Cosmetic dentistry is dental treatment that improves how your teeth look, including their color, shape, spacing and alignment. Redondo Beach Dental Group provides cosmetic dentistry at our office on Artesia Boulevard in Redondo Beach, a short drive from Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Torrance.
If something about your smile bothers you, you are not alone. In a 2015 national survey by the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute, about one in four U.S. adults said they avoid smiling because of the condition of their mouth and teeth. Call (310) 542-6988 to talk about what you would like to change.
How to Choose the Right Cosmetic Treatment
Most people come in knowing what bothers them rather than which treatment they want. The problem you see is the best place to start, because each concern has a usual first option and a reason to go further:
- For yellow or stained teeth, whitening is usually the first step for natural teeth stained by coffee, tea, wine, tobacco or age. A single dark tooth, or gray discoloration that whitening cannot reach, is often better covered with bonding or a veneer.
- For a small chip or a narrow gap, bonding adds tooth-colored resin to the tooth and typically needs little or no drilling, which makes it a conservative place to start.
- When several teeth are worn, uneven or badly stained, porcelain veneers cover the front of the teeth and resist staining. They usually mean removing a thin layer of enamel, so they are a long-term decision.
- For crooked or crowded teeth, straightening with clear aligners moves the teeth themselves. Doing this first can mean less tooth needs reshaping later for bonding or veneers.
- Replacing a missing tooth is restorative work, and an implant or bridge is planned with the look of your smile in mind.
- If you have more than one of these concerns, a combined plan puts the steps in the right order so one treatment does not undo another.
Order matters because crowns, veneers, bonding and tooth-colored fillings keep the color they are made in. Whitening gel lightens natural enamel only. If you plan to whiten, do it first and let the shade settle, then have any new bonding, veneers or crowns matched to the brighter color.
Health comes before appearance
Cosmetic work lasts longer on healthy teeth and gums. A cavity under new bonding, or gum disease around a new veneer, can undo the result and cost more to fix later. That is why an exam, and often a dental cleaning and exam, comes before any cosmetic plan. Surface stain and tartar removed at a cleaning can also make your teeth look noticeably lighter before whitening even starts.
Cosmetic Treatments at Redondo Beach Dental Group
Teeth whitening
Teeth whitening lightens the natural color of your teeth with a peroxide gel, using the NiteWhite or DayWhite take-home systems. It suits people whose teeth are healthy and stained by food, drink, tobacco or age, and anyone planning other cosmetic work who wants to set the shade first.
Dental bonding
Dental bonding uses a tooth-colored composite resin that is shaped onto the tooth, hardened and polished, usually in one visit. It is a good fit for a chipped edge, a small gap or a tooth with an uneven shape, especially if you want to keep as much natural tooth as possible.
Porcelain veneers
Porcelain veneers are thin, custom-made shells bonded to the front of the teeth. They are for people who want to change the color, shape or spacing of several front teeth at once, or who have deep stains that whitening will not lift. Porcelain resists staining better than natural enamel.
Invisalign clear aligners
Invisalign® clear aligners straighten teeth gradually with a series of removable plastic trays. They suit adults and many teenagers with mild to moderate crowding or gaps who can wear the aligners for most of the day.
Smile makeover
A smile makeover combines cosmetic and restorative treatments in one plan. It is for patients with several concerns at once, such as staining, chips and a missing or damaged tooth, who want the work planned together and done in a sensible order.
Related treatments
Some cosmetic goals are reached with restorative work or other dental services. A tooth with a large old filling or a crack may need a crown, and a same-day dental crown is milled from tooth-colored ceramic in our office during one visit. A missing tooth can be replaced with dental implants. When gum tissue covers too much of a tooth, crown lengthening removes some of it, which can help with appearance as well as make room for a restoration.
What Cosmetic Dentistry Costs
The cost of cosmetic dentistry depends on which treatment you choose, how many teeth are involved, the material, and whether other work such as a filling or gum treatment is needed first. Whitening and bonding generally cost less than porcelain veneers, which are made individually for each tooth. A same-day crown at our office typically costs between $1,200 and $2,000 per tooth before insurance. For every other treatment, ask for an estimate at your consultation so you know the full number before you commit.
Dental insurance usually treats work done only to change appearance as elective, so whitening and veneers placed for looks are often not covered. Treatment that also repairs damage, such as a crown on a cracked tooth or bonding on a broken edge, may be partly covered. We accept PPO plans, so ask us how your plan applies to the treatment you are considering. For the balance, we offer payment plans through Cherry, CareCredit and LendingClub, plus an in-office plan for patients without insurance.
Who You Will See
Dr. Moshe Eizdi leads care at Redondo Beach Dental Group. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Southern California, where he graduated with honors, and his work covers cosmetic and restorative dentistry, including implant restorations. Cosmetic dentistry is not one of the dental specialties recognized through the American Dental Association’s specialty commission, so there is no separate cosmetic specialist license. The same team that provides cosmetic care also handles the fillings, crowns and gum care that keep the result healthy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does cosmetic dentistry usually cost?
The cost of cosmetic dentistry depends on the treatment, the number of teeth and the material. Whitening and bonding are usually the least expensive options, and porcelain veneers cost more because each one is made for a single tooth. At Redondo Beach Dental Group, a same-day crown typically costs $1,200 to $2,000 per tooth before insurance, and you can ask for an estimate for any other treatment.
Is there a difference between a regular dentist and a cosmetic dentist?
A cosmetic dentist is usually a general dentist who provides cosmetic treatments such as whitening, bonding and veneers. Cosmetic dentistry is not one of the dental specialties recognized through the American Dental Association’s specialty commission, so there is no separate cosmetic specialist license. Ask any dentist how often they do the treatment you want.
What do dentists recommend instead of veneers?
Dentists often suggest whitening, bonding or clear aligners before veneers. Whitening can lift stains on natural teeth, bonding can fix chips and small gaps with little or no drilling, and aligners can straighten teeth without covering them. Veneers make more sense when several front teeth need a change in color and shape at once.
What are the downsides of veneers and other cosmetic work?
The main downside of porcelain veneers is that they usually require removing a thin layer of enamel, so the decision is long term. Bonding can stain and chip more easily than porcelain. None of these restorations whitens, and any of them may need repair or replacement over time. Your dentist can explain the trade-offs for your teeth.
Does dental insurance cover cosmetic dentistry?
Dental insurance usually does not cover treatment done only to improve appearance, such as whitening. Work that also repairs damage, like a crown on a cracked tooth or bonding on a broken edge, may be partly covered. Redondo Beach Dental Group accepts PPO plans, so ask how your plan applies to the treatment you are considering.
Can you whiten veneers, crowns or bonding?
Veneers, crowns, bonding and tooth-colored fillings do not get lighter with whitening gel, which only changes natural tooth enamel. If you want whiter teeth and new cosmetic work, whiten first and have the new restorations matched to the brighter shade.
Which cosmetic treatment should I start with?
The right cosmetic treatment to start with depends on what bothers you most and on the health of your teeth and gums. Any decay or gum problems are treated first. After that, the usual order is straightening, then whitening, then bonding, veneers or crowns matched to the final shade.
Book a Cosmetic Consultation in Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach Dental Group is at 2511 Artesia Blvd, Redondo Beach, CA 90278. We are open Monday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Wednesday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call (310) 542-6988 or request an appointment online and tell us what you would like to change.