Fear of
Denture
In my younger days, good
and healthy teeth were not considered top priorities.
Only very basic treatments were provided for the relief
of pain with minimal consideration given to the cosmetic
aspects of dentistry. Some dentists either chose to
ignore or did not recognize potential problems.
Extractions and dentures were the order of the day.
Under these circumstances I lost a lot of
teeth in my teenage years. A partial denture was
provided until I was offered crowns and bridges to
replace the missing teeth. There was an eight-unit
bridge (where the denture was) on my right-hand side
which was supported on three teeth. I now realise that
it was under engineered and incorrectly designed. Even
though they looked acceptable I was unable to chew
properly.
Not knowing what "Good
Dentistry" is, and that better results could and
should be achieved, this solution seemed to work. At
least I no longer had to wear a denture.
Years later, one of the underlying teeth
of the eight-unit bridge began to decay and an abscess
formed. The root had fractured. A new bridge is no
longer an option. I have a very high lipline when I
smile, a partial denture would be most
undesirable.
I was then
recommended to see Dr.
Sih to assess my case and my personal needs. Dr.
Sih and his colleagues did a lot of careful
planning, discussing various treatment options prior to
finalising my treatment plan to ensure the best possible
results, both cosmetically and functionally.
Dr. Sih also explained
that pleasing cosmetic dentistry requires crowns
with varying degrees of translucency; that the
colour should be natural and match the rest of
the teeth. The teeth should follow the "smile
line" of the mouth; the gum line should be
"scalloped" and the shapes of the crowns should
not appear bulky, pearly & so
on...
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A recommendation was
given to have the damaged root removed, and dental
implants and new crowns put in to replace all the
missing teeth and faulty crowns. Due to heavy bone loss
in certain areas, bone grafting was also required.
I must say that I am very happy with the
results. Now I love to smile, feel very confident with
myself and most of all, I can truly, fully enjoy my food
because the dental implants are strong, as good as my
real teeth, if not better. and they do not decay. I can
chew better and my health has also greatly
improved!
How I love my dental
implants and my teeth for life!
Regards,
Lydia
Leung
