Diane Feng, director of the Department of Dentistry in BJU Photo: Courtesy of BJU

As Love Teeth Day fell on September 20, 2022, the importance of oral health care especially for children and the elderly further gained public attention. Diane Feng, director of the Department of Dentistry in Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU), said that oral health has a strong correlation with overall health, so regular dental checkups, the prevention and timely treatment of dental problems are very important.

According to Feng, oral diseases like periodontal disease affect not only the oral cavity, but also the health of the whole body. Moreover, recent studies have shown that having periodontitis, especially severe periodontitis, will increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, so regular dental checkups and cleanings are vital for maintaining one's overall health and prevent early diseases especially for the elderly.

Dental implants are an important way to restore missing teeth. Compared with conventional restorations such as fixed bridges and removable dentures, the functions, structure and appearance of dental implants are closer to natural teeth.

When it comes to dental implants, Feng noted that BJU dentists adhere to the principle that "we practice dentistry based on the patients-centered principle." A thorough medical and dental examinations along with diagnostic images and diagnostic digital planning will be performed first. Then it is followed by treatment planning and treatment options based on the designs on a targeted, long-term and holistic treatment outcome for patients' best interests. At BJU, patient's safety is always the first priority.

"We will perform a thorough evaluation of the patient's oral condition and provide necessary treatment for existing oral diseases prior to the restoration-oriented implant surgery. Moreover, we will analyze what kind of implant restoration is most suitable for his bone quantity," Feng said, adding that in addition to addressing short-term dental problems, she will think about the restorative function of the patient's teeth 10 years and 20 years later.

It has always been the BJU's principle to put patients first and provide them with high-end medical care, she noted.

In addition, doctors who place dental implants in BJU insist on life-long learning to continuously improve their professional knowledge and clinical skills, which ensures the quality and service of the whole department, Feng said.

With the improvement of living standards and an aging population, the demand for dental implants in China has continuously shown a double-digit growth, while the problems of unregulated fees and heavy costs in this field have increasingly become one of the painful points of people's livelihood.

In order to guide medical institutions to provide dental implant services with transparent price and high quality, the State Council released an announcement in September 2022, requiring that the prices of the implant and crown need to be purchased centrally.

An implant is a titanium screw that replaces the root of a tooth when the root cannot be saved, while a dental crown is a restoration placed over the top of the implant, and these two are the main parts of the dental implant, the doctor said.

"It is true that the price of dental implants in the market is not transparent, and the government regulations can control the price to a reasonable range so that the people can afford it," Feng said.

In accordance with the government's requirement, the department plans to introduce a number of medium-priced consumables in different grades to meet more patients' different demands.

"The new policy will hardly have impact on our department, as we have been always providing reasonable, transparent prices for patients, without any invisible consumption," according to Feng.

Chinese people's awareness of oral health is continuously improving, especially the younger generations, whose awareness can benefit their children and parents, she said. "For example, regular oral examinations for parents and children can effectively turn dental treatment into prevention, which will greatly improve the oral health of the nation."

In order to maintain oral health, Feng suggested brushing teeth at least twice a day, and it is better to brush teeth after lunchtime. Moreover, people should learn to use dental floss to remove the residues hidden between the teeth to reduce the chance of tooth decay and periodontal disease.

"Regular dental checkups are very important. People should have a professional oral examination and teeth cleaning every six months," Feng noted.