Cosmetic Dental Treatment Options

An aesthetically pleasing smile can often be achieved through having relatively conservative cosmetic dental treatment designed to enhance the appearance of existing teeth rather than drastically alter or replace them. Our dental surgery offers several of the most popular procedures which are teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, composite veneers and dental bonding.
During your initial consultation, our dentist will explain all the different treatment options available, and will assess your suitability. They will discuss the type of results you may reasonably expect to achieve through having cosmetic dental treatment, the procedures involved, as well as the cost.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is the perfect dental treatment for anyone who simply wishes to freshen up their smile. Our dental surgery offers two different methods of whitening.
You can choose to have your teeth whitened chairside; this method is good for anyone looking for quick results, or who needs a whiter smile for a special event. It takes a little more than an hour for the dental treatment to be completed.

You may also choose to have your teeth whitened using custom-made bleaching trays to be used at home. These are custom-made for you by our dental surgery to fit precisely over your teeth, so that they are very comfortable and also prevent the bleaching gel from leaching onto your gums. The advantage of this method of teeth whitening is that the results can easily be controlled as the whitening process gradually takes place over a period of a few weeks and is more economical.

Dental Veneers

Veneers are an excellent way of correcting minor imperfections in a smile. They can be used to straighten slightly crooked teeth, to modify teeth that have become chipped, stained, discoloured or worn, or which are too small. Veneers can also be used to close or lessen gaps in between teeth. They are made from porcelain or composite resin.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are incredibly thin, as most measure less than a mm in thickness, and are translucent slips of porcelain that fit over the front surface of your teeth. This cosmetic dental treatment generally requires a small amount of material to be removed from the surface of the tooth in order to create sufficient room for the veneer.
After the teeth have been prepared, we will take an impression of your mouth which is then sent to our dental laboratory for the veneers to be constructed. They can be fitted during your next visit, and any modifications will be made before they are permanently cemented onto the teeth. The advantages of porcelain veneers are that they are long-lasting and will not stain. Modern porcelain veneers give excellent aesthetic results.

Composite Veneers and Dental Bonding

Composite veneers and dental bonding utilise the same type of material used for tooth-coloured dental fillings. These cosmetic dental treatments can usually be completed with just one visit to our dental surgery and are very conservative as the majority of the tooth is preserved.
Composite veneers are used to replace the whole surface of the tooth, whereas dental bonding will only replace a small section. The material is applied directly to the tooth surface before being shaped and polished. Although more cost effective, composite is not as long-lasting as porcelain, as the composite will eventually become stained.
If your dental treatment plan includes both teeth whitening and veneering, then we recommend you have your teeth whitened first in our dental surgery, as this will ensure the colour of your veneers can be more accurately matched.