Cosmetic Dentistry – Lebanon, NH
Enjoy a Dazzlingly Confident Smile
Your smile is a clear reflection of your personality and your emotions – in fact, it’s likely the first thing someone else will notice about you when meeting for the first time. At Santavicca Dental Professionals, our caring team wants to help you achieve your ideal look and the high level of self-confidence you deserve through personalized cosmetic dentistry. Our recommended services will be an ideal match for your personal goals and preferences, and oral health and durability will be prioritized in addition to aesthetic value. We look forward to welcoming you into our Lebanon, NH dental office for an initial consultation!
Porcelain Veneers
Do you have several dental flaws that you’d like to address? Porcelain veneers may be the right solution for patients who are interested in a comprehensive way to refresh their appearance instead of undergoing several different procedures. These restorations are crafted from high-quality materials to be an ideal match for natural tooth enamel in the form of very thin shells – thin enough that they can cover the visible surfaces of your smile seamlessly, hiding stains, chips, cracks, misaligned teeth, gaps, and more.
Learn More About Porcelain VeneersMetal-Free Dental Restorations
When a patient is in need of a new dental crown, inlay, onlay, or other restoration, we are happy to offer image-friendly materials that can help them maintain their smile’s natural appearance. These ceramics are 100% biocompatible and so precisely matched to tooth enamel that they even reflect light in the same way. We can create them in the traditional manner (through lab fabrication) or with the help of our same-day CEREC technology for faster results.
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Dental Bonding
Our doctors may recommend direct bonding for relatively minor cosmetic issues, such as small gaps between teeth, tiny chips in the enamel, or the presence of discolored spots. This procedure only takes one appointment of a patient’s time in most cases. Composite resin (carefully shaded to match with the patient’s natural smile) is applied to the tooth surface and then artistically sculpted into place over the flaw in question before being hardened. These improvements can last for several years at a time with the help of regular professional dental checkups and a good oral hygiene routine at home.
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Teeth Whitening
Over the years, it’s likely that most patients will notice that their smile loses some of its natural glow. Stains and yellow discoloration may arise as well. This can happen for a number of reasons, from diet to oral hygiene to completely unavoidable factors like age and genetics.
Here in Lebanon, our team can help you reclaim a beautifully bright look with professional teeth whitening solutions! ZOOM! In-Office Whitening can improve enamel by several shades in a single appointment, while a ZOOM! take-home kit could be the right choice for a patient who would prefer a more gradual and flexible treatment experience.
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Gum Recontouring
If you feel that your smile looks overly short or uneven, consider undergoing aesthetic gum recontouring with our state-of-the-art SIROLaser. During this procedure, our team will carefully sculpt the natural gum line in order to remove any excessive tissue, reveal beautiful dental structure hidden underneath, and correct any symmetrical imbalances. This instrument’s concentrated beam is very precise, and patients will recover quickly from the comfortable experience as well.
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Smile Makeover
If you have multiple aesthetic flaws in your smile, we may recommend our smile makeover service. This is not specific treatment. Rather, it is a customized treatment plan that can utilize several different procedures to give your teeth the flawless appearance you have always wanted. For example, it may involve teeth whitening, veneers, and gum recontouring. A thoughtful combination of enhancements is often the best way to achieve your desired results.
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Understanding the Cost of Cosmetic Dentistry
We understand that many patients are concerned about the cost of cosmetic dentistry, especially since dental insurance rarely covers aesthetic services. We want you to be sure that enhancing your smile is a wise decision, so you can expect us to be upfront with you about pricing. We will also help you choose a service that works with your budget and goals.
Which Cosmetic Dental Service Is Right for Me?
When patients wish to undergo cosmetic services, they usually want to accomplish one or more of the following: whiter teeth, straighter teeth, and/or differently sized or shaped teeth. We offer numerous treatments at various price points that can help with those goals:
- Direct bonding. Also known as dental bonding or cosmetic bonding, this service uses a tooth-colored composite resin to hide aesthetic flaws in teeth. It tends to be quite affordable, although its results may last for just a few years.
- Teeth whitening. Whitening services are an excellent way to address stubborn dental discoloration. They can also cost as little as a few hundred dollars. However, whitening does not enhance the shape or positioning of teeth.
- Veneers are custom-made pieces of porcelain that hide a range of imperfections in teeth. They can cost several thousand dollars, but they are a good value because they have the potential to last for 10 years or longer.
- Invisalign clear aligners are great for patients who have a degree of dental misalignment. Treatment can cost a few thousand dollars and may span the course of several months or longer.
- Smile makeover. A smile makeover combines multiple cosmetic services. This is the most expensive cosmetic option, but it is also the most efficient means to achieve a total smile transformation.
Cosmetic Dentistry Can Be an Investment Worth Making
Many patients who have undergone cosmetic services would say that they have no regrets about their decision. They have experienced outstanding benefits, such as:
- Improved confidence. It may become easier for you to have meaningful interactions in social situations.
- Improved oral health. Following cosmetic treatments, many people find that they are motivated to take better care of their teeth and gums.
- Heightened career success. An attractive smile may give others the impression that you are successful, approachable, and full of youthful energy.
How to Make Cosmetic Dentistry Affordable
Dental insurance almost never covers services that are deemed to be purely cosmetic, such as veneers and teeth whitening. However, your policy might cover some treatments that have cosmetic benefits but are primarily for oral health, such as metal-free restorations. Our team welcomes insurance, and we can help you figure out how your benefits may apply in any given situation.
Beyond insurance, we may be able to help you afford your cosmetic treatment by using other means, such as:
- Most patients are eligible for low-interest financing through a third-party company, such as CareCredit or Sunbit. Applying is easy, and you may be able to choose a monthly payment amount that fits your budget.
- Essential Dental plan. This discount plan provides reduced fees for most of the services available in our practice.
Would you like to learn more about the cost of cosmetic dentistry? Get in touch with our team to ask questions. We are eager to speak with you!
Cosmetic Dentistry FAQs
The experts at Santavicca Dental Professionals are proud to provide top-quality cosmetic care for individuals in our community. If you want to enhance your smile, we would love to assist you! Before you book your consultation, though, you may want to learn more about the path in front of you. To assist you, we have compiled a list of answers to some FAQs about cosmetic dentistry. If your specific questions are not included here, give us a call. We will be happy to speak with you!
Is Cosmetic Dentistry Expensive?
Cosmetic dental services come at a range of price points. Options like teeth whitening and dental bonding may cost just a few hundred dollars, whereas a complete smile makeover may total tens of thousands of dollars.
Whether or not you classify cosmetic dentistry as “expensive” is really a matter of personal perspective. Many patients who have invested in these treatments feel that they are excellent value. After all, cosmetic dentistry can do more than enhance your appearance. It has the potential to provide years of increased confidence!
Is Cosmetic Dentistry Covered by Insurance?
Most cosmetic dental services, such as teeth whitening and veneers, are classified as purely elective. Therefore, dental insurance almost never covers them.
Dental insurance sometimes covers treatments that are beneficial for both a patient’s oral health and their smile’s appearance. For example, your policy might cover metal-free crowns if you have one or more badly damaged teeth.
Our team welcomes insurance, and we can help you figure out how your benefits may apply in any given situation.
Is Cosmetic Dentistry Safe?
Cosmetic dentistry involves very few risks. As long as you entrust your care to a qualified dental team, there is only a slim chance that something could go seriously wrong. If you have any concerns about the potential downsides of any treatment, our team can provide detailed information.
Cosmetic dentistry may not be safe if it is performed by someone who is not qualified to provide treatment, or if the products used are not properly vetted. You should always partner with a reputable dentist and be cautious about which DIY treatments you perform at home. For example, you would never want to use an extremely abrasive substance in an attempt to whiten your teeth.
How Long Does Cosmetic Dentistry Last?
How long your results will last depends on the specific treatment you underwent and how you care for your mouth on a daily basis. Teeth whitening may last for anywhere from a few months to a few years, whereas veneers may endure for 10 – 20 years. Some treatments, such as gum recontouring, are likely to provide permanent results.
To help your new look last as long as possible, you should avoid smoking, eat a reasonable diet, adhere to an excellent oral hygiene routine, and visit our practice for a checkup and cleaning twice each year.