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Composite Bonding

Tooth-coloured resin, shaped onto the tooth to repair chips, close small gaps and tidy up worn or uneven edges. It is one of the gentlest cosmetic treatments we do, usually finished in a single visit, with little or no drilling and often no injection at all.
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Treatment Overview

What Is Composite Bonding?

Composite bonding, sometimes called resin bonding or cosmetic bonding, is a gentle way to improve the look of a tooth that is chipped, uneven, cracked, worn or discoloured. Your dentist builds up a tooth-coloured resin on the tooth and shapes it to match, so the tooth looks whole and even again. There is usually no drilling involved.
It is one of the most conservative cosmetic treatments there is, because very little of your natural tooth is touched. In fact, the resin is simply added to the surface. That is why bonding is often the first thing we suggest for small changes, before anything bigger like a veneer or a crown. Most bonding is finished in a single visit, and because so little is done to the tooth, an injection is often not needed at all. If a tooth does need numbing, we use The Wand, which numbs you without the big needle or the sting.
Bonding is long-lasting but not permanent. The resin is not as hard as natural tooth enamel, so it can chip or stain over time and may need a repair or a polish now and then. We will be honest with you about that, and about whether bonding or another option gives you the better result.
Bonding can help with
  • Chipped or cracked edges
  • Small gaps between teeth
  • Worn-down or uneven teeth
  • A single discoloured tooth
  • Small changes you want done gently and quickly
Why people choose it
  • Very little of the natural tooth is removed
  • Often finished in a single visit
  • An injection is often not needed
  • Costs less than more involved treatments
  • A simple first step before anything bigger
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A new patient examination is £92,

including any X-rays you need. We can check whether bonding suits you at the same visit.
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Or call 023 8084 3318

What Our Patients Say

Rated five stars by patients like you.

Smile Gallery

Real patient results.

A snapshot of the work that comes out of the practice — from gentle composite bonding to full smile makeovers.
Before
After

Composite bonding

Rebuilding chipped, worn edges in a single visit
Before
After

Teeth whitening

Several shades brighter, from A2 to B1
Before
After

Dental implant

Restoring a front tooth with a natural-looking implant
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View all transformations

The Process

What Happens When You Have Bonding

01

We talk about what is bothering you

A chipped tooth, a small gap, discolouration or a worn edge. We look at the tooth and tell you honestly whether bonding is the right fix or whether another option would serve you better.

02

We match the colour

We pick a shade of resin that blends with the natural colour of the tooth next to it, so the bonding does not stand out.

03

Shaping the tooth

If the area needs numbing we do that first, using The Wand, though often no injection is needed. We clean the surface, then apply the putty-like resin and sculpt it into shape.

04

Setting and polishing

A special light sets the resin so it hardens straight away. We then trim and polish it until it looks and feels right, usually all in the one visit.
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Why Patients Stay With Us

What makes Waterside different.

We take our time

Longer appointments, so we can talk through your concerns and give you a break if you need one.

Almost pain-free injections

The Wand numbs you without the big needle or the sting. Most patients are surprised how easy it is.

Digital X-rays

We diagnose faster, more accurately and with far less radiation than older film.

A hand to hold

Bring a partner in, or hold a nurse's hand. If you ever need us, we respond the same day.

About Waterside Dental

Your private dental practice in Hythe.

Waterside Dental is a private practice in Hythe, owned and led by principal dentist Dr Nikos Louskos since 2017. It has recently been refurbished to feel more like home than a clinic, and is run by a small, hand-picked team — so you'll always see a familiar face.
Care here is unhurried and patient-led. Appointments are longer so concerns can be talked through properly, treatment is explained in plain language, and nothing is rushed — with breaks during longer procedures whenever you need them.
We welcome private patients from Hythe and across Southampton — whether you're registering as a new patient or visiting for a single course of treatment while staying with your current dentist.
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Learn more about Waterside
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"I firmly believe that dentistry doesn't have to be unpleasant or scary, and that often it can be life-changing."

DR NIKOS LOUSKOS

Our Principal Dentist

Meet Dr Nikos Louskos.

DDS · MSc Endodontics · GDC No. 102626
Principal dentist and practice owner, with a special interest in endodontics.
Dr Nikos Louskos qualified in Athens in 2005 and moved to the UK in 2006. He worked as an associate at Waterside before taking ownership of the practice in 2017.
In 2016 he completed a Master's in Endodontic Practice at Queen Mary University of London. He accepts referrals for complex root canal cases, which he treats under a microscope, and enjoys all aspects of general dentistry.
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Meet our team
Our pricing

Clear fees &
 payment options.

Nobody wants surprises after a dental visit. You'll get an itemised treatment plan with exact costs before anything begins, plus monthly payment options to spread the cost.

Treatment Fees

See our full, itemised price list — every treatment, clearly costed.
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Dental Plan

Spread routine care with our monthly practice plan and unlock member discounts.
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Finance is provided by Tabeo and is interest-bearing from 9.9% APR. Practice-plan discounts apply to selected treatments — full terms are listed on the Fees and Plans pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions patients ask us.

A few of the things patients ask us most often. If your question isn't here, just get in touch — we're happy to talk it through.

It is a gentle, conservative way to improve the look of a tooth that is chipped, uneven, cracked, worn or discoloured. Your dentist builds up a tooth-coloured resin on the tooth and shapes it to match, usually with no drilling. It is also known as resin bonding or cosmetic bonding.

With good care, bonded teeth usually last around five to six years before they need a repair or a polish. Keeping to a good daily cleaning routine makes a real difference to how long bonding lasts.

It is long-lasting but not fully permanent. The resin is not as strong or as stain-resistant as your natural tooth enamel, so it can chip or discolour over time and may need topping up or replacing.

Usually not. Because so little is done to the tooth, an injection is often not needed at all. If a tooth does need numbing, we use The Wand, which numbs you without the big needle or the sting. Tell us if you are nervous and we will take it at your pace.

The pros are that it costs less than more involved treatments, very little of your natural tooth is removed, it is often finished in a single visit, and an injection is often not needed. The cons are that bonding does not last as long as some alternatives, the bonded area can be more prone to chips, and the material stains more easily than options like porcelain.

It depends on what you want to change. Bonding is a good, gentle fix for a chip, a small gap or a worn edge, often in one visit. Veneers especially porcelain, tend to last longer and resist staining better, and can be a better choice for changing several teeth at once. We will talk you through which suits your teeth and your budget.

It can over time, more so than porcelain, especially with a lot of tea, coffee, red wine or smoking. Good daily cleaning and routine visits help keep it looking fresh, and we can polish or repair bonding when it needs it.

Treat them like your natural teeth: daily brushing, cleaning between the teeth, a healthy diet and routine dental visits. Try not to use your front teeth as tools, for example to open packaging, as that is a common way to chip bonding.

Yes. We are a private practice and we publish our prices, so you get an itemised cost before anything starts. You can pay using finance, and our Practice Plan lets you spread the cost of routine care across the year with a simple monthly payment.
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Get in Touch

Book, or just ask us a question.

Whether you'd like to book or just have a question about treatment, send us a message and a member of the team will get back to you — the same day wherever we can.

Waterside Dental Practice

Visit us

40 Langdown Lawn, Hythe,
Southampton, SO45 5GR

Call

023 8084 3318

Visit us

admin@watersidedental.co.uk

Opening hours

Monday–Friday · 9:00–17:30

Send us a message

We'll get back to you the same day wherever we can.

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A private dental practice in Hythe, Southampton — owned and led by Dr Nikos Louskos. Calm, unhurried care for nervous patients and complex referrals.
Waterside Dental Practice is a part of the TDMP Group Ltd
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40 Langdown Lawn,
Hythe, Southampton,
SO45 5GR
01243 775545 admin@watersidedental.co.uk
Mon–Fri · 9:00–17:30
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