The Marine Parade Community Club is organizing a dental talk for the public which will take place on Saturday, 4^th September, from 1.30pm to 4.30pm at the Marine Parade Community Club Theatrette.

Specialist Dental Group is supporting this worthwhile event as part of our community outreach activities. Members of our dental team will be present to share their knowledge on the latest developments in dentistry and educate the community on how oral health is closely linked to their overall health.

Dr. Helena Lee, our Periodontist, will be speaking on “The Mouth and Body Connection”. Most people do not know that diabetes, heart disease, lung infection, miscarriage and pre-term child birth can be detected early by just looking at the patients’ gums. If you want to find out more, do not miss the opportunity to listen to her presentation.

Another topic that will be covered is “Solutions for Missing Teeth.” This is a joint Mandarin presentation by our Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, Dr. Ho Kok Sen, and our Prosthodontist, Dr. Elvin Leong. For those particularly with missing teeth, you may want to set aside some time to attend this presentation and discover various methods to replace your missing teeth and restore their functional and aesthetical aspect.

To register, you may contact Ms. Lynn Tan at (65) 6346 4900 – free registration exclusively for PAssion Card Members.

For more information, you can also go to: http://bit.ly/bme108

She had a tumour successfully removed from her jaw but Meena was left with a severely collapsed cheek. Requiring expertise not available in her native India, she decided to come to Singapore.

 By Keith G Emuang (keithg@emuang.org)

“My mouth was a warzone! I couldn’t chew, swallow or speak properly at all. It was distressing,” recalls Meena, a 62-year old homemaker from New Delhi.

This was after she had surgery in June 2007 to remove a malignant tumour in the left side of her jaw. Meena had to undergo two months of chemo-radiation therapy thereafter. Although she had won the battle with cancer, there was a casualty – her upper jaw bone – or precisely the 25 per cent of what was left of it.

Even though the initial promise of oral rehabilitation had lifted her spirits somewhat, several months later, it became clear that her recovery was not progressing as she had expected. In fact, it had not progressed at all.

“My mouth was simply useless and I told my husband that this cannot go on. He agreed and that’s when we decided to do something about it.”

Only the best

Meena’s husband, a medical doctor, decided to speak to his colleagues whilst combing through several renowned medical journals. After a studious search, he identified the specific dental expertise that his wife required. However, the challenge was finding it.    

He shares, “There are many prosthodontists but not many have a super-speciality in maxillofacial prosthodontics. Moreover, we wanted a specialist with experience and who was recognised in the field.”

Prosthodontists are dental specialists who are skilled in the replacement of missing teeth and the restoration of natural teeth. Maxillofacial prosthodontists, on the other hand, treat patients who have defects of the head and neck (maxillofacial) region due to cancer, surgery, trauma, and/or birth defects.

Eventually, a shortlist of five maxillofacial prosthodontists was made and following an exchange of email and phone queries, he settled on one from Singapore. 

“Dr Cheng was very prompt with his replies and they were good responses too. Besides, his work had been published in several journals which mattered to me,” Meena’s husband says.

In late November 2009, the couple arrived in Singapore to meet Dr Ansgar Cheng, a Prosthodontist at Specialist Dental Group.

Straight to work

“Meena was distraught when I first met her. Although the combination of surgery and chemo-radiation therapy was effective in treating her cancer, there was not much meaningful work done to restore function to her mouth. Even the denture prosthesis she was given did not fit well,” outlines Dr Cheng.

According to him, Meena only had five functional teeth in her upper jaw. The rest, many of which had root canals done on them, were badly decayed as a result of the cancer therapy. Moreover, the dental bone on her upper jaw was completely gone, leading to another major concern.

“She was missing a seal between her nasal and oral cavity and this caused the accumulation of secretions which was hampering her speech and swallowing abilities. We had to give her a new platform to support the reconstruction of that seal, and new teeth too,” explains Dr Cheng.

A day after she arrived, Dr Cheng began work on restoring Meena’s mouth. By the time he was done in early December, some 17 days later, she had a functional rehabilitation on her upper jaw, five teeth reinforced by titanium posts, three root canals redone and 10 Zirconia crowns for protection and good aesthetic effect.

Meena also had a palatal obturator fitted which covered the hole in the roof of her mouth that leads to the nasal cavity. This obturator replaced the missing 75% upper jaw bone and the missing teeth.

A new beginning  

Dr Cheng remarks, “She was not just missing teeth. Meena was literally handicapped when she came in and her speech was unintelligible. Fortunately, we have managed to give her back significant function to her jaw and teeth, and within a reasonable time frame.

For almost two years, Meena had not been in the right state of mind to enjoy most things. Unable to bite and speak properly, her social life was affected. Today, she is a different woman and is quick to point out where her gratitude lies.   

“I was apprehensive when I first met Dr Cheng but his calm and patient demeanor put me at ease very quickly. By the second day, I had put my full trust in him.”

Dr Cheng adds, “The trust between doctor and patient is vital. So when a patient trusts in their doctor, it makes it very easy for the doctor to carry out treatment.”

According to him, Meena is expected to recover well. He even suggested she put her new jaw and teeth to the ultimate test, which Meena gladly complied. A day and a few pieces of chicken later, she was reassured.

On 16 December 2009, Meena flew back to India – definitely more confident, clearly more excited and audibly more vocal than when she first arrived. Her mouth had been restored and judging by her future plans once she gets home, so too was her lifestyle. 

  Name:             Gregory Taye

 Nationality:      Singaporean

 Procedure:       Dental Implants

 “There is nothing like a good set of teeth on you to build your own confidence… Everything you do, you do with a big smile”                         – Gregory Taye

Gregory had never expected that one day he would be able to smile again – he had been wearing dentures ever since his teeth became loose. The dentures irritated his gums and felt unnatural. He could not enjoy food properly as the dentures were so big that that the taste and texture of food were missing.  He also lost self confidence.

Gregory went for a dental consultation with Dr Neo Tee Khin, a prosthodontist with Specialist Dental Group (SDG), and found out about a new procedure to replace missing teeth – NobelGuide Teeth-in-an-Hour. He was excited to learn that he was a good candidate for this procedure.  Using proprietary 3D software by Switzerland-based NobelBiocare and Gregory’s CT scan, Dr Neo and Dr Ho Kok Sen, an oral maxillofacial surgeon with SDG, planned the placement of the implants ahead of time. The key-hole procedure was minimally invasive with no down time… and best of all, Gregory was able to get his new set of teeth in about one hour after the surgery began ! He was able to eat immediately after the surgery, and was back to his normal routine right after the procedure.

As Gregory had the opportunity to have the NobelGuide Teeth-in-an-Hour procedure on both his upper and lower jaws, he was also in a unique position to experience the difference between wearing dentures and having dental implants at the same time.

According to Gregory, “The difference between the dentures in your mouth and the implants are two different feelings – When you have dentures in your mouth, it’s like you’ve got something stuck in your mouth…and when you have implants, you are like having your normal teeth on into your mouth.”                  

Specialist Dental Group Comments:

The NobelGuide Teeth-in-an-Hour procedure is a revolutionary high tech method to replace multiple missing teeth. The new teeth look, feel and function just like natural teeth. It is also a  painless procedure and provides convenience to patients as fewer appointments are needed in a very short period of time to complete the treatment. The whole procedure takes about one hour with both implants and the teeth placed at the same time. About two to three weeks is required from the time of the initial consultation to the time of the surgery to allow time for a custom-made surgical guide to be fabricated in Sweden and shipped to Singapore.

Dr Per-Ingvar Branemark, the father of modern dental implants, once said, “No one should die with their teeth in a glass of water.”  There are now many options available for those using dentures or those with missing teeth.  

You can also view the Specialist Dental Group patient education video on the NobelGuide Teeth-in-an-Hour procedure and find out more about Gregory’s dental journey.

              Name                     : Ken Lee

              Nationality           : Malaysian

              Procedure           : Dental Implants & Crowns

“Losing both my premolars affected my confidence while talking to clients but this will happen no more. I can have a bigger smile now!”                           - Ken Lee

“I am happy” said Ken Lee, a freelance website designer, when asked about his dental implants and crowns experience at Specialist Dental Group.

 Ken had lost two of his pre-molars when he was 18 years old. He did not feel confident to laugh freely or smile broadly when taking photos. He was also shy to speak with people. Ken had heard about dental implants as a solution for missing teeth but thought that the treatment was too expensive at that time.

Several years later, when he was working with a website services company, he came to know about Specialist Dental Group and the various dental treatment offered by the clinic.

Ken was treated by Dr Elvin Leong and Dr Ansgar Cheng, prosthodontists at the clinic. Dr Leong did a thorough examination. He also consulted with Dr Patricia Yeong, an orthodontist, to discuss various options available for his dental problems.

Ken decided to proceed with dental implant and crown treatment.   As the clinic had an interest-free installment payment arrangement available for UOB credit cardholders, this made the cost of the treatment more affordable.

Both Dr Cheng and Dr Leong worked together to provide dental implants and crowns for Ken.  At the end of the treatment, Ken was delighted with the result – he could now wear a big smile and laugh out loud without fear of embarrassment.

Specialist Dental Group Comments:

Dental Implants are a long term predictable solution in replacing missing teeth. The dentist needs to examine the patient and see his/her suitability for the treatment. Conventional dental implants take about 3 to 6 months to complete as time is needed for the implant to integrate with the jawbone. In certain situations, patients may be able to benefit from Instant Implants or the NobelGuide Teeth-in-an-Hour procedure.  

The important key to every dental treatment is the preliminary consultation and examination. This is when the treatment options are discussed, also when patient and dentist can address other concerns, such as fear of pain, financial arrangement, and patient’s expectation. Proper diagnosis is the first step to successful treatment outcomes.

Specialist Dental Group is proud to be Nobel Biocare’s Diamond Partner in Singapore.  The combination of our dental implant team’s clinical expertise and experience with Nobel Biocare’s technology and innovative dental products results in more predictable and effective results so that patients can enjoy a better quality of life.

Nobel Biocare is a world leader in innovative restorative and esthetic dental solutions. It has the largest share of the global dental market and has developed numerous advancements in dental implants over the past 40 years.

The Nobel Biocare Partner Program recognizes an elite group of doctors – those who are the most experienced in the art of dental implants.  The Diamond Partner status is achieved by clinics/dentists who perform a high volume of implant cases.

Specialist Dental Group’s dental implant team consists of five leading specialists:

Dr Neo Tee Khin (Prosthodontist), Dr Elvin Leong (Prosthodontist), Dr Ansgar Cheng (Prosthodontist), Dr Helena Lee (Periodontist) and Dr Ho Kok Sen (Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon)

The clinic’s founder, Dr Henry Lee, placed the first titanium dental implants in Singapore over 25 years ago. Specialist Dental Group’s strong history in dental implants continues with the multi-specialist team of dentists, who are all active in lecturing and publishing clinical articles about their dental implant cases. All the implant team members are adjunct /part-time faculty at the National University of Singapore’s Faculty of Dentistry. Specialist Dental Group celebrated its 30^th anniversary in 2009.

Teeth Replacement Options

Nowadays, the terms ‘dental implants’, ‘crowns’, ‘bridges’, ‘veneers’, and ‘dentures’ have become a well-known term in our daily lives; particularly for those people with single or multiple missing teeth. These procedures are predictable for tooth replacement and are sought after by patients who are conscious of improving their appearance as well as to improve essential functions such as eating and speaking. The success rate of these procedures is determined by several factors such as: the patients’ existing lifestyle, the implant materials & technology being used, and the expertise involved during the surgery.

In addition to providing conventional dental implant treatment, Specialist Dental Group also offers the NobelGuide Teeth-in-an-Hour procedure, which uses a combination of the patient’s CT scan and proprietary 3D software to plan the implant placement ahead of time. This results in minimally invasive surgery with quicker healing and the patient leaves the clinic with his or her new teeth in one hour. Specialist Dental Group has created a patient education video on the NobelGuide Teeth-in-an-Hour procedure.

Specialist Dental Group generally uses zirconium crowns for dental crowns. Zirconium-based dental crowns are superior in structural strength reinforcement and aesthetic quality. Instead of relying on a dental technician alone, well-fitting crowns could be robotically made using CAD-CAM technology with significantly reduced human intervention. Research has shown that the fit of these CAD-CAM crowns are excellent even at a sub-microscopic level.

                      Patient:              Kristin Thompson

                      Nationality:        American

                     Procedure :        Crowns

“If I didn’t know better, I would absolutely think that these teeth are my original teeth.  The color is perfectly matched to my teeth; the texture is identical to the original teeth; and the placement, size and position with the gums is 100% real.”   -          Kristin Thompson 

Kristin Thompson had been wearing a dental bridge since she was 15 and had never been able to eat an apple off the core or corn-on-the-cob since that time. She was also limited in what she could eat and playing sports was sometimes risky.

When Kristin was based in Indonesia, she decided to get dental implants done in Singapore. After asking around, she was recommended to see Dr Ansgar Cheng of Specialist Dental Group and flew in for an initial consultation.

A surfing incident shortly after resulted in an emergency visit to Singapore. Kristin had felt her dental bridge shift while surfing and a few days later, experienced excruciating pain in her teeth. It was Thursday night at 8pm in Jakarta. She was unable to sleep through the night and called the clinic first thing in the morning. Specialist Dental Group staff were able to squeeze her into the tight schedule at the last minute and by 9 am, Kristin was on a flight to Singapore.  A few hours later, she was in Dr Cheng’s dental chair. Two teeth and the bridge were removed and an abscess was drained.

As Kristin had rushed to Singapore so quickly that morning, she had not had a chance to book a hotel room.  Numb from the anesthesia and tired from the early morning flight over, she was not sure where to go.  Without prompting, the clinic staff quickly offered to arrange a hotel for her that was within walking distance.  Within 20 minutes she was resting comfortably at the hotel.  The clinic expedited the fabrication of a temporary denture and she was able to return to Indonesia within three days.

She later returned to Singapore to have implant surgery under Dr Myra Elliot at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre and had her crowns made by Dr Cheng. Kristin was delighted that the crowns looked and felt like natural teeth.

One of the first things that she did after leaving the clinic was to bite into an apple – something that she had not been able to do for so long, and which she never thought she would be able to do again.

Specialist Dental Group’s Comments:

Dental crowns cover the teeth and restore them to their natural size, shape and colour. Crowns are used to strengthen teeth that are mechanically weakened, e.g. teeth that have had root canal treatment. In addition, crowns can be used to modify the colour or position of the teeth. Crowns are also used together with dental implants to restore function to the teeth.

Teeth that have been crowned should be cared for just like regular teeth – this means that regular maintenance of the crowns is necessary. Crowns can be made from different materials including ceramic and zirconia. Zirconium-based dental crowns are superior in structural strength reinforcement and aesthetic quality.

When 69-year old Australian Janet Ho was faced with dental problems, her quality of life took a nosedive. Determined to find a solution, she ended up in Singapore for treatment.

Article written by Keith Emuang (keithg@emuang.org)

                Name:               Janet Ho

                Procedure:       Dental Implants

                Nationality:        Australian

Bite, chew and swallow – three simple steps to eating. How difficult can it possibly be? Most of us don’t even give it a second thought. However, for those with a problem in any of these steps, every meal can be a challenge. Just ask retired teacher Janet Ho.  

“I was having chewing difficulties which eventually led to me developing a stomach problem, possibly from being unable to digest my food properly.” 

For a long time, the fillings in her lower back tooth kept falling off every few months. Although she religiously saw her dentist to get it replaced, her patience reached a hair’s end after one occasion when the fillings lasted for just three weeks. A second opinion was in order, the Melbourne resident thought to herself. 

Janet recounts, “I saw a general dentist who recommended I consider having root canal treatment and a dental crown placed over my problem tooth. He then referred me to root canal specialist.”

Bad to worse

Though initially uncomfortable with the fee, Janet eventually underwent root canal treatment after managing to obtain a price reduction. She returned for a follow-up not long after and it was at that point Janet’s flame of discontentment ignited.

“The dentist was too busy to see me and so referred me to a junior one instead. He examined me, said I had 40 per cent bone lost in my jaw and requested I do another X-ray. He also said I needed further treatment. I’d already taken X-rays two weeks earlier but nonetheless agreed to the inconvenience of going to another diagnostic clinic to have them done, “Janet relates.     

However, her subsequent experience left her frustrated and disgruntled, and Janet lost her patience and confidence in dentists for some time.

“Luckily for me, a friend suggested that I go to Singapore for dental treatment. My niece, who works in the healthcare industry there, recommended that I see Dr Ansgar Cheng at Specialist Dental Group. I readily agreed because I knew Singapore has an excellent and solid reputation for its medical treatment,” shares the mother of three.     

Making the difference

In April 2008, Janet arrived in Singapore and met with Dr Cheng, a prosthodontist at Specialist Dental Group. After a thorough examination, he brought in his colleague, periodontist, Dr Helena Lee.

“She was very reassuring and puts one at ease immediately. She explained in detail everything she intended to do in a way that a lay person like me could understand. That really assured me that everything would turn out well.”

Janet adds, “I was also highly impressed that all the specialists were under one roof, which saved me time travelling from one place to another. In this Singapore clinic, you have one dentist as the key person and receive follow-up treatment with other specialists at the same clinic. It’s a great arrangement.” 

Over the course of a few hours, Janet was attended by both Drs Cheng and Lee who took turns to treat her infected teeth. Janet had the necessary extractions and teeth implants fitted to solve her long-standing chewing problems.

“I’m very happy and satisfied with the treatment I received at Specialist Dental Group. In fact, my dentist in Australia never even told me I had three infected teeth. I was under the impression that I had only one bad tooth.”

“Besides the expertise and sub-specialization at the clinic, and high quality of technology used, there were no hidden charges as everyone was very transparent and upfront. It really cuts down on stress and time wasting. Best of all I can go back to enjoying my meals once again.”

Specialist Dental Group’s Comments

Dental implants look, feel and function just like natural teeth. The procedure allows one or more teeth to be replaced without affecting neighbouring teeth (unlike the case with dentures) and is a long term solution for teeth loss.

One of the benefits of having several types of dental specialists in one location is that patients are able to consult with, and obtain treatment for different dental problems without having to travel between clinics or arranging additional appointments.  Patients benefit from time and cost savings. Communication between the various specialists is also seamless as all the patient’s records are in one clinic.  An added convenience is that patients can have their digital x-rays and CT scans taken at the clinic without going to a separate facility and waiting in line.

               Name: Anne Howe

               Procedure: Dental Implants and Bridges

               Nationality: Australian

“I couldn’t be happier with both these doctors, the work they carried out, the detailed care they took, and the friendliness they showed towards me was above and beyond.”                                                                                                         -  Anne Howe

Anne played golf and tennis regularly and listed scuba diving and sky diving as some of her outdoor activities.  Based on Norfolk Island, she actively volunteered for the past 20 years in rescuing and raising injured or orphaned Australian native birds and animals. She also volunteered for an organization that cared for children with cancer.

When it came to her dental well-being, Anne decided to take matters into her own hands after being told by her Australian dentist that her jaw was going out of alignment.  She consulted with an Australian specialist and obtained a quote for the treatment involved. Finding the fee rather steep, she researched the internet for dentists in Asia after hearing that high quality dental work could be done less expensively there.

After comparing information on dental surgeons in Thailand, India and Singapore, she finally decided on Dr Myra Elliot, an oral maxillofacial surgeon based at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre in Singapore. Anne had visited Singapore several times previously and felt safe in the country. Singapore also had a reputation for high standards of work and honesty. Dr Elliot, in turn, recommended Dr Neo Tee Khin, prosthodontist at Specialist Dental Group (SDG) to assist with the prosthesis treatment for Anne.

Anne’s treatment involved having teeth removed and dental implants placed to support a bridge. She also had general dental treatment.  According to Anne, the overall cost of her dental treatment was about the same as having the work done in Sydney by the time she paid for airfares, accommodation and sundry expenses. However, she enjoyed 3 excellent trips to Singapore, which was starting to feel like a second home, and that was a bonus.

Specialist Dental Group’s Comments:

Dental implant treatment has been long documented to be an effective and lasting solution for replacing missing teeth. Teamwork and coordination between the oral surgeon and the prosthodontist is important for a successful outcome. Implant teeth can be supported with dentures, crowns or bridges.

The best treatment option will be recommended after a thorough examination and consultation with the dental specialist. Many patients have reported significant changes in their confidence level after completion of dental implant treatment and are able to enjoy a wider variety of food and social activities. The new teeth look, feel and function just like natural teeth, and should be cared for in the same way as one’s natural teeth