Cosmetic dentistry

Whitening

A gel lightens the colour of the tooth. It can be done at the practice, at home with trays made to fit you, or both. What it does not do is change the colour of a filling, a crown or a veneer: those materials do not whiten, and if you have them where they show, the order of work has to be planned.

• Sensitivity to cold for a few days: that is normal and it passes.
• It does not work the same on every stain. Grey ones respond worse than yellow ones.
• The result lasts better if you do not smoke and go easy on coffee, tea and red wine.

Veneers

They are thin shells bonded to the front of the tooth. They correct colour, shape and small misalignments. In most cases some enamel has to be reduced, and that cannot be undone: it is the real decision in this treatment.

That is why we do a simulation first and, when the case calls for it, a trial in your mouth with temporary material so you can see it before anything is reduced.

How it will go, visit by visit

Before you decide

If you are missing a tooth or your bite is off, other treatments come first. A veneer over an underlying problem does not last, and you pay for it twice.

If your goal is to straighten, clear aligners are often the better answer — and the more conservative one — than reducing healthy teeth.