Cosmetic dentistry
About
Cosmetic dentistry is a range of treatments designed to deliver your perfect smile – from teeth whitening and veneers to composite bonding and whole smile makeovers.
NHS treatment is available to cover dental work that’s clinically necessary for you to maintain your oral health. To improve your smile for cosmetic reasons, treatment is only available privately. At Bupa Dental Care, we offer private cosmetic treatment at both our Bupa Dental Care and Platinum range of practices, with skilled clinicians to advise on the right treatment for you, a range of payment options and flexible appointments to fit your schedule.
Bupa Dental Care is the number one provider of private dental care in the UK*, so you know you’re in safe hands. Find a private Bupa Dental Care practice near you.
Different types of cosmetic dental treatments | Watch in 1:19 minutes
Dentists Deepika and Aleks talk about cosmetic dentistry and the different option available to help enhance your teeth and smile.
Are you looking to revitalise your smile?
Hi, I'm Deepika and I'm a dentist at Bupa Dental Care, and I'm Aleks and I'm also a dentist here at Bupa Dental Care.
So let's talk about cosmetic dentistry.
Porcelain veneers are a very great option if you want to correct your smile line, correct the colour of your teeth, and you don't really want to go down the orthodontic route.
You don't want braces.
You can achieve a beautiful smile that can last quite a long time, sometimes 10 years, sometimes 7, sometimes 15.
It really depends how you take care of it.
Composite bonding is quite a minimally invasive, virtually non-invasive way of improving the appearance of your teeth.
It's like a white resin that is applied to your teeth, sculpted, shaped and finished to make your teeth look naturally beautiful.
Because it is not invasive, you can always go back to your natural teeth, and it is used to fix minor issues like gaps, cracks and little chips.
But the final point is teeth whitening.
We do recommend teeth whitening before any other permanent work because when you have your veneers done or your composite bonding, that will not get any whiter with whitening.
And contrary to the myth that whitening damages your teeth, it doesn't.
If you have any other questions, you can always contact your local Bupa Dental Care practice.
Cosmetic treatment options
If you have missing or crooked teeth, or are unhappy about cracks, gaps, chips or stains, it can affect your confidence. Cosmetic dental treatments can help give you a confidence boost, and help you achieve a smile you’re proud of. Some of our cosmetic options include:
Teeth whitening
Teeth whitening is the process of bleaching teeth to whiten your smile. Teeth can darken over time or become stained due to smoking, or drinking coffee, tea or red wine.
Professional whitening treatments remove stains quickly and safely, without causing damage to your teeth. And there are two options - treatment in practice or home teeth whitening kits. We’ve seen thousands of patients increase in confidence thanks to a whiter smile.
Teeth straightening
Orthodontic treatments help align crowded or crooked teeth. There are a range of discreet orthodontic treatments available, including Invisalign treatment, lingual braces and cosmetic teeth straightening. Your dentist will discuss suitable options for you during your initial consultation.
If there’s a clinical need for treatment in patients under 18, orthodontics is available on the NHS. If teeth straightening is required for cosmetic reasons, treatment is only available privately. And it’s not only teenagers who wear braces – orthodontic treatment is available for anyone looking to improve their smile.
We’d always recommend seeing an experienced dentist or orthodontist for teeth straightening.
Veneers
A veneer is a thin, custom-made porcelain moulding that’s bonded to the front surface of a tooth. Veneers are a quick and effective solution to misaligned, stained, misshapen or chipped teeth, as well as a cover-up for gaps when orthodontics isn’t suitable.
Veneers offer a natural look, as they mimic the shape, size and colour of your original teeth. A single veneer can cover one discoloured tooth, or several can be put in place to improve your entire smile.
Composite bonding
Composite bonding, also known as chipped tooth repair or cosmetic bonding, can correct minor cosmetic issues with your teeth. It’s typically used to fill cracks, chips, or small gaps between teeth, or fix discolourations.
A composite resin is applied to a tooth and shaped to restore its appearance. The colour of the resin will match your teeth, so it’ll appear as a natural part of the tooth.
Facial aesthetics at Bupa Dental Care
Looking to complement your new smile following cosmetic dental treatment? We offer consultations for facial aesthetics, also known as anti-wrinkle treatments.
Find out more about facial aestheticsSmile makeover
A smile makeover is a bespoke treatment plan designed to achieve your perfect smile. It may include a combination of the cosmetic dental treatments above, alongside dental work that’s clinically necessary to maintain a healthy and happy smile, such as fillings and crowns to restore function, or dental implants or bridges to replace missing teeth.
What is the treatment process?
At your initial consultation, your dentist will find out what changes you’d like to make and discuss treatments that are right for you. These can range from restorative treatments like white fillings and composite bonding, to simple cosmetic treatments such as teeth whitening. Next, your dentist will design a bespoke treatment plan to help achieve your ideal smile. They will explain each stage of the treatments, as well as the full costs involved and answer any questions you may have.
To find out how you could benefit from a smile makeover, contact a private Bupa dentist near you and arrange a consultation.
How much does a smile makeover cost?
The cost of your smile makeover will depend on the treatments you receive and your individual needs. At Bupa Dental Care, we believe in transparent pricing, so your dentist will always explain costs in full before beginning treatment.
Our practices also offer payment options to help spread the cost of treatment, speak to your local practice for further information.
Check out our quick and easy to use finance calculator to get an estimate of what your repayment options might be.
What are the benefits of choosing Bupa Dental Care for your cosmetic dental treatment?
Skilled clinicians
Our experienced, private dentists can advise you on the right treatment for you.
Flexibility
We offer appointment times to fit busy schedules.
Convenience
We have practices across the UK offering private cosmetic dentistry.
Transparent pricing
We'll ensure you fully understand the cost of treatment upfront.
High-quality care
As the number one provider of private dental care in the UK*, all our practices adhere to high standards of patient care.
Finance options
Applying for finance** through Novuna Personal Finance could help to spread the cost of dental treatments. Finance applicant must be aged 18 or over, a UK resident, have a UK bank account, and be in permanent employment. All loans subject to eligibility, status, affordability and a credit check. T&Cs apply. Finance is available on private dental treatments only.
Are you considering cosmetic dental treatment? I'm Aleks. I'm a dentist at Bupa Dental Care. It's very important to remember that cosmetic treatment, it's not a quick fix. It's essential to fix the bases first.
So, when you come to us, we'll do a general consultation with you first. We'll check your gums, if they are healthy, if they're not inflamed, not bleeding, if you don't have a gum disease. We'll check your teeth for decay, for fractures, for hopeless teeth that maybe need extractions. We'll need to fix all those problems before you do any permanent cosmetic treatment.
So, first of all, you will see a hygienist. A hygienist will clean your teeth, but not only from plaque, but all the hard deposits that are attached to your teeth, and you are not able to clean them yourself. This is an important stage when it comes to your new smile.
Inflamed gums are swollen. They do bleed, and it's very difficult to do nice cosmetic bonding veneers if your gums bleed when we work on them. In the same case, afterwards, when you finish your cosmetic treatment, it is crucial to take care of your teeth, to see your hygienist every 6 months minimum, unless they advise otherwise, and take care of your teeth at home by flossing and brushing them daily.
If you have any further questions, you can always contact your Bupa Dental Care practice.
Learn more about cosmetic dental treatments
Composite bonding
If you’d like to fill gaps, chips or cracks between teeth, composite bonding might be for you. Find out more.
Teeth whitening
Learn more about teeth whitening at-home and in-practice. Find out more about the procedure and if it's right for you.
Facial aesthetics
Looking to complement your new smile following cosmetic dental treatment? We offer consultations for facial aesthetics, also known as anti-wrinkle treatments.
Veneers
A veneer is a thin, custom-made porcelain moulding that’s bonded to the front surface of a tooth. Veneers are a quick and effective solution to misaligned, stained, misshapen or chipped teeth.
Orthodontics
Thinking about straightening your smile? Find out about the different options available at Bupa Dental Care, including fixed braces and discreet, removable aligners.
Invisalign treatment
Invisalign treatment allows you to transform your smile discreetly and comfortably with virtually-invisible, removable braces.
*Source: LaingBuisson, Dentistry UK Market Report, 5th ed. If you require verification please email [email protected].
**Bupa Dental Care is a trading name of Oasis Dental Care Limited, Vantage Office Park, Bristol, BS16 1GW, whose company registered number is 00478127. Oasis Dental Care Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FCA registration number 710559. Oasis Dental Care Limited is a credit broker and not a lender.
Finance is provided by Novuna Personal Finance, a trading style of Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services Register no. 704348. Registered Office: Novuna House, Thorpe Road, Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey, TW18 3HP. Registered in Cardiff under company no. 1630491. The register can be accessed through www.fca.org.uk
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Bupa Dental Care is a trading name of Oasis Dental Care Limited. Registered in England and Wales No: 00478127. Registered office: Bupa Dental Care, Vantage Office Park, Old Gloucester Road, Hambrook, Bristol, United Kingdom BS16 1GW.
Oasis Dental Care Limited has a number of trading names including Bupa Dental Care. Please see the list of our different trading names.
