How To Improve Your Smile

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Dr Jerry Lim

Dentist

Ask Dr Jerry Lim about:

  • Smile makeovers
  • Veneers and bonding
  • Teeth whitening
  • Gummy smiles

Questions 10

What cosmetic dentistry treatment is the best for correcting small teeth? (photo)

judging from the picture, it seems to me that you have short looking teeth because the width and the height of the teeth appear to look the same. Normal looking teeth have a width that is less than the height. Usually this ratio is anywhere from 70% to 80%. A tooth can look short due to: a) excessive gums or b) the wear and shortening of the edge of the tooth. We need to establish the cause of the short or small teeth before proceeding. If it's due to excessive gums, then we can perform a laser gum recontouring. We can also consider lengthening the teeth simultaneously with porcelain veneers.

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Dr Jerry Lim

Dentist

Can porcelain veneers be easily removed?

No, porcelain veneers cannot be easily removed. A 3d illustration of a porcelain veneer installation procedure Reason being, the procedure of getting veneers require the trimming some of your teeth. Trimming is an irreversible procedure. Furthermore, veneers are carefully bonded onto each specific teeth. Even if they were removed, your teeth and smile will look different. They do not go back to original form. This is why I always encourage my patients to make sure that they truly understand what getting veneers entail before they embark on this journey.

Photo of Dr Jerry Lim

Answered By

Dr Jerry Lim

Dentist

How can I get the best results after porcelain veneers?

A few of my patients have nightmares of their teeth falling out! It's actually quite distressing when your veneers crack and drop off. First of all, make sure the veneers are well bonded onto the teeth. This is a very technical aspect of the treatment. It needs to be done well. After the veneers are well bonded onto teeth, their strength to withstand chewing forces are actually quite high. The day to day function of your teeth should not post any problems but night grinding and clenching can break the veneers. Thus, if you grind your teeth at night, you should wear your night guard.

Photo of Dr Jerry Lim

Answered By

Dr Jerry Lim

Dentist

Can I get veneers if my teeth are not straight?

Yes, you can get veneers if your teeth are not straight. However, it depends on the severity of your misaligment. If your misalignment is mild and the veneers will be resting mainly on the first layer of your teeth (the enamel) then they will be strong with sufficient strength to withstand the stress of chewing function. Beyond a certain level of misalignment, it would be prudent to actually align the teeth first then place veneers on them later.

Photo of Dr Jerry Lim

Answered By

Dr Jerry Lim

Dentist

How to decide between veneers or braces for crooked teeth?

Yes, crooked teeth can be indeed be ‘straightened’ with porcelain veneers or crowns. However, there might be a risk of nerve injury. Let's examine the details. When you say crooked teeth, this means that your teeth are not aligned and we'd need to bring them into a well aligner arch. Teeth that are protruding will have to be trimmed sufficiently to make them go in line into the arch. Our teeth have a range of 1. 5 - 3. 5 mm of enamel and dentine thickness. Imagine you have to bring the tooth in line by 2.

Photo of Dr Jerry Lim

Answered By

Dr Jerry Lim

Dentist

How much does dental bonding cost in Singapore, and what affects the costs? (photo)

The average cost of dental bonding in Singapore ranges from $300 - $500 per tooth. Most of my patients who have a gap in between their teeth would go for dental bonding. The procedure involves adhesively bonding a tooth-coloured composite to the side of the tooth and extended to partially cover the gap. The other half will come from the other side of the adjacent tooth. The factors that affects the cost of dental bonding in Singapore are: 1. Number of teeth being treated - You are charged per tooth, so the cost will increase if you have more than than one gap that you'd like to treat. 2.

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Answered By

Dr Jerry Lim

Dentist

Is dental bonding or veneers the best?

Dental bonding is an universal term to describe something that is adhesively attached to the tooth. Usually it is referred to treating cavities or to close spacings between teeth. If you are referring to using resin for smile makeover, then it is referred to as resin veneers as opposed to using ceramics which is referred to as porcelain veneers. I will explain the similarities and differences here. Resin veneers are made from resin filling materials and porcelain veneers are made from ceramic or glass. Resin veneers generally require slightly lesser trimming of teeth than porcelain veneers.

Photo of Dr Jerry Lim

Answered By

Dr Jerry Lim

Dentist

How long do porcelain veneers last for?

Porcelain veneers do not have definite life span. If your veneers are still functional and aesthetically pleasing, it is not necessary to replace them. However, fluorosis staining is one of the most common staining due to excessive fluoride intake. It is also a common reason for people to seek porcelain or resin veneers treatment due to severe forms of fluorosis. More often, porcelain veneers fail through fractures or debonding. Sometimes they might be removed due to decay underneath the margins of the veneers.

Photo of Dr Jerry Lim

Answered By

Dr Jerry Lim

Dentist

How dangerous is it to have my teeth filed down for a smile makeover?

from your question, I assume that you're referring to getting Porcelain Veneers in a Smile Makeover procedure. Filing your teeth down is an irreversible procedure and should not be taken lightly. I am glad you did your homework to understand the issues and steps involved. I understand how your front teeth are affecting you. If done properly, removing the surface layer of the teeth by 0. 5-1mm should not result in permanent sensitivity. It should be transitional, lasting up to a 3 months in rare cases. These are very technical procedures that requires a very experienced dental team.

Photo of Dr Jerry Lim

Answered By

Dr Jerry Lim

Dentist

How much does a smile makeover cost in Singapore?

Generally, smile makeovers can range from $1,500 to $5,000 depending on multiple factors. Here's a summary of the range of costs: Teeth whitening - Approximately $1,200 Veneers - from $1,500 to $2,500 each There are a variety of procedures available now to improve one’s smile. Your doctor would have to find out the issues affecting your smile before he/she can reccomend a treatment(s) to improve your smile. Here's the cost of some treatment options that I've reccomended to my patients to improve their smiles. 1.

Photo of Dr Jerry Lim

Answered By

Dr Jerry Lim

Dentist

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