The Marine Parade Community Club is organizing a dental talk for the public which will take place on Saturday, 4th 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.
“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.
Dr Ho Kok Sen of Specialist Dental Group was recently interviewed by Daniel Martin of “Body & Soul” on 938LIVE FM Radio. The interview was part of a series of events to launch the Sjogren’s Syndrome Club in Singapore. Dr Ho, an Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon, was one of the speakers at a public seminar, and spoke on “Managing Dry Mouth (Xerostomia) for Sjogren’s Syndrome patients.
For your convenience, we have uploaded the radio interview and selected slides from Dr Ho’s presentation on YouTube, Facebook and our website.
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:
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 30th 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.
“I am extremely thankful this sort of thing happened when I was within a reasonable distance of such professional, high quality care. I am well aware that without such, things could have been very unpleasant indeed” – Stephen Houston
Stephen had been suffering from an infected wisdom tooth that resulted in breathing difficulties and impaired his ability to swallow. The Canadian was working with the Indonesian government’s tsunami and earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation agency in Banda Aceh at the time. With the side of his neck beginning to swell, he searched the internet for help and came across Specialist Dental Group’s website.
It was Good Friday evening, a public holiday in Singapore. Stephen emailed the clinic to request for an appointment the following morning. Minutes later, he received a call from Dr. Ansgar Cheng asking for more details on his symptoms. Dr Cheng instructed Stephen to go directly to the clinic upon arriving in Singapore and he would be seen on an emergency basis.
Dr Cheng, a maxillofacial prosthodontist with Specialist Dental Group (SDG), initially examined Stephen and called in his colleague, Dr Ho Kok Sen, an oral maxillofacial surgeon to assist with Stephen’s case. Stephen was admitted to the Mount Elizabeth Hospital immediately and put on intravenous antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications. Surgery was scheduled for 9pm that same evening.
Dr Ho and the attending anaesthesiologist explained to Stephen what would be done and ensured that he understood and was comfortable with the proposed treatment. Shortly after, Stephen was back in the hospital bed with the wisdom tooth and much of the infection removed. He was also able to breathe and swallow again. Stephen was discharged a few days later and returned to Indonesia to work.
Specialist Dental Group’s Comments:
Infections resulting from impacted wisdom teeth, deep cavities requiring immediate root canal treatment or decayed teeth can sometimes cause swelling of the gums and mouth. This can result in difficulty in eating or swallowing. Pain is also experienced. In some instances, the airways can become so swollen that a person can experience breathing difficulties. When this happens, getting prompt dental treatment is critical.
Antibiotics are usually prescribed to reduce the inflammation from the infection. If the situation is non-urgent, the patient will be instructed to return to the clinic a few days after taking the medication to have the tooth treated. In emergency situations, immediate treatment is required.
Prevention, in these types of situations, is always better than treatment. Regular visits to the dentist will make early detection of potential dental problems such as cavities and decay possible. In addition, wisdom teeth that are not well-positioned and which are likely to cause problems can be identified and extracted before they become an issue. Treatment costs would be lower in non-emergency situations and patients
Dr Ho Kok Sen from Specialist Dental Group was recently interviewed on 938LIVE radio on the Body & Soul show about a dry mouth condition known as Xerostomia and is currently available on Youtube. You may listen to it at http://bit.ly/9bBKbd. Read on to find out more about Xerostomia.
What is Xerostomia?
Xerostomia is the medical term for dry mouth. It is also known as salivary gland hypofunction. Dry mouth as the name refers to a subjective feeling of oral dryness due to a lack of saliva. It is not a diagnosis but a symptom. For this symptom to appear, the person’s unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rate must be depressed to a certain level.
How does Xerostomia impact dental care?
Xerostomia is not a normal condition. Other bodily fluids like blood, urine and even tears have been widely used as indicators of health and disease. Saliva, however, has been largely ignored. Saliva protects our teeth and oral tissues. It also aids in digestion, taste and speech and is also a sensitive indicator of serious systemic conditions and diseases. Having a dry mouth is not normal and the general public needs to recognize this condition and bring it to the attention of their doctors and dentists.
Patients with dry mouths who do not seek preventive dental care in the early stages will usually present with severe dental caries (decay). This may be accompanied by mucositis or general inflammation of the oral tissues. Saliva with its immunoglobulins and other protective enzymes helps with food clearance thus preventing tooth decay. It also lines and protects the oral mucosa thus preventing recurrent oral infections.
How do you know that your Xerostomia is getting worse?
Our salivary glands are like factories. They need raw materials, machines and electricity to function and produce the end-products. If there is any disruption in this production line, the end-products get affected. Applying this to our salivary glands, we know that if there is any interference in the supply of metabolites including water, damage to the glands or failure in neural transmission can result in a reduction in the synthesis of saliva.
Xerostomia may present early with little or mild symptoms. Symptoms worsen when there is increased difficulty in speech and eating, This may be coupled with halitosis or bad breath. To determine if xerostomia is getting worse, we can test the salivary gland function. This can be done by collecting saliva and determining the amount produced in a five minute period. Other objective evidence of salivary gland involvement is tested through ultrasound examinations and/ or a parotid sialography.
Studies have shown that 1 in 4 adults complained of dry mouth and its associated symptoms. This coupled with the fact that about 40% of the elderly complained of dry mouth goes on to show that it is quite a common condition.
What can you do prevent and treat Xerostomia?
Treatment involves finding any correctable causes and fixing those if possible. In many cases it is not possible to correct the xerostomia itself, and treatment focuses on relieving the symptoms and preventing cavities.
Tips for patients with Xerostomia
avoid the use of decongestants and antihistamines,
pay careful attention to oral hygiene.
Sipping non-carbonated sugarless fluids frequently, chewing xylitol-containing gum, and using a carboxymethyl cellulose saliva substitute as a mouthwash may help.
The use of an enzymatic product such as Biotene toothpaste, mouthwash, and dry mouth moisturizing liquid has been proven to reduce the rate of recurrence of dental plaque resulting from dry mouth.
Ensure that you see your dentist regularly for check-ups to maintain your oral health
What is Sjogren’s Syndrome?
Sjögren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disorder in which immune cells in our body system attack and destroy the exocrine glands that produce tears and saliva. The exocrine glands concerned are the tear or lacrimal glands and the salivary glands, It is named after Swedish ophthalmologist Henrik Sjögren (1899–1986) who first described it.
The hallmark symptoms of the disorder are dry mouth and dry eyes. In addition, Sjögren’s syndrome may cause skin, nose, and vaginal dryness and may affect other organs of the body, including the kidneys, blood vessels, lungs, liver, pancreas, and brain.
Public Seminar on Xerostomia and Launch of Sjogren’s Syndrome Club in Singapore
If you have xerostomia / Sjogren’s Syndrome or know of someone who has xerostomia/Sjogren’s Syndrome, Dr Ho will be speaking on “Managing Dry Mouth in Sjogren’s Syndrome”
Date: Saturday, April 24, 2010
Venue: Marina Mandarin Hotel (Taurus Ballroom)
Time: 2pm to 4pm.
Fee: Registration fee is $12 (Goodie bag worth $70 will be provided). Payment by cheque or credit card only.
See below for more details or contact: Shawn Chong at (65) 6232 8335 / 9227 1771 or email shawn.s.chong@gsk.com.
Dr Marzella, Dr Neo Tee Khin, Richard Soh, Dr Ansgar Cheng and Dr Ho Kok Sen
A team of dentists from Specialist Dental Group and Universitas Trisakti performed the NobelGuide Teeth-in-an-Hour Live Surgery procedure before a group of approximately 200 dentists in Jakarta on Saturday, February 20, 2010. This revolutionary procedure enables dental implants to be placed in one hour, and was the first time that this procedure was performed in Indonesia.
According to Dr Neo Tee Khin, Prosthodontist with Specialist Dental Group, “With this Nobelguide Teeth-in-an-Hour procedure, people who have missing teeth can get new teeth that look, feel and function just their natural teeth – all in an hour.”
The Live Surgery event was part of a workshop organized by the Indonesian Society of Implant Dentistry with the collaboration of Universitas Trisakti and sponsored by NobelBiocare. Dr Neo and Dr Ho Kok Sen, Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon with Specialist Dental Group, were instrumental in planning and providing clinical expertise for the procedure together with Dr Marzella Mega Lestari from Universitas Trisakti.
The patient, Richard Soh, 56, is from Singapore and previously lived in Jakarta for a few years. Mr Soh had been wearing dentures for many years on both his upper and lower jaw. He found the dentures uncomfortable and he could not fully enjoy his food. After the NobelGuide Teeth-in-an-Hour procedure, Mr Soh was able to eat almost immediately – and he enjoyed a full lunch that afternoon and was able to eat as normal the rest of the time.
Patient eating watermelon minutes after the surgery
“The NobelGuide Teeth-in-an-Hour procedure is minimally invasive – there is no swelling or pain, and the recovery is very quick,” added Dr Ho Kok Sen.
Professor Ansgar Cheng of Specialist Dental Group also provided a briefing on the NobelGuide Teeth-in-an-Hour procedure. “Our clinical experience shows that the success rate of this procedure is about 99%”, said Dr Cheng.
Nobel Biocare is the world leader in innovative restorative and aesthetic 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 company is the leading innovator of computer-aided design and manufacturing as well as computer-aided implant treatment planning and guided implant installation. For more information, visit www.nobelbiocare.com
Specialist Dental Group is the leading multi-specialist dental clinic in Singapore. Based at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, the clinic celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2009. Its founder, Dr Henry Lee, placed the first dental implants in Singapore over 25 years ago. The dental team consists of 7 internationally trained/qualified specialists in different areas of dentistry. Specialist Dental Group offers comprehensive specialist dental solutions under one roof. For more information visit www.specialistdentalgroup.com
Specialist Dental Group’s resident Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon, Dr Ho Kok Sen, was profiled in the December 17 issue of Mind Your Body (Straits Times) today. For those of you who are unable to access the paper, read on below to have an idea of what the story was about.
I decided to specialise in oral-maxillofacial surgery because…
I get to disassemble and reassemble stuff which is something I’ve enjoyed since I was a small kid. I remember spending hours on my airfix models and WWII toy soldier models. When i did not have the funds to purchase new models, I would take the existing models apart and put them back together again.
Similarly, in the oral cavity, I get to take out broken or decayed teeth and replace them with dental implants. In the facial region, I get to move the jaws around and put them together to give new form and function. I also get to fix the various jaw segments together when patients fracture them during a road traffic accident or traumatic fall.
The jaws are fascinating because…
It is such an integral part of the body. It gives form (and function!) to the face. People in the fashion industry talk about jaw lines. People in the food industry talk about jaw strength! But remember, jaws without teeth on them neither give you any form nor function. So maintaining a good set of teeth sets the stage for a fabulous smile and nice jaw line.
If I were to give an analogy for what I do, I’d be a…
Handyman. I piece together things and fix people’s teeth so that they can function again. I also make sure things are working as they should be.
I have come across all types of cases…
…ranging from a little child engaged in child’s play getting a thumbtack stuck in his tongue to big jaw cysts requiring removal and reconstruction. I have also had cases where patients have come in straight from the airport to be admitted into the hospital due to airway obstruction caused by the swelling of an infected tooth. In between, I take care of impacted wisdom teeth, place dental implants and perform jaw surgery.
A typical day for me would be…
I wake up at 7am to play with my 2.5 year old daughter before she heads to playschool. I then spend some time with my 5 month old son before I leave and reach Specialist Dental Group at 830am.
The rest of the day is divided between consultations and surgeries. General anaesthesia procedures are done in the hospital operating theatre while sedation procedures are performed in the clinic.
I hold a teaching appointment as an adjunct senior lecturer at NUS and I spend one morning or afternoon a week teaching dental undergraduates and graduate dentists.
My day usually ends around 6pm and I head home to spend time with my 2 kids and wife who is an obstetrician and gynaecologist at KK Hospital. I may be called upon some nights to attend to emergency cases at the A&E of the Parkway Group Hospitals.
I love patients who are…
Appreciative of what I am trying to do for them. Many of them have become friends. The doctor-patient relationship has no hierarchical levels. It is one forged on mutual respect and understanding.
Patients who get my goat are…
Patients who have genuine dental needs but choose to listen to “overly concerned” relatives and friends who convinced them otherwise. In doing so, they are not giving themselves the opportunity to have treatment that would improve their lifestyle and health.
One little known fact about wisdom tooth surgery is…
It can be a painless procedure. With proper management, the procedure and post-surgery recovery can be smooth and pain-free. And yes, you can eat after surgery, in fact, ice cream and other cold desserts are encouraged …..
Things that put a smile on my face are…
When a patient’s smile is restored successfully and you can see the change in their confidence level and attitude to life at subsequent visits. Another thing that makes me smile is the relief on anxious patients’ faces when their surgical experience was more positive than they had initially expected.
It breaks my heart when…
Patients do not know that there are solutions available now for virtually any debilitating dental conditions that they may have. As a result they experience a less-than-optimal quality of life or suffer pain in silence.
We live now in a highly advanced and high tech society and this has allowed scientists and researchers to come up with new techniques and solutions that our forefathers had no access to.
I wouldn’t trade places for the world because…
This career gives me the satisfaction of taking out what is not salvageable and replacing them with state of the art artificial teeth while seeing the tremendous positive impact it can have on a person’s life.
I also enjoy working together with the multi-specialty team at Specialist Dental Group because we are able to take a comprehensive approach based on our different areas of training and experience. This not only enables cutting edge dental treatment to be done, which is fulfilling on a professional level, but also enables the patient to access comprehensive treatment in one place.
My best tip…
Remove your wisdom teeth before they start to give you problems. Prevention is better than cure. Take care of your teeth well and they will be with you longer.
The Marine Parade Community Club is organizing a dental talk for the public which will take place on Saturday, 4th September, from 1.30pm to 4.30pm at the Marine Parade Community Club Theatrette.
