Not blessed with straight, pearly white teeth? Cosmetic dentistry can give you that healthy, confident smile! This dental specialty provides holistic care to improve the aesthetics of our teeth, from teeth whitening to veneers and clear aligners.
"Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love." — Mother Teresa
Some of us may feel shy about smiling broadly with our teeth showing in selfies, or worrying about how to fix the gap between our two front teeth. To achieve your desired Hollywood smile, dentists can employ various methods.
Cosmetic dentistry is a specialty of dentistry that focuses on improving the appearance of teeth and gums.
Dentists can improve your smile by whitening your teeth or giving them a more natural look with porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns. They also repair chips and cracks in teeth using composite fillings or porcelain fillings. Cosmetic dentists can also help people replace missing teeth so they do not have to live with a crooked smile for the rest of their lives.
There are 4 primary types of cosmetic dentistry available in Singapore, each focusing on common issues patients encounter.
Dental implants are a permanent solution to missing teeth. Shaped like small screws and surgically inserted into the jawbone, they function like your natural tooth root to which an artificial tooth can be attached.
Dental implants do not require neighbouring teeth as scaffolding (unlike bridges); they are more secure and last longer than dentures. They also help to strengthen the jawbone.
Dental implants can be made of titanium, or zirconia, which is a type of ceramic. So which is more suitable?
For those desiring attractive, symmetrical teeth, designing a beautiful smile line is not as difficult as you may think!
If fixing crooked teeth isn’t a viable option, cosmetic dentistry can bypass this issue and conceal imperfect teeth with a “smile makeover” using veneers.
The procedure requires no anaesthesia. If performed correctly, results can last for years and even a lifetime.
Discolouration of teeth can happen for a variety of reasons, such as smoking, coffee consumption, and tooth decay. Thankfully, cosmetic dentistry has developed more effective ways to whiten discoloured teeth.
It is also recommended to perform your own research and consult your dentist before using such products!
Remember when we lost our first tooth in kindergarten? The loss of teeth is not only common but also perfectly normal among adults. Most of us will have to face this issue at some point during our lives.
Fillings are made of reconstructive filling material to help prevent further damage by tooth decay.
Gum contouring is a minimally invasive dental procedure that can sculpt the gums, removing excess tissue where necessary. The procedure is most common with individuals who show a lot of gum when smiling, but it can also be used to restore cases of receding gum tissue.
Cosmetic dentistry can help to fix a wide range of dental issues, allowing anyone to get that perfect Hollywood smile. If you are not satisfied with your smile, simply schedule a consultation with us to find out how you can enhance your smile!
The cost of cosmetic dentistry procedures vary significantly based on type of procedure and complexity of the patient’s dental situation. Here are ballpark costs for cosmetic dentistry procedures in Singapore:
As a one-stop multi-disciplinary dental care group, Nuffield Dental’s motto is to put you first, providing personalised services based on needs and preferences.
Some dental procedures are Medisave-claimable, for example, you can claim up to a limit of $1,250 for a dental implant procedure. The CHAS programme also allows Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents (PRs) to claim a percentage of selected dental procedures, such as fillings. For elective dental procedures such as dental veneers, however, these may not be Medisave-claimable.
At Nuffield Dental, we collaborate with certain dental insurers through direct billing services. Some financial facilities may be granted to students and army personnel, though patients are strongly recommended to check with the respective departments.
Consult our Nuffield Dental dentists to learn more about cosmetic dentistry today!
References:
Gotter, A. (2021). Dental Veneers: Benefits, procedure, costs, and results. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-veneers#types
Fletcher, J. (2020). Dental Veneers: Cost, procedure, and results. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/dental-veneers
Nazario, B. (2021). Cosmetic Dentistry To Improve Your Smile. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/cosmetic-dentistry
Taruna, M. (2014). Prosthodontic perspective to all- on-4 ® concept for dental implants. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. https://doi.org/10.7860/jcdr/2014/9648.5020