Cosmetic Dentistry in Greece

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Cosmetic dentistry aims to aesthetically improve various aspects of your mouth and, specifically, your teeth. Given the extraordinarily excellent reputation that Greek dentistry tends to enjoy, the prices you can have cosmetic dental treatments done for is surprisingly low, especially compared to the cost of the same treatment in the UK.

Teeth whitening in Greece

Tooth whitening is an increasingly popular solution to stains or discolouration of teeth, which can be seen as aesthetic and inimical to self-confidence. Although usually a clinic will offer the two basic procedures, scale-and-polish and bleaching, some Greek clinics provide a third method of treatment: laser tooth whitening. There are a number of methods to bleach teeth, but the aim of the bleach penetrating the surface of the teeth and gradually spreading out is the same. If you are considering this treatment, you will want to make sure that the prices make the overall medical holiday worth it, as they can be extremely cheap in both the UK and yet more so in Greece. Ultimately if you go to Greece you will probably be content to pay a little extra than the UK procedure price for the overall experience. You may however be interested in laser teeth whitening. This is initially a similar procedure to tooth bleaching, as peroxide bleach (or in some cases a gel) is applied to the teeth. However it differs as at this stage a laser is used to rapidly accelerate the bleaching process (or the spread of the gel), which usually takes several days, and ultimately this laser approach can have a far greater effect on the number of shades by which your teeth are whitened. Your gums are protected throughout from any laser damage by a shield. Typically this procedure will take only an hour, after which you will be able to experience the advantages of a whitened smile. As the gums are protected in the laser treatment, the risks of the three methods are the same, and are generally negligible. You may experience slight gum irritation for a few days following the treatment, but this should not persist. If it does or you notice any other problems you should get in contact with either your Greek or your UK dentist immediately, but it is highly unlikely that anything serious can come of the treatment.

Porcelain veneers in Greece

Porcelain veneers are a popular choice among patients with discoloured, stained, crooked, oddly shaped or unevenly spaced teeth. These are simply shells, made of porcelain, which have the appearance of real teeth and are fitted over your current teeth to create a new, aesthetic smile. The major advantage of porcelain veneers is that they are extremely resistant to staining, so once in place they will remain more or less as they are for as long as they last. In Greece, the procedure for porcelain veneers is very similar to that in the UK. It is staggered over three stages: first there is the diagnosis, next the preparation or try-out stage, and finally the actual bonding. In many ways, the consultation and diagnosis stage is the most important: it is here that you can have an active participation in how you want your smile to look after the procedure. Furthermore your Greek dentist can tell you at this stage whether or not you will require additional gum work, as it is crucial that your gums are in good condition for a porcelain veneer procedure to meet with success. If you need this treatment then it will likely be carried out in an additional appointment before the preparation stage. Once you are ready for this try-out stage, you will be called in for an appointment in which a layer of the front of your teeth will be removed while you are under local anaesthetic. The amount taken off is usually only about half a millimetre. This is so there is enough room around the teeth for the veneers, so the overall effect is a smile of roughly the same size as before; if nothing is removed then veneers will be in addition to the current mass of teeth, so will appear enlarged and potentially non-aesthetic. Next a mould is taken of your teeth, which can then be sent off to the laboratory so your veneers can be accurately created. You will then have to return to your accommodation. However as new layers of your teeth are now exposed, they will be very sensitive to the air and temperature. You have two options of maintaining them in between appointments: either meticulous brushing or, for a small extra fee, a temporary plastic veneer. The latter may prove to be a better option if your teeth are left temporarily unsightly. Your next appointment will be the preparation stage, at which the veneers will have been completed. Here the veneers are tried on your teeth, and modified as appropriate to ensure the aesthetic finish that you desire. It may turn out that you have to return for another preparation appointment before the best standard can be reached. It is very important that you do reach a consensus with the dentist as once the veneers have been bonded they are extremely difficult to modify. Your final appointment will be the bonding stage, where over a period of time, usually between one and two hours, the veneers are tested and then finally cemented onto your teeth, leaving you with the aesthetic smile you desire.

What to do after a porcelain veneer treatment in Greece

In Greece, because your teeth will take a couple of weeks to settle in with the new veneers, you will probably be asked to remain in the country and then return for a follow-up treatment to make sure everything is in order. After this you will be free to return to the UK. You will be advised to establish some subsequent maintenance appointments with your UK dentist to make sure the quality of your new smile is retained. It is therefore useful to make sure there is contact between the Greek dentist and the UK dentist, so the latter knows exactly what has been done and knows what to check for. It is not feasible to return to Greece every time you are scheduled for a maintenance check-up due to the distance and cost of the flights.

Risks of porcelain veneer treatment in Greece

Nothing that can be done about the ultimate deterioration of the veneers, as this will invariably occur over time. Maintenance is thus essential to keeping them in decent condition for as long as possible. The major risk is that the veneer treatment is irreversible. Furthermore the veneers can shatter on impact, so you must be sure to take extra care once you have had them fitted.

Gum contouring in Greece

If you have an excess amount of gum tissue surrounding your teeth – commonly known as a ‘gummy smile’ – you may find it affects your self-confidence and the aesthetics of your mouth. This condition can be caused by things as simple as genetics, health problems or blood pressure. In the majority of cases you will be eligible for the gum contouring treatment, which aims to reduce this excess and enhance the aesthetic appearance of your smile (a UK dentist can tell you whether you will qualify, or if there needs to be a different treatment for your condition). The treatment is, fortunately, mostly painless and the effects will be very noticeable. In some cases the dentist may have to remove some bone before he or she can perform the gum contouring treatment, which will cost slightly more but is nonetheless necessary for a successful procedure. Although either a scalpel or a laser can be used for this treatment, Greek dentists will typically offer the laser treatment, as it has many advantages, most prominently being that it cauterises the gum as it works, sealing blood vessels. This not only prevents bleeding after the treatment but also greatly expedites the recovery process. If you are after a greater saving however you may be able to push for the scalpel treatment. Nonetheless the price for both is extremely low. During the treatment itself, local anaesthetic is used to numb the area that is to be worked on, and then either the scalpel or laser is used to cut back and reshape the gum tissue, leaving you with a more aesthetic look. The post-operative risks are minimal and are usually reduced to a small amount of bleeding after the treatment, which is all but made negligible by the laser treatment, and gum irritation for a while after. The main risk in any gum contouring option is that the dentist will remove too much tissue, a problem which can require an additional gum grafting treatment to rectify. Nonetheless if you make sure the qualifications and accreditations are up to scratch, this should not be a problem.

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