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Success rate 90 per cent for root canal treatment
“Dental preventive service should ideally be carried out at an early
stage”. This was stated by Dr Munawar Rahman, Consultant Dental Surgeon
at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH). He was speaking at a seminar on dental
health held on November 24, 2006 at AKUH Clifton Medical Services. In his presentation
on ‘Infection Control in Dental Surgery’, he explained that deep
pits, fissures and grooves may lead to development of cavities. He said that
dental sealants, which are either tooth coloured or transparent composite filling
materials, effectively prevent development of cavities. Dr Rahman also emphasised
the importance of meticulous daily home care by brushing and flossing.
Dr Rahman explained that root canal treatment is carried out to save and retain
a tooth in which the “nerve component” becomes infected or otherwise
involved due to tooth decay or other injury. He gave a detailed explanation
for this dental procedure, and cited a success rate of 90 to 95 per cent. He
asserted that is better to save and restore teeth than to extract them.
Dr Azfar A. Siddiqui, Associate Professor and Head of the Section of Dentistry
at AKUH, speaking earlier on ‘Artificial Teeth from Dentures to Dental
Implants’, explained that Dental Prosthetics is both an art and a science
of restoring and improving existing teeth. He explained the various types of
dental prostheses: removable, partial and complete dentures, which are used
to restore and improve function and aesthetics. He further highlighted the latest
innovations in dental implants relating to replacement of missing teeth.
Dr Mubassar Fida, Assistant Professor and Director, Orthodontics Residency
Program at AKUH, spoke on the topic ‘A Good Smile is for Life!’.
He defined Orthodontics, which is related to the recognition, prevention, interception
and comprehensive treatment of misaligned teeth. The purpose is to achieve the
best possible smile and improve facial appearance. Dr Fida was pleased to report
that while teeth and jaw relationships are best corrected during late childhood,
the use of braces to re-align teeth can be undertaken at any age.
As part of its outreach programme and societal commitment to create awareness
of early diagnosis and timely treatment, AKUH has organised over 200 ‘Signs,
Symptoms and Care’ programmes in Karachi, Hyderabad, Quetta and the UAE,
benefiting more than 40,000 people. Similarly, Aga Khan University Hospital’s
Patient Welfare Programme offers financial assistance to those patients who
are unable to afford the medical cost of treatment. In 2005, 74 per cent of
all patients treated at AKUH were from low- to-middle-income groups. Since the
inception of this welfare programme in 1986, over Rs 1.4 billion has been disbursed
to more than 250,000 needy patients.
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