Crowns vs Veneers

By Specialist Dental Group

Dental crowns and veneers are restoration methods to enhance one's appearance and improve function. Both procedures help to restore your desired smile in unfortunate situations such as a broken, chipped or stained tooth. However, both treatments will remove part of the natural tooth's enamel. Hence, it is essential to understand the purposes of the two procedures before deciding.

What are dental crowns?

Dental crowns help to:

• strengthen decayed or broken teeth

• restore the size or shape of natural teeth

• improve appearance

A crown works as a cap and covers an entire tooth. There are several crown materials, with porcelain and zirconium as the more popular ones.

What are veneers?

A veneer is a thin layer of porcelain or composite material bonded onto the front of your existing tooth, matched to your overall tooth colour. Veneers are better for less extensive changes in shape, size or colour.

Which is a better option for you?

To determine your suitability for dental crowns or veneers, consult your dentist or dental specialist regarding your current dental condition. They will share the pros and cons of each solution for you to make an informed decision.

If you have signs of tooth decay or infection, you may require a root canal treatment before the crown. With the placement of a crown, more tooth structure needs to be trimmed away. Crowns are durable; thus, the procedure is better for broken down teeth or for teeth that needs to withstand heavier chewing forces.

On the other hand, the placement of a veneer is less invasive than crowns as the process leaves more of your original tooth intact. Veneers are typically recommended for aesthetic reasons such as unevenly spaced or stained teeth.

If you require dental treatment, schedule an appointment with your dentist or dental specialist today.

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Dr Steven Soo is a Dental Specialist in Prosthodontics with Specialist Dental Group^®. He was formerly a Clinical Lecturer at the Eastman Dental Institute and Clinical Teacher at the GKT Dental Institute, both of which are affiliated with the University of London. Dr Soo has a special interest in prosthetic and implant restorative dentistry.

www.specialistdentalgroup.com | (65) 6733 7883

That Big, Beachy Feeling

 By Ellie Sakrzewski

Hair this season is getting bigger, and for those of you who lived through the 80s, fear not ! We won’t be reliving spiked, over blown out fringes and hair lacquered within an inch of its life (yes I was there) but rather a beachier more textured look with a polished finish. or the past few years, the beach waved looks that we create are focused on perfect waves that are symmetrical around the face. Whilst I love this, it really isn’t like hair after a day at the beach.

So how do we get that hair ? It’s pretty simple, however it will take a little effort no matter your hair type. 

Like fashion trends that resurface, there is always a modern take on it. Think a big blow out meets the beach. 

Here are some tips to get the look":

1. Start with the right shampoo and conditioner that works for your hair. For example, if your hair is fine, use a volumising range; if your hair is thick, use a smoothing or hydrating range.

2. Comb, don’t brush your wet hair as brushing creates frizz.

3. Apply curl cream to the hair. Now here is the trick – a little goes a long way – especially in fine hair.

4. Dry the hair with a diffuser.

5. Tong away like mad . This is where you don’t have to be particular. Grab pieces of hair and tong away. Don’t try to be neat and even. This is what gives us the just off the beach look.

6. Refine and add some polish by applying serum or gloss to the ends.

7. Finish your look off with a dry shampoo, or even better scrunch in a little sea salt spray.

Extra tip - if your hair is super fine you can swap out the curl creme for a volumising spray or if it’s extra curly, you should only blow dry it a little - air drying works best.