Which Cosmetic Treatment Is Right for You?
This page is for anyone weighing up whitening, composite bonding, veneers, clear aligners, recontouring, gum contouring, a ceramic crown or a combined smile makeover. It works through five questions (what you want changed, budget, timeframe, how much natural tooth to keep and how much upkeep you accept) and a decision matrix that routes each option onward. No option suits every answer.
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Open 8am to 8pm, seven days
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Clinically reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, dentist · GDC 301711
Medical disclaimer: This page is for general information only. It does not replace an examination or treatment by a dentist.
This page is reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, the practice's principal dentist and a General Dental Practitioner registered with the General Dental Council (GDC 301711). His qualifications are BDS, BSc (Hons), an MSc from Leeds (2023), a PG Cert in Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry (2024) and a PG Dip in Implant Dentistry (2024).
Start with your concern
The quickest way to narrow cosmetic treatment down is to name what you most want to change: colour, shape, position or the gum line. Each concern below points to options in cosmetic dentistry that may suit; an examination decides which apply.
- Stained or yellowing teeth: whitening may suit, because it lightens natural teeth without reshaping them. It does not suit under-18s, pregnancy or breastfeeding, active decay or gum disease, heavy tetracycline staining or many front crowns or veneers.
- One dark, root-filled tooth: internal whitening may suit, because the tooth is whitened from the inside.
- Chips, small gaps, black triangles or uneven edges: composite bonding may suit, because tooth-coloured composite resin is added to the tooth, usually with no drilling and no injection.
- Front teeth where you want colour and shape changed together: composite or porcelain veneers may suit, because a facing covers the front surface.
- Crowded or spaced teeth: if the problem is mild to moderate, clear aligners may suit, because they move teeth rather than covering them. Aligner treatment at the practice is for adults, and extraction and complex cases are assessed case by case; some need braces or a combined approach.
- Slightly uneven or pointed edges: tooth recontouring may suit, because a little enamel is smoothed away and nothing is added.
- An uneven gum line: gum contouring may suit where only the gum needs reshaping and enough healthy gum is present; it is done at the practice with a scalpel. If the bone level is part of the problem, gum reshaping alone may not be enough.
- A damaged or heavily filled front tooth: a ceramic crown may suit, because it covers the whole tooth; NHS guidance says crowns can be fitted where a tooth is damaged, or just to make a tooth look better.
- Old, discoloured fillings: replacing them may suit, because the new filling is tooth-coloured.
- Several of these at once: a smile makeover or full mouth cosmetic rehabilitation combines treatments in a planned order, for example aligners, then whitening, then bonding.
Five questions that decide it
Five questions decide a cosmetic choice, and the answers often conflict.
- What do you want to change? Colour, shape, position and the gum line are different problems.
- What is your budget, now and later? Upkeep adds to the lifetime cost as well as the first fee.
- How soon do you want it done? Some options take one visit, others months.
- How much natural tooth do you want to keep? Options that leave enamel in place may suit better.
- How much upkeep will you accept? Top-ups are recommended after whitening and re-polishing after composite bonding, and straightened teeth need retainers long term.
Decision matrix
The decision matrix sets each cosmetic option against the same questions; none comes out ahead on all of them.
| Option | What it changes | Natural tooth altered | Typical time | Upkeep and lifespan | Starting cost on the fee list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teeth whitening | Colour of natural teeth only | None reshaped or removed | 2 appointments, then home use | Top-up recommended every 6 months; the effect fades | Lower |
| Composite bonding | Shape, chips, small gaps, edges | Composite added, usually with no drilling | A single visit in suitable cases | Re-polish recommended every 6 months; typically lasts around five years, varying by person | Lower per tooth; the total depends on how many teeth |
| Composite veneers | Colour and shape of the front surface | Composite covers the front; built directly or made in a laboratory | – | Stains more readily than porcelain | Not itemised on the fee list |
| Porcelain veneers | Colour, shape and size | Enamel removed unless a no-preparation design suits | 2 to 6 visits | Less prone to staining than composite | Higher (fee list line: all-ceramic crowns and veneers) |
| Clear aligners | Position of teeth (mild to moderate) | Teeth moved; small enamel reshaping only where needed | Months, often 12 or more for fuller treatment | Worn 22 hours a day; retainers long term | Higher; priced per arch |
| Tooth recontouring | Edge shape | A small amount of enamel removed | – | No added material to maintain | Not itemised on the fee list |
| Gum contouring | Gum line | Gum tissue reshaped with a scalpel | – | – | Not itemised on the fee list |
| Ceramic crown | Colour and shape of the whole tooth | Tooth shaped to take the crown | 2 to 3 visits; around a week from preparation to fitting | Typically 5 to 20 years, varying with the person, their oral hygiene and habits | Higher (fee list line: all-ceramic crowns and veneers) |
| Internal whitening | Colour of one dark, root-filled tooth | Whitening agent sealed inside the root-filled tooth | 2 to 4 sessions | – | Not itemised on the fee list |
| Smile makeover | Several concerns at once | Depends on the treatments combined | Depends on the case | The upkeep of each treatment used | Not itemised on the fee list |
Figures are typical and vary by case; a dash means this page gives no typical figure.
Each route in the matrix links to the page that covers it:
- Whitening, including internal whitening: read about professionally whitening your teeth.
- Bonding or composite veneers: read about reshaping teeth with composite.
- Porcelain veneers: read about porcelain veneers.
- Position: read about straightening teeth with removable aligners.
- Recontouring, gum contouring, crowns, replacement fillings or a combined plan: these sit among the cosmetic treatments; browse this section.
Side-by-side comparisons of two close options have their own section; explore the options in this section.
Book a cosmetic consultation online or call 0114 288 2121. The consultation lasts 45 to 60 minutes.
If budget is the constraint
The lowest-cost way to improve a smile is usually to treat only your main concern rather than several at once.
On the current fee list, whitening and composite bonding have the lowest starting fees of the cosmetic treatments listed, and bonding is priced per tooth. All-ceramic crowns and veneers, and clear aligners, start higher; aligners are priced per arch.
The first fee is only part of the cost: upkeep adds to it (top-ups, re-polishing, retainers), bonding may need repair or replacement over the years, and if you grind your teeth, bonding needs a night guard, charged separately. Fees are on the What it costs page, and spreading the cost of treatment has its own page.
If time is the constraint
If time is short, composite bonding may suit, because it can be completed in a single visit in suitable cases. Other routes, varying by case:
- Teeth whitening: 2 appointments, with trays in hand around a week after the first, and 3 to 4 weeks' worth of gel for home use.
- Clear aligners: months for small front-tooth corrections, and often 12 months or more for fuller treatment. Your 3D plan shows the planned length before you commit.
- Smile makeover: depends on the case and the treatments combined.
The steps of cosmetic planning at the practice, including a written plan before anything starts and a second consultation before you commit, are set out in how we plan a smile.
If tooth preservation matters most
If keeping natural tooth matters most, compare what each option takes away. Grouped by what each alters, with no ranking inside a group:
- Usually removes nothing: whitening lightens natural teeth without reshaping them, and composite bonding adds composite, usually with no drilling. Direct composite is more conservative of tooth tissue than laboratory-made work, and evidence suggests it can be repaired rather than replaced.
- Adds over the front surface: composite veneers cover the front of the tooth with composite; evidence suggests they do not need heavy preparation.
- Works inside a tooth that is already root-filled: internal whitening seals a whitening agent inside the tooth rather than reshaping its outer surface.
- Removes some enamel, which does not grow back: clear aligners, only where space is needed between teeth; tooth recontouring, a small amount; and porcelain veneers, though NHS guidance notes that not all veneers need the front of the tooth drilled away. Minimal- and no-preparation veneers are used where suitable.
- Shapes the whole tooth: a ceramic crown covers the whole tooth, so the tooth has to be shaped for the crown to fit on to, and that cannot be undone.
- Removes gum tissue: gum contouring reshapes the gum line surgically.
Booking a consultation
Cosmetic dentistry and composite bonding are carried out by our cosmetic dentists, and whitening and aligner treatment by our dentists. No laboratory work is sent overseas. Read our patient reviews.
The practice is at 334 Manchester Road, Deepcar, Sheffield, S36 2RH, on the ground floor and wheelchair accessible, with free parking directly outside, and is open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday. Our local cosmetic dentistry page covers travel and access.
When you are ready, book a cosmetic consultation online at book online or call 0114 288 2121.
Frequently asked questions
Is cosmetic dental treatment available on the NHS?
Generally, no. NHS guidance says teeth whitening is not available on the NHS, and veneers are generally only available privately unless you can show a clinical need. It lists crowns among the treatments usually available on the NHS. Braces are available on the NHS for children and, occasionally, for adults, depending on clinical need.
Can I see a design before I commit?
For composite bonding, yes: a mock-up in the mouth before you commit is part of the treatment. A trial smile or mock-up in the mouth is also one of the steps in the practice's cosmetic planning process, with clinical photographs, an intraoral scan, a digital smile design and a laboratory wax-up.
Does cosmetic treatment hurt?
It depends on the treatment, and numbing gel is applied before every injection at the practice. Composite bonding usually needs no injection. Whitening can make teeth sensitive; this usually settles within about 2 weeks of finishing, and desensitising gel is supplied. A new aligner can cause mild pressure or soreness for the first few days.
Will whitening change the colour of my crowns, veneers or fillings?
No. Whitening lightens natural teeth only, so crowns, veneers and fillings keep their colour. If you plan both whitening and bonding, whitening comes first so the composite can be matched to your teeth afterwards; whitening itself is optional before bonding.
Do my teeth and gums need to be healthy before bonding or whitening?
Yes. Gum disease and decay are treated before composite bonding, and whitening is not suitable while either is active. A hygiene visit before treatment is included with bonding, and one is recommended before whitening. Gum health is screened at every examination at the practice.
Book a consultation.
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We look after patients from Deepcar, Stocksbridge and Oughtibridge, and from across north Sheffield, including Wadsley, Hillsborough and Fulwood. Many travel further, from Penistone, Barnsley and Rotherham. The practice is on the A6102 at 334 Manchester Road, and no referral is needed.
334 Manchester Road
Deepcar, Sheffield S36 2RH
0114 288 2121
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Open 8am to 8pm, seven days
Free parking at the door