Cosmetic Treatments

Smile Consultation

Tooth Whitening

Tooth whitening is a great way to enhance your smile without any restorative dental treatment being needed.

We construct personalised whitening trays which are used in conjunction with whitening gel that can be used either during the day or at night depending on your preference. The treatment period is normally around 2 weeks.

Tooth whitening is often used alongside other aesthetic treatments to achieve the best end result.

Composite Bonding

Composite bonding is a quick and effective way to improve the; shape, alignment and colour of your teeth. Often no drilling and injections are needed and it can be completed in a single appointment.

Composite Bonding is where white filling material (composite) is applied to the tooth surface to enhance or alter the physical appearance of the tooth. Composite bonding can extended over the entire surface of the tooth or simply on the edges of the teeth (edge bonding), which system of bonding is best is individual dependent and will be discussed at the consultation appointment.

We use only high end composite material for our bonding which is applied by our extremely experienced clinician. Each case is tailor made to suit your smile and your aesthetic needs.

The average lifespan of composite bonding is 5-10 years with the main downsides to bonding being that they can chip and stain over time. To manage this, annual reviews of your bonding is advised to help polish and maintain your bonding.

Minimal Preparation Veneers

 Veneers are an alternative restorative option to composite bonding to improve the shape, position and colour of teeth. The main advantages of veneers are; highly durable and resistant to staining and chipping and have a longer average lifespan (10+ years).

Historically veneers have required tooth tissue removal prior to being placed which damages the underlying tooth. At the Maltings we are able to provide ultrathin minimal preparation veneers which often require little to no tooth tissue removal. This allows us to achieve one of the main benefits of composite bonding (minimal tooth tissue removal) alongside the added benefits of veneers.

The process of constructing veneers takes multiple appointments and we can even perform a trial stage where you see what the veneers will look like prior to placement to help ensure you will be happy with the final results.

Crowns and Veneers

Crowns and Veneers are an excellent way to improve the aesthetics of teeth. They have many of the benefits mentioned in minimal preparation veneers but require further tooth tissue removal.

Although more tooth tissue removal is involved this can allow for additional benefits such as; restoring more heavily damaged teeth, greater retention, improvement in alignment of teeth and mask dark, discoloured teeth.



Invisalign

Invisalign allows for the alignment (repositioning) of your teeth through a series of removable, clear aligners. Invisalign is a great way to improve your smile without any restorations being placed. It allows for crowding, spacing and misalignment of your teeth to be improved.

Invisalign is often used prior to any bonding, tooth whitening or veneers as this allows for the best end result. By getting the teeth in the best position first often tooth tissue removal can be avoided and the need for such extensive bonding may no longer be necessary.

To help your teeth move, attachments (white restorations) are placed on your teeth for the duration of the treatment and then removed at the end. Sometimes a small amount of tooth tissue removal is needed to create the space to correct any crowding. Each aligner is worn between 7-14 days depending on the plan determined by your clinician.

The number of aligners can vary from as few as 7 aligners but can potentially be over 40 aligners depending on the degree of movement needed. Once your teeth are aligned in their final position, retainers will be constructed to ensure that your teeth do not relapse from their new position.

Retainers are normally a removable appliance which is worn at night time but fixed retainers (a metal wire on the back of the teeth) can also be placed on request.

As part of your smile consultation we often scan your teeth if Invisalign is indicated, to produce a 3D model of the expected end result. This is a great way to visualise the results and gain a quick idea of the length of the course of treatment.

Composite Restorations

Composite is a white filling material which is used to restore teeth.

It is great at replacing amalgam (metal) fillings.

The benefits of composite is it can; help support the surrounding tooth tissue reducing the risk of fracture and reduce sensitivity.

Composite placement can also help avoid unnecessary tooth tissue removal and help preserve as much tooth tissue as possible.

If you have existing amalgam restorations which you would like replacing with composite we can form a treatment plan for you at our smile assessment appointments to ensure that the treatment is correct for you.

Prices for Dr Sean Walmsley

For more information please discuss this with your routine dentist.

See also the Teeth Straightening page