Frequently Asked Questions
Should you have any enquiries about Dental Cosmetics, please feel free to contact us.
How would you feel if you had strained teeth, or teeth that were yellowish when you smile? This may not harm your dental health, but can affect how others perceive you. Tooth discolouration is mainly due to daily habits such as smoking, drinking tea and coffee, certain medications taken during childhood, or insufficient tooth brushing. Even if you brush your teeth diligently every day, your teeth may not become fully white. There are many methods for teeth whitening, but it is recommended that patients consult their dentists to choose the most suitable and safe method to whiten their teeth under professional advice.
The causes of tooth discolouration can be grossly divided into intrinsic and extrinsic staining. Extrinsic staining refers to stains that accumulate on the outer layer of enamel; intrinsic staining is present in the inner structure of the tooth. Over-the-counter tooth whitening products usually cannot remove calculus and stains, and will also block the tooth area that tooth whitening products work on, thus affecting its effectiveness. At our dental clinic, your dentist will first perform a dental examination and then plan for the most suitable treatment. For example, scaling and polishing can remove dental plaque, extrinsic staining and calculus on the surface of teeth. If the discolouration is due to dental caries, the dentist can restore it with white filling materials. In such cases, using tooth whitening products cannot improve tooth colour, and may delay the diagnosis and treatment of dental problems. Therefore, consultation with dentists before prescription of any tooth whitening products or treatment is highly recommended.
The colour of every person’s teeth is different, ranging from ivory white to light yellow. Some people have thicker enamel and their teeth will look whiter. Therefore, the effect after tooth whitening varies from one to another.
Professional Tooth Whitening Treatments provided by our Dentists include both In-Office Tooth Whitening Treatment and Home Tooth Whitening treatment options.
The dentist will apply high concentration tooth whitening gel onto surfaces of the patient’s teeth, and use blue light to activate the gel. The whole procedure takes about 1 to 2 hours. Due to the high concentration of the whitening gel, the whole procedure needs to be operated by a registered dentist. Immediate tooth whitening effect can be achieved.
Home Tooth Whitening Treatment is more economical when compared to In-Office Tooth Whitening Treatment. Dentists will prescribe the suitable Home Whitening kit and Whitening tray for the patient. At home, patients can apply this lower concentration whitening gel onto the whitening tray and wear it for a period of time, as instructed by Dentist. This method is also effective in tooth whitening.
If you want to have a clean and bright smile, choosing the right course of treatment by a professional dentist is the key to dental beauty.
Even after undergoing tooth whitening treatment, some people may still find their teeth not looking perfect. This may be due to intrinsic dark colourings of the teeth, such as from Tetracycline Stains, uneven shapes and sizes of teeth due to trauma or congenital reasons, or spacing between teeth. These can be improved with Dental Veneers, Crowns or Composite Build-Up.
Porcelain Veneers are thin layers of porcelain that are attached to the surface of the tooth to mask away tooth shape and colour defects. The dentist will grind away small amounts of the tooth surface, then take a dental impression or intraoral scan of the tooth as to tailor the desired shape, colour and size of the veneers for the tooth. After the veneer is made, the patient will have a mock-up trial, and if everything is correct, the dentist will use dental adhesives to permanently attach the veneer onto tooth surface.
Full Porcelain Crown is a method to restore tooth morphology and for tooth protection if the damage to the tooth cannot be repaired by dental restoration. Among all kinds of dental crowns, the Full Porcelain Crown is the most aesthetic and natural looking option.
Porcelain Veneers require a small amount of enamel removal which is irreversible, and should only be performed by registered Dentists.
With good oral hygiene and proper maintenance, Porcelain Veneers are long lasting. However, they may need to be repaired or replaced if there are any cracks or loosening due to daily use.
Composite Build-up is the application of tooth-coloured composite resin to repair tooth damage caused by caries or tooth wear and reshape them into a more desirable appearance. This can also help to conceal minor dental aesthetics issues, such as tooth wear or abnormal tooth shape.
Composite Build-up is a simple and economical cosmetic dental procedure.
Composite resin can be shaped and polished to match with adjacent teeth.
Composite resin may stain and its colour may gradually change with time.
Composite resin is not as strong as a natural tooth and may wear with time.
Composite Build-up may need to be repaired or replaced more frequently than Porcelain Veneers or Crowns.
Should you have any enquiries about Dental Cosmetics, please feel free to contact us.
Conrad Dental Care Centre provides comprehensive dental treatments by professional dental team, using high-end dental equipment and instruments.
