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.
Dental Examinations and X-rays
Routine dental examinations are important to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. In addition, they can help to avoid the financial costs associated with complex treatment plans later on. The Academy of General Dentistry recommends twice yearly checkups for people of all ages. At this interval, most problems can be detected while they remain in the early stages.
How it is done
Dr Ang examines your mouth visually, using dental equipment such as mouth mirrors, dental probes, high intensity lights, and an intra-oral camera. She will look for cracked and decayed teeth, as well as review other important conditions such as:
- Medical history review : She will assess if any new medical conditions or illnesses may affect your dental health
- Dental caries: Your teeth will be checked for cracks and cavities
- Oral cancer screening: The face, neck, lips, tongue, throat, tissues, and gums will be checked for any signs of oral cancer.
- Gum disease evaluation: Your gums and bone surrounding the teeth will be checked for any evidence of periodontal disease.
- Examination of existing restorations: Current fillings, crowns, and other restorations are checked to ensure they are in good order.
Dr Ang will take diagnostic digital X-rays to reveal any hidden problems, especially in the areas below the gums. Bite wing X-rays are typically taken every 12 months and a panographic X-ray every 2 years. Our digital imaging equipment uses Green Technology which uses very low radiation for imaging of the teeth and surrounding structures.
Dental Prophlaxis
Routine dental cleanings are important to maintaining good oral hygiene. Professional cleaning by a dentist can remove mineralised plaque that may develop even with careful brushing and flossing, particularly in areas that are difficult to reach. It is recommended that you go for a cleaning once every 6 months.
How it is done
You can expect your dental cleaning to last between 20 minutes to an hour. Typically, Dr Ang will remove the plaque and tartar from the tooth surfaces. This can be performed by hand or with electric scalers depending on the conditions. She will also dig into the pockets of the gums to remove any plaque build up there.
The second step is polishing to remove any remaining plaque and buff the teeth. It can be done with polishers of different sized heads or a air jet with polishing powder to clean hard to reach places.
Periodontal (Gum) Therapy
Prior to every dental cleaning, the gums will be checked and measured for any signs of gum disease. If any gum disease is detected, it will be discussed with you and the options to restoring your gum health will be given. This is extremely important because gum disease almost never hurts.
It is very rare that a person with gum disease is even aware of it, until when it’s at the very last stages when it may be too late to save your teeth. The only sign people are aware of is that their “gums bleed a little when they floss”.
Bleeding gums, even when flossing, is not healthy and should be a sign that something is likely wrong with your oral health.
How it is done
Typically, the initial stages of gum therapy include scaling and root planing and/or more frequent cleanings. The procedure involves numbing the gums so that you are comfortable and then removing the plaque and tartar that is far below your gums.
It is sometimes called “deep cleaning”. Once the plaque and tartar is removed, your gums will heal and with improved home care and oral hygiene, you will keep your teeth for the rest of your life.
The second step is polishing to remove any remaining plaque and buff the teeth. It can be done with polishers of different sized heads or a air jet with polishing powder to clean hard to reach places.
Please view the videos below to learn more about periodontal disease and how it is treated.
Fillings
When treating a cavity, Dr Ang will remove the decayed portion of your tooth and fill it up with a suitable substance. This procedure is called a filling. There are multiple options for the material to be used in the filling, the most common of which are amalgam and composite.
A composite filling is also known as a tooth coloured filling, since the colour of the material used in the filling closely matches the shade of your tooth.
Composite fillings provide good durability for small to medium cavities, and the procedure typically involves removing less of a tooth than you would during an amalgam filling. They are also particularly well suited for treating front or highly visible teeth because of their natural look.
An amalgam filling, also known as a silver filling, is generally placed in teeth that have larger cavities.
When can a composite filling be used?
- Decayed teeth
- Chipped or broken teeth
- Reducing gaps between teeth
How it is done
After Dr Ang numbs the area where the filling is to be placed, she will remove any decayed portions. A substance is applied to help open up the pores of the teeth for a stronger bond, and it will then be hardened and cured with a special light. Once this is completed, the filling is applied in layers to slowly form the complete filling.
After the substance has hardened, the filling will be smoothened and polished to be comfortable and to fit your bite.
Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy is a treatment used to repair and save a tooth that has been infected due to a deep cavity or a cracked tooth. The treatment involves removing the pulp and the nerves of the tooth and cleaning the infected area. A tooth’s pulp and its nerves are not important to a tooth’s health and function after the tooth has fully emerged from the gums. If the treatment is not performed, pus builds up at the root tip and the infection of the pulp can spread to the surrounding bone. This results in pain and swelling, and sometimes, the tooth will need to be removed.
What are the signs that a root canal is needed?
- Severe tooth pain while chewing
- Your tooth pain keeps you awake at night
- Tooth that is highly sensitive to hot and cold, with the sensitivity lingering for some time
- Discolouration or darkening of the tooth
- Swollen gums in the area of the infected tooth
How it is done
First, an opening is made into the pulp chamber through the crown of the tooth. Once the pulp and its tissues are removed, the root canal is thoroughly cleaned. If Dr Ang decides to complete the root canal therapy in multiple visits, a temporary filling will be placed to protect the tooth.
When you return, she will remove the temporary filling, re clean and fill up the root canal and then place a permanent filling and a crown over the tooth.
Root canal therapy has a high rate of success and many teeth undergoing the procedure can be saved to last a lifetime. In addition, the crown or filling placed after the completion of the procedure makes it hard to be noticed by others that you had the treatment.
Wisdom Tooth Surgery
The wisdom teeth may not have enough room in the jaw for full eruption. In some cases, they can be misaligned or possibly positioned horizontally or angled towards or away from the front molars. If left intact, impacted wisdom teeth can potentially harm the adjacent tooth, the jaw bone and the nerves.
Eastwood Dentalcare is Medisave accredited by MOH and CPF for wisdom tooth/teeth surgery. It may be used towards partial payment of the surgical procedures allowable by the CPF Board.
How it is done
The initial visit will include an examination of the mouth and X-rays to determine the position of the wisdom tooth, the condition and the status of the adjacent tooth and bone.
To prevent problems associated with impacted wisdom teeth, it is advisable to remove them early. The best time to remove them would be the time they erupt, in the teenage years. Healing is also better during this period, with less risk of complications.
Dr Ang will numb the area and the procedure involves uncovering the tooth by lifting the overlying gums aside to expose the tooth and bone. You will feel some pressure and vibration but you will not feel any pain. The tooth may need to be sectioned in order for it to be removed. There may be crack sounds and after complete removal, the gums are stitched back.
There will be minor bleeding from the wound. It can be controlled by asserting pressure on a gauze patch”. Facial swelling and discolouration of the overlying skin may develop, increasing for the first 72 hours and subsiding thereafter. It is normal not to be able to open your mouth fully for a few days.
Medication will be prescribed after the procedure and you will be advised to maintain good oral hygiene and to keep to a soft diet for a few days.
Wisdom tooth surgery is commonly performed and generally safe. There may be facial swelling, pain, jaw stiffness and minor bleeding for up to 2 weeks. These symptoms are usually at their worst for the first 2-3 days and will gradually improve.
- Infection
- Accidental damage to other teeth and jaw during surgery
- Dry socket
- Nerve damage can result in numbness in the lower lip, tongue or surrounding tissues and there is a small risk that this could be permanent.
- Jaw stiffness – the mouth may not be able to open fully when the wound is healing
Dental Implants
Dental implants are becoming increasingly popular in replacing missing teeth. In this procedure, titanium supports are surgically fused with your jaw bone, and act as anchors for natural looking false teeth. Dental implants are not only used for individual tooth replacement, but can also be used when placing multiple missing teeth as an alternative to dentures.
Advantages of dental implants
- Implants are extremely natural looking
- Fusion of the implants into your jaw bone make them very stable and comfortable compared to traditional dentures
- They last a lifetime
Disadvantages of dental implants
- Implants are expensive and a minor financial investment
- The process of getting implants can be time consuming and requires multiple visits to the dentist
- There is a chance that the surgery may fail (5%)
Types of implants
Dr Ang will be able to tell you which of the 3 types of implants is right for you.
- Root form implant: this is the most common type of implant where the screw is shaped like the root of a tooth
- Plate form implant: A plate form implant has a long shape and is best suited for a narrow jawbone
- Sub periosteal implant: In some cases where there is not enough bone width or height for the root form or plate form implant, a sub periosteal implant may be prescribed. This type of Implant is designed to sit on top of the bone, but under the gums.
Eastwood DentalCare is Medisave accredited by MOH and CPF for Implant Surgery. Medisave may be used towards partial payment for the procedures allowable by the CPF Board.
Dentures
We all hope that our natural teeth will last a lifetime. But when this isn’t possible, Dr Ang can offer a number of options to restore oral function and appearance. Thanks to advances in polymer science, the vast majority of dentures are now made with extremely high quality, durable plastic, and are stronger, more comfortable, and more natural looking than before. In short, these are not your grandmother’s dentures!
Types
A wide variety of dentures is available for individuals who are missing some or all of their teeth. Complete dentures replace all of the teeth on the upper and/or lower jaw and rest on the gums that cover the jaw bone. These dentures can be made more secure when attached to 1 or more tooth roots (overdenture) or to dental implants (implant overdenture). Some implant overdentures can be removed by the wearer and others can only be removed by a dentist.
Partial dentures replace some of the missing teeth and attach to the remaining teeth with clasps or mechanical components known as attachments (precision and semi precision partial dentures). Dr Ang will help you decide what type of denture and treatment plan is best for you.
How it is done
The types of treatment needed before dentures can be placed and the amount of time those treatments will take is dependant on a patient’s oral health, the number and location of missing teeth, and the type of denture selected to replace those teeth. The treatments include
- Impressions or moulds of the contours of the mouth, used as models for the dentures
- Extractions to remove unhealthy teeth
- Implant surgery for implant overdentures cases
- Adjustments to dentures to achieve best fit and level of comfort once dentures are placed
What to expect
It will take some time to get used to the feeling of dentures in your mouth, after which you should be able to comfortable eat, speak, and smile. The following is normal when complete dentures are placed initially in the mouth:
- Feeling of fullness
- Temporary minor changes in speech sounds, which will be more apparent to you than to others.
Tip : Speaking slowly and enunciating precisely helps the tongue and facial muscles to adapt more quickly.
- Changes in chewing patterns while getting used to the jaw movements required for chewing with dentures may take several weeks
Tip : Start with small pieces of soft food, gradually increasing the food’s firmness, and chew food on both sides of the mouth simultaneously with only your back teeth. A small amount of denture adhesive eg Poligrip may help to stabilise your dentures.
Tooth Extractions
A dental extraction is the procedure to remove a tooth from your mouth. A dental extraction is most commonly required of one of your teeth if it is damaged beyond repair. The most common reasons are:
- Severe tooth decay or infection may make it impossible or too costly to repair a tooth
- Advanced gum disease may require a tooth to be pulled out so that it doesn’t affect the supporting tissues and bone structures of your mouth.
- A tooth may be extracted if it is blocking other teeth from coming in place
- A tooth may be extracted for orthodontic work to create room for other teeth to move into position
- Wisdom tooth may be extracted either before or after they erupt
How it is done
Dr Ang will first numb the area to eliminate pain. During the removal, you will feel pressure of the tooth being removed, but will not feel any pain. Typically, the extraction is done within minutes.
Immediately after the tooth extraction, a small amount of bleeding is normal and a gauze patch will be placed in the affected area. The area may bleed minimally for the next 24 hours or so and may taper off after that.
Follow the clinic’s instructions on how often to change the gauze patch, and all other post procedure instructions.
Paediatric Dentistry
Dr Ang recommends children to have their first dental checkup as they approach their first birthday. Regardless of the child’s age, she will work with each child to provide a gentle, playful, friendly and stress-free environment. Our aim is to support parents in ensuring a thorough and comfortable examination of their child’s dental health.
How it is done
We fully understand that a child’s first dental visit can be filled with anxiety. Before any procedure commences, she will explain every stage of treatment to parent and child. As a parent, it is important for you to know about your child’s oral hygiene. As children are prone to cavities, monitoring and guiding the child’s brushing habit is highly encouraged. X-rays will be taken, only if strictly necessary.