Cosmetic Dentistry in Saffron Walden

Starting prices for teeth whitening are available on request. Enlighten, the premium system we offer, combines a home and in-surgery course with a guaranteed final shade. We will quote your specific course in writing at your consultation.

Composite bonding is a cosmetic treatment in which we apply a hard, tooth-coloured resin to the surface of a tooth and sculpt it into the shape you want. It is used to repair chips, close small gaps, smooth uneven edges and improve the look of one or several teeth. Most cases need no drilling, no injections and only a single visit, and the result is shaped, polished and finished while you are in the chair.

With sensible care, composite bonding lasts many years in most cases, and longer still for patients who attend regular hygiene visits. The bond itself is hard-wearing, but composite is slightly more porous than porcelain and can pick up surface stain over time, particularly with regular coffee, red wine or tobacco. Most patients have their bonding polished as part of routine hygiene visits, which keeps it looking fresh for longer.

Composite bonding is built directly on the tooth in one visit, costs less, and is largely reversible. Porcelain veneers are custom-made in a laboratory, bonded to the front of the tooth, last longer, and resist staining better, but they are a more committed treatment and usually involve some preparation of the natural tooth surface. The right choice depends on how much change you want and how long you want it to last, and we will talk you through both options at your consultation.

Porcelain veneers at Church Street Dental Surgery start from £800 per tooth, depending on case complexity and the material used. There is no typical cosmetic case — the right number of veneers, if any, depends entirely on what you want to change about your smile. We provide every patient with a fixed written quote before treatment begins. Finance is available.

Veneers are designed to last for many years in most cases, and longer still for patients who attend regular hygiene visits. Because the tooth is usually prepared slightly to receive the veneer, the treatment is generally considered irreversible, which is why we recommend exploring whitening and composite bonding first wherever they can give you the result you want.

Professional, dentist-supervised whitening does not damage tooth enamel when used as directed. Some patients experience temporary sensitivity during a whitening course, which usually settles within a few days of finishing treatment. Over-the-counter and online whitening kits are a different matter and can cause harm, which is one of the reasons we always recommend a dentist-supervised course.

Enlighten is a premium British whitening system that combines a fourteen-day home course with a single in-surgery appointment, and is the only system in the UK that guarantees a final shade of B1, the lightest natural tooth shade. We are a certified Enlighten provider and Enlighten whitening is one of the most popular treatments at the practice.

Most cosmetic dentistry, including whitening, composite bonding for purely aesthetic reasons, porcelain veneers and full smile makeovers, is not available on the NHS. We provide all cosmetic treatment privately, with finance available to help spread the cost.

The best way to find out is a cosmetic consultation. We will look at your teeth and your smile, photograph and digitally scan where helpful, listen to what you would like to change, and walk you through the realistic options, including doing nothing where that is the right answer. You leave with a clear plan in writing.