Dr. Sarah
Anwar ul Haque, Dental Officer at AKUH, explained that, "the
two most common dental problems are dental caries (tooth decay)
and periodontal disease (gum disease). These conditions often
progress un-noticed, without symptoms and by the time any
change is noticed, a significant tooth decay, gingivitis (early
stage of gum disease) or even periodontitis (severe gum disease)
would have been developed. These are serious infections, if
left untreated can lead to tooth loss. The key to winning
the battle against these problems is prevention, which includes
a combination of good dental habit (oral hygiene), improved
nutrition and regular check-ups by the dentists."
Dr. Mubassar
Fida, Consultant Orthodontist at AKUH, informed the audience
about the prevention and management of irregular or crooked
teeth. The problems that are associated with having crooked
teeth may be psychosocial (discrimination, confidence, self
esteem, etc), functional (chewing, speech, etc) and susceptibility
to injury, gum disease and tooth decay. He highlighted the
known preventive measures, which can control gum disease and
related problems, such as timely fillings of baby teeth, control
of habits like thumb sucking, mouth breathing, etc. Regarding
the management of crooked teeth, he talked about various divisions
of the specialty of orthodontics and the state-of-the-art
cosmetic options that are now available to treat such patients.
He also informed the audience about the painless nature of
the treatment with braces and stressed that there is no age
limit. The duration of treatment, however, depends upon the
age of the patient, severity of the problem and patient's
cooperation.
Dr. Munawar
Rahman, Consultant Dental Surgeon at AKUH, briefed on the
subject of fixed crown and bridgework and stated that natural
dentition was created and designed by nature to easily last
a lifetime. He explained further by adding that, "proper brushing
and flossing combined with regular dental visits is the key
to prevention of dental disease, which requires a life long
maintenance of oral hygiene measures. If neglected, tooth
decay (cavities) and gum disease will eventually prevail leading
to loss of teeth. The dentist then has no choice but to restore
and replace the natural dentition with artificial crowns,
bridges and implants. Fortunately, today excellent bio-restorative
materials are available. The new dental ceramic porcelain
materials can re-create and restore damaged teeth back to
the near original natural form and function."
In conclusion,
Dr. Banday elaborated on dental implants, which have accelerated
in the rehabilitation of functionally and aesthetically compromised
dental patients.
The speakers
participated in the question and answer session at the end
of the programme.
