Orthodontics
- Orthodontists are dental specialists who diagnose, prevent and treat dental and facial irregularities.
- Orthodontists are specialist in all types of Braces including: Ceramic/Crystal Braces, Metal Braces, Lingual Braces & Invisalign.
- The path to become an orthodontist in Singapore:
- Dental School program in an accredited dental school leading to Bachelor of Dental Surgery
- Additional three year of specialized education in an accredited orthodontic residency program (Master degree) to learn the skills required to manage tooth movement (orthodontics) and guide the facial development (dentofacial orthopedics). These skills are not taught in the most basic dental program.
- An orthodontist in Singapore has to be accredited by the Singapore Dental Council, after gaining at least five years of clinical experience in orthodontics, through an exit exam conducted by the Dental Specialist Accreditation Board.
- Only dentists with a Master degree in Orthodontics can be confer Fellow of Academy of Medicine Singapore (FAMS) and are eligible to be a member of the Association of Orthodontists (Singapore).
Just like you trust a cardiologist for your heart problem and a dermatologist for skin problem, an orthodontist have in-depth experience in treating your crooked teeth/jaw through a formal education program after their general dental program. They use their knowledge and skills to help you get the best results possible and are able to identify and plan the right treatment options for you.
Orthodontists have the knowledge of the full range of orthodontic appliance available. You may only see your crooked front teeth, but the orthodontists will be able to see the cause of crooked teeth and use their expertise to plan the solution to give you a healthy, attractive smile.
Patients can easily find out by calling the Singapore Dental Council at (65) 6355-2401 or email to enquiries@dentalcouncil.gov.sg
Surprisingly No! Our Specialist charges for Invisalign Lite starts from $5000 and Metal Braces starts from $3900 (excluding X-Rays and Consultation).
The main causes of orthodontic problems include:
1. Genetically inherited—These include problems like crowding, spacing, protrusion, extra or missing teeth and some jaw growth problems (e.g. Jaws that are too far forward or back)
2. Environmental/Habits—Examples include early extraction of baby teeth due to decay, or late loss of baby teeth, thumb or pacifier sucking, fall accidents during childhood/adolescent
3. Disturbances during fetal development— Mothers who consume alcohol or certain drugs during pregnancy may result in facial/jaw deformities such as cleft lip/palate or fetal alcohol syndrome
- Crooked teeth are hard to clean and maintain, increasing the chance of tooth decay
- A bad bite can make eating or chewing more difficult and may even affect your ability to produce certain sound. Teeth will also be worn down abnormally and there will be excessive stress on the supporting bone and gum tissue.
- Without treatment, many problems become worse and can require additional dental treatment later in life
- Crooked teeth or jaw disharmony can also become a social problem as you may feel conscious about your smile and hence self-esteem
- Braces can also be used in conjunction with other dental treatment to improve the outcome of the overall treatment.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that your child get an orthodontic check-up no later than age 7.
This is the age when the child’s adult teeth are developing and orthodontists can spot problems such as jaw growth discrepancy or improper position of emerging teeth at this stage.
It is important to bring the child early as some orthodontic problems may be easier to correct if they’re found early.
Early treatment may give your orthodontist the chance to:
- Guide jaw growth
- Lower the risk of trauma due to protruding upper front teeth
- Correct harmful habits such as thumb sucking
- Improve appearance
- Guide the eruption of permanent teeth into a better position
Most patients begin active treatment between age 9 and 14.
Check with your orthodontist if your child has the following:
- Crossbite of front or back teeth
- Early or delayed loss of baby teeth
- Crowding or spacing
- Upper and lower teeth as not meet (open bite)
- Protruding upper teeth
- Lower teeth sit in front of upper teeth when biting together
- Biting the cheek or the roof of the mouth
- Mouth breathing
- Oral habits such as thumb sucking
- Speech difficulties
- Facial imbalance
- Braces treatment requires cooperation between the patient and orthodontist
- Patients will need to follow the orthodontist’s instructions e.g. elastics wear
- Keeping regular appointments as scheduled (every 4-6 weeks)
- Maintain good oral hygiene throughout treatment to reduce the risk of decay and gum disease. Poor oral hygiene can also lengthen treatment time as patient will be more prone to braces dislodgement and slower tooth movement.
There are many treatment options available in the market, each with its pros and cons. An orthodontist has the specialized knowledge to plan and identify the treatment type that is the most suitable for you.
At TLC Dental Centre (Braces Specialist), we provide the following treatment:
Removable appliance (For early treatment, jaw growth correction, etc.)
Conventional fixed braces (Metal, Ceramic, eg. Damon SimpliClear® and 3M ClarityTM)
Lingual braces(Braces at the back of the teeth, eg. IncognitoTM)
Clear aligners (Invisalign® and ClearPath®)
Aesthetic Braces
I want to straighten my teeth but I feel embarrassed by the look of ‘metal teeth’. Are there other options?
More and more adult patients are seeking orthodontic treatment but the look of braces has always been a concern. Most adults prefer treatment appliance that are invisible or near invisible to achieve a beautiful smile without aesthetic impairment during the treatment period. So what are the aesthetic options available?
Traditional braces are made of stainless steel, which is aesthetically unappealing. However, technology has advanced tremendously over the years and tooth-colored braces are widely available and work as reliably as traditional metal braces.
Ceramic braces are a type of tooth-colored orthodontic appliance that works in the same way as metal braces but are considerably less visible as compared to metal braces. However, the metal wires used together with the braces system will still be visible to the patient.
IncognitoTM braces are hidden braces (lingual braces) treatment system produced by 3MTM. The braces are made of gold, and are at the back of the teeth, completely hidden from view. It is completely invisible and works well for almost all types of orthodontic problems. The braces system is completely customized to you, and unlike removable aligners, you don’t have to worry about forgetting to insert or remove them while eating or drinking. 
Unlike other lingual braces system, IncognitoTM uses a computerized treating planning system to create a set of braces bracket and intelligent wires customized to your teeth. The braces hence are closely adapted to the surface of the teeth, making it one of the most comfortable lingual braces system available in the market. To find out more about IncognitoTM, come down for a consultation with us.
Invisalign® is a method of orthodontic treatment which uses a series of clear, removable teeth aligners used as an alternative to traditional metal dental braces. This is the cosmetic option, as the aligners are completely transparent, therefore far more difficult to detect than traditional wire and bracket braces. This makes the method particularly popular among adults who want to straighten their teeth without the look of traditional metal braces, which are commonly worn by children and adolescents.
The orthodontist will take a detailed impression of your teeth, X-rays and photographs during the first visit. A careful computerized treatment planning will be done to create a series of removable teeth aligners. These aligners will be issued to the patient. Patients are required to wear the aligner for at least 20-22 hours per day, removing it only for eating, drinking and cleaning of teeth, or to have the checked by the orthodontist. Patients wear each set of aligner for two weeks before changing to a new set of aligners in their treatment series. The aligners apply a gentle force of the teeth to move them to the desired position.
Because patients are able to remove the aligners, there are no restrictions on foods that could damage the appliances. It is also easier for the patient to clean their teeth, so reducing the chance of tooth decay and gum disease. The aligners give less force per week and less pain than do fixed appliances (traditional metal braces).
However, Invisalign® does not work effectively in all patients. To find out if Invisalign® is suitable for you, come down for a consultation with us.
Invisalign
At TLC Dental Centre we know how important first impressions can be.
Did you once spend years undergoing painful orthodontic treatment and unsightly braces only to see your teeth slowly slip back to their former wonky ways? Are you one of many who are generally unhappy with the alignment of your teeth and longing for a beautiful, straight smile?
Until now, the alternatives to straighten front teeth for adults have involved either fixed wire braces, or treatments such as veneers and crowns. But all that has changed; at TLC Dental Dr Enrica uses the Invisalign to straighten teeth and give you a fantastic new smile.
You can simultaneously combine them with other cosmetic treatments, keeping tooth preparation to a minimum.
Photographs and digital impressions are taken of your teeth; from these, digital calculations are made to assess your suitability and approximate length of treatment time. All the options and associated costs will be explained. You are able to view models and images which can show you your finished smile, before you even start!
Dr Enrica is a specialist and certified provider of Invisalign and we are delighted to offer this advanced system to TLC Dental Centre.
We will be there for you every step of your journey to a winning smile, by giving full guidance, support and aftercare to enable you to keep your smile looking good for years to come.
Did you know…
Wearing Invisalign is in no way as restrictive as traditional braces? Many adults opt for this system not only because it is discreet, but also because there is no need to change your diet to avoid foods that could damage braces. This is because the Invisalign system is free of braces and brackets, instead opting for a removable tray that can be taken out prior to meals. Also, Invisalign fits well into busy adult schedules, as there is no need to attend frequent visits for wire tightening. Most patients simply change to a new aligner tray every couple of weeks.
If you have crooked or crowded teeth that are embarrassing to you or otherwise preventing you from achieving optimal oral health, Invisalign could be the solution for you. Visit us for a complete consultation to find out if you could benefit from clear orthodontics.
You will wear your aligners nearly all of the time, with the exception of about two hours per day. Invisalign treatments are different for everyone, but most patients can achieve their ideal smiles within one to two years. During that time, you can expect to make occasional dental visits to monitor your progress.
Dental Monitoring is a cutting-edge mobile app that makes it easy to improve the quality of orthodontic treatment with Invisalign aligners for our patients. Now you can track your progress and achieve a healthy smile more conveniently without regular in-office appointments at our dental office.
Invisalign is a popular treatment because it is convenient and easy to use. Patients’ progress is monitored with our orthodontist at an in-office appointment, but the Dental Monitoring app has introduced a new schedule-friendly alternative to traditional appointments. This can be used even for some traditional braces patients.