Ask the smile expert.
Q: I am a 20 year old girl. When I was in school I fell down and broke one of my front teeth. My parents had taken me to a doctor and he polished the tip. Now the tooth is shorter than the other teeth. What could be done?
A: You have fractured the tooth and hence the tooth is short. You need to increase the length of the teeth with ceramic veneers or composite fillings. This will take only one or two visits to the dentist.
Q: I underwent braces treatment when I was 14 years to correct gaps between teeth. Now I am 24 years old and a professional model. Now there are dark spaces between the teeth near the gums and I have lost confidence in smiling. All my teeth are contacting each other but the dark spaces are worrying me ?
A: The triangular part of the gum that is between the teeth is known as the papilla. Loss of incive papilla or the improper shape of the teeth could result in dark triangular spaces between teeth. This could be corrected by reshaping the teeth and moving the teeth closer using orthodontics. Since you are a model we could do lingual orthodontics so that the braces are not seen. The other option is to do gingival contouring and veneers which could done in a week’s time.
Q: Recently I have noticed white spots on my teeth and it seems they are increasing. I some areas they have become mild brownish too. Why is it happening and how can I get rid of them?
A: White spots on teeth are due to acids that dissolve the calcium content of the teeth. This could happen if there is lot of intake of acidic drinks like fruit juices or carbonated drinks. The white chalky appearance on teeth could be reduced by application of calcium re-mineralising agents like recaldent [tooth mousse] or by chewing cheese. The larger white spots may require professional repair with nano-ceramic coating.
Q: I have spaces between my upper and lower teeth. As there is no time and needs to move around the globe very often I cannot put on braces. Is there any fast way to close these gaps between teeth?
A: The gaps between teeth could be corrected by a procedure known as ASET. This requires just one or two visits to the dentist and is not an invasive procedure.
Q: One of my teeth is not on the same level as the other teeth could it be corrected without braces ?
A: composite or ceramic veneers could correct these minor irregularities of teeth with in two appointments in a week’s time.
Q: I have a painful tooth in my mouth. I have been told to do root canal treatment to save the tooth. Is root canal treatment a painful procedure? Does it require multiple visits? Is it better to extract the tooth?
A: With the advancement of technology the dental treatments have become painless and less time consuming. Root canal treatments could be done within forty minutes in a single visit thanks to rotary instruments and digital radiovisuography. It is always better to save tooth than extract it.
About Author
Dr Thomas Nechupadam MDS
Appearance expert
Dr Paulose’ Nechupadam Dental Spa
Ramada resorts Kumbalam Kochi
9387277213, 9946602221
