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Best orthodontist near me

I have a fractured tooth, specifically a broken molar, but surprisingly, I don’t experience any pain in that tooth. I am afraid of doing root canal treatment. What should I do?

Suggest you visit a dentist and get an X-ray done. If the roots of the molar are intact, the dentist can do a root canal followed by a crown/cap and save the tooth. If the root is cracked or broken, you will have to extract that molar. Root canal treatment is not at all painful if done by an experienced dentist with the latest technology and instruments. For any reason, if you have to extract the molar then a dental implant is the best option to replace a tooth.

I am a 92-year-old young man. I do not have molars in my lower jaw. I have been using a partial denture for the past five years. Can I get implants done? What will be the cost?

You will have to visit a dentist who specialises in dental implants. The dentist will take your X-rays or CBCT scan and then decide whether implant surgery can be done. I recommend you go for dental implants if you have sufficient bone for the implants. Dental implants are the best option for missing teeth. Implant price depends on many factors mainly - the brand of dental implant used, the experience of the dentist doing the surgery, the facilities and equipment at the dental clinic, the type of prosthesis used on the implants, etc.

My daughter is 14 years old and has overlapping front teeth. She got braces fixed by a reputed orthodontist in Pune. She had severe pain for over a week and her lips and cheeks became sore. Finally, we had to get them removed. She is very scared of dentists.

Usually, orthodontic treatment is never painful, however, it may be a rare situation that something like this would have happened. I recommend you get aligner treatment done. Aligners can correct malocclusion very effectively and aligners in many cases are better than conventional braces. The treatment duration is shorter and there will be no soreness to the gums and cheeks. Visit a dentist who specialises in aligner treatment. I recommend you go for Invisalign Aligners or Illusion Aligners. Both are US FDA-certified and reputed brands with guaranteed results.

My mother has been wearing dentures for the past 20 years. Now her denture keeps moving and she is having difficulty eating. What needs to be done?

Ideally, the life of a denture is just around four-five years. A denture needs to be relined or changed in this span as the underlying bones undergo resorption and remodelling if there are no roots to support the bone. You need to visit a dentist and make a new denture for your mother. If she has decent quality bone and no controlled systemic illnesses then I recommend you to get implants done and get her an implantsupported denture.

My son is 10 years old. His teeth are crooked. Is it the right age to get braces done?

Please wait until most of his permanent teeth have erupted before considering braces. As he continues to grow, his jawbone will also develop in size, which could potentially lead to natural adjustments in the alignment of his teeth. It’s advisable to monitor his dental development until around the age of 14, as orthodontic treatment tends to be more effective after this age. I recommend consulting an orthodontist and obtaining a full mouth X-ray, known as an OPG, to assess his dental situation. This will allow the orthodontist to create a suitable treatment plan tailored to his needs. Keep in mind that starting orthodontic treatment too early can increase the risk of relapse, so it’s best to follow the professional guidance of the orthodontist to ensure the best possible outcome for your son’s dental health.

My mother is 78 years old. She has had crowns on her teeth for the past 10 years. One of her front tooth crowns broke and the tooth inside also broke. What do you recommend?

I recommend you extract the broken tooth first. The dentist will evaluate the clinical condition and take X-rays. If your mom is not diabetic and does not have any major systemic health conditions, then a dental implant is the best option. Option-2 would be to get a dental bridge made. For the dental bridge, the dentist will have to shave off or trim the neighbouring teeth on both sides to get support and make a bridge. I would recommend a metal-free bridge. However, for more details, you may consult me in person.

My teeth have yellow stains. Will cleaning or scaling whiten my teeth?

Scaling or teeth cleaning will not whiten your teeth. For teeth whitening you will have to bleach your teeth. For more information and pricing, kindly visit a dentist in person.

Doctor, why is dentistry so expensive? Root canal treatments, implants etc are unaffordable for the common man.

Dentistry is not expensive! Neglect is! If you maintain a good and punctual oral hygiene regime you will mostly not require doing procedures like root canal or implants. Cavities don’t form overnight. It takes years of neglect for cavities to go deep through the enamel and dentin in the tooth to reach the pulp. After which a root canal is necessary. Similarly, teeth are not lost overnight unless there is an accident or trauma which together is a different topic. If you have regular dental checkups, cleaning etc. your dentist will detect cavities at a very early stage and just a simple composite filling can be done to prevent further decay. These fillings are very reasonable.

Best orthodontist near me