Downtown Dental Excellence offers Cosmetic Dentistry in Cleveland, TX

There’s nothing quite like a great smile. A smile is often the first thing that people notice when they see each other. That’s why many people want the best looking smile possible. While brushing, flossing and overall good oral care can improve the quality of a smile, sometimes a cosmetic procedure is needed to improve a smile, and make it as bright, straight and white as it can be. For those procedures, you’ll want to find a great cosmetic dentist.

Choose Downtown Dental Excellence for your Cosmetic Dentistry needs today. 

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What is Cosmetic Dentistry?

Cosmetic dentistry is a large field, which is comprised of many different procedures. Essentially, anything that can improve the appearance of a patient’s teeth may fall under the title, “cosmetic dentistry.” This includes procedures that serve a practical purpose, and improve the patient’s overall oral health.

Call Downtown Dental Excellence Today! (281) 592-0597

What Are the Different Procedures and Their Costs?

There is a large variety of cosmetic dentistry procedures that are available to patients—all with their various costs. Below are some examples of dental procedures a cosmetic dentist can perform, and the costs associated with those procedures:

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening often comes to mind when people think of cosmetic dentistry. This is because whitening is essentially a purely cosmetic procedure—although it can help to boost a patient’s self-confidence and pride in their smile.

The price of teeth whitening varies, and is mainly influenced by where the whitening takes place. If the patient opts for at-home trays, the cost may be as low as $250. If the patient instead wants the help of a cosmetic dentist with the whitening process, they may opt for in-office whitening. This often costs around $350.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are a perfect example of a procedure that has both practical and cosmetic functions. A missing tooth can cause a patient to be self-conscious. It can also end up causing bone loss, which can change the actual look of a patient’s face! Dental implants help to complete a smile, while also improving a patient’s bite. Implants can also help a patient to avoid bone loss and teeth migration.

Implants involve a titanium rod being installed into the jawbone of the patient. An abutment is then attached to the rod, which holds in place the prosthetic tooth. Because the titanium rod needs to be installed into the jawbone, the bone needs to be strong enough to support the rod. If it is not, dental implants are not an option.

Dental implants will often cost as much as $1,700 to $1,800 per tooth.

Invisalign

Invisalign is an excellent alternative to traditional metal braces when it comes to fixing alignment issues with teeth. Invisalign braces can often be used to treat crooked teeth, crowding, gaps in teeth and even overbites or underbites.

Many people prefer Invisalign braces because of how difficult they are to notice. Because they are made with clear plastic, they often appear invisible. They are also extremely durable, and are easy to take out. This allows patients to eat, brush their teeth and floss—all without having to worry about having leftover food stuck in their braces!

It is important to note that Invisalign braces are more expensive than traditional braces, and will often start around $2,800.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding involves the bonding of a ceramic piece to a tooth to cover up cosmetic damage—such as a small crack in a tooth, discoloration and a chip in a tooth. Dental bonding is a less expensive cosmetic procedure—generally only costing around $150 to $400 per tooth.

Porcelain Veneers

When damage is beyond what dental bonding can repair, veneers may be the best option. Veneers are also used to treat cracks, chips and discoloration. They generally cost between $900 and $1,200 per tooth.

Crown Lengthening

Crown lengthening can be used both for practical and cosmetic reasons. While crown lengthening is often used to reach decay or fix a tooth that has been damaged below the gum line, it can also be used to treat what are called, “gummy teeth.” These are teeth that are covered more by the gums than usual.

Crown lengthening may cost anywhere between $1,000 and $4,000. The cost is generally higher when the lengthening is done for non-cosmetic reasons, as tooth repair and even replacement is necessary.

Can My Dentist Perform This Dentistry?

Because cosmetic dentistry is made up of a variety of different procedures, whether or not the cosmetic procedure that you are looking for can be provided by your general dentist depends on the procedure. For instance, a lot of dentists are able to provide dental bonding and even dental implants. For braces and Invisalign, though, a trained orthodontist will be required.

How Do I Find a Cosmetic Dentist?

Finding a cosmetic dentist is actually really easy! It’s finding the right one for you that is more difficult.

In order to decide if a cosmetic dentist is right for you, consider their level of experience, their accreditations, their level of training and how often they provide the procedure that you are looking for. While many dentists list cosmetic services as services that they can complete, those services may not be the bulk of what they do. Because of this, you’ll want to ask about how often they provide that particular service, and if they have any “before and after” pictures that they can provide for you.

If your general dentist is unable to provide the cosmetic service that you are looking for, ask if they can refer you to a great cosmetic dentist. It is likely that they’ll know someone in the field of cosmetic dentistry that is right for your needs.

Call Downtown Dental Excellence Today! (281) 592-0597

Is Cosmetic Dentistry Covered by My Insurance?

Whether or not a cosmetic procedure is covered by your insurance depends greatly on the service that is being provided, and your insurance coverage. Many services are necessary for oral health (like tooth implants), but others aren’t. Speak with your insurance company about coverage for cosmetic procedures.

Improve the look of your teeth and smile bright with the help of cosmetic dentistry.