Dental Services
What is Dental Travel?
Cost is the main reason why people travel abroad for dental work. Even with dental insurance, procedures are sometimes not covered enough for the patient to afford. The growing trend of people traveling abroad to receive the same or better quality dental treatment is called Dental Travel. It is a part of the medical tourism phenomenon.
AMTA helps organize and plan the patient’s trip. All the logistics of the trip are custom made according to the patients’ needs. AMTA’s travel department helps books hotels, affordable lodging, transportation and airline tickets. If the patient’s wants to do some sightseeing, depending on the procedure and doctor’s advice, AMTA’s travel department can arrange it. A private guide will accompany the patient from when they arrive to our country until they leave. We are there every step of the way. When indeed the patient returns to his/her country, paperwork of the procedure is made available to the patient’s doctor their country of residence.
Dental travel, a part of medical tourism, has been a very effective and cost effective way of receiving quality dental treatment. Success of the procedure as well as the patient’s satisfaction is key to AMTA’s goals for our patients.
AMTA works with the finest dentist overseas, a specific doctor, to do the procedure. The dental practice is notified and the patient submits their dental and medical information to the practice overseas. The dental practice will then analyze the patient’s situation, a choice of specific procedure is made. Some elected procedures, coordination with the patient’s primary physician may be refuned.
The patient will then have a choice of travel options – with a range of prices, often times choosing which hotels to stay, special requests the patient may have (such as dietary needs, if they require mobile assistance, etc.), transportation requirements, length of stay required, visa requirements (if needed), etc. Once these options have been sorted, the patient and AMTA choose the ideal package for them. After the treatment is completed, follow up visits are coordinated while the patient is in the country. Once the patient returns to their country of residence, AMTA’s care doesn’t stop. As described, the patient’s general care and/or dentist is briefed about the procedure and filed accordingly.
DENTAL IMPLANTS
What are they? It is an option for replacing a tooth or teeth. Dental implants offer a permanent solution for missing teeth. A dental implant is basically a substitute for a natural root and commonly it is screw or cylinder shaped. It is made of titanium, which light, strong and biocompatible with human bone. A post is planted in the jaw bone to support a replacement tooth. This acts like the root of a natural tooth. Implants can also be used to support fixed bridges or dentures. Each implant is placed into a socket carefully drilled at a precise location of the implant. Often the implant can be placed at the same time as removal of the tooth. In some cases, the jaw requires some time to heal. This will be determined by the dentist.
If an implant has a screw-thread on its outer surface it can be screwed into position and if it does not, it is usually tapped into place. The main aim during installation of any implant is to achieve immediate close contact with the surrounding bone. This creates an initial stability, which over time is steadily enhanced by further growth of bone into microscopic roughnesses on the implant surface.
In order to support replacement teeth, dental implants normally have some form of internal screw thread or post space that allows a variety of components to be fitted. Once fitted, these components provide the foundation for long-term support of crowns, bridges or dentures.
Implants help maintain the jawbone’s shape and density. The basically means they also support the facial skeleton and, indirectly, the soft tissue structures such as gum tissues, cheeks and lips. Implants help you chew, smile, talk and look completely natural.
If you are in good health and missing one or more teeth and wish to eat your favorite foods, increase your chewing ability, enhancing your appearance and confidence, then you are a candidate for dental implants. Restrictions include: if you have uncontrolled diabetes, cancer, radiation to the jaws, smoking, alcoholism or uncontrolled periodontal disease. These factors are important is accessing if a patient is a good candidate for dental implants.
DENTAL VENEERS
Porcelain Veneers
If your front teeth are stained, chipped, or misaligned, veneers will give you a good life-like appearance with minimum tooth adjustment. This isn’t a major procedure.
A veneer is porcelain facing on the front of your teeth usually your top teeth; it is just like a false finger nail. Veneers are made out of porcelain and are used mainly for aesthetic reasons. Based on your needs, the dentist can adjust the shape of your veneers to make your teeth overall look longer and or closer together. You can have just one veneer or a whole set. This is also known as a smile makeover.
Veneers make teeth look natural and healthy, and because they are very thin and are held in place by a special strong bond (rather like super-glue) very little preparation of the tooth is needed.
A precise shade of porcelain will be chosen to give the right color to improve a single discolored or stained tooth or to lighten front teeth (usually the upper ones). Veneers can also be used to close small gaps, when orthodontics (braces) are not suitable.
If one tooth is slightly out of position, a veneer can sometimes be fitted to bring it into line with the others.
DENTAL CROWNS (PORCELAIN)
Crowns
Bridges and crowns are fixed prosthetic devices that are cemented onto existing teeth or implants by a dentist or prosthodontist. Crowns are used most commonly to entirely cover or “cap” a damaged tooth or cover an implant. Bridges are commonly used to cover a space if you’re missing one or more teeth. They are cemented to natural teeth or implants surrounding the space where the tooth once stood.
A crown is a type of dental restoration used to fix teeth that have been broken, weakened by decay or have a very large filling. The crown fits over the remaining part of a prepared tooth, making it strong and giving it the shape of a natural tooth. It will also be tooth colored, giving the restoration a more natural appearance so it fits in with the rest of your teeth.
DENTAL BRIDGES (PORCELAIN)
Bridges
If you require a more extensive restoration than a crown or have more than one tooth that needs to be repaired, a good solution is a bridge. Bridges are usually made of a precious metal base which gives them a solid structure and makes them hard-wearing. If you need a bridge in your smile line, porcelain is usually added to the base to make it look more like real teeth. A bridge helps to strengthen the prepared teeth and makes chewing and eating easier because they are fixed and can’t come out.
Some bridges can also be fixed to your jaw with dental implants, if you have several teeth next to each other that are missing. You should replace missing teeth for a number of reasons. Your appearance is one reason. Another is that the gap left by a missing tooth can mean greater strain is put on the teeth at either side.
A gap can also mean your ‘bite’ is affected, because the teeth next to the space can lean into the gap and alter the way the upper and lower teeth bite together. This can then lead to food getting packed into the gap, which causes both decay and gum disease.
Once you have a bridge fitted, you will have to take extra care of your daily hygiene regime to ensure it stays plaque free and that you can prevent bad breath.
ROOT CANAL
Root Canal Therapy
Root canal treatment (also called Endodontics) is required when the pulp inside your tooth becomes infected through tooth decay or damaged by an injury to your mouth. This infection can spread through the root canal system, which could eventually lead to an abscess, causing a great deal of discomfort. If root canal treatment is not carried out, the tooth may need to be taken out.
Our dentists can perform root canal treatment to stop the infection from spreading and will preserve as much of your tooth as possible. Using specific techniques and advanced equipment, you will receive a local anesthetic and the treatment overall should feel no different to having an ordinary filling placed. The aim of the treatment is to remove all infection from the root canal. The root is then cleaned and filled to prevent any further infection. A temporary filling is put in and the tooth is left to settle. The tooth is checked at a later visit and when all the infection has cleared, the tooth is permanently filled. Root canal treatment is a skilled and time-consuming procedure; however it is common and sometimes requires one or more visits.
To keep your mouth in best shape, we recommend you come in for regular hygiene appointments and dental check-ups in your home country.
FILLINGS
What is a Filling?
A filling is a way to restore a tooth damaged by decay back to its normal function and shape. When a dentist gives you a filling, he or she first removes the decayed tooth material, cleans the affected area, and then fills the cleaned out cavity with a filling material.
By closing off spaces where bacteria can enter, a filling also helps prevent further decay. Materials used for fillings include gold, porcelain, a composite resin (tooth-colored fillings), and an amalgam (an alloy of mercury, silver, copper, tin and sometimes zinc).
Which Type of Filling is Best?
No one type of filling is best for everyone. What’s right for you will be determined by the extent of the repair, whether you have allergies to certain materials, where in your mouth the filling is needed, and the cost. Considerations for different materials include:
Gold fillings are made to order in a laboratory and then cemented into place. Gold inlays are well tolerated by gum tissues, and may last more than 20 years. For these reasons, many authorities consider gold the best filling material. However, it is often the most expensive choice and requires multiple visits.
Amalgam (silver) fillings are resistant to wear and relatively inexpensive. However, due to their dark color, they are more noticeable than porcelain or composite restorations and are not usually used in very visible areas, such as front teeth.
Composite (plastic) resins are matched to be the same color as your teeth and therefore used where a natural appearance is desired. The ingredients are mixed and placed directly into the cavity, where they harden. Composites may not be the ideal material for large fillings as they may chip or wear over time.
They can also become stained from coffee, tea or tobacco, and do not last as long as other types of fillings generally from three to 10 years.
Porcelain fillings are called inlays or onlays and are produced to order in a lab and then bonded to the tooth. They can be matched to the color of the tooth and resist staining. A porcelain restoration generally covers most of the tooth. Their cost is similar to gold.
If decay or a fracture has damaged a large portion of the tooth, a crown, or cap, may be recommended. Decay that has reached the nerve may be treated in two ways: through root canal therapy (in which nerve damaged nerve is removed) or through a procedure called pulp capping (which attempts to keep the nerve alive).
What Happens When You get a Filling?
If your dentist decides to fill a cavity, he or she will first remove the decay and clean the affected area. The cleaned-out cavity will then be filled with any of the variety of materials described above.
How Do I Know if I Need a Filling?
Only your dentist can detect whether you have a cavity that needs to be filled. During a checkup, your dentist will use a small mirror to examine the surfaces of each tooth.
Anything that looks abnormal will then be closely checked with special instruments. Your dentist may also X-ray your entire mouth or a section of it. The type of treatment your dentist chooses will depend on the extent of damage caused by decay.
RESTORATIVE (COSMETIC) TREATMENT
What Is Restorative Dentistry?
The term “restorative dentistry” refers to the integrated management of oral health problems and restoring the mouth to a functional and esthetic state. While it is not currently recognized as a dental specialty by the American Dental Association, general dentists are able to perform many of these procedures without additional education and certification. It all depends on how difficult the procedure is and what the dentist feels comfortable with. Many of the procedures are also covered by the dental specialty of prosthodontic dentistry, including fillings, veneers, crowns, bridges, full and partial dentures and dental implants.
Replacing Missing Teeth
Whether your dentist uses the term “restorative dentistry” or “prosthodontic dentistry,” the goal is to preserve natural teeth as much as possible. Replacing missing teeth with a dental implant, bridge, full or partial denture helps promote dental health as well. Filling in empty spaces in the mouth can help prevent cavities in the remaining teeth because odd-shaped gaps are vulnerable spots for plaque-causing bacteria to build up. Missing teeth also put extra stress on your remaining natural teeth because you don’t have as much surface area to chew with.
Things To Consider
When deciding on a strategy for restorative dentistry, you’ll need to consider both physical and fiscal factors-your health and your budget. Most dentists involved in restorative dentistry will try to preserve your natural teeth if possible before resorting to full or partial dentures so you won’t have to remove and clean the devices regularly. But sometimes full or partial dentures are the better option if you have many missing teeth and you’re not a good candidate for dental implants due to other health issues.
TEETH WHITENING
Teeth Whitening
Do you have stained teeth that make you feel self-conscious about smiling? Teeth whitening can be a good solution for certain types of tooth staining. Teeth Whitening performed at a dentist’s office is often the most effective as compared to home whitening with over the counter products.
Teeth can be stained by foods, drinks, smoking and certain medications. Teeth whitening is a safe procedure that can lighten the color of your teeth by using a safe dental bleaching agent. Individual results vary and are based on your initial tooth color and the nature of your tooth staining.
Dental Office Whitening
Here your teeth are whitened in the dental chair. A protective barrier is placed on your gums and lips, and a gel is placed on your teeth. A lamp is positioned over the teeth and this activates the bleaching process. After one hour you can expect your teeth to look a few shades brighter and is a popular choice with many patients who have an important event coming up where they want to look their best.