Cosmetic dentistry

Most people come in with one of a handful of complaints:

• Yellow, brown or uneven color
• A chipped, cracked or worn tooth
• Small gaps between front teeth
• Teeth that look too short, uneven or oddly shaped
• Dark metal fillings or crowns that show when you laugh
• Crooked or crowded teeth

• Whitening: lightens natural teeth with no drilling. In-office ZOOM whitening can brighten teeth by up to eight shades in one visit.
• Bonding: tooth-colored resin sculpted onto a tooth to fix a chip, close a small gap, or even out a shape. Usually about an hour, in one appointment.
• Tooth-colored fillings and metal-free crowns: replace dark metal with material that matches your teeth, while keeping the tooth strong.
• Porcelain veneers: thin shells bonded to the front of teeth to change their color and shape together. Usually two visits.
• Invisalign: when the real issue is position, moving the teeth can be a better answer than covering them.

Bonding is often the quickest way to fix the one thing you notice most. The dentist lightly roughens the tooth surface, applies tooth-colored composite resin, shapes it by hand, hardens it with a curing light, and polishes it to blend in. There's usually no numbing and no lab, and you leave with the result the same day.

It's ideal for a small chip, a narrow gap, a short or uneven edge, or a small stain. The tradeoff is that resin isn't as strong or stain resistant as porcelain, so bonding may need touching up or replacing after some years. For one or two small fixes, it's often the best value in cosmetic dentistry.

Silver fillings and metal-based crowns did their job for decades, but they show every time you open your mouth. Today we repair cavities with tooth-colored composite and cover larger damage with natural-looking porcelain crowns, including metal-free crowns for front teeth where looks matter most.

If an old metal filling is failing, replacing it is both a repair and an upgrade. If it's still sound, we'll tell you that honestly, and you can decide whether the look is worth changing.

ZOOM in-office whitening uses a light-activated gel to lift stains in a single visit. It changes natural enamel only, so crowns, fillings and veneers keep their shade.

Porcelain veneers cover the front of the tooth and can change color, shape and small gaps at once. A thin layer of enamel is removed, the lab makes them in about two weeks while you wear temporaries, and they can last well over a decade with good care. Each has its own page with the full details.

If your teeth are crowded or turned, veneers can mask it, but only by reshaping healthy teeth. Invisalign moves the teeth themselves, so the result is your own enamel in a better position. Many people straighten first, then whiten, and find they don't need anything more. We'll show you both paths when it applies.

Start by telling us what bothers you when you look in the mirror, or bring a photo of a smile you like. We look at your teeth and gums, check your bite, and take x-rays if they're due. Then we lay out the options that would actually address what you noticed, from the least involved to the most, with the price of each in writing.

Healthy comes first. If there's decay or gum disease, we treat that before any cosmetic work so the results last. And if a small change would get you most of the way, we'll say so. This is a conversation, not a sales pitch.

When a plan uses more than one treatment, order matters:

• Treat cavities and gum problems first.
• Straighten next, if you're straightening, so later work fits teeth in their final position.
• Whiten before any new bonding, veneers or crowns, because those are matched to your natural shade and won't whiten later.
• Finish with bonding, veneers or crowns, shaded to your brighter teeth.

Most plans don't cover treatment done purely for looks, like whitening or veneers on healthy teeth. Some treatments are partly covered because they also restore function, such as a crown on a cracked tooth or a filling that replaces a failing one. We check your plan and tell you what applies before you decide.

For the rest, Sunbit and Cherry offer monthly payments you can apply for in the office in a few minutes. You'll always see the full price in writing first.

Cosmetic work lasts longest with the same habits that protect natural teeth: brushing twice a day, flossing, and cleanings every six months. Go easy on ice and hard candy, don't open things with your teeth, and wear a night guard if you grind. Coffee, tea and red wine stain resin and natural enamel over time, so rinse with water after, and plan an occasional whitening touch-up.