9-Oral surgery

If it is not broken, do not try to fix it. Your natural teeth are the best when they are functioning properly. We will always try our utmost to keep your natural teeth. This is part of our core values – to be gentle. However, teeth do break, get damaged or infected to a level that they cant be saved. You may need to get a tooth removed if you have an infection, decayed tooth or if your wisdom teeth are coming in. Tooth extraction (tooth removal) is a standard dental procedure and the Snö team are highly experienced in removing a tooth in the most gentle way possible.

To provide you with gentle dental care we use a 3D x-ray (cone beam) for better diagnosis, we use Nitrous Oxide for sedation and we use The Wand, a state-of-the-art digital tool for local anaesthesia so the dental extraction treatment is pain less.

There are two types of tooth extraction procedures. A simple extraction and a surgical extraction. During a simple tooth extraction, the dentist will numb the area, loosen the tooth with an instrument called an elevator, then remove it with dental forceps.

In certain complex cases, like an impacted wisdom tooth extraction,  your dentist may prescribe a surgical tooth extraction if a tooth is broken off at the gumline or has not grown fully into the mouth yet. During a surgical tooth extraction, the oral surgeon will make a small incision (cut) into your gum and remove the underlying tooth.

The Snö value of being gentle also means that every tooth being treated has the right to be pain less. After the tooth is extracted,  Implants are not the only alternatives, but the most common to replace the missing tooth.

To understand the dental extraction alternatives offered in Abu Dhabi at Snö Dental Clinics, please call 800 DENTIST. Our patient coordinators will discuss teeth removal procedures and alternatives, with costs and prognosis.

Oral surgery:
Implants
Root canal treatments
Tooth removal

Tooth pain does not necessarily have to be because of an infected root canal. You can experience pain even if the nerve of the tooth is dead or infected (to learn more, see pulp damage). Quite often, the symptoms are obvious, and a “root canal treatment” (root filling) where we remove inflammation/infection is the best treatment. Simply put, we gently remove the soft tissue inside the tooth (aka the pulp), clean it and seal it. Today, this can be done without any pain.

There are four different root canal treatment scenarios depending on the extent of the damage:

• Pulp inflammation with a chance for recovery
• Pulp inflammation with no chance for recovery
• Pulp partially or fully infected with bacteria
• Already root filled teeth with problems

Pulp inflammation with a chance for recovery
If possible we always begin by removing the trauma (eg caries) in the pulp in order to save the pulp.

Above is a schematic example of a healthy tooth (left) and one with a caries lesion (right) filled with bacteria that irritates the pulp. The tooth is very sensitive, especially to cold. This inflammation will create pressure inside the pulp chamber, making the nerve even more sensitive. A quick way to alleviate the pain is to remove the pulp and do a root filling. But this would be very destructive to the tooth and require even more root canal treatments. In many cases, when most of the caries is removed and, more importantly, the cavity is sealed from the mouth with a tight temporary filling, the pulp relaxes and the inflammation disappears. After a while (usually two months) we check the tooth to see if we have managed to save the pulp tissue. This also saves you the cost of a root filling. In some cases, however, the inflammation spreads causing pain, making it necessary for a root canal treatment.

Pulp inflammation with no chance for recovery
When the symptoms are more severe and/or when we can diagnose an irreversibly damaged pulp, the two options are to remove the tooth or try to save it with a root canal treatment. The root canal treatment is similar to the treatment for an infected tooth, but generally has a little bit better prognosis and can sometimes be done a bit faster.

Depending on the case, we always inform you about the prognosis and the alternatives.

Pulp partially or fully infected with bacteria

When bacteria gets into the pulp (eg: above via a caries lesion) the infection spreads down the root canals and even comes in close contact to the bone. Common symptoms at this stage are tenderness to touch and chewing, discolouration of the tooth, and swelling, drainage and tenderness in the lymph nodes, as well as nearby bone and gum tissues. Sometimes, however, there are no symptoms. When treating this, we remove the diseased and dead pulp tissue from the tooth with specially designed instruments used to clean out the root canals and pulp chamber (at Snö we always use new instruments).

This stage is not painful; the area is numb and the tissue being removed is either dead or dying. Once the pulp, along with the nerves contained in it, is removed, the tooth itself can no longer feel pain. If there is an infection outside the root, it can cause some pain, but usually disappears. In difficult cases, we leave a special paste inside the tooth to fight the bacteria. In other cases we do the filling of the tooth in the same session.

Root canal fillings are selected to exactly fit into the freshly prepared canals. Usually, a rubber-like material called gutta-percha is used to fill the canal space. It is a thermoplastic material (“thermo” – heat; “plastic” – to shape), which is heated and then compressed into and against the walls of the root canals to seal them. Together with an adhesive cement called a sealer, the gutta-percha fills the prepared canal space. Sealing the canals is critically important to prevent them from becoming reinfected with bacteria. When the infection is gone, the bone will heal (right) into the cavity it created during the infection.

Your tooth will then need a permanent restoration — a filling or a crown — to replace lost tooth structure, and provide a complete seal to the top of the tooth. This step is particularly important.

Already root filled teeth with problems
The prognosis of a root canal treatment depends on how thoroughly the dentist does the treatment. If it is done very quickly, or without good infection control, it might feel right, but could develop problems later. It might get reinfected due to leakage. This is why we put so much effort in performing the root canal treatment as thoroughly as possible.

Sometimes, even after being thorough, the tooth could become reinfected due to hidden canals or small fractures. It may be possible to redo the cleaning/filling procedure. The last option for a problematic tooth is to remove it. Then the infection always disappears.

At Snö we give you pain-free techniques. You will always get information regarding all available scientifically proven techniques, alternatives, risks and prognosis. You can always ask your Snö team any questions you have regarding the root canal treatment, procedures and prices offered at the Clinics in Abu Dhabi.

Oral surgery:
Implants
Root canal treatments
Tooth removal

If teeth are missing, and you are looking for dental implants in Abu Dhabi, look no further. Your Snö dentist will consult you on what the best options are, as well as all the alternatives.

Dental implants are the most common solution today to replace gaps, but in some cases, a bridge is an alternative. Our dentists are experienced in the dental implant surgery required for a strong and reliable foundation for dental implants. In difficult cases, our specialist surgeon will take part in the dental implant surgery.

In the 80s, a Swedish dentist, Per Ingvar Brånemark pioneered the idea of dental implants. His brand Nobel Biocare, is still the world’s leading brand and is used by Snö.  He realised that the metal titanium is not rejected by the body, but is easily accepted as a natural part of the body. This means the titanium implant will integrate with the bone it is put in. This is called osseointegration and is a preferred and popular treatment.

A close up of a single dental implant replacing a gap on front teeth. Dental implants, in many cases, can replace one, several or all teeth.

The bone quality is paramount.
The number of dental implants the dentist will fit depends on the bone quality and the available bone. In a completely edentulous (lacking teeth) jaw, six implants are sufficient. On these six implants, it is possible to place 12 new porcelain teeth. One implant can also be used to replace one tooth. The possibilities are many.

An example of a 3D cone beam scan before placement of the implant. All dental implant treatment at Snö includes cone beam 3D x-rays, 3D planning with prefabricated guides to enhance the result and maximise success. 

When you lose a tooth, the bone in that cavity usually resorbs. This is because without teeth there is nothing to stimulate the bone. When you chew, the pressure stimulates the tooth and subsequently the bone. When an implant is placed we can avoid the resorption of bone. But if one waits too long before inserting an implant, there might not be enough bone left.

In cases where a lot of bone has been lost it is possible to transplant bone from another part of the body. This may seem like a lot to overcome, but when the alternative is a denture, it is worth it.

Dental implant treatment is a well-documented and tested treatment. Furthermore, it has the highest success rate in dentistry. It has to be carefully planned to ensure success and requires, at the minimum, an extensive x-ray examination and consultation with specialists.

At Snö, we do not offer same day dental implants, as dental implant treatment consists of two elements. A surgical part, where the dentist places the implant in the bone, and a prosthetic part, where the new teeth are fixed onto the implants. As a new implant in the bone needs some time to heal before you can put any load on it, your dentist must make a temporary solution. This could be a temporary denture or bridge.

When the bone is good, no preparation is needed. However, if loose teeth have to be removed prior to placing implants, it is important to give the bone time to heal. This way, we can be sure there is no infection left in the bone when placing an implant. This two-pronged approach, prohibits us from offering same day dental implants.

Two missing front teeth replaced with implants.

Close up from the biological integration of a single implant (left), and the ceramic crown attached to it (right).

Prognosis
The success rate for dental implants is very good. A long-term study shows that more than 90 percent of implants placed work very well. Regular visits to your dentist and hygienist will help ensure that your implants continue to work well. With time, the teeth on the implants will wear just like normal teeth and may require replacing. But in most cases, the implant will not need to be changed. If you lose an implant, it is possible to have a new one put in after a healing period.

Does it hurt?
Placing the implant is done under local anaesthetic, hence no pain is experienced during the procedure. Post-op, you can expect some swelling and moderate soreness. It will not be worse than having a wisdom tooth removed. We will advise you on the appropriate use of painkillers, if necessary.

Are complications to be expected?
Serious complications are extremely rare. Occasionally, an implant will not osseointegrate (root in the bone) leading to loss of the implant. In such a case you leave the area alone for a while to heal, before trying again, with a bone transplant. If it is deemed impossible to place an implant, you will need to discuss the alternative options with your dentist.

The quality and lifespan of the implant depends on the technique and time spent on the treatment.

A treatment can look and feel good, but can still have quality concerns. At Snö, we always document everything during treatment in order to ensure our high-quality standard. The crown/bridge carries a two-year warranty. If you follow our protection plan you can get up to 10 years of warranty on the implant and 5 years on the crown/bridge.

For dental implants costs and to learn if dental implant surgery is the best option for you, please call 800 -DENTIST.

Oral surgery:
Implants
Root canal treatments
Tooth removal

Oral surgery refers to any surgical procedure performed in or around your mouth and jaw, usually by a dental specialist who’s trained to perform certain kinds of oral surgeries.

While most dental treatments are surgeries, some of them are more involved and require an experienced general dentist or a specialist with a particular expertise in surgery.

There are many types of oral surgery, including surgical procedures such as a tooth removal or a root canal. Some oral surgeries involve the repositioning of the jaw. In other instances, oral surgery may involve the removal of a tumor. Oral surgeries might be performed by any one of a number of different kinds of dental specialists, including endodontists, periodontists, and prosthodontists.

If your wisdom teeth are impacted, for example, removing them may require you see an oral surgeon. If you suffer from gum disease and have to have a gum graft, you’d be referred to a periodontist who performs those types of oral surgeries.

If you require oral surgery, your general dentist will talk to you about it and refer you to the right provider.

To learn more about oral surgery treatment and prices in Abu Dhabi, contact Snö Dental Clinics in Abu Dhabi on 800-DENTIST.

Oral surgery:
Implants
Root canal treatments
Tooth removal