Cosmetic Dentistry

Improving how your smile looks

Cosmetic dentistry covers treatments chosen to change the appearance of your teeth rather than to fix a health problem. Staining, chips, small gaps, uneven shapes and teeth that look shorter than you would like are all common reasons patients raise it with us.

Where we always start at Roseborough Dental is your dental health. Whitening a tooth with untreated decay, or bonding one with gum inflammation around it, creates a problem instead of solving one. Once your teeth and gums are healthy, cosmetic options open up properly.

Professional teeth whitening

Whitening is the most common request we see and often the simplest change. In-office whitening uses stronger bleaching agents than anything sold over the counter, so results come faster and more evenly.

The other advantage is protection. We shield your gums and soft tissues before treatment, which is where drugstore kits tend to cause trouble. Ill-fitting trays leak gel onto the gums and cause irritation.

Some patients notice temporary sensitivity in the teeth or gums afterward. It settles on its own, and we can reduce the strength of the solution or recommend a desensitising toothpaste if it bothers you. Whitening does not damage enamel when it is done properly under supervision.

One limitation worth knowing: whitening lightens natural tooth enamel, not crowns, veneers or fillings. If you have existing restorations in your front teeth, they will stay the shade they were made, so we plan around that.

Dental bonding

Bonding uses a tooth-coloured composite resin, the same material as a white filling, applied directly to the tooth, then shaped, hardened with a curing light and polished. It bonds chemically to your enamel.

Bonding suits smaller corrections well: minor chips, small gaps, slightly uneven or misshapen teeth, minor stains that whitening will not shift, and exposed root surfaces from gum recession. Most cases finish in a single appointment, and very little natural tooth structure is removed.

The trade-off is durability. Composite can stain over time, particularly with coffee, tea, red wine or tobacco, and it is not as stain-resistant as porcelain. For patients wanting a straightforward improvement without extensive treatment, that is often a fair exchange.

Bonding or veneers?

Bonding is quicker, more affordable, more conservative, and better suited to small corrections. Veneers cost more and require some enamel removal, but hold their appearance longer and handle bigger changes across several front teeth.

There is no universally better option. It depends on what is bothering you, your budget and how much change you want. We will lay out both, including the drawbacks, and you decide.

Crown lengthening and ceramics

For patients whose gums cover more of the tooth than they would like, sometimes described as a gummy smile, crown lengthening reshapes gum tissue to expose more of the natural tooth. We also work with ceramic restorations where a tooth needs both cosmetic improvement and structural support.

Caring for cosmetic work

Brush twice daily with a soft-bristled brush, floss daily, and keep up regular cleanings. Avoid biting ice, pens or fingernails, and open packages with scissors rather than your teeth. If you grind, ask us about a nightguard, because grinding damages veneers and bonding the same way it damages natural enamel.