Appearance FAQ

What problems can be successfully reversed using veneers, or crowns?
Badly damaged teeth can be fixed using crowns, (or caps). Veneers are more suited to teeth that are in a reasonable state of repair, as the quality of the veneer may be affected
if the tooth is badly worn or damaged.

What does it involve?
Before a crown can be fitted, the tooth must be trimmed down. The crown is then fitted over the top of the tooth like
a sleeve and sealed around the edges using materials specifically chosen to match the colour of your teeth as closely as possible.

Porcelain veneers are used to correct aesthetic problems.
The veneer is matched to the other teeth in your mouth and is glued onto the existing tooth, completely sealing it to prevent decay underneath the surface.

Do you use general anaesthetic?
Almost all procedures carried out at Nelson Prosthodontics take place under a local anaesthetic. In rare cases where the use of sedation may be used, we will discuss this with you in advance of the procedure being carried out.

Is the work painful?
While patients may experience some discomfort following
a surgical procedure, the majority of patients need no pain relief within one day of the work being carried out.

What happens after the work has been done?
We normally make an arrangement to meet up with our patients shortly after any major procedure to ensure there are no complications and to check that the work done is looking good.

How do you decide what work needs to be done?
We will meet with you to discuss what you want to achieve and what we think is a possibility for your teeth. Then we
will decide together on the appropriate way forward.

How long will it take?
That depends on what work will be carried out and will be decided at the consultation stage.

How much will it cost?
Again, this is entirely dependent on the work to be done.
Most prosthodontic work is not cheap, but some costs may
be claimed on ACC if the work is necessary because of an accident.

Will there be extra, hidden costs involved?
No. Everything will be fully planned and costed out before
any work begins.