Cosmetic Dentistry

A veneer is a thin layer of porcelain (roughly 0.5-1.0mm in thickness) which is custom made to fit over the front surface of a tooth, like a false fingernail would fit over a nail. Sometimes a natural colour 'composite' material is used instead of porcelain.

Veneers are used to improve the colour, shape and alignment of your teeth. A precise shade of porcelain can be chosen to give the right colour to improve a single discoloured tooth or to lighten the front teeth. A veneer can make a chipped tooth look perfect again.

Many people have amalgam (silver) fillings in their mouth however nowadays fillings can be more natural looking, whilst still doing the job. More people are opting to avoid silver fillings that show when they laugh or smile because they are more conscious about the way they look.

It is usually best to change fillings only when your dentist recommends that an old filling needs replacing, you can ask to have it replaced with a tooth-coloured filling.

This is the application of a tooth-coloured composite resin (plastic) to repair a fractured, chipped, decayed or discoloured tooth and even just to change the shape of a tooth.

Unlike veneers, which are manufactured in a laboratory and require a customised mould to achieve a proper fit, bonding can be done in a single visit. The procedure is called bonding because the material bonds to the tooth.