Enhance · Changing how your smile looks
Composite bonding & SmileFast
Composite bonding uses tooth-coloured material, shaped by hand and bonded to your teeth, to change their shape or appearance, usually with little or no removal of natural tooth.
What it’s for
Bonding can be used to repair small chips, close small gaps, even out edges or change the shape of a tooth. It changes how teeth look; it does not move them.
- Before
- A small chip along the biting edge of a front tooth.
- After
- Tooth-coloured composite rebuilds the missing corner, shaped and polished to blend in.
SmileFast
SmileFast is a cosmetic treatment at Opal that brings more than one cosmetic procedure together into a single, planned course of treatment. Your dentist will explain exactly what it would involve for your smile, and what it would cost, before you decide.
SmileFast and bonding are different from clear aligners. Aligners such as ClearCorrect are an orthodontic treatment that gradually moves teeth into a new position.
Your consultation
Your dentist will check the health of your teeth and gums, talk about what you’d like to change and explain whether bonding, SmileFast or another option would suit you best.
If you are also considering whitening, it is usually done first, because bonding material does not change colour with whitening.
What happens
Planning
Agreeing the changes you’d like and the shade of material.
Preparation
The tooth surface is cleaned and prepared so the material can bond.
Shaping
Material is added in layers, shaped and set with a curing light.
Finishing
The bonding is polished, and you’ll be given advice on looking after it.
Fees
- SmileFast
- from £1,000
Private fee guide, September 2026. Where a fee is shown as “from”, the final cost depends on your treatment; your dentist will explain your options and their costs before any treatment begins. See all fees.
Questions
How long does bonding last?
It varies with the amount of bonding, your bite and habits such as grinding. Bonding can chip or discolour over time and may need polishing, repair or replacement. Your dentist can tell you what to expect in your case.
Does bonding damage my teeth?
Bonding usually needs little or no removal of natural tooth, although the surface is prepared so the material can attach. Your dentist will explain what’s involved for your teeth.
Is SmileFast the same as aligners?
No. SmileFast combines cosmetic procedures to change how teeth look. Clear aligners, such as ClearCorrect, are an orthodontic treatment that moves teeth.
How much does bonding cost?
It depends on how many teeth are involved and how much material is needed. Your dentist will give you the cost before any treatment begins.
Related treatments
Talk it through with us.
Every treatment starts with a conversation. We’ll explain your options and their costs, and you can take the time you need to decide.