Cosmetic dentistry refers to a range of dental procedures aimed at improving your smile, whilst maintaining functionality and health. This includes a variety of treatments, such as teeth whitening, veneers, composite bonding and teeth straightening, amongst others.
Teeth Whitening
Over time, lifestyle habits, such as smoking and tea and coffee drinking, can lead to discolouration of your teeth. Teeth whitening is an effective, safe and non-invasive way of lightening the colour of your teeth, helping you to achieve a brighter, whiter smile and boost your self-confidence. It involves the application of peroxide-based gel to the surface of your teeth, breaking down and removing surface stains and discolouration from the outer layer of the tooth, known as the enamel.
Invisalign® is a revolutionary type of orthodontic treatment that uses a series of clear, removable aligners (trays) with state-of-the-art features to straighten your teeth and transform your smile. It is a popular and more discreet alternative to traditional braces.
The aligners are bespoke for each patient and are made of a smooth plastic that is designed to gradually move your teeth into the desired position, whilst providing optimal comfort. Small, tooth-coloured, specifically shaped buttons (made of white composite filling material) are often attached to the front surface of your teeth to improve the performance of the aligners; these are designed to blend in as much as possible.
The length of treatment varies and is tailoured to each patient’s individual needs.
Composite Bonding/Veneers
Composite bonding (also known as cosmetic bonding or dental bonding) is a minimally invasive way of enhancing your smile and is often popular with patients who have uneven or chipped teeth, as well as other aesthetic concerns such as closing gaps between teeth. It involves applying and sculpting a white filling material (composite) onto the edges of the teeth. This material can also be layered over the front surface of the tooth (known as a composite veneer), helping to mask discolouration.
Porcelain veneers are thin shells of tooth-coloured material (porcelain), which are custom-made and designed to cover the front surface of the tooth. They are durable, highly stain-resistant and aesthetic, and can be used to change the shape, colour, length, or size of teeth, as well as closing gaps in between teeth. In some cases, the surface layer of the tooth may be removed to achieve the most aesthetic result.
A single veneer can be placed to address a particular tooth, or multiple veneers for an overall smile transformation.
