White teeth eh! Yes we all want them, but is the price to prohibitive for most of us. A City of London dentist says that today we have 2 very good alternatives to veneers, which most people have fitted to achieve a film star smile and whiter teeth. In most chemist shops today and on the internet you can buy a teeth bleaching kit, and for less than £40 in most cases. The kit comes complete with a gum shield and the bleaching agent that enables you to do this simple procedure yourself, and in the comfort of your own home. You need to make a mould of your teeth by biting into the blank shield; this is the same procedure as you do to make a sporting gum shield. Then you mix some of the bleach and put it into the mould. This then goes onto the teeth for around 40 minutes, and it will simply bleach your teeth whiter, it isn`t the best way to whiter teeth, but for most people it works well and its cheap. Another popular method is the Intense Light whitening format; this is done by mobile technicians who come to your house or to a salon near you. The light is shone onto the teeth to whiten them, with both methods though you will need to steer clear of coloured food stuffs in order to keep those teeth whiter for longer. The light method costs around £200-400 and is becoming quite popular with younger people.

A new formula made from porcelain has completely taken the dentistry world by surprise, the Lumineer as it’s called is so much easier to fit says a City of London dentist. Veneers are popular among those who seek a solution to minor teeth problems, ones which are largely cosmetic. A discoloured, chipped, wonky or cracked tooth is more an inconvenience than a usual tooth problem. Veneers up to now have been very thick in size due to the material used, that makes it impossible to have one fitted without first removing its equivalent in enamel from the rogue tooth. As enamel doesn’t grow back it means that you can only ever have another veneer on that tooth. Most of these veneers last up to around 15 years, and it involves removing the worn out one and replacing it with another one. The Lumineer puts paid to all that as it is so tough it now comes in a super thin version, this allows the dentist to simple just place it on the front of the tooth with a little cement. No preparation, except in some cases, is necessary and if any is required it is just a quick roughening of the surface to get a good adhesion. They can be removed at any time to allow treatment to the tooth, then simple replaced back on, or even exchanged for another one. They are expected to last up 20 years, and keep their colour much longer as well. The price is also very competitive.

The new Lumineer veneer is great for hiding small amounts of defects to your teeth; this can include a misaligned, cracked or even a chipped tooth. The cost has also made it a considerably popular choice when choosing what cosmetic surgery to have to repair damaged teeth, says a City of London dentist. The new veneer is so thin and tough that it is a true veneer in the normal context of the word, as used in the furniture business. A conventional veneer needs to be quite thick to do the job properly, this means that it can`t just be plonked onto a tooth to repair it. The tooth needs to have some extensive work done on it first so the veneer will fit onto the tooth and look natural, this means that your teeth’s natural enamel needs to be shaved off to make this possible. With the Lumineer being so ultra thin, no work needs to be done on the tooth to prepare it; it is simply cemented on in around 20 minutes. If your tooth needs any work done on it, then the Lumineer is simply taken off and then replaced when the work is done. With a veneer it would need to be taken off and a new veneer fitted afterwards, and this can be quite costly. The lack of work in making the Lumineer and fitting it means the price has come down; on top of that they last longer than a normal veneer with a life of around 20 years.

You may have seen one of the many TV makeover shows that currently fill our screens and what you will have noticed is how much attention they pay to the teeth. This is because the teeth and the smile are two of the most important aspects of our appearance. People judge one another very quickly, especially when it comes to attractiveness, so it is very important that your smile looks as good as it can.

What you might have also noticed is the amazing transformations that are possible using the latest cosmetic dentistry methods. There are treatments, both new and well established, that can be used to improve the condition and appearance of the teeth. For discoloured teeth it is possible to restore their appearance using one of the many teeth whitening treatments currently available. If the teeth are too badly discoloured it is also possible to fit a whole new set of beautiful dental veneers. This can completely transform the appearance of the smile and make even the most damaged teeth look brand new.

When a number of cosmetic treatments are utilised at the same time it is often called a smile makeover. By using a number of treatments simultaneously it may be possible to save some of the cost of treatment. It also means that the whole transformation will take less time and you can get the perfect smile much faster.

City of London dentists are very skilled in all cosmetic procedures but their levels of skill ascend to almost artistic proportions when it comes to designing and creating a new smile. They will be able to fully discuss with you what you would ideally like your teeth to look like and suggest which treatments would be the most appropriate.

Being happy and comfortable with your smile can do wonders for your self-confidence but of course the reverse is also true. Having teeth that are crooked, uneven or badly discoloured can be the cause of a number of self-esteem and confidence issues that can have a wider reaching effect on your emotional health.

Luckily, over the last twenty years a number of pioneering dental techniques have developed ways of cosmetically enhancing the appearance of even the most unattractive teeth. One of the most dramatic procedures available is the porcelain veneer.

Veneers are ceramic caps that are placed over the top of the existing enamel to restore the appearance of the teeth. Because the veneers can be designed and manufactured to exact specifications, they are capable of completely transforming the teeth. Creating the appearance of evenly sized, white and healthy teeth. And the best news is, this can all be achieved in just one afternoon. Once the teeth have been measured, either with a dental mould or in more recent times with a digital x-ray, the dentist can then begin to manufacture the veneers to fit your teeth exactly. Modern technology has vastly improved the manufacturing process, significantly reducing the time it takes to manufacture the veneers.

The veneers are then cemented into place over the top of the teeth using dental bonding. This is set hard by the London dentist using a dental laser so and you are then free to use your new teeth. Modern veneers are also incredibly thin and have the same translucent quality of tooth enamel. This means they are even more realistic than they have ever been before. Although expensive, veneers can last upwards of twenty years and is it really possible to put a price on your perfect smile.

A chipped tooth used to mean an extracted one, as did a fractured or cracked tooth. These days your dentist has all the means at their disposal to repair and save the tooth says a City of London dentist. Cosmetic Bonding is one solution; this brilliantly versatile material is generally used to fix veneers to the front of damaged teeth. However, with the availability of colouration the bonding can now be mixed and used much the same as Poly Filler is used by plasterers. Not only does it keep cracked teeth together and prevent further cracking, it also blends and dries so it can be ground to look natural and hide the seam, so to speak. With a chipped tooth it can replace the lost enamel and be sculptured to make the tooth look as good as new. It is a hard wearing material and should outlast the tooth. For teeth that need more to hide the damage, a veneer is the solution. This is a thin coating of porcelain formed to the shape of the front of a tooth; this is cemented onto the tooth to hide the chip, crack or discolouration. In some cases it can cover over a misaligned tooth and make the line of teeth appear straight. Your dentist has at his disposal many tricks of the trade that can now be used to save teeth, in the not too distant past these teeth would have been extracted, and a false denture would have replaced them. Thicker veneers are used in cases where the damage to a tooth goes deeper, but they require their depth to be skimmed off the tooth before they can be fitted. See your dentist in the first instance to see what they can to save a damaged tooth.

A veneer is a covering that gives the affect of a solid material; we all have veneer furniture in our houses, and now the dental profession uses veneers as well, says a City of London dentist. A chipped tooth can be so annoying as it catches the tongue when we chew and makes it sore, a cracked tooth is annoying as it lets hot and cold food stuffs into the inner chamber and causes us pain and infections. In the old days they would simply extract the tooth and replace it with a denture, but today we live an enlightened age and almost all dental problems are curable. Using a bonding agent, which is colour coded cement, your dentist can cover the crack and seal it, the join is almost invisible to the eye. A veneer would cover the front of the tooth and completely hide the crack altogether, not only that but it would also seal the crack and stop bacteria getting into it. It can be coloured to look any shade of white, that way a veneer will look and act just like your real teeth. For a chipped tooth it will not only hide the chip, but it will stop the tongue from getting caught on it when you are chewing. Veneers are also used by cosmetic dentists to disguise discoloured teeth and even in some cases a misaligned tooth, but one of the most common reasons is that of a cracked or chipped tooth. You don`t need to lose the tooth now, just have the problem `papered` over and left. There are varying types of veneers; the latest design is a Lumineer, which is super thin, but very tough. This veneer can last up to 20 years; it needs no special maintenance and is fitted in a matter of minutes. For more information and to see if this would solve any problems you have, see your dentist.

Many patients have porcelain veneers fitted to cover the appearance of stained or discoloured teeth. Therefore it is very important that the veneers do not themselves stain or the treatment becomes slightly pointless. Porcelain veneers are naturally quite resistant to stains, as porcelain is quite a resilient substance. However, no matter how tough porcelain is, continued exposure to substances such as coffee and red wine will again begin to affect the veneers just as it does the natural enamel.

Many patients have stained teeth because of lifestyle choices such as smoking and drinking large amounts of coffee. Unless changes are made to this lifestyle they will always suffer some degree of staining whether it be natural enamel or veneers, although it is true that veneers are more easily cleaned of stains than enamel. It is also possible to take a few precautions against staining when fitting the veneers. Ask your City of London dentist to use stain resistant bonding to cement the veneers, as it is often this that gives the stained appearance rather than the veneer. Avoid using acid fluoride treatments as they can break down the porcelain making the veneer more at risk of staining.

Other ways to keep veneers free of stains include making sure that you properly clean them like you would real teeth. Flossing veneers can help to remove staining that occurs on the edges of the tooth and having them regularly polished by your dentist will also help to prevent staining.

Many people have slightly crooked teeth which is not serious enough to warrant orthodontic teeth straightening with fixed metal braces. Temporary aligners may be an option for minor straightening issues but these can often take months and involve all the discomfort of wearing a brace. One other alternative is to have a set of porcelain veneers designed and manufactured to eliminate the uneven teeth.

Modern veneer technology means that by using digital x-rays and computer guided machinery, veneers can be made and fitted in a single visit to the dentist completely changing the appearance of your teeth in an afternoon. This has a significant advantage over the months it may take with orthodontic aligners. It also has the advantage of restoring the colour of your teeth as veneers can be chosen to have a whitening effect on your teeth.

Porcelain is incredibly strong which adds a dimension of protection to your teeth and also has a slightly translucent appearance similar to that of tooth enamel for added realism. Veneers are fixed in place using a resin bonding that is also tooth coloured. A whole arc of porcelain veneers can completely transform the appearance of crooked, worn or discoloured teeth. Modern veneers are also designed to be incredibly thin so that they require little or no enamel removal prior to fixing.

Porcelain veneers are available from most Central London dentists and vary in price according to the extent of treatment and nature of materials used. Ask about veneers at your next appointment and see what they could do for your teeth.

As with other types of veneers, Empress Veneers are used to cover up a wide range of imperfections on visible teeth. For example, if your teeth have permanent stains from fluoride, coffee, or smoking, you may need to have veneers installed. In most cases, your City of London dentist will prepare your teeth for veneers, and then install them with a minimal amount of difficulty.

If you are planning to get veneers, you may find that Empress Veneers are the best ones available. Among other things, they are the only ones that will not develop stains. Therefore, if you smoke or eat foods that stain teeth, these will work best for your long term goals. At the very least, getting Empress Veneers may be a better solution than having your teeth whitened every few months.

You will also find that Empress veneers are very comfortable. These particular veneers are actually a porcelain shell, as opposed to to a slip of material that gets glued to your teeth. In many cases, you will find that they are a bit lighter, and do not require as much bonding surface.

Today, Empress veneers can also be used if you have broken teeth, or need to have their size changed for some other reason. For example, if a front tooth was fractured, you may be able to make use of a veneer instead of having the entire tooth covered with a crown. This will help preserve more of your natural tooth, as well as give you the maximum cosmetic benefit. As you may be aware, porcelain is still the best material when it comes to taking on shades of white that most closely match your other teeth. Therefore, if you need to have veneer installed, you may want to ask your dentist about Empress Veneers and their advantages.