Our practice performs a wide variety of services to help you achieve the smile you deserve.
By leveraging today’s advanced techniques and technology, Dr Joanna Ang will restore your beautiful smile, and maintain youthful appearance.
Whether you need a tooth filled, have crooked teeth, or need a complete smile makeover, we can offer a treatment plan that’s right for you.
Read below to learn more about some of the procedures we offer.
Teeth Whitening
About
Our teeth can discolour through the years as our enamel wears down. The wear of enamel allows dentine, a yellow coloured substructure that makes the core of our teeth to show through.
This is what gives our teeth a yellowish tint.
Teeth whitening, also known as teeth bleaching, helps restore teeth to a shiny white colour through the use of safe bleaching agents.
How it is done
There are 2 popular teeth whitening options available in our practice.
The first, in-office teeth whitening, produces a significant colour change in your teeth in a short amount of time, usually within an hour. The procedure is done at our dental clinic by applying a high concentration bleaching gel on the teeth after they are protected with a special shield.
The bleaching agent is activated with a special ‘laser’ light.
The second method involves the use of home whitening kits with custom made trays. These are purchased from our clinic for use at home. The concentration of the gel used in these kits is usually lower than that used for in-office whitening, and thus the gel has to be applied for,longer periods of time.
Typically, the trays are worn a few hours a day or overnight for a few days or weeks depending on patient and product.
It is best to consult Dr Ang regarding the best whitening option for you.
Dental Crowns and Bridges
About
Compared to fillings which just cover a small portion of a tooth, a crown or cap encases the entire visible portion of a tooth. In effect, the crown acts as the tooth’s new outer surface.
It is used when a tooth is badly decayed or broken to such an extent that fillings aren’t able to repair the problem. The crown is able to provide a protective shell around the damaged or decayed tooth to strengthen it, as well as to improve the appearance of the tooth.
It can also help to restore a tooth to its original shape, commonly used for teeth that are broken. While crowns come in different materials, the most common crowns typically have some mixture of porcelain in them to give them a look and feel, similar to a natural tooth.
How it is done
The first visit involves Dr Ang reshaping the tooth and taking moulds to create the crown. A portion of the tooth will have to be removed for the crown to fit properly. The mould will be sent to a dental laboratory to be made into a permanent crown. Before sending you home, she will then provide you with a temporary crown to cover your tooth in between the visits. The fabrication typically takes 1 week.
When you return, the permanent crown from the dental laboratory is fitted after removal of the temporary crown and finally cemented in place. Comfortable bite and colour match are done before the final cementation stage.
Bridge is literally to bridge the gap created by 1 or more missing teeth. It is usually made up of 2 or more crowns on either sides of the gap.
Dental Bonding
About
Dental bonding is a procedure in which a tooth coloured resin is bonded to a tooth and hardened with a ultra violet light. Bonding is faster and cheaper than veneers or crowns, and thus can be a good option to make small cosmetic improvements to your teeth.
Unlike veneers and crowns, bonding can be done within 1 visit since nothing has to be custom made by a dental laboratory. Additionally, the procedure typically requires removing less tooth enamel compared to veneers and crowns.
However, since bonding doesn’t last as long as other forms of restoration and is also less resistant to staining, it is used more often for small cosmetic touch ups rather than major restorations.
How it is done
It requires between 30-60 minutes to complete for each tooth. First, Dr Ang will determine the exact colour shade your tooth is to select the shade of resin that will blend naturally with it.
After that, she will prepare the tooth for bonding which may involve roughening the surface of the affected tooth and the application of a conditioner. Once this is complete, she will apply the resin to the tooth, and cure it in place using a ultra violet light.
Finally, she will apply the finishing touches by shaping and polishing the resin for a good and natural fit.
Dental Inlays and Onlays
About
Dental inlays and onlays are a more conservative approach to tooth restoration compared to crowns. These are used to repair back teeth that have mild to moderate tooth decay, or for cracked teeth where the damage does not warrant dental crowns. Porcelain, resin and sometimes gold are used to create them. Inlays refer to those restorations limited to the centre of the tooth while onlays refer to those that have extended to the cusps of the tooth.
How it is done
2 visits are required for the placements of inlays and onlays. In the first visit, Dr Ang will take a mould of your tooth, which will then be sent to a dental laboratory to create the permanent inlay or onlay. Before you leave, a temporary restoration will be placed to protect the tooth. In the second visit, she will remove the temporary restoration before cementing the permanent inlay or onlay from the laboratory.
Braces
About
Braces are used to straighten or move teeth, helping to improve the appearance of the teeth. If you have crooked or crowded teeth, not only will braces improve your smile, it will also help you to bite more evenly and maintain better oral hygiene.
Here in Eastwood DentalCare, we provide many braces options to suit your lifestyle and budget, and consultation with Dr Ang will guide you in your treatment planning.