Department of Dentistry

Key Services and Treatments

General Dentistry

General dentistry services at SMCRI provide routine and essential care to maintain overall oral health:

• Dental Check-ups and Cleanings: Routine examinations to identify issues like cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer, combined with professional cleaning to remove plaque and tartar.
• Fillings: Treatment of cavities with various materials such as composite resin, amalgam, or ceramic, depending on the patient’s needs and preferences.
• Tooth Extractions: Removal of severely decayed or damaged teeth, including wisdom teeth extractions.
• Preventive Care: Offering fluoride treatments and sealants to prevent tooth decay and cavities.
• Oral Hygiene Education: Teaching patients proper brushing and flossing techniques, along with advice on diet and habits that support good oral health.

Pediatric Dentistry

The Pediatric Dentistry unit specializes in the oral care of children, from infants to adolescents:

• Preventive Care: Emphasis on early intervention to prevent dental problems in children, including fluoride applications and dental sealants.
• Teething and Early Dental Care: Addressing the needs of infants, including teething issues and the importance of early oral hygiene practices.
• Behavioral Management: Techniques to manage young patients, including those who may feel anxious or fearful during dental visits.
• Orthodontic Consultation: Early evaluation of dental and jaw alignment issues to prevent future orthodontic problems.
• Restorative Care for Children: Treatment of cavities and trauma, including stainless steel crowns and fillings designed for primary (baby) teeth.

Cosmetic Dentistry

The Department of Dentistry at SMCRI offers advanced cosmetic procedures to improve the appearance of teeth and smiles:

• Teeth Whitening: Professional whitening treatments to remove stains and discoloration for a brighter, more youthful smile.
• Veneers: Thin shells of porcelain or composite material placed over the teeth to improve their appearance, correcting issues such as chipped, discolored, or misshapen teeth.
• Bonding: A cosmetic procedure to fix chipped or cracked teeth using tooth-colored resin.
• Smile Makeovers: A personalized treatment plan to enhance the aesthetics of a patient’s smile, which may include whitening, veneers, bonding, and other treatments.

Orthodontics

Orthodontics is a specialized branch of dentistry that focuses on the correction of dental and jaw alignment issues:

• Braces: Traditional metal braces or modern clear braces (Invisalign) to correct malocclusions (improper bite), misaligned teeth, and jaw discrepancies.
• Retention and Follow-up Care: Post-treatment care to maintain teeth alignment, including retainers.
• Interceptive Orthodontics: Early treatment of jaw and teeth misalignment in children to prevent more complex issues later in life.
• Adult Orthodontics: Offering advanced orthodontic treatments designed for adults seeking to improve the appearance and function of their teeth.

Periodontics (Gum Care)

Periodontics focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of gum diseases and the supporting structures of the teeth:

• Gum Disease Treatment: Treatment of conditions like gingivitis and periodontitis through scaling, root planing, and other gum therapies.
• Gum Surgery: Surgical procedures to treat advanced gum disease, including flap surgery, bone grafting, and soft tissue grafts.
• Maintenance Care: Regular check-ups and cleanings to ensure healthy gums and prevent recurrence of gum disease.
• Periodontal Plastic Surgery: Treatment for gum recession, where the gums are restored to a healthy, functional state.

Prosthodontics

Prosthodontics involves the restoration and replacement of damaged or missing teeth, focusing on restoring function and aesthetics:

• Crowns and Bridges: Custom-made dental crowns and bridges to restore the structure, function, and appearance of teeth that are damaged or missing.
• Dentures: Full or partial removable dentures for patients who have lost teeth, offering improved function and aesthetics.
• Implant Dentistry: Placement of dental implants to replace missing teeth, with procedures including implant placement, bone grafting, and restoration of implants with crowns or bridges.
• Full Mouth Rehabilitation: Comprehensive treatment plans that may involve crowns, bridges, dentures, and implants to restore the full function and appearance of the mouth.

Endodontics (Root Canal Treatment)

Endodontics is the specialty of treating the inside of the tooth, including the pulp and root:

• Root Canal Treatment: For infected or damaged teeth, this procedure involves cleaning out the infected pulp, disinfecting the area, and sealing the root to save the tooth.
• Retreatment of Root Canals: In cases where a previous root canal treatment has failed, a retreatment procedure is performed to address persistent infection or symptoms.
• Apicoectomy: A surgical procedure to treat infection at the tip of a tooth root when a regular root canal treatment is not effective.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Oral and maxillofacial surgery addresses conditions affecting the mouth, jaw, and face, including both soft and hard tissues:

• Tooth Extraction: Removal of teeth that are impacted, infected, or severely decayed.
• Oral Biopsy: Removal of tissue samples for diagnostic purposes, especially in suspected cases of oral cancer or lesions.
• Corrective Jaw Surgery: Surgical procedures to correct jaw misalignments (malocclusions) and improve bite and facial aesthetics.
• Treatment of Oral Injuries: Management of facial trauma, including fractures of the jaw, cheekbones, and facial bones.
• Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery: Surgical correction for congenital facial deformities such as cleft lips and palates.

Dental Radiology

Dental imaging plays a critical role in the diagnosis and treatment of dental conditions:

• Intraoral X-rays: For the diagnosis of cavities, infections, and bone issues.
• Panoramic X-rays: To provide a broad view of the teeth, jaw, and sinuses, used to assess for conditions such as impacted teeth, bone loss, and tumors.
• Cone Beam CT: For detailed three-dimensional imaging, particularly useful in implant planning and the assessment of jawbone structure.