,
contact Dr. Zia at 0092-3234918491