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A denture is a type of dental prosthesis designed to replace missing teeth. It is composed of two parts: denture base and teeth. Flexible dentures are called as flexible because the denture base is made of a softer nylon material which is more flexible than traditional acrylic denture bases. They are meant for partial replacement of your dentition. What are the advantages? More comfortable to wear and better fit since they conform to your gums unlike the rigid traditional dentures. This reduces the risk of sores and irritation. Less fragile and less likely to break. Not bulky; so they feel much more natural when you wear them. Blends in your mouth well. Are you considering flexible partial dentures? If yes, get in contact with us today. Dr. Shraddha Karkhanis BDS, MDS Periodontist & Oral Implantologist

  Today due to advancements in dentistry, you can choose either traditional or implant supported dentures. What’s the difference between traditional dentures and implant supported dentures? The difference lies in the underportion of the dentures. For traditional dentures, it is smooth allowing it to fit on top of your gums while for implant supported dentures, the denture bases have round holes that snap onto the titanium implants placed into your jawbone. Why are implant supported dentures considered better? Implants act as anchor for your jawbone. In the absence of an anchor they begin to recede resulting into sagging facial features and jaw joint problems. Implant supported dentures support your face and minimise sagging and sunken cheeks. They clip onto the implants instead of sitting on top of the gums. This is much more comfortable. They can evenly distribute pressure on the gums, thus eradicating friction and denture discomfort. I

In case of moderate damage to your tooth, instead of fillings or full crown your dentist may recommend onlay or inlay. They are considered better alternatives to crown because they save more of the original tooth structure. What are Inlays and Onlays? They are indirect fillings or partial crowns which are fabricated in a dental laboratory and then bonded to the tooth. Inlay is placed when the cusp of the tooth (top structure of the rear teeth) is involved by decay or fracture whereas onlays repair the biting surfaces of teeth when one or more cusps are involved. Dental inlay is placed in the centre of the tooth whereas dental onlay is placed involving the inside and outer areas of the tooth. They can be of various types of materials like gold or tooth coloured fillings like ceramic or composites. Benefits: Precise size and shape of the involved section of the tooth Less contraction and accurate fit as compared to a filling Low chances of failure Increase

The maxillary sinus is a big hollow cavity above your upper teeth. The roots of your upper rear teeth are in close contact with your sinus. The presence of teeth keeps the maxillary sinus in place. The expanding sinus due to the absence of teeth destroys surrounding bone. In order to have dental implants in that region, you may need a sinus lift with bone graft. The graft helps to add back the lost bone height due to the expanded sinus. Procedure: We can either place dental implant on the same day as the sinus lift or within few months of the procedure. This decision will be taken by us after assessing the bone height. There are two main ways to do sinus lift with bone grafting: Direct Sinus Lift (Lateral Window Technique) Indirect Sinus Lift (Crestal Approach) The above two procedures should be carried out by an expert Implantologist. Call us today to know more. Dr. Shraddha Karkhanis BDS, MDS Periodontist & Oral Implantologist    

  Everything starts with small issues which when ignored lead to adverse problems!! A cavity involving the outermost layer of your tooth ie. the enamel causes no symptoms but as and when the decay progresses the symptoms increase. Therefore, early detection by routine visits to your dentist helps to prevent the further progression of the decay. When do you need Root Canal Treatment? When the cavity reaches the innermost layer of the tooth ie. the pulp, you may experience pain, sensitivity, swelling and difficulty eating food. At this point of time don’t hesitate to visit us. Sometimes in case of discoloured or chipped tooth or post trauma to the teeth or when you have large decay or dental fillings, it becomes necessary to get root canal treatment done. What is Root Canal Treatment? It is a procedure used to remove the infected material from the root canals. Steps involved: To assess the severity of damage, we will take X-ray of your tooth The tooth is first a

Gum disease is the consequence of accumulation of dental plaque (a thin film which forms over your teeth and oral surfaces) and tartar (calcified plaque). Good oral hygiene and effective professional scaling is responsible for eliminating and reducing the 'bad bacteria' in your mouth. Those areas which do not respond to professional scaling require the use of locally delivered antibiotic therapy or surgery. For a localised site of involvement we prefer the use of a local drug delivery whereas for a large span of involvement and extensive periodontal destruction, surgical mode of therapy is preferred. Various agents are available for administration of local drug delivery - fibres, chips, gels, microspheres, etc. These agents are resorbable and degrade at that site over a period of time.  Benefits: Drug is administered at a localised site in the oral cavity. Thus, side effects of systemic route of administration of the drug are prevented Once the drug is placed, continuou

The most profound and powerful facial expression of all is YOUR SMILE. But some dental problems can ruin your smile. Hyperpigmentation of gingiva (gums) can compromise the esthetics of an individual. Melanin pigment contributes to the normal colour of oral mucosa. It may be brown or black and is considered physiological. But in case too much is present, then it can affect your smile since it becomes visible during smiling and speaking. Depigmentation is a cosmetic procedure that can improve the look of your gums. It can help to lighten the dark spots on your gums by targeting them to remove melanin and helps to achieve a uniform colour of pink. What is causing dark gums? Poor oral hygiene maintenance Smoking or chewing tobacco Genetics When should you undergo treatment? Darkened gums which can affect the quality of your smile Adequate thickness of gums Healthy gums (Absence of gum disease) How is it treated? Depigmentation is a simple yet highly effective cosme

Root canal treatment is a go-to procedure when the decay has reached the pulp. At times when it is difficult to retreat the root canal or when the root canal treatment is not successful at resolving infection around the roots of the tooth, you may require the need for an apicoectomy procedure. The root canal treatment can fail due to various reasons like blocked or inaccessible canal, presence of intricate root canal network or a fracture or crack along the roots of the tooth. The source of infection is accessed through gums rather than the crown of the tooth in case of apicoectomy. How is it done? Under local anaesthesia, a small incision is made over the gum and the tip of the root is exposed. A small portion of the tip of the root along with infected surrounding tissue is removed. The end of the root is then sealed with an inert material. A bone graft may then be placed at the affected region followed by suturing of the gum tissue over the tooth's roots. Post-operative ins

Did you ever have a boil over your gums along with pain? If pus oozes out of it and if it keeps coming back, it is definitely a case of an abscess. A tooth abscess is an accumulation of pus. These are of different types - periodontal abscess which occurs on the side of the tooth root whereas periapical abscess occurs on the tip of the root over the gums. They are caused by decay, periodontal (gum) disease, cracked tooth, lodgement of foreign object (ex. popcorn kernel) or involves partially erupted third molar. The abscess could lead to throbbing pain over the tooth, swelling and redness of the gums, pain while you chew, bad taste in the mouth or sensitivity. A tooth abscess can be diagnosed by clinical and X-ray examination. It can be treated by establishing pus drainage by making an incision over the most fluctuant part (a small cut over the abscess) and treating the cause - for example if decay is the cause then that should be treated. It could also be because of the underlying me

Have you noticed pain related to your wisdom tooth when it is erupting in the oral cavity? It could be a sign of Pericoronitis (inflammation of the gum overlying the erupting tooth). It is associated with pain and swelling of the operculum (the gum or the flap that covers partially erupted tooth). It typically affects young adults in whom wisdom teeth erupt. It is caused due to food debris getting trapped beneath the operculum and trauma due to the opposing tooth eventually leading to infection. It could be associated with sharp radiating pain, swelling, pus discharge, difficulty in opening the mouth, difficulty in swallowing, fever, enlarged lymph nodes and subsequent spread of infection to the adjacent regions. So, what is the treatment? In case of a healthy tooth which is partially erupted, your dentist will perform thorough dental scaling and advise conservative treatment which would involve maintenance of proper oral hygiene and use of warm saline gargles or mouthrinse. Your

  Lip tie is the fold of tissue that connects lip to the gum tissue of the teeth. Most commonly it is present on your upper front teeth. Tongue tie is that which connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. It can sometimes be connected upto the tip of your tongue. How does that affect you? They could lead to increase in the space between your teeth, recede gums or cause redness of gums. They inhibit movement and cause speech impediments. A tongue tie could prevent self cleansing of your mouth and restricts tongue functions like licking, kissing or sticking your tongue out. This accumulates food on your teeth for longer; thus affecting your dental health and also your social life. These connections have no distinct functions and removing them cause no loss of function. The lip tie or the tongue tie could also interfere with your denture fit. In some cases, they may be needed when you are getting braces to avoid relapse (fibrotic tissue could open up the closed spaces). To diagn

  A person who has lost teeth may desire replacement of the same by fixed teeth. Dental implants are the most successful option for replacement of your missing teeth. With proper care, they can last as long as your natural teeth. So what exactly are these dental implants? Dental implants are made up of three main parts - implant, abutment and crown. The dental implant is a screw-like structure that is made up of titanium and embedded into the bone. The bone fuses to the implant through a natural process called as osseointegration. The abutment is a connector of the prosthetic teeth to the implant which is fastened with a screw. The crown or the prosthesis is designed for single tooth or full arch of teeth. Why do we need dental implants? 1. To replace missing teeth lost due to decay, gum disease or trauma 2. For mastication (chewing) 3. For strong and esthetic prosthesis 4. To maintain the integrity of the jaw structure. Procedural Steps: 1. Prior to surgery, a CBCT scan

How to keep your mouth clean in this pandemic? Are any extra measures required? A link has been found between poor oral hygiene and severity of SARS COV-2 infections Sampson, V., Kamona, N. & Sampson, A. Could there be a link between oral hygiene and the severity of SARS -CoV-2 infections?. Br Dent J 228, 971–975 (2020).  Covid-19 is of viral origin, but bacteria play a crucial role in the severe forms of infection. High bacterial load in the oral cavity is linked to post viral complications from Covid-19 and improving the oral health can reduce risk of complications. Good oral hygiene can reduce the bacterial load in the mouth and chances of bacterial superinfection. Oral health is responsible for overall health. So it is important to vigorously follow an oral hygiene routine to combat the bacterial infection and lessen the viral load. Precautionary measures: 1. Wash your hands before beginning the oral hygiene routine. 2. Brush twice daily using a fluoridated toothpa