Dentistry

Our dentists care for children and adults at hospitals and clinics across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, putting dental care within reach wherever you live in the country. Everyday check-ups and more involved treatment are handled within the same network, so your family can be seen close to home.

What is dentistry?

Dentistry looks after the health of your teeth, gums, mouth and jaw. Dentists check for problems, help you prevent them, and treat conditions such as tooth decay, gum disease and dental injuries. Much of the work is routine: examinations, cleaning, fillings and advice on looking after your mouth at home. Dentists also replace missing teeth and carry out some minor surgery, and they care for people of every age, including children as their first teeth come through.

Areas within dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry / aesthetic dentistry: Focused on the look of your smile, this area improves the colour and shape of teeth with treatments such as whitening and veneers.

Endodontics: Endodontics is the care of the soft tissue inside a tooth, treating infection or inflammation there, most often with root canal treatment.

Dental hygiene: A preventive service provided by dental hygienists as part of the care team, cleaning teeth and removing the plaque and tartar that lead to gum problems.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery: This surgical area covers the mouth, jaws and face, including wisdom-tooth removal and the repair of facial injuries.

Orthodontics: Straightening crooked, crowded or protruding teeth and correcting an uneven bite, usually with braces or clear aligners.

Paediatric dentistry: Paediatric dentistry cares for babies, children and teenagers, looking after growing teeth and building healthy habits early, including for children with additional needs.

Periodontics: Periodontics treats the gums and the bone that hold teeth in place, diagnosing and managing gum disease and placing dental implants.

Prosthodontics: When teeth are damaged or missing, this area restores and replaces them with crowns, bridges, dentures and implants.

When should you see a dentist?

Book an appointment if you notice:

• Toothache that lasts more than a day or two
• Gums that bleed, swell or feel sore
• A chipped, cracked or loose tooth
• Ongoing bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
• Teeth that feel sensitive to hot or cold
• Crooked or crowded teeth, or a bite that feels uneven
• Teeth grinding, clicking or discomfort in the jaw
• Excessive wear of the teeth
• Discoloured teeth
• A dental abscess
• Tooth decay

A knocked-out adult tooth, uncontrolled bleeding, or facial swelling that spreads towards your eye or neck needs emergency dental or medical care straight away.

You don't need to wait for a problem to see a dentist. Regular check-ups let small issues be spotted and treated early, before they become painful or harder to fix, and a dentist can also advise on cleaning, diet and habits that protect your teeth. In the UAE you can usually book a dentist directly, though some insurance plans have their own requirements, so it's worth checking your cover.

What to expect

At a first visit, the dentist asks about your dental history and any concerns, then examines your teeth and gums. You may have dental X-rays so the dentist can see between and inside the teeth and check the bone beneath your gums. If your gums need attention, the dentist or hygienist may measure the small spaces around each tooth to see how healthy they are.

What happens next depends on what the dentist finds. Some people need only a clean, while others need a filling, a root canal or a tooth removed. Missing or damaged teeth can be replaced, and crooked teeth can be straightened over time. Your dentist will explain the treatment options, likely number of visits and costs, and you'll agree on the next step together.

Dentistry at Mediclinic

Our dental teams look after people of every age and welcome people of determination, handling both routine visits and more complex treatment.

Our teams treat problems such as decay, gum disease and infection inside the tooth. We also replace missing or damaged teeth, straighten teeth with braces or clear aligners, and provide cosmetic treatments such as whitening. Children's dentistry is available across the network, with sedation offered at some clinics for anxious young patients. Our clinics use digital imaging, including digital X-rays and intraoral cameras, to plan treatment and show you what the dentist sees.