Teeth, gums and old work
Decay, cracks, inflamed gums, sensitivity, and the state of old fillings, crowns, veneers or bonding.
Several things at once
Want a Full Smile Makeover?
You’ve had a list going for years: the colour, two chipped corners, the gap, and the crown that never quite matched. When it’s several things, the hard part is knowing where to begin. We check your teeth, gums and bite first, then work out the order with you, one step at a time if you like.
ColourShape and edgesSpacingWorn teethOld dental work
Before anything cosmetic
What has to be sound first?
Each thing on your list has its own cause, and some causes need treating before anything cosmetic. These four checks set the order, the materials and how far it’s sensible to go.
Bite, wear and tooth strength
Worn edges often point to the bite. Heavy bite forces can chip bonding and veneers, so how your teeth meet is part of the plan.
The changes you actually want
Rank them if you can: the gap first, then the colour, say. Colour, shape, spacing, position and the gum line each raise different questions.
Photos and a preview
Photos and Digital Smile Design show a possible direction for the whole smile, before any order is set.
One list, one order
Which fix comes before which?
Some fixes affect others: whitening before bonding, aligners before veneers. Pick whatever bothers you most to see what we’d look at, and what usually comes first.
Where to begin
Health, then function, then looks
We sort your list into three piles: health, function and looks. Gum care, repairs and bite problems come first, because cosmetic work built on top of them tends not to last. Whitening and aligners usually come next, and bonding or veneers last, matched to the new shade and position.
Digital Smile Design gives you something to point at. It shows a possible direction, not a promised result, and your dentist still examines your mouth, explains the limits and talks about upkeep before you commit to anything. Individual results vary.
Worth asking at each step: what’s essential, what’s optional, and what might look different once the first step is done.
At the first visit
Bring the whole list, even the small things
We’ll match what you see in the mirror with what your dentist can see in your mouth, then agree where to begin.
Your list, in your words
What bothers you most, what’s changed lately, and whether there’s pain, sensitivity, bleeding or wear as well.
An examination and photos
Your teeth, gums, bite and existing work, then photos and any X-rays needed to plan several changes at once.
Putting the steps in order
For each step: what it changes, what it doesn’t, how many visits it takes, and whether a smaller first step would do.
One step at a time
If you’d like to go on, the next visit is usually records, routine care or the first step. If nothing’s urgent, there’s no deadline on the rest.
Before you commit
Does it have to happen all at once?
No. Cost and time come down to how many teeth are involved, which steps you choose and in what order. Staging spreads both, and each step gets its own estimate and upkeep explained before it starts.
Book a cosmetic consultationWhat we sort out with you first
- What has to be treated first, and what can be watched for now.
- Which option changes colour, shape, position or function, and which doesn’t.
- How the visits would be staged, what upkeep involves, and what might need repair later.
- What each visit and payment arrangement includes, before treatment starts.
Not sure yet? Any patient can book our free 10-minute implant and cosmetic consultation. It’s an information session about cosmetic options and your goals, not an examination, X-rays or a treatment plan, so a full recommendation still needs a proper check. Finance is separate: eligibility, approval, fees and interest depend on the provider.
A smaller fix
Is it really one or two things?
Then a smaller fix might be all you need, and the visit is simpler too. We can always widen the conversation later.
You might also want to read
One smaller change
When one chip, gap or darker tooth is the real issue, and a single small fix might do.Read this pageYou might also want to read
Mostly about colour
When staining or one darker tooth is what you notice first in photos.Read this pageYou might also want to read
Position or bite
When crowding, gaps or the way your teeth meet sit behind how your smile looks.Read this pageYou might also want to read
Nerves about a longer visit
If nerves, or embarrassment about your teeth, make a longer appointment hard to face.Read this pageMakeover questions
Before you commit to a bigger change
Order, staging, previews, veneers and cost, so you know how a bigger cosmetic plan usually unfolds before you agree to any of it.
No. It’s a plan for several changes, not one standard procedure. Based on your teeth, gums, bite and existing work, it could combine whitening, bonding, contouring, veneers, clear aligners or crowns, done in an order that makes sense. Some people find one or two steps are enough.
First we work out what’s behind each concern. One dark tooth is checked differently from general staining, and worn edges mean a close look at the bite. Then we hold each option up against the changes you want, and say what each one can and can’t fix. You decide how far to go from there.
Decay, cracks, active gum disease and failing old work, and any sensitivity needs to be under control. Your bite matters too, because heavy pressure can chip new bonding or veneers.
Finding something doesn’t turn your wish list into a treatment list. The check just separates care you need from changes you’d like. We’ll ask about bleeding, pain or sensitivity before the cosmetic conversation starts, then say whether to treat a finding first, watch it, or take more records before going further.
Yes, and plenty are. Staging lets you see how one step turns out before deciding on the next. The order comes from what the check finds: gum health, bite, tooth strength, old fillings or crowns, and whether colour or alignment needs sorting first.
It spreads the cost over months instead of one big bill, too. We’ll explain what each visit is for, which parts are optional, what upkeep follows and what might shift after the first step. If you’re not ready for all of it, we’ll suggest the smallest sensible first step.
It shows possible changes to shape, colour, spacing and proportions on a picture of your own smile, before anything is done. Having something to point at makes it easier to say what looks right and what feels like too much. It guides the plan. It isn’t a promise of the final result.
The design still has to fit your mouth, so we check your teeth, gums, bite, old fillings and crowns, and how much sound tooth there is. We’ll tell you which parts of the design are achievable for you, what has to happen first, and whether a simpler change would get you most of the way.
Not necessarily. Veneers come up when shape, colour or several front teeth are involved, but whitening, bonding, contouring, clear aligners or new fillings often handle a particular concern. It comes down to what’s causing each change and how much sound tooth you have. Dr Michael Shams, our principal dentist, is certified in dental veneer procedures and can talk you through it.
Porcelain veneers usually mean removing some enamel, which can’t be undone. We’ll show you what a smaller option could achieve first, and explain why a veneer is or isn’t on the table.
Raise it before records or treatment are booked. A makeover’s cost moves with the number of teeth, the materials, the number of visits, any health work needed first, and whether it’s staged. We can split what’s clinically needed from what’s an appearance choice.
If you’d like a first chat before that, the free 10-minute implant and cosmetic consultation is open to all patients. It’s an information session about your options and goals, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. You’ll get the fees in writing, with what each includes and the alternatives, before you agree to anything. Any finance provider has its own eligibility, fees and interest, so we’ll point you to their terms.
