Brighten Up Your Smile

Few people realize how much a beautiful smile changes a person. Dr. Jamilee Susan John, Endodontic at Royal Bahrain Hospital, says “A whiter set of teeth invariably brightens your smile and improves your looks. It is possible today to attain whiter teeth through a variety of teeth whitening options performed either in-office by the dentist or by yourself at home.”

She explains that “In-office tooth whitening (zoom whitening) procedure involves applying a protective gel to your gums. A bleaching agent is then applied to the teeth, while a special light is used to enhance the chemical action. For take home-whitening, impressions of the teeth will be taken first and the custom-made trays will be provided. The whitening gel is spread onto the custom-made trays, which are fitted over the teeth. The trays are worn overnight for 2 weeks. While office whitening is much quicker and effective, some may prefer at home whitening for its ease of use.”

According to Dr. Jamilee, tooth whitening can generally improve the color of the tooth by five to even 10 shades in some individuals. Results may vary between individuals depending on lifestyle habits and cause of the stained teeth. Tooth bleaching is most effective if your teeth are darkened from age, coffee, tea or smoking. With proper maintenance and regular dental checkups, the results of your tooth whitening should last you for more than a year.

“Tooth whitening procedures are safe and normally painless. A small percentage of people may experience a minor dull ache following the procedure and temporary sensitivity towards hot & cold drinks but can be relieved by providing ACP gel. This procedure wouldn’t damage the teeth of soft tissues.”

“Not everyone is a good candidate for tooth whitening though, in some case of serious discoloration and pitted teeth, veeners may be more appropriate than bleaching. Moreover, crown, bridges and fillings do not bleach so it may be necessary to replace dental work to make it blend with the new color of your bleached teeth.”

Tooth whitening is offered at Royal Bahrain Hospital. Call 17246800 for appointments or visit www.royalbahrainhospital.com

Mini-Implants

Dr. Rajeesh Radhakrishnan, Specialist Orthodontist at Royal Bahrain Hospital, introduces the new mini-implants (or TADs, temporary anchorage device).

“Malocclusion is when the teeth aren’t aligned properly. A Skeletal Class III malocclusion is one of the most difficult things to correct. Skeletal Class III anomalies are associated with maxillary retrusion (the upper jaw is placed behind the lower jaw) or mandibular protrusion (the lower jaw is placed a little ahead of the upper jaw) or both. When there is a maxillary deficiency where the lower jaw is not markedly affected, treatment may involve stimulation and guidance of upper jaw growth by orthopedic forces.”

“There are treatments involving various types of extraoral appliances, such as facemasks and reverse pull headgears have been used to this. However, many patients fail to comply with this because of the appearance of the headgears and facemasks are not appealing.”

Implants as a useful tool in orthodontic therapy are quickly gaining acceptance. They provide the qualities of an ideal orthodontic anchor. Meaning, they help to guide the bones back into their correct place.

Dr. Rajeesh continues on to introduce the mini-implants. “In fact, recently mini-screws (mini-implants) have become popular because they are easier to both insert and remove. These implants make patient compliance unnecessary, provide absolute anchorage as there is no periodontal ligament, are easily used under a variety of treatment modalities, and are easily placed and removable, if necessary.”

“Once the Implant is gently positioned into place, it can be loaded immediately; there is no reason to wait for the soft tissues or bone to heal. Neither is traumatized by this non-surgical procedure, which rarely even requires ibuprofen administration."

Dr. Rajeesh states that mini-implants can be safely used on adults as well as on children after the age of 13 years.

Mini- Implants are available at Royal Bahrain Hospital, where Dr. Rajeesh Radhakrishnan [BDS, MDS] is the Specialist Orthodontist. For more information or to book your appointment, call 1724 6800 or plan your visit at www.royalbahrainhospital.com.

Put a Smile on Your Kid's Summer

In the last few weeks before school starts, many parents are wondering how they’ll get their children back on the healthy track of regular sleep and food. Experts at Royal Bahrain Hospital, Dr. Rajeswari, Specialist Endodontist and Conservative Dentist, and Nada Jawahery, Registered Dietician, give some pointers on how to enjoy the last few days of summer without going overboard.

To keep children’s smile healthy and bright, Dr. Rajeswari says: “Family’s summer eating habits need to change, such as frequent snacking between meals”. Kids are allowed to eat solid sticky foods like chocolate and caramels but in small amounts, and it’s best to substitute them for food rich in calcium and phosphorous, helping to prevent caries.  Also, cut back on processed cooked starchy foods, especially combined with refined sugars, such as the fries and soda. “It’s best that before school starts that you take your child for a check-up on his or her teeth, since prevention is better than cure.”

Meanwhile, Nada suggests breaking the video game trance and encourages each family to “be an active family, encourage your kids to be active by being active with them!” A bike ride or a game of basketball are ideal to get their blood pumping and energized.  Once school starts, Nada says it’s okay to allow chocolate and sweets “in moderation”, but it’s best to encourage your child to drink milk for strong and healthy teeth and bones. Additionally, Nada gives some ground breaking piece of advice: “allow your child to leave some food on his or her plate, as this helps them understand when they are satisfied.”

For more information or to book an appointment at Royal Bahrain Hospital, call 1724 6800 or 8000 1090 (toll free), or visit www.royalbahrainhospital.com

Invisible Braces: More Than Just Aligners

Why is it that people don’t like braces? Is it the discomfort or the cost? Or is it the look of them? Recently, an invisible alternative to traditional braces has become available, under the names of Clearpath Aligners and iLingual Braces.

Dr. Rajeesh of Royal Bahrain Hospital explains: “Clearpath aligners are removable medical grade plastic appliances. They’re completely invisible, require less time in the dentist’s chair, shorter appointments, are removable, and most importantly, they’re more comfortable than the traditional alternative.” “We design these by using x-rays and photographs of teeth to create them. In fact, we use the most advanced computer programs to show you before the treatment begins how the smile will turn out!”

“However, I will warn that this is not a cure-all treatment.” Says Dr. Rajeesh, “We mainly use these to realign teeth, correct a smile and provide a fast discreet enhancement. But some significant issues may require another treatment.” Which brings us to your second alternative, the iLingual Braces.

These braces are aligned on the inside of the teeth, not the outside, making them invisible. “They’re more efficient, easier and more comfortable to place in, minimize the irritation to the tongue and gums. Their design makes it easier to clean your teeth and gives your dentist predictable treatment times.”

The iLingual braces are available in two forms, the normal style and the 3D style. The 3D version is more like a merging of the original iLingual and Clearpath Aligners. According to Dr. Rajeesh “To deliver the maximum effect, the 3D braces are great for dealing with crowding, and are also designed to be easy to insert and comfortable to wear.”

Basically, putting together all the benefits of these treatments, the fact that they’re  aesthetically good-looking, as well as comfortable this is perfect for adults and teens who are interested in discreetly perfecting their smile.

ClearPath Aligners and iLingual Braces are available at Royal Bahrain Hospital, where Dr. Rajeesh Radhakrishnan [BDS, MDS] is the Specialist Orthodontist. For more information or to book your appointment, call 1724 6800 or plan your visit at www.royalbahrainhospital.com.

Prevention is Better than Cure

Dental caries, also known as tooth decay or a cavity, is an infectious, communicable disease causing destruction of teeth by acid-forming bacteria found in dental plaque. If left untreated, the disease can lead to pain, tooth loss, and severe infection. Today, caries remains one of the most common diseases throughout the world.

There are two important factors to be understood about carries. The first and most important thing is to realize that the development of dental caries is a dynamic process and not a static problem as some people often think. Secondly, before a cavity is formed in a tooth, the caries infection can actually be reversed. These two factors lead to important insights for an individual while understanding dental caries. The first and easy step is to follow the well-known principle of “prevention is better than cure” by eliminating and/or reducing factors leading to dental carries.

The interaction between diet and tooth has a major role in relation to caries as our food habits have changed. Higher frequent consumption of sugar-containing food or taking snacks in-between meals usually increases the caries rate. Frequent snacking in between meals increases the time duration for which plaque ph remains below the critical ph (5.2 to 5.5), thereby increasing demineralization attacks on the teeth. A diet containing raw unrefined foods has a great deal of roughage, which helps keep teeth clean of adherent debris and to stimulate greater salivary secretion. 

Before a cavity is formed in the tooth, the caries infection can be actually reversed. Dental caries is typically first observed as a white spot lesion. If the tooth surface remains intact and non-cavitated, then remineralisation of the enamel is possible by following meticulous oral hygiene and repeated fluoride applications. As a result, counselling regarding the importance of these preventive /therapeutic procedures is very important. Pit and fissure sealants and fluoride containing restorative materials help in inhibition of caries progression.

If not treated early, an infected tooth, tooth decay, a cracked tooth, or a deep cavity disease can cause injury to the dental pulp. When this situation is beyond repair, pulp dies off and bacteria begin to multiply and together with decayed debris, results in an infected or abscessed tooth. Even if the person does not experience any pain, certain by-products of a diseased pulp can injure the bone that anchors the tooth in the jaw. Without proper and timely endodontic treatment, tooth will eventually have to be removed.

Dr. Rajeswari [BDS, MDS] is a Senior Resident of Conservative Dentistry at Royal Bahrain Hospital. Call 17246800 for your appointment and visit www.royalbahrainhospital.com for more information.

Invisible Braces? Yes, please!

Yes, we all want perfect teeth, but most of us resist due to the discomfort, look and cost of normal braces. So what if that were to change, would you want it? Dr. Rajeesh of Royal Bahrain Hospital apparently has the perfect alternative, ClearPath Aligners.

“They’re removable medical grade plastic appliances, patients wear them rather than brackets and wires. These are the modern alternative to braces.” Explains Dr. Rajeesh. He explains that through an impression, x-ray and photograph of the upper and lower teeth, “photofit” of the teeth and jaw structure is formed. A highly-trained technician works closely with the dentist to generate a model of the final look of the teeth and smile using a computer. “By using the most advanced computer package, you can see before the treatment begins where your teeth will move and how your smile will turn out!”

Aside from the obvious reasons to opt for this treatment (they’re invisible!) the doctor explains that you’ll need less chair time and shorter appointments as well as the fact that they’re more comfortable (wave goodbye to jaw pain and food stuck in braces!) clearly this treatment is going to rise in popularity. “This treatment is suitable for adults who want that perfect smile without the social repercussions of wearing adult braces. The dream smile is available for anyone!”

The doctor explains that in the majority of cases, aligners are used to realign teeth, correct a smile and provide a fast discrete enhancement. “I will warn that this is not a cure-all treatment, some significant issues may require treatment that is perhaps less comfortable to wear, but in the long run will provide far more sustainable results.”

Basically, putting together all the benefits of this treatment, the fact that its lower in cost, removable, aesthetically good-looking, as well as comfortable this is perfect for adults who are interested in a fast, low maintenance cosmetic solution.

ClearPath Aligners are available at Royal Bahrain Hospital, where Dr. Rajeesh Radhakrishnan [BDS, MDS] is the Specialist Orthodontist. For more information or to book your appointment, call 1724 6800 or plan your visit at www.royalbahrainhospital.com.