According to National Oral Health Program, 95% of the Indian population suffer from gum disease, and less than 2% visit the dentist. Oral health requires specialized treatment which is covered under the branch of medicine – Dentistry. Dental services involve not only the treatment of diseases of the gums and teeth but also the jaws, nerves of the head and neck, and salivary glands. Also, maintaining good oral health prevents many diseases in the mouth. Many dental clinics in Mumbai provide these services.
The Importance of Oral Health
Good oral hygiene is directly related to good health. It does not mean straight and white teeth, but healthy gums and healthy oral tissues including the tongue. Apart from preventing oral diseases such as tooth decay and gum disease, maintaining good oral health helps to prevent diabetes, heart disease, and many other health issues as well.
Some of the most important dental services are:
Dental implants:
A dental implant is creating an artificial tooth in place of a missing tooth.
- A metal post is screwed into the jaw which acts as a root for the artificial cap above
- Can be done for a single tooth or multiple teeth depending on an individual case
Many people are going for dental implants in Mumbai
Maxillofacial prostheses:
The treatment relates to a person’s jaw, neck, head, face, and the hard and soft tissue inside the mouth that is defective from birth or may be damaged due to a disease like cancer is called Maxillofacial prostheses. It involves services like
- Jaw straightening or reconstruction
- Tooth extraction
- Dental implants and associated bone grafting
- Surgery of salivary glands
Some of the best dentists in Mumbai and dental clinics in Mumbai offer services for maxillofacial prostheses.
Dental crowns and tooth bridges:
These are prosthetics that are permanently fixed to teeth or other implants with cement by a dentist.
- Crowns complete cap over broken teeth or an implant
- Bridges are used to fill up gaps between teeth
- Important for avoiding shifting of teeth
Many dentists in Mulund offer services for dental crowns and bridges
Root canal treatment:
RCT is the treatment of infected or damaged teeth caused due to deep cavities or trauma. The steps involved are:
- Removing the infected parts (pulp of the tooth)
- Cleaning the tooth
- Disinfecting it, and then filling it with dental cement
- Finally sealing it with a cap
It avoids the removal of the complete tooth. Root canal treatment is much less painful today than it was years ago.
Most dental clinics in Mumbai offer this service. In fact, there are many dentists in Mulund who can perform this procedure efficiently.
Denture treatment:
Dentures are full or partial replacements for missing teeth that can be taken out and put back in by the patient. Dentures can be of two types:
- Full denture: when only a few teeth are remaining it is better to remove all instead of reconstructing many.
- Partial denture: replacement for a few teeth or teeth of one of the jaws.
Dentures also need regular care and maintenance and daily cleaning like real/natural teeth. Most dental clinics in Mulund West offer excellent services for denture treatment.
Cosmetic Dentistry /Smile Makeover:
It involves any dental procedure done with the primary focus on the aesthetic appearance of a person’s teeth, gums and smile. These can include:
- Veneers – thin layers of composite resin or porcelain that fit over an individual’s teeth
- Teeth whitening – done using bleaching agents and laser to whiten the tooth colour
- Teeth reshaping – chipping off parts of the enamel to correct minor shape deformities
- Bonding – applying enamel-like composite resin to teeth and then chipping and polishing it to give desired shape & colour
The best dentists in Mumbai offer cosmetic dentistry procedures for smile make-over.
Full mouth rehabilitation:
Also called full mouth reconstruction, it involves multiple procedures to treat teeth that have been lost due to decay, trauma, gum disease or related problems in jaw muscle. It can include
- Periodontal procedures for treating gum problems
- Dental implants
- Restorations like crowns, bridges, veneers
- Bone/tissue grafting to repair jaw defect
Full mouth rehabilitation is different from cosmetic dentistry as it is not for beautification but for actually restoring oral functions
With the advent of the internet, it is now possible to schedule dentist appointments online and schedule check-ups.
Orthodontic teeth alignment:
Also called braces or brackets, these dental appliances help realign one’s teeth by applying minuscule but continuous pressure to bring teeth in the correct position. Different types of available braces are:
- Traditional braces – these use brackets that are tightened using wire or rubber bands.
- Invisalign – these are plastic aligners that are less visible and can be removed during eating or cleaning.
The complete treatment may need anywhere between 1 to 3 years and typically requires adjustment to braces every month.
Some of the best dental clinics in Mulund have specialist orthodontists who can perform this procedure.
Periodontal plastic surgery:
This is used to treat disfigurations of gum and ligament caused due to abnormality or gum disease. The steps involved are:
- Removing the damaged part of gum tissue
- Reconstruction of new parts
- Bone and tissue graft if required
Most dental clinics in Mumbai and special dentists in Mulund west have practitioners who can perform this procedure successfully.
Dental accident and emergency services:
Any person who has had an accident may need emergency relief from sufferings like
- Severe pain,
- Bleeding and swelling of the mouth
- Serious injury to teeth, gums or oral cavity
Many dental clinics in Mumbai can offer dental emergency services and a large number of dentists in Mumbai are available after hours on call for such emergencies.
Pediatric dentistry:
It involves the prevention and treatment of tooth and gum problems in children from birth up to teenage. Some of the salient aspects of Paediatric dentistry are:
- The right education and inculcating good habits
- Dental procedures specifically as per small and growing teeth
- Special efforts to make the young patients comfortable
- Pleasant environment
Many best dental clinics in Mumbai have dedicated pediatric wards and some of the best dentists in Mulund specialize in pediatric dentistry.
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