COSMETIC DENTISTRY
A smile planned around your face, your teeth and what you want to change.
Smile designing is a personalised plan for the look of your teeth: their shape, size, shade, spacing and how they sit with your gums and lips. It begins with listening to what you would like, and with an examination of your oral health, so the plan is both attractive and sound.
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Careful planning. Natural-looking, well-explained care.
A smile made around you.
THE IDEA IN ONE PICTURE
A designed smile looks at how your teeth relate to one another, to your gums and to the line of your lips. Treatment may bring small changes to shape, shade or alignment, chosen to suit your face rather than copied from a standard set.
Illustrative concept of a balanced smile.
Many people feel self-conscious about one small detail. Smile designing starts by understanding what bothers you, then checking what is possible and healthy for your teeth.
Crowding, rotation or uneven edges can change how balanced a smile looks.
Spaces can be small or wide, and the right way to close them depends on the cause.
Some discolouration responds to whitening, and some needs a different approach.
The size and shape of a tooth can often be rebuilt or refined.
When to seek care promptly. Cosmetic work should wait until pain, swelling or infection has been looked at. If you have a painful tooth, swelling of the face or jaw, or fever with tooth pain, see a dentist urgently. If you have trouble swallowing or breathing, contact emergency services straight away.
Two people can want the same result and need very different treatment. Your dentist considers several things before suggesting a plan:
Not everyone needs treatment. Sometimes a small change, or simply a check-up and a clean, is the best advice.
These are options that can be combined or used alone, rather than a menu to choose from. Which apply to you is decided only after assessment.
A conversation about what you would like, photographs, and an examination. Where it is offered, a digital or model preview can help you picture the plan before treatment starts.
At the start of every smile design, so that the plan reflects your wishes and your oral health.
A bleaching treatment, in the clinic or with a supervised take-home kit, that lightens the natural colour of teeth. Some sensitivity can occur and usually settles.
When teeth are healthy and the main concern is shade. Fillings and crowns do not lighten, so these are checked first.
Bonding adds tooth-coloured material directly to a tooth. Veneers are thin shells, usually made in a laboratory, bonded to the front of a tooth. Some preparation of the tooth may be needed, which cannot be undone.
For chips, gaps, worn edges, or teeth that differ in shape or shade, once your dentist is sure the teeth and gums are healthy.
Gradual movement of teeth into a better position, using clear aligners or fixed braces. It takes months, and retainers are usually needed afterwards.
When crowding or rotation is the main concern and you would prefer to keep as much natural tooth as possible.
Looking after the smile you have, with regular check-ups, a professional clean and good home care.
When your teeth are healthy and a change would bring little benefit, or when you would like to wait before deciding.
You describe what you would like. Your dentist checks your teeth, gums and bite, and takes photographs or X-rays as needed.
Options, the likely look, the time, the cost and the risks are explained, so you can decide at your own pace.
Any health treatment comes first, then the cosmetic steps you have agreed, with a chance to review as you go.
You receive care advice, and a retainer or night guard if your dentist feels one will protect the result.
The steps, the length of treatment and the number of visits depend on the individual case.
A good result is one that looks natural and lasts, so it helps to know the limits as well as the possibilities:
Your dentist will explain the risks and alternatives that apply to you before you agree to treatment. Photographs on this page are illustrative and do not show clinic patients or results.
It is a planned approach to improving the appearance of your smile. Your dentist looks at the shape, size, shade and position of your teeth, your gums and your face, and suggests treatments that suit you. It may involve one treatment or several.
Many steps, such as the consultation, photographs and whitening, cause little or no discomfort. Treatments that involve the tooth are done with local anaesthetic where needed. Some sensitivity afterwards is possible, and your dentist will tell you how to manage it.
It varies. Whitening or bonding may take one or two visits, veneers usually take a few visits over weeks, and aligners take months. Your dentist can give you an idea of the timeline once they have examined you.
That is the aim. Shape and shade are chosen to suit your face, your skin tone and the rest of your teeth. A preview or sample, where offered, can help you decide, though the final result cannot be guaranteed.
It depends on the treatment, your habits and how well you look after your teeth. Whitening fades over time, and bonding and veneers may eventually need repair or replacement. Your dentist will explain what to expect for your plan.
When your teeth and gums are healthy and treatment is planned well, cosmetic work is generally safe, but every treatment carries some risk. Some, such as veneers, involve removing a little tooth surface, which is permanent. Your dentist will go through the benefits, risks and alternatives with you first.
Start with an examination and an honest conversation about what is possible, and what is right for you.
Your dentist will go through your medical history at your appointment.
At your first visit
