General dentistry
Composite only. We have not placed an amalgam filling since 2018 — not on principle, but because bonded composite lets us keep more of the tooth, and how much tooth is left is what decides whether it needs a crown in fifteen years.
An amalgam filling is held in by shape. That means cutting undercuts into healthy tooth so the filling has something to grip, which weakens what is left. Composite bonds chemically to enamel and dentine, so the preparation removes the decay and stops.
The trade-off is honest: composite takes longer to place, needs a properly dry field, and is more sensitive to being done badly. A rushed composite is worse than a good amalgam. Ours are placed under rubber dam where the tooth allows it, which is why a large one takes forty minutes.
Shade matching is done under daylight-balanced lighting at the start of the appointment, before the tooth dehydrates — teeth lighten noticeably within minutes of being isolated, and a shade taken at the end is the single most common reason a filling looks obvious.
Not unless there is a reason — decay underneath, a crack, or a filling that has broken down at the margin. Replacing a sound amalgam means removing more tooth for a cosmetic gain, and we will say so rather than quote you for twelve of them.
A small composite in a low-stress position commonly lasts ten years or more. A large one rebuilding a cusp on a molar in someone who grinds is a different proposition, and at that size we will usually recommend a crown or an onlay instead.
It is by the number of surfaces. A single small occlusal filling is £165; a three-surface filling rebuilding a corner of a back tooth is £290. You are told which before we start.
General dentistry
A crown covers a tooth that has too little of itself left to survive another filling. Ours are ceramic or zirconia depending on where the tooth sits, carry a five-year guarantee, and can usually be done in one visit.
ExploreSame-day dentistry
Scanned, designed and milled here while you wait. One appointment of about two and a half hours instead of two visits a fortnight apart, no impression putty, and no temporary crown to come loose over a weekend.
ExploreGeneral dentistry
Grace Chen sees hygiene patients four days a week at Harrogate and Tuesdays at Wetherby. Airflow stain removal is part of the appointment rather than a £30 upsell at the end of it.
ExploreA written plan with fixed prices before anything starts, at either clinic. Ring us or book online — reception can usually find something while you are on the call.