Starting from what actually bothers you
The first conversation is not about treatment. It is about what you notice when you look at photographs of yourself — a chipped edge, a tooth that sits behind the others, a gap, uneven lengths, a shade that has darkened over the years.
Sometimes the answer is much smaller than people expect. Reshaping a single edge, or a composite bonding on one tooth, can resolve what someone has been self-conscious about for a decade. We would rather do the small thing that works than the large thing that pays better.
The options, and what each costs you
Different problems call for genuinely different solutions, and the trade-off is usually between how conservative the treatment is and how far it can go.
- Contouring and polishing — reshapes small chips and uneven edges, removes almost no tooth structure
- Composite bonding — tooth-coloured material sculpted directly, done in one visit, reversible, but stains over years
- Veneers — thin ceramic facings, the most durable and colour-stable option, but requires removing a small amount of enamel permanently
- Orthodontics first — where teeth are misaligned, moving them often gives a better and more conservative result than covering them
Why we push back on very white
The most common regret in cosmetic dentistry is teeth that are too white and too uniform for the person's face and age. It reads as artificial immediately, and with veneers it is not easily undone.
Natural teeth are slightly translucent at the edges, marginally different from each other, and not the shade of printer paper. We aim for a shade that suits your skin tone and age. If you want something brighter than we would recommend, we will say so — and then it is your decision, made with the information.
Health comes before appearance
Cosmetic work placed over active decay or untreated gum disease fails. Before any smile design begins, we treat what needs treating — fillings, gum therapy, root canals if required. It adds a step, and it is the difference between a result that lasts and one that has to be redone.