What Is a Cosmetic Dentist?

A cosmetic dentist is a dentist who focuses on improving how your teeth, gums and smile look within your overall facial balance, whilst maintaining dental health overall. As a cosmetic dentist in London, patients visit us on Harley Street where we see every day how much a considered smile can change someone’s confidence. This guide explains what a cosmetic dentist does, the treatments they offer and how to choose one.

What Does a Cosmetic Dentist Do?

General dentists (General Dental Practitioners) concentrate on keeping teeth and gums healthy, whilst screening for oral cancer: dental health check-ups, fillings, extractions and appropriate referral to onward specialists. A cosmetic dentist builds on that foundation and adds an eye for aesthetics. They look at the colour, shape, size, alignment and proportions of your teeth, and how they sit with your lips, gums and face.

Good cosmetic dentistry is not about making every smile look the same. The aim is a result that looks natural, suits your features and lasts. We find that a naturally enhanced smile endures for the long-term, as our opinions of what looks ‘good’ change as we grow older and experience more of life. Sometimes a very bright unnatural smile can look great in younger years, but can appear much worse in later life. For this reason, natural aesthetics look to preserve most of what nature gave us, whilst improving factors such as edge shape, colour, bite, size and balance.

Is “cosmetic dentist” a recognised specialty in the UK?

In the UK, every dentist must be registered with the General Dental Council (GDC), in order to practise dentistry legally. Cosmetic dentistry is not one of the GDC’s official specialist lists, so any registered dentist can offer cosmetic treatment. Similarly, not being part of a specialist list does not exclude a general dentist from providing that treatment. So why do we have specialist lists?

Specialist lists have been primarily developed for hospital based dentistry, whereby a strict hierarchy of roles is required in order to establish different departments. This is grounded in the history of dentistry having developed since WW2. In today’s landscape, specialist lists have excluded some of the major developments in dentistry, such as cosmetic dentistry, implantology and clear aligners. These three treatments possibly represent the largest proportion of private dentistry in the UK, however, there are no specialist lists recognising excellence in the subject.

The closest proxy for specialist in cosmetic dentistry is Accreditation by the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. This is an anonymised clinical based exam of five case types to determine if a dentist is working at a specialist standard. The cases involve composite resin bonding, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, fillings and tooth replacement. An oral exam concludes the process and there are only 25 dentists who have been Accredited. This is a very small proportion of the 40,000 dentists operating in the UK. It would be reasonable to judge Accredited Cosmetic Dentists as some of the best in the country and in the top 1% of clinical standards. It’s also important to look at a dentist’s extra training, before and after real results, testimonials and how they treat you in person. We have to have trust in a clinician on a personal level regardless of their qualifications.

Cosmetic dental treatments

A cosmetic dentist assesses your smile, listens carefully to what you would like to change and builds a treatment plan around your goals. The most common treatments include:

• Porcelain veneers: thin ceramic shells bonded to the front of the teeth to change colour, shape and alignment. Sometimes referred to as ceramics, mac veneers, lumineers, feather veneers, contact lens veneers.
• Composite bonding: tooth-coloured plastic resin added to repair chips, close small gaps or reshape edges, often in one visit.
• Teeth whitening: professional whitening to lift the natural shade of your teeth safely.
• Invisalign: clear aligners that straighten teeth gradually without fixed braces.
• Teeth contouring: small reshaping of tooth edges for better balance. Modification of the light reflections to optically enhance the apparent appearance of the smile.
• Gummy smile treatment: reshaping the gum line so teeth look better proportioned. It can be a simple laser lift or a more comprehensive laser lift with bone contouring.
• Dental implants: replacing missing teeth with natural-looking, fixed restorations.
• Smile makeovers: a combination of treatments planned together to transform the whole smile.
• Gum recession treatment: grafting collagen from the roof of the mouth to an area with thin or receded gum tissue to reverse recession.
• White spot removal: resin infiltration of shallow white spots to remove them completely.

How a cosmetic dentist plans your smile

Consultation. You talk through what you like and dislike about your smile. The dentist carries out a detailed assessment of the health of your jaw joint, muscles for chewing, bite position, teeth and gums first, because cosmetic work needs a healthy base.

Records and design. Photographs, 3D scans, X-rays and sometimes a digital smile design let you see a preview of the proposed result before any treatment starts.

Trial smile. For veneers and makeovers, a temporary mock-up is placed over your teeth so you can see and feel the new shape in your own mouth. This is in place for 2-3 weeks in order to validate the changes are correct for your face shape, aims and desired colour.

Colour and detail. The dentist works closely with the ceramist on shade, tone, translucency and texture. This is one of the most technical parts of the job, which we explain in how cosmetic dentists colour match teeth.

Fitting and aftercare. Fitting of veneers is carried out via another highly technical step. A chemical bond is created between the ceramic and the tooth, and its strength is several times greater than the most durable commercial adhesives used in aerospace technology. We provide aftercare by issuing retainers for night time wear and advising on hygiene therapy to keep your new smile looking its best.

How to choose a cosmetic dentist

• Look at real results. A smile gallery of the dentist’s own before and after cases is the best evidence of their style and skill.
• Check qualifications. Confirm GDC registration and look for postgraduate training and Accreditations such as BACD.
• Read reviews. Independent reviews, such as on Google, show how patients feel about their care.
• Choose a dentist you trust. Dentistry is an investment in yourself and your chosen clinician should be someone you can implicitly trust for the future maintenance. Meet one or two dentists to get a feel for who you prefer.
• Ask about the plan. A good cosmetic dentist explains options, including less invasive ones, and is honest about what can and cannot be achieved.
• Understand the costs. Clear fees and finance options help you plan with no surprises. If there are unknown factors that may change the trajectory of your plan, ask about it so you have as much information as possible.

Is cosmetic dentistry right for you?

If you would like whiter, straighter or more even teeth, want to repair chips or wear, or simply feel more confident when you smile, a cosmetic dentist can talk you through what is possible. Treatments range from a single appointment of bonding to a fully planned smile makeover involving veneers, implants and bite rehabilitation.

At Marylebone Smile Clinic on Harley Street, every plan starts with a conversation about you and your smile. Book a consultation or send us a photo for a free e-consultation.