04/Mar/2020

First Visit

It is recommended that every child has an introductory dental visit within 6 months of eruption of their first tooth. As parents, you might think this is too early- even more so when there is no “problem” with your child’s teeth yet. However, starting dental visits early has many advantages:

We can assess each child’s risk of developing tooth decay.
We can suggest preventive steps that is special to each child’s needs
We can have the opportunity to show your child that dental visits can be fun, hence reducing chances of dental anxiety in the future

Quite often, it is a child’s first visit to the dental clinic but he/she is having pain. We understand that it can be stressful and anxious for both parent and the child. For younger children, parents can be present in the treatment room. For older children, it is best that we can see the child by themselves, but if parents are not comfortable with that, parents can be passive observers- allowing us a chance to interact and explain in simple terms that your child can understand. Many studies have shown that when parents are anxious themselves, their child will also tend to be anxious as well.

Depending on the your child’s reaction to his/her dental visit and what treatment needs to be done, we will try our best to provide your child with the best care possible. It is however important for parents to understand that treatment should not be forced or rushed onto a child. We understand that parents are busy and prefer treatment to be done all in a single visit, but it takes a lot of patience and time for us to build a trusting relationship and bond with your child. This is how dental visits can become stress free and fun for your child.

Our services includes

Standard Cleanings and Check ups

The care we provide is the best we can for each child. This means that the cleaning frequency we recommend can vary from individual to individual. Your child might benefit from cleanings every 3 months, or every 6 months.

What happens during a standard cleaning and check up?

A standard dental examination
Scaling, polishing and flossing
Dental x-rays (if needed)
Fluoride varnish treatment

Fluoride Varnish Treatment

What is Fluoride? Fluoride helps to strengthen teeth and prevent decay. It is also able to remineralise teeth that have early decay (seen as white patches on teeth). Fluoride can be found in fluoridated toothpaste, and are available in various amounts and concentrations.

Fluoride varnish contains a higher than normal amount of fluoride and it comes in the form of a thick sticky paste that adheres to teeth to minimise swallowing. It is very well tolerated as well. Varnish is proven in many ways to slow, stop and even reverse the formation of cavities. Everyone is at risk of developing cavities, from the young infants to young kids to teenagers. Here are some risk factors:

Infants still bottle feeding past one year of age.
Infants sleeping with a bottle containing liquids other than water (eg. milk, juices, sweetened drinks like Milo)
Frequent breastfeeding without proper mouth cleaning afterwards, especially at night
Constant consumption of sugary or starchy foods and beverages
Dental history of cavities
Developmental disabilities

Fluoride varnish may be unfamiliar to many patients, so here are some information for parents and children:

It will make your child’s teeth look dull and yellowish when leaving the dentist. Their teeth will return to normal as the varnish wears off, usually in 1 day.
In order for the varnish to have the most benefit, it needs to remain adhered to the teeth for as long as possible. For that, your child should not brush or floss until the next morning.
To prevent early removal of the varnish, avoid abrasive or hard foods for the rest of the day. Soft diet is ideal for the day.
Fluoride varnish should be done every 6 months for most children. For children who have a higher risk of cavities, we may recommend 3-monthly application of fluoride varnish.

Tooth coloured fillings

These are white fillings that look beautiful and blend in with the natural color of the tooth. Placement of fillings is fairly quick and easy. First the decayed part of the tooth is cleaned and removed, then the tooth is dried and filled.

Happy Gas

What is Happy Gas? Happy Gas is also known as nitrous oxide/ laughing gas. In our clinic, we use it as a mild analgesic. It works by filling the patient with a feeling of happiness, which helps them feel relaxed and less anxious about dental treatment.

How do we use Happy Gas? We apply the gas through a tube and nose piece that fits over your child’s nose. All he/she has to do is breathe through his/her nose

Why use Happy Gas? Happy Gas is fast acting and wears off quickly. Its effects can be felt within 5 minutes, and when the gas flow stops, those effects wear off within another 5 minutes of breathing oxygen. It is safe, easy to use and can be adjusted easily for your child’s comfort. The only thing that stops it is a stuffy nose. If your child can’t breathe through his/her nose, it won’t work.Children’s Primary Teeth

More Info…

More info on General Dental Treatment

Dr. Tham

03/Mar/2020

Digital crown- What is it and how does it work?

With our new Rainbow-Mill Clinic machine, we can now produce natural and functional ceramic indirect restorations (crowns, onlays, inlays) within a day!

The creation and placement of indirect restoration is one of the most commonly performed procedures in dentistry today. Like traditional crowns and onlays, digital crowns and onlays are ideal for teeth which are badly decayed or broken and commonly used as routine finishes for procedures like Root Canal Therapy.

However, anyone who has had a standard crown or onlay done will know that it can be a time consuming process which takes a minumum of 1 week or more for it to complete.

The crown that was millerd out from the hybrid-ceramic block

Normally in the case of traditional crowns, impressions are taken and sent off to a dental lab for crown fabrication. It may take a week or two for the lab to receive the impression, make the crown and send it back to us. The waiting time and having a temporary crown in the mouth are the drawbacks of this method.

With Digital crowns/ onlays, we can shorten the entire process significantly. The biggest advantage of digital crown is that it can be designed and milled right here in our clinic. Using the latest CAD/CAM technology and state of art equipment, patients receive a perfect crown/onlay in just one day! In addition to that, the crowns are incredibly accurate as we scan your tooth instead of taking impressions.

So how does a Digital Crown work?

Your dentist will prepare your tooth for a crown as per usual and instead of having you bite down on gooey plasticine like impression materials which are messy and uncomfortable, your tooth will be scanned with our intra oral scanner that takes a 3D image of your tooth, which is then fed into a computer programme. After designing your crown, we will use our milling machine to cut out or “mill” the exact crown that was designed out of a ceramic block. Once milled, the crown is then fitted, polished and bonded to your tooth- all on the same day.

A Digital crown fabricated from the unit

So there you go.. now that you know about Digital crowns that can be milled (cut out) in our own clinic, you can consider giving it a go next time to save an extra visit to the clinic! Talk to your dentist about this if you have more questions or make an appointment to find out more.

Dr. Ng HW

03/Mar/2020

Nowadays, more and more people are concerned about their esthetic. A perfect smile can affect a person’s overall appearance, making them to have more confidence when meeting with people. Recently, Digital Smile Design (DSD) has become more and more popular, providing more predictable results for every patient.

What is Digital Smile Design

DSD is a dental treatment planning tool that helps the dental providers to have improved diagnostic vision, better outcome predictability and improved communication between the providers and patients. With DSD, the dental providers would be able to design a better and beautiful smile customized to every patient and be able to deliver the treatment planning confidently to the patients. With the patients’ complete understanding, they could perform the dental treatments efficiently.

How does DSD work?

When the patients have decided to make their smile look better, the dental providers will communicate with them to understand their expectations and needs from the treatment. Then, the providers will take photos of them and their teeth. Later, all the required photos will be imported into the DSD software.

Then, the software will help the dental provider to analyze the patients’ dental and facial proprotions thoroughly. There are various forms and shapes that can be chosen from the digital library which suits best for the patient. This gives the patients a quick glimpse into what they can expect at the end of the treatment.

Next, the providers will explain to the patients the problem lists. A thorough treatment plan is created based on the problem lists and what dental treatments are needed to achieve the final outcome. The treatment can range from simple restorative procedures, orthodontic treatment to orthognathic surgery.

Case Sample

First, patient is required to take photos of their smile.

Next, photos are imported into the DSD software. The providers identify the patient’s smile issues. Then, the software is used to analyze their dental and facial proportion, thus designing a better smile design customized to every patient.

Lastly, the final outcome of the smile design is then displayed on the software. Treatment plan based on the design is then discussed with the patient.

What makes DSD unique?

Although digital imaging and diagnostic mock-up can show to the patients how will they look like at the end of the treatment, they have their limitations in terms predictability. With DSD, the providers are able to tell the patients exactly what their smile will look like because final outcome of the patient’s smile will be displayed in the software and the accuracy of the the final outcome is high. With these, miscommunication between the patients and providers can be avoided as they will be on the same page.

Who is a best candidate for DSD?

Good news is everyone is a good candidate as long as they want to have a better and beautiful smile.

So, if you have always wanted to do something about your smile, this is the opportunity to bring up your wants and needs.

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Dr. Tham

30/Jan/2020

If you are thinking of straightening out your teeth but not looking forward to having fixed metal braces on your teeth, we can help you achieve that with Invisalign at Prestige Dental Care!

Invisalign is a set of custom-fitted aligners that fit over your teeth that slowly pull all your teeth into alignment. With Invisalign, you will be given a set of custom-made aligner trays that are made of BPA-free thermoplastic material.

They are removable, flexible, smooth and almost invisible- this means that you can remove your aligners while eating, avoid the painful monthly tightening needed for metal braces, and the best yet: you no longer have to put up with having ulcers or metal wires poking into your sensitive mouth tissues, or getting food in your braces and subsequently bad odour from areas that are difficult to be cleaned.

How is it done?

At Prestige Dental Care, we will examine your teeth and take the necessary records needed before starting treatment, such as: photos of your teeth and facial profile and dental X-rays. Our clinic is also equipped with the 3-shape intra-oral scanner. Unlike traditional methods of taking moulds of teeth, we use this intra-oral scanner to take digital pictures of your teeth which gives our dentists a very high definition, 3D image of your smile and teeth. This can then be used to custom make your aligners very accurately.

More info

Dr. Tham

23/Mar/2019

What is interceptive orthodontics?

In interceptive orthodontics , we identify and treat crooked teeth as soon as they are detected. According to the American Academy of Orthodontics, all children should have an orthodontic assessment no later than 7 years old.

How is interceptive orthodontics done?

Every child’s condition is different and treatment will be different too. Treatment can be done with at least ONE or a combination of the following:

Removable appliances (eg. expansion screws, springs, labial bows)
Oromyofunctional therapy ( Myobrace + oral exercises to train good oral posture. Read below for more information on oro-myofunctional therapy)
Braces (Depending on suitability, braces can be started earlier to gain more space for teeth in the jaws hence avoiding the need for pulling teeth out in the future)

1. Upper removable appliances (URA)

As it’s name implies, this treatment typically uses a plastic appliance that can be worn on and removed from the teeth. There are many types of removable appliances available and they are custom made according the child’s teeth. Often, we use springs or expansion screws to move teeth. Below are some examples of removable appliances.

2. Oro-Myofunctional Therapy (OMT)

How does Oro-Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) work?
OMT is a pre-braces treatment suitable only for growing children. The treatment aims to improve growing children’s cranial and jaw development by treating the underlying causes of crooked teeth and poor oral posture.

OMT can also improve a child’s general health and prevent Sleep Breathing Disorders.

This treatment involves using a series of removable intra-oral appliances (Myobrace) that are worn for 1-2 hours each day plus overnight while sleeping.

OMT also requires a child to do several oral exercises to train the strength of their lips and tongue and improve their nasal breathing. These exercises are very fun and parents are encouraged to get involved too!

The intra-oral appliance works by correcting poor oral habits that cause negative impacts on the development of face, jaws and teeth, such as mouth breathing, incorrect tongue position, thumb sucking, bottle feeding and swallowing incorrectly.

What Causes Crooked Teeth?

Many Malaysian children are growing up with crooked teeth. This is evidence of poor development of craniofacial structures. Traditional orthodontic treatment such as extractions and braces after waiting for all permanent teeth to come through actually focus on moving teeth without treating the underlying cause for crooked teeth.

Modern research has shown that crowded teeth, incorrect jaw development and other orthodontic problems are not caused by big teeth and small jaws or genetic factors. Rather, it is due to poor myofunctional habits (poor oral habits) like mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, reverse swallowing and thumb sucking that can be evident since the first years of life.

The craniofacial structures develop correctly only when children have the following 4 patterns for straight teeth:

1. Lips together at rest

2. Tongue resting at the roof of the mouth

3. Breathing through the nose (NOT the mouth!)

4. Correct swallowing method (No lip/cheek movement)

Here at Prestige Dental Care, we provide early intervention options for children that improve the underlying cause of crooked teeth with Oro-Myofunctional therapy.

What Oro-Myofunctional therapy does:

Corrects poor oral habits
Develops & aligns the jaws
Straightens the teeth
Optimises facial development
Improves overall health
Promotes healthy eating habits

How does it do this?

By helping the child:

Breathe through the nose
Swallow correctly
Correct his/her tongue posture
Keep lips together

Oro-MyoFunctional Training Exercises

How to wear MyoBrace Appliance/MRC Trainer?

Training 1 – Resting Position, Correct Swallow, Breathing Awareness

Training 2 – Drinking, Paces, Remembering game

Training 3 – Lip training, Continuous drinking, Nose opening

Training 4 – Yawning, Water seal, Tongue clicks

Training 5 – Squirt water bottle, Skinny Tongue

Training 6 – Kick, Gargling, Straw drinking

More info

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Dr. Ng SN

05/Jun/2018

Selamat Hari Raya to all of our Muslim families, friends and our customers.

We close from 14^th June (Thursday) till 18^th June (Monday) due to Hari Raya festival.

We will resume business as usual on 19^thJune 2018 (Tuesday).

Dr. Ng SN

12/Feb/2018

MBrace Clear Aligners

What is Mbrace®?

MBrace is a clear aligner used to correct misaligned teeth with ease and comfort. It is clear and removable which makes it almost unnoticeable by others and convenient to use. The aligners are custom-made digitally and fabricated individually to ensure a perfect and accurate fit for your teeth.

how does MBrace® work?

MBrace aligner is designed in a way that it does not require any wires or attachments to align your teeth. Just simply wear a series of aligners to exert gradual force against the teeth at different treatment stages to slowly move the teeth towards the final tooth position.
Patients are advised to wear every set of aligners for 2 weeks, at least 22 hours a day before moving to the next aligners.

treatment duration

A more severe teeth condition will take longer time to treat, as more aligners are required over the entire course of treatment.
Typically, MBrace treatment vary from anywhere between 6 to 24 months. Below illustrate the average treatment period based on the severity of the case.

What We Can Treat

MBrace^® can help with the following conditions:

Spacing

Too much space between teeth.

An esthetic problem that can also compromise the effectiveness of chewing.

Crowding

Not enough spacing between teeth; teeth overlap.

Can make it hard to brush and floss, thus leading to tooth decay and gum disease.

Midline Discrepancy

Teeth off center; center of upper and lower teeth are not aligned.

Can be an indication of improper bite, which may lead to pain and further issues.

Tipping

Teeth tip outward or inward; teeth tilt at an angle, or lean forward or backward.

Can cause other teeth to shift creating crowding and an improper bite.

Rotation

Teeth are tirned clockwise or counterclockwise.

Can make proper oral hygiene difficult and may lead to tooth decay.

*Pictures are taken from mbracealigner.com

Treatment Process

Go For Consultation

Your doctor will take an impression, photos and x-rays of your teeth for treatment planning

View Your Treatment

You will find out the duration of your treatment and view a before and after video of your teeth.

Wear Your Aligners

Wear each set of aligners for 2 weeks, at least 22 hours a day and remove them during meals.

Monitor Your Progress

Visit your doctor periodically to ensure that your treatment is progressing as planned.

Completed Your Treatment

Show off that new smile

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I get MBrace®?

We provide MBrace Clear Aligner treatment. You can make an appointment with us for an assessment and consultation.

How much does treatment cost?

It depends on your condition. Usually it is around RM12,000 (Full sets).

How long does treatment take?

The average MBrace® case ranges from about 6–18 months, depending on the complexity of the case.

Is extraction necessary?

It depends on your individual dental condition. Your doctor will be able to advise you on whether you require extraction.

Will my speech be affected?

Your speech may be slightly affected but this will resolve within a few days.

Is treatment painful?

Mild discomfort is to be expected each time you change to a new set of aligners. This is due to the pressure exerted by the aligner material to move your teeth.

Why use MBrace® over fixed braces?

MBrace® is clinically proven to straighten teeth as well. It is less noticeable, and allows you to maintain better oral hygiene and continue to enjoy your favourite foods!

Taken from http://mbracealigner.com

More info

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Dr. Ng SN

07/Feb/2018

We will close on Friday, 15^th February till 20^th of February 2018 due to this festival. Business will resume as usual on 21^st February (Wednesday).

Wish everyone a PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR
GOOD HEALTH

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Dr. Ng SN

23/Dec/2017