12 Cosmetic Dental Procedures, Costs, Benefits & Risks

Cosmetic dentistry is the branch of dentistry devoted to improving the appearance of your teeth and smile. Whether you want a brighter shade before a wedding or are weighing up implants after tooth loss, this guide walks you through the 12 procedures UK patients request most. You’ll see how each treatment works, what it usually costs in 2025, the benefits that make it popular and the risks you should note. From one-hour chairside fixes to full smile reconstructions that unfold over months, we set out the practicalities, recovery tips and maintenance so you can choose with confidence.

Prices quoted are ballpark figures for private clinics across the UK; the NHS usually contributes only when treatment is clinically necessary. Many providers—including Wigmore Smiles & Aesthetics in Luton—offer 0 % finance and staged payments to ease the outlay. Regional variations and case complexity will shift the fee, but the ranges below give a realistic starting point. Let’s explore the options one by one.

1. Professional Teeth Whitening (In-Chair or Take-Home Trays)

Dentist-led whitening uses high-strength peroxide gels (up to 6 % hydrogen peroxide or 16 % carbamide peroxide under UK legislation) to lift deep stains that brushing can’t shift. An LED or laser lamp may accelerate chairside results, while take-home kits rely on custom-fitted trays worn for several hours a night. Expect private fees of roughly £300–£700; chemist kits cost less but work more slowly because regulations cap their peroxide at 0.1 %.

How the procedure unfolds

• Chairside: gums protected, three-to-four gel cycles over 60–90 min, shade checked before/after.

• Take-home: digital impressions, trays ready in a few days, wear gel nightly for 10–14 days.

Benefits to highlight

• Up to eight shades lighter in one session.

• Non-invasive and pain-free.

• Quick confidence boost before weddings, interviews or holidays.

Potential risks & side-effects

• Temporary sensitivity or “zingers”.

• Gum irritation if gel seeps.

• Existing fillings, veneers or crowns won’t change colour.

• Not advised during pregnancy.

Longevity & aftercare

• Result lasts 6–18 months.

• Avoid tobacco, coffee, red wine for 48 hrs post-whitening.

• Use touch-up syringes every 6–12 months and book a scale-and-polish twice a year.

2. Composite Bonding (Direct Tooth-Coloured Resin)

A small chip, uneven edge or narrow gap can be disguised in a single sitting with composite bonding. The clinician layers colour-matched resin straight onto the enamel and cures it with blue light, making it one of the speediest cosmetic dental procedures available.

Treatment steps & chair time

• Shade match → etch & bond → layer-and-cure resin → final polish

• About 30–60 minutes per tooth

Cost expectations

£150–£400 per tooth, depending on size, position and artistry.

Pros you should mention

• Instant, natural-looking upgrade

• Reversible; minimal or no drilling

• More affordable than porcelain work

Cons / risks

• Resin can stain or chip

• Typical lifespan 3–7 years; unsuitable for major fractures

Maintenance tips

Avoid nail-biting and hard sweets, sip dark drinks through a straw, and book hygienist polishes twice a year; bonded areas can be repolished or replaced when they dull.

3. Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are wafer-thin, custom ceramic shells bonded to the front surface of teeth, camouflaging deep discoloration, chips and mild misalignment to create a uniform, ultra-bright smile many call the “Hollywood look”.

Procedure roadmap

1. Digital smile design and shade selection

2. Enamel reduction of roughly 0.3–0.7 mm under local anaesthetic

3. Intra-oral scan or impressions plus fit of temporary veneers

4. Lab fabrication (7–14 days)

5. Try-in, tweaks, then final bonding with resin cement

Price guide

Expect £650–£1,200 per tooth; most patients opt for 4, 8 or 10 units following the “4-8-10 rule” to cover the whole smile line.

Key advantages

• Stain-resistant glazed porcelain

• Durable 10–15 years with good care

• Immediate symmetry, whiter shade, closes small gaps

Risks & limitations

• Irreversible enamel removal and possible post-op sensitivity

• Higher upfront fee; eventual replacement inevitable

Aftercare & longevity

Use a soft toothbrush and non-abrasive paste, wear a night guard if you grind, and keep six-monthly hygiene appointments to maximise veneer life.

4. All-Ceramic Crowns (Cosmetic Dental Caps)

An all-ceramic crown replaces the visible part of a weakened or misshapen tooth with lifelike porcelain that contains no metal, so there’s never a grey line at the gum.

Treatment sequence

Visit 1: tooth shaped, digital scan taken, temporary crown fitted. About two weeks later the lab-made ceramic is bonded; same-day CAD/CAM is also possible.

UK cost range

Typical fee: £600–£1,000 per crown; zirconia and e.max sit at the top end.

Benefits

• Full-cover protection

• Glass-like translucency matches neighbours

• Lasts roughly 10–15 years with care

Potential downsides

Requires more drilling than veneers, may cause short-term sensitivity, and the margin can decay if hygiene lapses.

Aftercare essentials

Floss daily around the crown margin, book a hygienist every six months, and avoid cracking nutshells or ice cubes.

5. Dental Bridges (Fixed Prosthetic Replacement for Missing Teeth)

Dental bridges replace one or several missing teeth by suspending a false tooth (pontic) between crowned neighbours or implants. Choose from traditional, cantilever, resin-bonded (Maryland) or implant-supported styles.

Preparation & fitting

Abutment teeth are shaped, scanned, temporary fitted; definitive bridge cemented 2–3 weeks later or same-day with CAD/CAM.

Costs

Traditional bridges are priced per unit at £500–£900; a three-unit span totals £1,500–£2,700. Implant-supported designs exceed £3,000 but spare adjacent teeth.

Advantages

• Fixed and stable; feels like your own tooth

• Prevents drifting and overeruption

• Restores chewing, speech and smile in weeks

Risks & trade-offs

Drilling healthy abutments, decay under crowns, bridge lifespan 10–15 years, unsuitable where bone support poor.

Care & longevity

Clean under pontic with super-floss; hygienist visits prolong life.

6. Dental Implants (Single & All-on-4)

Dental implants are small titanium or zirconia posts inserted in the jaw to replace lost roots, then topped with a custom crown, bridge or a whole set of teeth using the All-on-4 “smile-in-a-day” technique.

Surgical & restorative stages

CBCT scan → local-anaesthetic placement of implant(s) → 3–6-month osseointegration → abutment connection → final crown/bridge; All-on-4 often has an immediate provisional fitted on the same day.

Investment required

Single implant with crown £2,400–£3,000; All-on-4 per arch £12,000–£16,000. Most clinics offer 0 % finance to spread the cost.

Benefits to highlight

Prevents bone shrinkage, leaves neighbouring teeth untouched, restores near-natural bite force, can last 20 + years and feels completely secure.

Risks & considerations

Minor surgery carries swelling or bruising; 1–5 % fail to integrate; smokers and poorly-controlled diabetics heal slower; excellent daily cleaning is essential.

Aftercare & durability

Use interdental brushes or a water flosser, attend annual implant maintenance checks, and wear a night guard if you clench to protect the restoration for decades.

7. Inlays and Onlays (Indirect Restorations)

Inlays and onlays bridge the gap between a routine filling and a full crown. Milled from porcelain, composite or traditional gold, they are bonded into (inlay) or over (onlay) the biting surface when the cavity is too wide for composite but plenty of healthy enamel remains.

Clinical process

• Decay removed, tooth cleaned and 3-D scanned

• Temporary filling placed while the lab fabricates the restoration

• Second visit: fit-check, etch and adhesive bonding (or same-day with CAD/CAM)

Cost breakdown

£450 – £750 per tooth, varying by material and size.

Benefits

• Stronger than a large filling

• Preserves more tooth than a crown

• Precision fit, excellent shade match, stain-resistant

Possible drawbacks

• Usually two appointments

• Pricier than direct composite

• May debond or crack under heavy grinding

Care instructions

Brush and floss normally; avoid very hard or sticky sweets for the first 24 hours to let the adhesive mature.

8. Clear Aligners (e.g. Invisalign, Spark, SureSmile)

Clear aligners are transparent, removable trays that straighten teeth discreetly. Among modern cosmetic dental procedures, they are the go-to option for adults who want to avoid fixed brackets. Popular systems such as Invisalign, Spark and SureSmile start with a 3-D scan that maps every tooth movement, then print a sequence of trays that apply light, continuous pressure. You swap trays weekly while your dentist checks progress.

How treatment works

Digital scan → virtual plan → wear trays 20–22 hrs daily; attachments or slenderising refine movements; reviews every 6–8 weeks.

Price point

Typical investment £2,000–£4,500 depending on complexity, brand and number of aligners.

Benefits

• Almost invisible

• Removable for eating/cleaning

• Generally comfortable

• Fewer emergencies

Risks & limitations

Compliance critical; speech lisp temporary; attachments visible up close; severe bite cases need braces.

Aftercare

Wear retainers nightly, clean trays with lukewarm soap.

9. Tooth-Coloured Braces (Ceramic or Lingual)

Fixed orthodontics hasn’t gone out of style—you can now choose brackets that blend with enamel or hide completely behind the teeth for near-invisible straightening power.

Treatment timeline

Average 12–24-month course; monthly adjustments tighten archwire, elastics fine-tune bite, speech normalises after first week.

Costs

Ceramic systems run £3,000–£5,500; customised lingual appliances £4,500–£7,500, reflecting extra lab work and chairside time.

Advantages

Handle complex rotations and root movements, more discreet than metal, predictable finishing thanks to decades of clinical data.

Downsides

Ceramic brackets are bulkier, ligatures can stain with curry or coffee; lingual braces irritate tongue and cost more.

Retention & maintenance

Wear fixed or clear retainers; brush carefully round brackets; hygienist clean every three months prevents decalcification.

10. Gum Contouring (Gingivectomy & Crown Lengthening)

Gum contouring trims excess or uneven gingiva to reveal more tooth and give a balanced smile.

Procedure details

Local anaesthetic, gum lines marked, laser / scalpel removes tissue; crown-lengthening may also shave minimal bone.

Costs

Fees run £250–£800 a quadrant; full smile zone £1,000 +.

Benefits

Balances gumline, lengthens short teeth, heals fast with lasers, boosts veneer or crown aesthetics.

Risks

Possible swelling, sensitivity, minor bleed; relapse if biting forces or certain drugs persist.

Recovery & care

Soft diet 48 hrs, chlorhexidine rinses, gentle brushing after a week; tissues stabilise within six weeks.

11. Enameloplasty (Tooth Reshaping & Contouring)

Enameloplasty is a minimalist cosmetic tweak where the dentist gently polishes away tiny amounts of outer enamel to refine shape or symmetry. No injections, drills or lab work are normally required.

Appointment at a glance

Usually 15–30 minutes, anaesthetic seldom needed, instant mirror results.

Affordability

£80–£200 per tooth; often paired with whitening or bonding.

Pros

Quick, painless, inexpensive, preserves most tooth structure.

Cons

Only fixes minor flaws; enamel loss permanent; risk of sensitivity if overdone.

Aftercare

Use fluoride toothpaste and avoid crunching ice or pens for 24 hours.

12. Full Smile Makeover (Combination Treatment Plan)

A full smile makeover weaves several cosmetic dental procedures into a single, bespoke roadmap—think whitening, clear aligners, veneers and implants working in harmony to deliver a picture-perfect grin.

Consultation & planning

Comprehensive exam, photos, 3-D scans and digital smile design create a virtual mock-up; a wax model lets you “test-drive” the look before any drill touches enamel.

Investment & financing

Budgets vary widely: £3,000 for a simple aligner-plus-bonding package up to £30,000 + for implant-anchored reconstructions. Most clinics offer 0 % finance or phased treatment to keep cash flow comfortable.

Life-changing benefits

Unified colour, shape and alignment boost confidence, shave years off perceived age and can improve bite efficiency.

Potential challenges

Longer timelines, multiple appointments, cumulative maintenance and a greater risk of hiccups if home care lapses.

Keeping results beautiful

Wear retainers or guards, see the hygienist every four months, use a water flosser and curb smoking, red wine and excessive sugar for lasting brilliance.

Your Next Smile Step

From a 15-minute enamel polish to a full arch of new teeth on implants, cosmetic dentistry now offers a fix for almost any aesthetic hang-up and budget. The menu may feel overwhelming, yet the golden rule is simple: the “best” treatment is the one that matches your clinical needs, lifestyle and wallet. That calls for a face-to-face chat with a dentist who can examine your mouth, listen to your priorities and map out realistic options—including risks, longevity and maintenance.

At Wigmore Smiles & Aesthetics we start every cosmetic consultation with a 3-D iTero scan so you can visualise changes on-screen before committing. Transparent quotes, 0 % finance and phased scheduling help spread the cost while you still enjoy your upgraded smile as soon as possible. Ready to see what’s possible for you? Simply book a consultation and our team will guide you from first photo to final polish—minus the guesswork.