Can you get cosmetic dentistry on the nhs

If you are unsatisfied or unhappy with any aspect of the dental care you have received on the NHS, you will need to make a formal complaint. To initiate this process, you should begin by speaking to your dental practice. It is normally the case that most issues can be resolved through this course of action, without having to go through the process of lodging a formal complaint.

Often an honest, informal discussion with your dentist can alleviate any issues, and this is ideal especially if you are dealing with a minor compliant or grievance. If you are not satisfied with how your local dentist has handled your complaint however, it may be necessary to take further action and submit your complaint to the independent Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. The GDC exists to protect patients who have obtained dental treatment both privately and through the NHS, and they are there to act on your behalf if you feel your dentist is acting unethically or below standard.

The GDC can take action to investigate complaints regarding poor treatment and malpractice, a practice not having professional indemnity insurance, cross-infection issues, fraudulent activity or theft, or dentists practicing whilst under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Compare Clinics. Google Plus. Getting Cosmetic Dentistry Through The NHS Cosmetic Dentistry is generally regarded as any treatment that aesthetically improves the appearance of the mouth and teeth but is not a clinical necessity.

The root canal is filled and the tooth is sealed with a filling or crown to stop it becoming infected again. This is when your teeth are professionally cleaned by the hygienist.

It involves carefully removing the deposits that build up on the teeth tartar. Braces orthodontic treatment straighten or move teeth to improve the appearance of the teeth and how they work. Braces can be removable, so you can take them out and clean them, or fixed, so they're stuck to your teeth and you can't take them out.

Braces are available on the NHS for children and, occasionally, for adults, depending on the clinical need. The wisdom teeth grow at the back of your gums and are the last teeth to come through, usually in your late teens or early twenties. Wisdom teeth can sometimes emerge at an angle or get stuck and only emerge partially. Wisdom teeth that grow through in this way are known as impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth can be removed on the NHS.

Your dentist may perform the procedure, or may refer you to a dentist with a special interest or a hospital's oral and maxillofacial unit. You'll usually have to pay a charge for wisdom tooth removal. If you're referred to a hospital for NHS treatment, you won't have to pay a charge. Implants are a fixed alternative to removable dentures.

They may be the only option if the loss of teeth has caused the mouth to shrink so it can no longer support dentures. To fit an implant, titanium screws are drilled into the jaw bone to support a crown, bridge or denture. Replacement parts take time to prepare. This is to ensure that they fit your mouth and other teeth properly.

This means they may not be available on your first visit to the dentist. Implants are usually only available privately and are expensive. They're sometimes available on the NHS for patients who can't wear dentures or whose face and teeth have been damaged, such as people who have had mouth cancer or an accident that's knocked a tooth out. A full set is used to replace all your teeth.

A part set is used to replace 1 or more missing teeth. Dentures are custom-made using impressions mouldings from your gums.

They're usually made from metal or plastic. They're removable so you can clean them, although part dentures can be brushed at the same time as your other teeth.

Dentures are important if you lose your natural teeth, as losing your teeth makes it difficult to chew your food, which will adversely affect your diet and may cause your facial muscles to sag.

Read more about dentures and false teeth. If the tooth is just chipped, make a non-emergency dental appointment to have it smoothed down and filled or have a crown.

If the tooth has been knocked out or is badly broken, see a dentist immediately. Your dentist may fit a denture or bridge. Read more about broken teeth or knocked out teeth. Teeth whitening can't make your teeth brilliant white, but it can lighten the existing colour by several shades. Standard teeth whitening involves several visits to the dentist, plus sessions at home wearing a mouthguard containing bleaching gel.

A newer procedure called laser whitening or power whitening is done at the dentist's surgery and takes about an hour. If you do not qualify for NHS treatment or are not considered suitable for dental school procedures, then having private dental treatment will be your only option.

The cost of dental veneers will vary considerably from dentist to dentist depending on how many you need, where you live, the type of material you use and the experience and reputation of your dentist. Porcelain tends to cost more due to the fact they are less likely to discolour or stain and with proper care, they will last longer than composite veneers. Have you had a veneer procedure that has gone wrong or did your dentist miss something — leading to further oral health issues?

If so, then you might be entitled to compensation. Contact Dental Law today. How do veneers work for crooked teeth? While dental veneers can be used to correct the appearance of crooked teeth, they are not an ideal treatment option. Although veneers are often a quicker fix than other options, such as fixed orthodontic braces or clear aligners, they are a more damaging way of straightening teeth, and can in some circumstances create problems with the health of the underlying teeth.

Before you are fitted with veneers, your dentist should give you a thorough oral examination to ensure you are suitable for them. As long as you keep up a good level of oral hygiene veneers should last between five to ten years. You should brush and floss as you would normally. If you have had veneer treatment that has gone wrong or suffered neglect at the hands of your dentist, then you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Dental Law today How to remove stains from porcelain veneers.

It is not normally possible to remove stains from porcelain veneers; nor is it possible to use teeth whitening products on them. The whitening gel, used by home kits or by your dentist, cannot penetrate a veneer or change its colour; because, unlike a natural tooth, it is not porous. Like your natural teeth, porcelain veneers need regular brushing. It is recommended that you follow the same brushing procedure that is required for natural teeth. Without regular brushing, it is likely that your veneers will stain over time.

As a rule, porcelain veneers are stain-resistant; however, there are some food and beverages that can discolour veneers over time, such as:. Smoking can also stain porcelain veneers and the frequent consumption of alcohol can negatively affect the bonding material used to keep veneers in place. If your veneers have become stained or discoloured, the only real solution is to have them replaced. If this happens, the stained areas can usually be cleaned.

If you have had veneer treatment that has gone wrong, or you have suffered neglect at the hands of your dentist, then you may be entitled to compensation. For more information or for an initial, no obligation chat, contact Dental Law today. What happens to teeth under veneers? Teeth under veneers should remain healthy provided that your dentist has carried out the treatment properly. Before veneers are placed, your dentist should examine your teeth and take x-rays to ensure that you are suitable for treatment.

If you and your dentist are happy to proceed, then the tooth enamel on the front surface of the teeth being treated will be filed down by a millimetre or so. This means that the procedure is irreversible, and you will not be able to revert to just your natural teeth again once the drilling has been done.

Once you have started with veneers, your teeth will have to be covered with veneers for the rest of your life. Veneers will need to be replaced after a certain amount of time. How long they will last will depend on the materials used and how well you look after them. Composite veneers can last from years with good oral hygiene, while porcelain veneers can last up to 10 years. When the veneers need replacing the tooth or teeth will have to be drilled or filed again.

If the tooth surface drilling procedure is not done correctly; perhaps too much tooth structure has been drilled off, or the tooth has been allowed to overheat, then the nerve inside the tooth may become inflamed or receive dental never damage , and the tooth can die off. It is also not unusual to need further procedures such as a root canal, fillings or a tooth extraction if veneers have not been put in correctly or if they were unsuitable in the first place.

If you have been given veneers that are unsuitable, or your dentist has completed the procedure incorrectly, then you may be eligible for compensation. Contact Dental Law, the leading specialist for dental negligence in the UK. What is the average price for veneers? The price of veneers can vary depending on whether you are getting them done on the NHS or in a private clinic.

The cost will also change depending on the number of veneers you need and where in the country you live. For example, it is likely that cost of dental veneers will be higher in London than in Wales. Cosmetic dentistry can be expensive and the cost of veneers can also be affected by the fee charged by the laboratory which makes the veneers and the materials they use. The higher the quality of the materials used to make the veneers the more they are likely to cost. Most dentists are likely to charge for veneers on a per tooth basis, but if you need several it is likely that your dentist will work out a special deal that will help to bring the cost per tooth down.

Composite options are cheaper, as this type of veneer tends to have a shorter lifespan and is more likely to stain. Porcelain veneers can last years with proper care and are more resistant to staining. They also look more natural, but require more laboratory work, which is why porcelain veneers tend to be more expensive. You can only get veneers on the NHS if there is a clinical rather than a cosmetic reason for having them.

You will have to check with your dentist to see if you qualify for NHS veneer treatment. What would I look like with veneers? What you would look like with veneers depends on the level of treatment you undertake and the type of veneers you use.

There are two different types of veneers — porcelain and composite.