Frequently asked questions

Composite bonding is a treatment in which tooth-coloured resin is applied directly to the tooth and sculpted by hand to change its shape, edges, proportions or colour. In most cases it is additive, meaning little or no healthy tooth tissue is removed.

Published ranges for direct composite restorations are commonly quoted at around five to seven years before repair or replacement. Longevity depends on the bite, grinding habits, diet, hygiene and how the bonding was planned and finished.

Yes. Invisalign is widely used by adults, provided the teeth and gums are healthy and the aligners are worn for the prescribed number of hours each day. Suitability is confirmed at an orthodontic assessment.

No. Many smile makeovers are achieved with alignment, whitening and bonding, which preserve more natural tooth. Ceramic veneers are indicated when shape, strength or colour cannot be changed predictably by less invasive means.

Dental implants start from £2,900 at this practice. The final fee depends on whether grafting is needed, the number of implants and the restoration. A written quotation is provided after examination and a CBCT scan.

Bonding is usually additive, repairable and reversible, but stains more readily. Veneers are more stain resistant and durable, but require enamel preparation and are irreversible. The right choice depends on tooth position, remaining enamel, bite and how much change is needed.

Often, yes. Correcting tooth position with clear aligners or fixed appliances frequently removes the need for veneers, or reduces the treatment to whitening and small amounts of bonding.

A makeover limited to whitening and bonding can take a few weeks. Where alignment is included first, the overall plan usually runs from several months to around a year, followed by retention and review.

Composite bonding starts from £365 per tooth; layered cosmetic bonding is quoted after assessment because the fee depends on the number of teeth, clinical time and the design required.

Composite bonding is considered after checking tooth structure, gum health, bite, tooth wear and expectations. Active decay, untreated gum disease or an unmanaged grinding habit may need attention first.

The appointment length depends on the number of teeth and the design. A consultation and plan come first; straightforward single-tooth repairs may be completed more quickly than a multi-tooth smile design.

Invisalign starts from £2,950 at this practice. The final fee depends on the complexity of tooth movement, the aligner plan and the retention required, and is confirmed in writing after assessment.

Invisalign treatment commonly takes several months, but the duration depends on the movements required and how consistently the aligners are worn. Refinement aligners and retention are planned where needed.

Ceramic veneers are published at £795 per tooth at this practice. The exact plan depends on tooth position, enamel, the number of teeth and the laboratory design, so a written quotation follows assessment.

Ceramic veneers can last for many years when they are planned for a healthy bite, bonded correctly and maintained well. Longevity is affected by grinding, trauma, hygiene and the condition of the supporting teeth.

Home whitening kits start from £395 and Enlighten whitening from £595 at this practice. Suitability and the cause of discolouration are assessed before a whitening plan is provided.

There is no single smile makeover fee because a plan may combine alignment, whitening, bonding or ceramics. Guide fees are published for each treatment and a written itemised quotation follows assessment.

Dental implants start from £2,900 at this practice. The final fee depends on the number of implants, the restoration, bone grafting and the diagnostic planning required.

Dental implant treatment usually takes several months because the implant needs time to integrate with the jawbone before the final restoration is fitted. Some cases can be planned differently after assessment.

Crowns start from £525 per unit at this practice. The final fee depends on the tooth, the material, any treatment required beforehand and the laboratory work.

An E.max ceramic crown starts from £800 at this practice. Suitability depends on the remaining tooth structure, bite, colour and the restoration design.

Restorative dentistry repairs or replaces damaged, worn or missing teeth using treatments such as fillings, crowns, bridges, dentures and implants, with health, function and long-term maintenance considered before appearance.

Not everyone needs a bone graft. CBCT imaging shows whether there is enough bone in a safe and restorative position; if not, grafting or an alternative replacement can be discussed.

Composite bonding is usually painless because in most cases no healthy tooth is removed and no anaesthetic is needed. Where a tooth is being repaired after decay or a fracture, local anaesthetic can be used so the appointment stays comfortable.

Clean bonded teeth as you would natural teeth, floss carefully around the margins and see a hygienist regularly. Limiting staining drinks, avoiding biting nails or hard objects and wearing a night guard if you grind all help bonding last longer.

Yes. Because bonding is usually additive, it can be polished, repaired, added to or removed and the underlying tooth returned close to its original state. That reversibility is one of the main reasons bonding is considered before ceramics.

Most people describe pressure or tenderness for a day or two after changing to a new aligner rather than pain. Discomfort typically settles quickly, and any sharp edges or rubbing can be adjusted at a review appointment.

Aligners are removed to eat and to drink anything other than water, then the teeth are cleaned before the aligners go back in. Aligners need to be worn for the prescribed hours each day, so meals and drinks are planned around that wear time.

Yes. Teeth tend to move throughout life, so retention is part of every orthodontic plan. Retainers — fixed, removable or both — are fitted at the end of treatment and reviewed periodically to hold the result.

Veneers do not ruin teeth, but most designs require a small amount of enamel to be prepared, which cannot be reversed. Preparation is kept as conservative as the case allows, and less invasive options are discussed first where they can achieve the result.

Preparation is carried out under local anaesthetic, so the appointment itself is not painful. Mild sensitivity between preparation and fitting is common and usually settles once the definitive veneers are bonded.

A veneer that chips, debonds or wears at the margin is repaired or replaced. Because enamel has already been prepared, replacement rather than removal is the usual route, which is why longevity and maintenance are discussed before treatment starts.

Temporary sensitivity during or shortly after whitening is common and usually resolves within a few days. Tray fit, gel strength, wear time and desensitising products are adjusted to keep sensitivity manageable.

Whitening results commonly last from several months to a couple of years, depending on diet, smoking, hygiene and the original cause of discolouration. Occasional top-up wear with the same trays maintains the shade.

No. Whitening changes natural tooth structure only; crowns, veneers and composite do not lighten. Where restorations are visible, whitening is completed first and the restorations are then matched or replaced to the new shade.

A smile makeover begins with a health assessment, photographs, records and a written plan. Gum health and bite are stabilised first, alignment is considered before restoration, and whitening, bonding or ceramics follow in a planned sequence with review and retention.

Natural results come from planning tooth position, proportion, edge shape and shade against your face and lips, rather than fitting a uniform set of white teeth. A digital design or trial smile is used so the result is agreed before anything permanent is done.

Implant placement is carried out under local anaesthetic and is not usually painful at the time. Some swelling and soreness for a few days afterwards is normal and is managed with simple pain relief and written aftercare.

Well-planned implants can last many years, and long-term survival rates reported in the literature are high. Longevity depends on gum health, cleaning, smoking, bite forces, diabetes control and attending maintenance appointments.

Implants may be delayed or ruled out where there is untreated gum disease, insufficient bone without grafting, heavy smoking, poorly controlled diabetes or certain medications and medical conditions. Suitability is confirmed after examination and a CBCT scan.

Healing time depends on the size and type of graft, but several months are usually allowed before an implant is placed or restored. Progress is checked clinically and, where needed, with repeat imaging.

Risks include swelling, bruising, infection, graft exposure or incomplete bone formation, and site-specific risks such as sinus membrane perforation in upper jaw cases. These are assessed and explained in writing before consent.

Crowns commonly last many years when the underlying tooth is healthy, the bite is managed and hygiene is good. Failure is usually related to decay at the margin, root fracture or heavy grinding rather than the crown material itself.

A filling or onlay is preferred while enough sound tooth remains to support it. A crown is considered when the remaining tooth is heavily broken down, root treated or at risk of fracture, because full coverage protects what is left.

Preparation is done under local anaesthetic, so it is not usually painful. Mild sensitivity or tenderness between the temporary and definitive crown is common and normally settles after fitting.

The assessment records tooth-by-tooth condition, gum health, bite, tooth wear and any pain, supported by X-rays and photographs. A written, itemised plan sets out what needs treating first, what can wait and what the options are.

Tooth wear is treated by first identifying the cause — grinding, acid erosion or an unbalanced bite — then protecting and rebuilding the teeth with composite, onlays or crowns, and controlling the cause with habit advice or a night guard.

Hyper-realistic composite restoration is layered freehand composite work that reproduces the internal shade, translucency and surface texture of a natural tooth. It takes more clinical time than routine bonding because each layer is built and characterised individually.

Layered composite behaves like other direct composite restorations and is commonly quoted in the region of five to seven years before repair or refinishing. Polishing, bite management and avoiding heavy loading extend that considerably.

A veneer covers the visible front surface of a tooth, while an E.max crown covers the whole tooth. A crown is chosen where the tooth is broken down, root treated or under heavy bite load; a veneer is chosen where enough sound tooth remains.

E.max lithium disilicate is used on front and back teeth where there is adequate tooth structure and the bite is favourable. Where bite forces are very heavy or grinding is unmanaged, a stronger material or a protective night guard may be advised.

Whitening is not carried out where there is untreated decay, active gum disease or leaking fillings, and it is not provided during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Teeth darkened by a single root-treated tooth, or by internal staining, may need a different approach, which is discussed at assessment.

Keep the trays clean and stored dry, continue normal brushing and interdental cleaning, and limit strongly staining drinks such as red wine, coffee and tea in the days immediately after each phase. Routine hygiene appointments and occasional top-up gel help hold the shade.

The common issues are temporary sensitivity and gum irritation, usually from gel overflowing a poorly fitting tray. Results can also look uneven where crowns, veneers or fillings sit alongside natural teeth, because those materials do not lighten. Dentist-prescribed, custom-tray whitening reduces both risks.

Risks depend on which treatments are included. Alignment and whitening carry little irreversible change, while veneers and crowns involve preparing tooth tissue and may cause sensitivity or, uncommonly, nerve inflammation. Planning that starts with alignment and bonding usually keeps more natural tooth.

Retainers are worn if teeth were aligned, hygiene appointments continue as normal, and a night guard is advised where grinding is present. Composite is polished periodically and may be repaired; ceramic is checked at reviews and replaced only when indicated.

The main drivers are how many teeth are being changed, whether alignment is needed first, and whether the final restorations are composite or ceramic. Every plan is itemised in writing after assessment, so the fee reflects the actual sequence rather than a package price.

Where enough sound tooth remains, an onlay, an indirect ceramic restoration or a well-designed direct composite can restore the tooth while removing less tissue. A crown is chosen when the remaining tooth needs full coverage for strength, often after root treatment or a large fracture.

Brush as normal and clean daily around and, for bridges, underneath the restoration with interdental brushes or superfloss. Keep routine hygiene visits, avoid biting hard objects, and wear a night guard if you grind. The tooth beneath a crown can still decay, so the margin is checked at each review.

Cost follows how many teeth are involved, whether the bite needs rebuilding, and the materials used. Composite crown fees start from £525 and E.max ceramic crowns from £800. A written, itemised plan is provided after assessment and before any treatment is agreed.

Longevity depends on the material, the bite and how the underlying cause was managed. Direct composite is commonly quoted at around five to seven years before repair or replacement, and ceramic restorations generally longer. Treating the cause, such as wear or grinding, matters more than the material alone.

Depending on the site, options can include placing a shorter or narrower implant, angling the implant to use available bone, or restoring the gap with a bridge or denture instead. Where bone volume is adequate, no graft is needed. The options are set out after 3D imaging.

Expect swelling for a few days, a soft diet for the period advised, and careful cleaning away from the surgical site using any prescribed rinse. Smoking materially impairs healing. Reviews check the site before the implant stage is planned.