Porcelain Veneers in Perth: What they cost and how long they last
Most patients ask me the same three questions about porcelain veneers How much do they cost. How long will they last. And will I ruin my teeth getting them. These are good questions. They are also the ones a lot of clinics dodge or answer vaguely because the honest answer is “it depends.” So in this post I want to give you the real version, based on what I see day to day at the practice. I have been placing porcelain veneers in Perth for over twenty years. In that time the materials have improved, the techniques have improved, and what we can do for patients has improved a lot. But the questions people walk in with have not changed much. So let me work through them properly. What porcelain veneers actually are A porcelain veneer is a thin shell of ceramic that we bond to the front of your tooth. It changes the colour, the shape, or both. We use them to fix worn edges, close gaps, lengthen short teeth, cover stains that whitening will not shift, and rebuild teeth that have chipped over the years. They are not crowns. A crown wraps the whole tooth. A veneer covers only the front and a small bit of the biting edge. That means less of your own tooth has to be reshaped to make room for it. They are also not the same as composite veneers, which are built up in the chair using a tooth-coloured resin. Porcelain is made in a lab from a small mould we take of your prepared tooth, and the finished result is harder,...
Dental Implants in Perth | Smile Design Studio
Tooth loss can affect more than appearance — it may also influence chewing, speech, and day-to-day confidence. For suitable patients, dental implants are one option for replacing missing teeth while helping to maintain underlying jaw structure and function. At Smile Design Studio, dental implant treatment involves digital planning and clinical assessment to support stable, long-term tooth replacement, with each treatment plan tailored to the individual. This guide explains how dental implants work, what the treatment process involves, who may be a suitable candidate, and what alternatives exist. The information below is general in nature and should not replace a personalised assessment with a registered dental practitioner. What Is a Dental Implant? A dental implant is a small titanium post that is surgically placed into the jawbone to act as a replacement tooth root. Once in place, the implant is intended to support a custom-made crown, bridge, or denture. Unlike removable dentures or traditional bridges, a dental implant does not rely on neighbouring teeth for support. Instead, in suitable cases, the titanium post fuses with the surrounding bone over a period of months through a biological process known as osseointegration. This integration is what allows the implant to function as a foundation for a fixed restoration. How Dental Implants Work Each dental implant is designed to act as an independent anchor. Once integrated, a single implant may support a single crown, while multiple implants may support several teeth or a full arch restoration depending on individual needs. Because the titanium fixture bonds with the bone in suitable cases, dental implants may help reduce the bone resorption that can occur following...
Why your wisdom teeth might be pushing your smile out of line (and what to do about it)
You had braces as a teenager. Your smile was straight for years. And then, sometime in your late twenties or thirties, you started noticing something. Your bottom front teeth look a little more crowded than they used to. One tooth has twisted slightly. The gap that never used to be there is suddenly catching food. A lot of people chalk this up to getting older, or assume their retainer just stopped working. But in a lot of cases, there is another factor quietly at play in the back of your mouth. Your wisdom teeth. This is one of those things that most patients don’t realise until they are sitting in the chair and I am pointing it out on their x-ray. So I wanted to write this down properly, because it comes up almost every week at the practice. The short version: yes, wisdom teeth can shift your smile For years there was a bit of a debate in dentistry about whether wisdom teeth actually cause crowding. And the honest answer is, it is not always the main cause. Teeth naturally want to drift forward over a lifetime, regardless of whether you have wisdom teeth or not. That part is normal. But when wisdom teeth come in at an angle, or when they are pushing against the tooth in front of them, they can absolutely contribute to the shifting you are seeing. Especially in the lower jaw, where space is tighter and bone is denser. I see this pattern a lot in patients who had perfectly straight teeth in their twenties and come back to me in their mid-thirties...
Anxiety-Free Dentistry at Smile Design Studio
Dental anxiety is far more common than many people realise. For some, it is a mild sense of unease before an appointment. For others, it can be a deep fear that leads to years of avoiding necessary treatment. Over time, this avoidance can affect both oral health and overall wellbeing. Anxiety-free dentistry is designed to change that experience completely by creating a calm, supportive environment where patients feel safe, understood, and comfortable. At Smile Design Studio, anxiety-free dentistry is not simply a service. It is a philosophy centred on compassion, trust, and personalised care. Many patients delay treatment because they feel overwhelmed by the thought of dental procedures. The goal of anxiety-focused care is to remove that fear, making it possible to receive treatment in a way that feels relaxed and manageable. This approach allows people to move forward with confidence, knowing that their comfort is always a priority and that every step is guided by understanding and professional support. Understanding Dental Anxiety and Why It Matters Dental fear can stem from many different experiences. Some patients have had uncomfortable procedures in the past, while others worry about pain, loss of control, or the unknown. Even the sounds, smells, and environment of a dental clinic can trigger feelings of stress for certain individuals. When anxiety leads to avoidance, oral health often suffers. Small issues such as early decay or gum irritation can develop into more complex concerns over time. Regular visits become more difficult, and treatment may feel more daunting with each passing year. This is why anxiety-free dentistry is so important. By addressing emotional comfort alongside clinical care,...
Worn Teeth and Grinding Treatment Perth by Smile Design Studio
If your teeth are getting shorter, flatter, or chipping more than they used to, you might think it’s just one of those things that happens as you get older. A lot of people do. They put up with it for a while, maybe start Googling veneers, and figure they’ll deal with it when it gets bad enough. But here’s the thing. Worn teeth are not always just a cosmetic issue. In a lot of cases, they’re telling you that something is going on with your bite, your jaw, or both. And if you just fix the surface without looking at what caused the damage, you’ll often end up back where you started. This is something I see all the time at the practice. Someone comes in wanting their smile to look better. We start the consultation and we find years of grinding they didn’t know about, a jaw that clicks, headaches they’ve been putting up with, and a bite that’s been slowly collapsing. The worn teeth were never the real problem. They were the symptom. What actually causes teeth to wear down? Some wear is completely normal over a lifetime. But when your teeth are getting noticeably shorter, when the edges go flat, when they start chipping or cracking, or you can see through the tips because the enamel has gone translucent, that usually means something more active is going on. The most common cause is grinding or clenching, which we call bruxism. Most people who do it have no idea because it happens while they’re asleep. They wake up with a sore jaw or a dull headache and...
Dr Vicky Ho will answer any questions you may have about your dental health and care.
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