Q1) Is dental treatment painful???
Ans: Dental treatment procedures are many but very few procedures actually cause mild discomfort as local anaesthesia is administered to numb the tooth /area.

Q2) Are braces/ orthodontic treatment painful??
Ans: The initial first weeks the teeth may be subjected to slight discomfort because the appliance is new but the force applications are slow and gradual. A mild painkiller like paracetamol/crocin/acetoaminophen may be taken for the first couple of days to ease into the treatment. The idea is to not interfere with the patient’s daily routine due to any form of pain and discomfort.

Q3) Do orthodontic corrections tend to lose their corrections??
Ans: After a long span of 12 to 18 months of orthodontic treatment the surrounding bone and the gums around the teeth need to rearrange at this new position. The teeth at the end of the active treatment need to be supported with the use of orthodontic retainers for a stipulated period of time as indicated.

Q4) Do root canal treatments require multiple sittings or can it be completed in a single sitting??
Ans: Root canal treatment involves 3 basic steps:

1. Cleaning/ Biomechanical preparation of the root canal
2. Filling /Obturation of the root canal
3. Post root canal filling of tooth cavity with restoratative material.

Hence certain root canals under specific conditions can be completed in a single sitting while most root canals require a minimum of 2 to 3 sittings to complete the procedure.
 
Q5) Is it essential to restore a tooth with a crown after a root canal treatment is done??
Ans: At the end of root canal treatment a substantial amount of tooth structure is lost in the removal of caries and in obtaining access into the root canals. Hence the tooth/teeth after root canal treatment though they are firmly held in the bone by the roots they lack in strength to bear the masticatory/ chewing forces and they may fracture in due course of time if not restored with a crown. Hence it is absolutely essential to restore a tooth post root canal treatment with a full coverage crown especially if it’s a back/ posterior tooth.

Q6) Is flossing really essential or tooth brushing is enough??
Ans: Tooth brushing can effectively remove the plaque and food particles that are adherent to the exposed surfaces of the tooth crowns in the oral cavity. But there are some inaccessible areas called “col” between the teeth/ interdentally that can’t be removed with simple tooth brushing. Regular flossing prevents decay from occurring due to food accumulation between the teeth.

Q7) Does whitening/bleaching of teeth increase sensitivity of teeth??
Ans:  Some degree of transient sensitivity may be experienced in case of existing abrasion cavities/ gingival recession. Avoiding cold, sour and coloured foodstuffs for a couple of days will bring effective and long lasting results with a whiter and a brighter smile.

Q8) Can teeth be replaced immediately after extractions??
Ans: Post extractions we need to wait for 30 to 45 days for complete healing of the socket space before restoring with a fixed bridge or a removable denture. An implant may be immediately placed at the time of extraction but a final restoration of the implant with a crown will be carried out after 3-6 months. In case of anterior/ front teeth replacement a temporary prosthesis may be fabricated immediately post extraction and a final prosthesis will be replaced after a month or two.

Q9) Does scaling/cleaning of teeth cause any harm to the teeth??
Ans: The tartar & plaque accumulated around the tooth surface is mildly adherent to the tooth. These can easily be dislodged with the application of mild vibratory instrument called a scaler to the tartar. This scaler doesn’t have any cutting efficiency hence it doesn’t cut or harm the tooth in any manner. Rather it substantially improves the quality of the underlying gums as the irritants are removed and the mouth feels clean and fresh.