Cosmetic Dentistry

Cosmetic dentistry uses a variety of techniques and treatments to improve a person’s smile. It focuses on the aesthetics of your teeth and gums including colour, position, shape, size and alignment.

A general dentist is your primary dental healthcare provider for your overall oral health. They typically address dental problems associated with oral hygiene and dental pain and discomfort. They provide preventative services such as cleaning and plaque removal and restorative services including cavity fillings, root canal work and tooth extractions. General dentists are also concerned with the connection between your overall health and oral health. General dentists may provide some cosmetic dentistry such as a composite filling to match your teeth colour.

A cosmetic dentist can do all that a general dentist does but they focus on the appearance of your teeth and gums. They concentrate on eliminating imperfections such as worn, discoloured, broken, chipped, misshapen and stained teeth. They can give you a bright smile so you feel confident about your teeth.

We offer a wide range of cosmetic dentistry treatments. They include:

• Dental veneers – a porcelain veneer is a very thin piece of porcelain bonded to your tooth to improve its appearance. A veneer can correct teeth that are chipped, worn, crowding, discoloured or poorly spaced. As well as creating your desired smile they add strength and durability to your teeth.
• Dental crowns – a kind of cap that is placed over a worn, damaged, decayed or missing tooth so that your smile retains its natural appearance. Crowns can be used to restore the appearance of a fractured tooth, protect a damaged tooth, cover a dental implant and attach a bridge to conceal missing teeth.
• Dental implants – an artificial tooth replaces a missing or failing tooth. Implants look and act like a natural tooth and offer a long-term solution. A titanium screw is placed into your jawbone to replace your missing tooth root and a false natural-looking tooth is fitted to the top of the implant.
• Composite/dental bonding – a colour-matched composite resin is applied to your tooth and shaped to restore its appearance. Composite bonding is typically used to correct minor cosmetic issues such as to fill cracks, chips or small gaps between your teeth or to fix discolouration.
• Teeth whitening – quickly and safely bleaches your teeth using whitening gel to make your teeth whiter. Over time teeth can become darkened and stained with smoking and drinking tea, coffee or red wine. Teeth whitening brightens your smile.
• Teeth straightening - Invisalign uses clear and removable aligners to achieve straighter-looking teeth. Clear braces put pressure on your teeth to move them into the correct positions over time. They offer a discreet treatment to align crowded or crooked teeth.
• Gum contouring - reshapes or sculpts your gum line if you are worried about a ‘gummy smile’ or too much tooth exposure. Gum contouring or sculpting cuts away any excessive gum tissue and restores gum tissue that has receded and is exposing too much of your teeth.

The recovery process after cosmetic dentistry will depend on your exact procedure and the extent of work performed. For example, teeth whitening is one of the few cosmetic dentistry procedures that requires no recovery time. Often you can expect some discomfort, swelling, irritation and diet modification for a short time after your cosmetic dentistry.

Recovery time typically ranges from a few days to a couple of weeks. This is the case for gum contouring whilst gums are healing and after initial surgery to place dental implants. Pain and tenderness can be managed with over-the-counter medication or pain relief prescribed by your dentist.

The cost of cosmetic dentistry with Ramsay Health Care UK will depend on your exact procedure, your dental requirements and preferences, and your chosen Ramsay hospital.

Following your consultation with a cosmetic dentist and when you are ready to make your choices, we will give you a written cost quote. This quotation is guaranteed for 60 days and includes unlimited aftercare.

Ramsay is recognised by all major medical insurers. However, cosmetic dentistry is often not covered by insurance unless the procedure is needed for oral health reasons. We advise you to obtain written authorisation from your insurance provider before your procedure if you have insurance cover. Cosmetic dentistry is not covered by the NHS either unless it is clinically necessary for you to maintain your oral health.

We have a number of finance options to pay for your cosmetic dentistry. These include:

• Interest-free finance – 0% interest, no deposit and affordable monthly instalments.
• All-inclusive Total Care - one-off pre-agreed payment for access to all the treatment and aftercare you need for complete reassurance.
• Pay as you go – flexible funding to pay for your treatment as and when costs arise. Often used if your treatment costs are difficult to assess.