In this section we aim to answer common questions received by patients for any individual queries please contact us.

DO YOU ONLY DO COSMETIC DENTISTRY?
When you arrive for a consultation we carry out a comprehensive exam of your whole mouth. Cosmetic dentistry is at its most successful when the teeth have been well looked after i.e. good oral hygiene and no signs of decay or gum disease. When a course of cosmetic treatment is started it is a long term commitment from you & us to maintain the result and to make sure your amazing smile at the end stays that way for years to come. 

WHY COME TO DENTISTRYBYTHOMASTM?
It's the personal touch backed with attention to detail. Our aim is to make you happy and provide you with the smile you have always wanted. The key in achieving this is communication and realistic goals. A smile that works on one person may not work on another, it MUST be individual to you - that is what makes you special! 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?
This depends on the current state of your dental health. If more routine dentistry is required such as cleanings and fillings this must be carried out first (by either your current dentist or us). Once your dental health is stable procedures such as veneers and crowns can be completed in as little as 10 days. Where more complicated dentistry is involved such as full mouth rehabilitation and implants it may take a minimum of 3-6 months. The reason for this is that we must go through a diagnostic phase where you will have a trial period of your new smile to see if you can adjust and that you like the colour and shape. This will all mean that the end result is perfect for you!

WHAT MAKES OUR VENEERS SPECIAL?
Every patient is unique and hence your smile must be a individual as you. We look at symmetry (golden proportion), colour, shape, translucency, opacity, characterisations, amount of teeth shown when smiling and at rest, shape of the face and eyes. So initially we take photos of your teeth at multiple angles and create a diagnostic computer and model mock up of what the veneers will look like. At this stage we can transfer this temporarily into your mouth without any damage to any of the teeth to give you an idea of what the smile will look like. Once happy to proceed we can arrange a consultation with our master technician who fabricates the veneers for you to discuss with them any alterations you would like. Preparation and planning allows us to guarantee success every time and we work closely with you to make sure you are happy at each stage. 

ARE VENEERS BAD FOR MY TEETH?
​There are 2 main types of veneer: 
i) Composite (white filling) Veneer 
ii) Porcelain Veneer

Composite veneers (also known as bonding) in general involves none or very little tooth preparation and involves placing white filling over the natural tooth surface. It is a very popular treatment as it can be carried out in one session with minimal pain or discomfort. We generally state that these will need to be polished or replaced every 3-5 years. 

Porcelain veneers can either be no prep (dependant on suitability) or preparation veneers. This has been the popular choice for many patients as they generally last between 8-15 years and provide the most natural long lasting result. Essentially a veneer is an extremely thin layer of porcelain (think of a bonded fingernail) that is ideally bonded to the enamel surface of teeth. 

I HAD BRACES AS A CHILD AND DON'T WANT TO WEAR THEM AGAIN - WHAT CAN I DO TO STRAIGHTEN MY TEETH? 
​This is a very common issue as many people claim that their teeth have relapsed due to lack of wearing a retainer after braces or the teeth have just naturally moved over time. The correction depends on the complexity of the problem, if a simple case, the use of invisible clear aligners or white braces can correct the position of teeth in just 12 weeks. If very complex, comprehensive lingual orthodontics can be carried out or referral to a specialist made. Ideally it is always best to move teeth as naturally as possible into their correct positions.  

AM I TOO OLD FOR COSMETIC DENTISTRY?
We have carried out quite a few smile transformations on octogenarians! All of them stated they wished they had done it years earlier. The key is to make the teeth as natural as possible (not absurdly white or artificial in appearance) and that is appropriate for the person ideally giving a 70 year old the smile of a 55-60 year old. In my experience no one that is older ever truly feels there age so why should your teeth reflect that.  

IS TEETH WHITENING DANGEROUS?
When monitored by your dentist this can be the safest, inexpensive and proficient way to improve your smile. In the UK, the law now only allows a maximum of 6% Hydrogen Peroxide in whitening gels. Using our unique whitening system we can achieve amazing results from minimum of 2 weeks. More complex cases such as heavy smokers or tetracycline staining will require a longer period of whitening. The gels will not whiten any existing restorations therefore you must achieve the colour you want first with your natural teeth and then change the restorations subsequently. 

HOW LONG WILL THE WORK LAST?
​The truth is no one can predict the future. Your original teeth were supposed to last a life time and anything artificial is never going to be as good as your original healthy tooth. We prepare for the worst and hope for the best because everything we do in dentistry will eventually fail at some stage and nothing lasts forever. However with new materials and modern techniques we are creating restorations that are truly amazing. Everything we do has a 12 month warranty unless stated otherwise. We hope that a well placed crown last 10-15 years and a porcelain veneer 7-10 years and white fillings 3-10 years depending or size and remaining tissue. Implants we aim for around 10-15 years if not longer but success also depends on how well you clean, how often you see the hygienist, the way you bite, the food you eat, if you smoke and a multitude of other factors. So in summary we see many great cases that last a long time but sometimes we do get failures which we try to avoid but always prepare patients for.