Its all in the smile

Last November, Sunderland became the location of one of the top cosmetic dentists in the country. Dr Ken Harris is clinical director of Riveredge Cosmetic Dentistry, based at Wylam Wharf. Ken, 49, is now an accredited member of BACD after 25 years of practising dentistry.

It is the only formal exam which is a recognition of excellence in cosmetic dentistry and only three other dentists in the UK have achieved this qualification, all of which are based in London. Ken said: "Passing the exam is the most significant thing we have done so far, I think.

"Bringing this qualification in is important in establishing a standard for those who practise cosmetic dentistry and I am sure in the future other dentists will want to be accredited. I am proud to be part of the first group who have achieved this."

Riveredge opened just over seven years ago and offers a wide range of treatments. Ken said: "Bleaching or teeth whitening is the most popular procedure, as everybody seems to want whiter teeth. We made our reputation by veneers which are used as part of a smile make-over.”

"Veneers are ultra-thin, custom-made porcelain laminates that are fixed directly to the teeth. They are a great option for closing gaps or for straightening teeth. Another popular treatment is the ugly black fillings at the back of the mouth, people want rid of them, so we change them to white ones. Almost anything you want can be done now but I do not fit kids' braces, remove wisdom teeth and when it comes to complicated root canals, I know my limits.”

"I am very specialised in what I do and that is cosmetic aesthetic functional dentistry, which means it has to look good, be functional and it has to last a long time."

Cosmetic dentistry can provide an answer for anyone looking to improve their smile and self-confidence.

Ken said: "Getting a great smile is like losing weight instantly, it is such a boost. The people I treat are bouncing off the ceiling when I have finished, it is incredible to see. They look in the mirror and say 'wow'.

"It is nice to see the change in people because you can be stuck with a bad smile forever, it won't get better on its own."

People often associate pain with the dentist and cosmetic dentistry conjures all sorts of images of painful and intrusive procedures.

This is not the case, Ken said: "Bleaching the teeth, adding white fillings and sculpting does not hurt at all because we are simply adding to the teeth. If we are going to do a crown or a filling then the area does have to be numbed which involves using a needle to administer anaesthetic. The only thing you will feel is the injection and once the anaesthetic takes effect it works really well.”

"The whole thing is practically painless, I don't expect people to believe me but I have been there myself as I have had 13 fillings over the years."

The desire to have the perfect smile is massively influenced by celebrities.

Ken said: "One of my favourite celebrity's teeth is Catherine Zeta Jones, her smile looks great because her teeth look natural. The exact opposite is Jodie Marsh, she has really chalk-white teeth and they are obviously fake.”

"If a patient of mine walked out of Riveredge and someone stopped them in the street and said 'those veneers look great who did them' then I have failed. The only people who should know someone has had work done is the patient and the dentist."

The two main questions that the staff at Riveredge get asked are how much will it cost and how long will it take. Ken said: "It is almost impossible to give an exact price until the whole procedure is finished. However, as a guide people should budget for between £400-£500 if they want their teeth whitened and for a smile make-over you are looking at £10,000 for a top jaw.

"But in my eyes the perfect smile is priceless and all I can say is if you want it, it's here."