Cosmetic dentistry
Ceramic veneers and professional whitening, designed against the features of the face and tried in before they are bonded.
Cosmetic dentistry changes how your teeth look: their colour, their shape, small gaps or chips. We work with professional whitening and ceramic veneers, designed against the features of your face and tried in before they are bonded.
We always start from healthy teeth. A beautiful smile on decayed teeth or inflamed gums won't last, so we first check and treat whatever is needed, then talk about what you want to change.
Suitable if
- Teeth that have darkened over time from coffee, tea or tobacco.
- Chipped, slightly uneven or gapped teeth.
- Old, visible fillings at the front.
- Wanting a more balanced smile, with healthy teeth underneath.
Not suitable if
- Untreated decay or gums, until they are treated.
- Uncontrolled grinding, for veneers, until you have a night guard.
- Severe crowding, which braces solve better.
Your alternatives
The same result can usually be reached in several ways, with procedures of different sizes:
- Professional whitening lightens the teeth without touching them. It doesn't change their shape or whiten existing restorations.
- Composite fillings repair a chip or close a small gap in a single visit, with little or no reshaping.
- Ceramic veneers change shape and colour and last a long time, but need a thin layer of enamel removed.
- Braces move the teeth instead of covering them, the right choice when the problem is their position.
We recommend the option that keeps the most of your natural tooth first, then discuss whether more is needed.
How it goes
Consultation and plan
A clinical examination and an X-ray, then we talk about what bothers you. We photograph your smile and, for veneers, take a 3D intraoral scan on which we design the new teeth against your face.
Preparation
A professional clean and treatment of any decay. For veneers, before any reshaping, you get a try-in: a mock-up placed temporarily on your teeth, so you can see how it looks and we can change what you don't like.
The treatment itself
Whitening is done at the practice or at home with custom trays. Veneers take two or three visits: preparing the teeth and the impression, a try-in, then bonding. You wear temporary veneers in between.
Check-ups and maintenance
A check-up and clean every six months. At each check-up we look at the edges of the veneers and your bite; if you grind at night, we recommend a protective night guard.
How long it takes overall
- Consultation, photos and scan
- one visit
- Shape try-in (for veneers)
- one visit
- In-practice whitening
- one visit
- Home whitening with trays
- 1–2 weeks
- Ceramic veneers
- 2–3 visits over a few weeks
What the cost depends on
The cost depends on the treatment you choose and how many teeth are involved: the number of veneers and their material, whether whitening is done at the practice or at home, and whether a clean or treatment of decay is needed first.
After the consultation you get an estimate for each option, so you can compare them. More on how cost is set in the guide to treatment cost.
Costs
How the cost of a treatment is set →What you will feel
Whitening doesn't hurt, but in the first days the teeth may be sensitive to cold, sometimes as short twinges, which pass on their own.
Preparing teeth for veneers is done under local anaesthetic. After bonding, the teeth may be slightly sensitive for a few days, and your tongue soon gets used to the new surface. Nothing is bonded for good until you are happy with the try-in.
Risks and limits
Whitening doesn't change the colour of crowns, veneers or fillings, so sometimes these need replacing to match. The result darkens gradually over time.
Veneers need a thin layer of enamel removed, which never grows back: that's why we only do them when smaller options aren't enough. Porcelain can chip from a knock or from grinding, and a veneer can come off; both can be repaired.
After treatment
How to keep the white longer is covered in after teeth whitening, and how the bite settles and how to look after veneers in after veneers are fitted.
After this treatment
Common questions
- How long does treatment take?
- It depends on each patient's situation. In-practice whitening takes one visit, and veneers take two or three visits over a few weeks.
- Does it hurt?
- No. Whitening can leave temporary sensitivity, and preparing teeth for veneers is done under local anaesthetic.
- How often do I come back for check-ups?
- At 3, 6 or 12 months, depending on the treatment. A clean every six months keeps the result.
- Does whitening damage the enamel?
- Professional whitening, done in a controlled way, doesn't damage enamel. Home remedies such as baking soda or lemon can erode it.
- How long do veneers last?
- With good cleaning and regular check-ups, many years. How long also depends on your bite and on habits such as grinding.
- Can I see the result beforehand?
- Yes. For veneers you get a try-in on your teeth before any final work, and we can change the shape until you like it.