“I wanted a presentable smile”
Ang Nooi Kiang tells Mariel Chow about undergoing orthodontic, implant and full mouth rehabilitation treatment with
consultant orthodontist, implantologist and aesthetic laser dentist, Dato’ Dr. How Kim Chuan.
“ I was so lucky to have found Dato’ Dr. How. It was as simple as seeing his clinic’s signboard when I was driving home. I have been a patient of Dato’ Dr. How’s since 2009.
I have always wanted a beautiful smile. Mine is a cautionary tale that should make everyone – whether young or old – place importance on adequate oral hygiene! I took it for granted and never really paid attention to healthy brushing and flossing. Before undergoing any form of treatment, I loved to laugh but I was embarrassed by my unappealing unpearly whites. I often had to hide my smile or laugh behind my hands or literally stop myself from smiling and laughing. My self-esteem and confidence was low and I knew a change was in order.
The main reason behind my bold decision to undergo multiple dental treatments was because I was tired of constantly wearing dentures. I had heard of dental implants in passing but always delayed treatment because of the steep price. In the end, I said to Dato’ Dr. How, ‘You do it and tell me how many implants I need, how much it will cost and if I should require any added treatments. I just don’t want to wear dentures anymore.’
Apart from not having to wear dentures, I also wanted a more presentable smile and face. Although doing without dentures was the main reason behind my treatments, I also had an under-bite that needed to be corrected. In a nutshell, I had seven missing teeth on top and a ‘mango face’. I wasn’t happy and my self-confidence was dwindling. I needed corrections and Dato’ Dr. How was there to help me every step of the way.
After an evaluation and agreement regarding costs, Dato’ Dr. How decided to give me braces on the lower teeth to correct the under-bite, four implants, bridges and crowns as well. Later, Dato’ Dr. How also informed me that two molars on the lower jaw had decayed and couldn’t be corrected via root canal treeatment. Thus, I had to have another two implants on the lower jaw during the later stages of treatment.
Dato’Dr. How wasted no time and provided me with braces almost immediately. Apart from that, he also provided me with bone grafting treatments because my supporting jawbone had suffered bad resorption due to the teeth being missing for a long time. In short, a week after orthodontics, I was asked to return to the clinic to have my braces tightened.
On the same day, I also underwent the sinus lift or bone grafting procedure. After six months of healing, I returned to the clinic to undergo implant treatments. After six to eight months of orthodontic treatment, Dato’ Dr. How informed me that my under-bite had been corrected and we could now focus on correcting my missing and decaying teeth. It took nearly one and half years of combination dental treatments to correct all my problems.
INITIAL FEARS
The first time I actually underwent any form of treatment was quite scary. This is no surprise as dentists are amongst the most feared people in the world. Although the first few treatments, especially the bone grafts, were quite painful, I did lose some weight, so that’s good consolation! Although it was painful, Dato’ Dr. How did provide great medication to make it comfortable. In fact, it was only uncomfortable on the first day, and I was fine the next. While I couldn’t eat solids and was living on a liquid diet for a while, it got better. After the first few treatments, the fear and trauma behind dental procedures dissipated and soon I actually found the dental treatments to be quite soothing.
GETTING IMPLANTS
As mentioned before, I chose to delay implants because of their steep prices. I enquired about price from other dentists and they said, ‘Each implant costs RM6000, and if you need 10 implants, it’s going to cost RM60,000. That’s the price and it’s non-negotiable.’
Dato’ Dr. How, on the other hand, was very kind, understanding and generous. Apart from treatment discounts, he even provided me with one free implant!
Dato’ Dr. How’s clinic is great and I absolutely recommend it to friends and family because, firstly, the service is amazing. Along with that, Dato’ Dr. How is such an approachable person with a warm, friendly demeanour. He actually listens to his patients’ many problems and tries his best to accommodate them. In fact, I have not only recommended my nephew to the Imperial Dental Specialist Centre but some of my friends as well. Having a patient, friendly doctor that’s not too rigid on treatment costs is very important. I am very grateful and happy that Dato’ Dr. How has given me the chance to undergo multiple treatments at a reasonable price. Another great factor is that I didn’t have to pay a whole lump sum. Dato’ Dr. How even agreed to an installment plan and that has been great for my monthly expenses.
People have said to me, ‘Why would you undergo such extensive treatments? It’s so expensive.’ To which I replied, ‘If I die in two years, at least I die with a beautiful smile’.
It’s now 2014, and I am very happy with all the treatments I have accomplished. Now, I just come in every six months for basic maintenance and to also say hello to Dato’ Dr. How and his staff. The environment here is great and I recommend anyone seeking dental treatments to choose the Imperial Dental Specialist Centre
