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Cosmetic Dentistry

A confident smile shapes how others see you and how you feel about yourself. When teeth look healthy and balanced, people tend to smile more freely, speak with greater ease, and make stronger first impressions. Cosmetic dentistry is about more than appearance; thoughtful aesthetic improvements can also support oral function and long-term dental health.

Many people feel held back by stained, chipped, worn, or uneven teeth. Modern cosmetic dentistry offers precise, conservative options to address those concerns—often with predictable, natural-looking outcomes. Whether someone wants a subtle refresh or a more extensive transformation, the goal is the same: a smile that suits the person and their lifestyle.

How cosmetic dentistry creates meaningful change

Cosmetic dentistry blends technical skill with an eye for proportion, color, and harmony. Treatments target the aspects of your smile that you notice most—shape, shade, spacing, and symmetry—and bring them into balance with the rest of your facial features. The process begins with listening: understanding what you want to change and why those changes matter to you.

From single-tooth enhancements to full smile makeovers, our approach favors conservative, evidence-based techniques that preserve healthy tooth structure whenever possible. We evaluate each case through both an aesthetic and functional lens, ensuring that improvements look beautiful and contribute to a reliable bite and long-term stability.

Patients appreciate cosmetic care that feels planned and intentional rather than hurried. We take time to discuss realistic outcomes, review photographic examples, and outline the sequence of care so you understand each step. When cosmetic dentistry is executed thoughtfully, the result is a natural, confident smile that complements your appearance without looking artificial.

Dentistry on the Square | Dental Fillings, Crowns and Dental Bridges

Personalized planning: the roadmap to a successful result

Good cosmetic outcomes start with careful planning. We combine a visual assessment with digital imaging and, when appropriate, models of your teeth to map out changes before any irreversible work begins. This planning phase helps align your goals with clinical possibilities and highlights any functional considerations that could affect long-term success.

Dentistry on the Square emphasizes clear communication and collaboration during planning. We discuss color options, shapes, and the expected lifespan of different materials, and we tailor treatment sequences to fit your schedule and oral health needs. That collaborative process reduces surprises and increases the likelihood that you’ll be pleased with the final result.

When more than one treatment is needed—such as whitening followed by veneers or crowns—planning ensures the pieces fit together smoothly. Attention to proportion, symmetry, and how teeth interact when you bite and smile makes the difference between a good result and a truly great one.

Practical options that improve appearance and function

Cosmetic procedures vary in scope from quick, minimally invasive options to more comprehensive restorative care. Minimally invasive treatments can address common concerns like minor chips, surface stains, and small gaps with little to no removal of healthy tooth structure. More extensive restorations restore form and function while also delivering meaningful aesthetic improvement.

Wherever possible we prioritize techniques that are durable and reversible or that preserve tooth structure. For example, tooth-colored composite can be used to reshape a tooth in a single visit, while porcelain veneers and crowns offer longer-term solutions for more pronounced aesthetic issues. Each option has trade-offs in terms of longevity, maintenance, and required preparation, and we explain those trade-offs clearly.

Professional teeth whitening remains one of the most efficient ways to refresh a smile, but when stains are intrinsic or structural, restorative approaches such as veneers or crowns may be more appropriate. The decision is based on the specific condition of the teeth and the visual objectives discussed during planning.

Dentistry on the Square | Dermal Fillers, Dental Bridges and Dental Fillings

Common treatments explained in plain terms

There are reliable, well-established procedures that address most cosmetic concerns. Below are some of the approaches commonly used to improve smile appearance. Each entry describes what you can expect and why a clinician might recommend it based on the condition being treated.

Our recommendations are individualized: the best choice for one patient may not be ideal for another. We consider tooth health, how long you want results to last, and how a treatment will fit into your daily life.

Popular cosmetic services we provide

  • Composite bonding for small repairs

    Composite bonding uses tooth-colored resin to repair chips, close narrow gaps, and smooth irregular edges. Performed in a single visit, bonding is shaped and polished to match adjacent teeth and requires minimal alteration of the natural tooth. It's an efficient way to make discreet improvements while preserving enamel.

  • Tooth-colored restorations

    When decay or damage needs addressing, modern composite materials rebuild the tooth without metal. These restorations bond to the remaining structure, restore proper form, and blend visually with the surrounding teeth. They’re strong, aesthetic, and designed to maintain a natural appearance during everyday use.

  • Professional whitening for brighter enamel

    Professional whitening systems safely lighten tooth shade under dentist supervision, producing more consistent and predictable results than many over-the-counter products. Supervised whitening also helps manage sensitivity concerns and ensures the process is applied in a way that supports overall dental health.

  • Porcelain veneers for comprehensive reshaping

    Veneers are ultra-thin porcelain shells bonded to the front surfaces of teeth to change their color, shape, and proportions. They can provide dramatic visual improvement while appearing highly natural when crafted and placed with careful attention to color and translucency.

  • Full-coverage crowns when a tooth needs rebuilding

    When a tooth is significantly worn, stained, fractured, or has undergone root canal therapy, a full-coverage crown restores both appearance and strength. Today's ceramic crowns can be matched to adjacent teeth and engineered to handle normal biting forces for many years.

Dentistry on the Square | Preventative Program, Digital Radiography and Veneers

Restoring missing teeth and rebuilding a complete smile

Losing one or more teeth can change how your smile looks and how your bite functions. Replacing missing teeth is often an important part of a cosmetic plan, not only for appearance but also to maintain proper tooth alignment and facial support. Options range from fixed bridges and removable prosthetics to implant-based solutions that emulate natural tooth roots.

Implant restorations can provide a long-term path to a stable, natural-feeling smile when conditions permit, while bridges and dentures remain valuable, predictable choices in other situations. The right option depends on bone support, adjacent teeth, and your goals for appearance and function.

Regardless of which route you take, integrating replacement teeth into a comprehensive aesthetic plan ensures color, shape, and alignment match naturally with your existing teeth. Thoughtful coordination between restorative and cosmetic steps delivers seamless, balanced results.

Working together to reach your cosmetic goals

A satisfying cosmetic result is the product of clear expectations, careful planning, and skilled execution. During consultations we review what matters most to you, examine the health and function of your teeth, and explain realistic options for achieving your objectives. Your input helps guide the final decisions about shade, contour, and timing.

Our team stays current with advances in materials and techniques so patients receive treatments that are both attractive and durable. We prioritize minimally invasive approaches whenever feasible and recommend restorative solutions that support oral health alongside improved aesthetics.

Whether you want to brighten a few teeth or design an entirely new smile, cosmetic dentistry can make a significant difference in how you look and feel. If you’d like to learn more about how different treatments might apply to your situation, please contact us for more information.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is cosmetic dentistry?

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Cosmetic dentistry offers solutions to improve the look of teeth that are stained, discolored, chipped, worn down, misshapen, a little gapped, or misaligned. It combines the art and science of dentistry to transform a less-than-perfect smile into one that looks naturally beautiful while at the same time enhancing overall facial aesthetics.

What's the quickest way to improve the look of my smile?

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The great thing about cosmetic dentistry is that it offers multiple solutions to quickly improve the look of one’s smile. It all depends on your specific dental needs and cosmetic smile goals. While procedures such as teeth-whitening, tooth-colored fillings, and dental bonding typically provide dramatic improvements in just a single visit, others such as dental veneers only take a couple of visits.

What's the best way to improve the look of dull, drab, or discolored teeth?

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A teeth whitening procedure as provided by our office is often the simplest, quickest, and most effective way to significantly lighten and brighten your smile.

How can dental veneers improve the look of my smile?

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Porcelain veneers are capable of concealing a range of imperfections, dramatically improving the look of teeth that are misshapen, have minor chips, enamel defects, or stains. They also provide an excellent solution for closing small gaps as well as addressing other minor alignment issues. While teeth whitening procedures can effectively treat many cases of dental stains or discolorations to produce cosmetically pleasing results, darker stains, as well as specific issues involving the size, shape, and alignment of the teeth, are better addressed with porcelain veneers.

What type of cosmetic restoration is possible for a back tooth?

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How a back tooth is repaired and restored depends on the extent of the cavity or damage it has sustained. In many cases, a tooth-colored filling is often sufficient to restore the form and function of a back tooth. However, when a significant amount of tooth structure is damaged, or the tooth has had a root canal, it’s often necessary to fabricate a full coverage crown. In this way, the remaining tooth structure is protected from further damage while full function and a natural-looking smile is restored.

Does a tooth that is chipped require a crown?

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Whether or not a chipped or fractured tooth requires a dental crown depends on the extent of the damage. Some minor chips can be addressed with a dental bonding procedure or a veneer. When a significant amount of tooth structure is lost, rebuilding the form and function of the involved tooth may require a full coverage crown.

What's the most cosmetic solution for replacing missing teeth?

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While conventional dental bridges and dentures offer effective and satisfying ways to rebuild a complete and attractive smile, dental implants represent the most advanced solutions for replacing missing teeth. With dental implants, our office can replace a single tooth or multiple ones to give you a smile that feels, looks, and functions like a natural one. Dental implants behave in much the same way as the root of an actual tooth, providing stable, secure, and long-lasting results of care.

How long does a tooth whitening last?

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How long your teeth whitening lasts depends on your lifestyle. Eating, drinking, and smoking habits can have a big impact on maintaining your result. Our office will inform you which food, beverages, or habits can stain your newly whitened smile. As needed, we’ll also help you maintain a white and vibrant smile with a periodic, safe, and effective touch-up whitening procedure.

How much do cosmetic dental procedures cost?

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At the office of Dentistry on the Square, we want every patient to enjoy the benefits of a beautiful and healthy smile. We strive to make dental care affordable and accessible. Improving the look of your smile is a worthwhile investment, and we always try to optimize any dental insurance benefits to cover your work. However, it’s essential to keep in mind that cosmetic dental procedures may not be covered by your plan. You can count on our office to explain every cosmetic option available to address your needs and the fees involved. To help you begin care without any additional stress or delay, we can discuss different payment options and financing plans.

Why choose the office of Dentistry on the Square?

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Although achieving aesthetically pleasing and long-lasting results of care requires knowledge, experience, and technical proficiency, it also calls for a professional with an artistic eye and awareness of facial aesthetics. At the office of Dentistry on the Square, we successfully combine the art and science of dentistry to create smiles that are as beautiful as they are healthy. From performing professional teeth whitening procedures, fabricating custom dental veneers or crowns to rebuilding complete and beautiful smiles with dental implants and much more, we’re well equipped to transform less-than-perfect smiles into ones that look good and feel great.

What is cosmetic dentistry?

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Cosmetic dentistry focuses on improving the appearance of teeth, gums and overall smile aesthetics through a range of elective procedures. Many treatments in cosmetic dentistry also restore form and function while placing strong emphasis on natural-looking results. The goal is to create a balanced, healthy smile that complements facial features and supports long-term oral health.

Cosmetic care can be delivered as standalone procedures or combined into a comprehensive smile makeover tailored to the patient. Treatments are selected based on the specific concerns, anatomy of the teeth, and the desired outcome. A cosmetic plan typically integrates clinical assessment with an understanding of proportions, color, and alignment for predictable, pleasing results.

Who is a good candidate for cosmetic dental treatments?

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Good candidates for cosmetic dentistry are people with stable oral health who want to address stains, chips, gaps, misalignment or the shape of their teeth. A thorough dental exam is required to identify any untreated decay, gum disease, or other issues that should be addressed before cosmetic work begins. Patients with realistic expectations and a commitment to oral hygiene generally achieve the best long-term outcomes.

A candidacy assessment also considers bite function, tooth wear patterns and any parafunctional habits such as grinding. Medical and dental history, along with imaging, help the clinician determine which procedures are appropriate and safe. When necessary, the treatment plan may include restorative steps to prepare the mouth for cosmetic enhancements.

What are the most common cosmetic dental procedures?

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Common cosmetic procedures include professional teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, dental bonding, tooth-colored fillings and crowns that restore both form and appearance. Each option addresses different concerns: whitening for surface and intrinsic stains, veneers for shape and alignment, bonding for small defects, and crowns for more extensive structural issues. Implant-supported restorations can also play a cosmetic role by replacing missing teeth and restoring symmetry.

Providers typically recommend conservative approaches first and reserve more invasive treatments for cases that require them. Treatment selection is guided by the condition of the teeth, aesthetic goals and the anticipated longevity of results. A staged plan often blends multiple procedures to achieve a harmonious, natural-looking smile.

How do veneers differ from bonding and crowns?

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Porcelain veneers are thin ceramic facings bonded to the front of teeth to change color, shape and minor alignment; they are prized for their lifelike translucency and stain resistance. Dental bonding uses tooth-colored composite resin applied and sculpted directly on the tooth surface to correct chips, gaps and discoloration in a single visit. Crowns are full-coverage restorations that encase a tooth to rebuild significant structure while improving appearance and function.

The choice between these options depends on the extent of the cosmetic concern and the underlying tooth condition. Bonding is most conservative but may stain and require maintenance over time, while veneers and crowns offer more durable, long-term solutions when properly indicated. A dentist evaluates enamel thickness, bite forces and restorative needs to recommend the most appropriate treatment.

Is professional teeth whitening safe and effective?

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Professional teeth whitening performed under dental supervision is generally safe and achieves more reliable, predictable results than over-the-counter products. Dentists assess tooth sensitivity, existing restorations, and causes of discoloration before recommending in-office or take-home whitening systems. Supervised whitening reduces the risk of uneven results and allows for selection of the best protocol for each patient.

Some patients may experience temporary tooth sensitivity during or after whitening, which is typically manageable with preventive strategies and short-term desensitizing agents. Whitening is most effective on natural tooth structure and may not change the color of crowns or veneers. A consultation helps determine whether whitening alone or in combination with restorative treatments will produce the desired smile improvement.

How do dental implants fit into cosmetic smile makeovers?

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Dental implants provide a stable, natural-looking replacement for missing teeth and play a central role in comprehensive cosmetic smile makeovers when gaps affect appearance or function. An implant-supported crown mimics the emergence profile and proportions of a natural tooth, helping to restore symmetry and preserve the health of surrounding teeth. Implants also support bridges or dentures to recreate a full arch with improved aesthetics and chewing ability.

Implant treatment requires careful planning that includes imaging, evaluation of bone volume, and consideration of soft tissue contours for optimal cosmetic outcomes. In many cases, provisional restorations are used while the implant integrates to maintain appearance during healing. Coordinating implant therapy with adjacent cosmetic treatments, such as veneers or crowns, ensures a cohesive final result.

How does the cosmetic treatment planning process work?

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The cosmetic treatment planning process begins with a detailed consultation during which the clinician reviews the patient’s goals, conducts an oral exam and obtains any necessary imaging. Documentation may include photographs, digital scans and diagnostic models to analyze tooth proportions, alignment and bite relationships. This diagnostic phase informs recommendations and allows the patient to see proposed changes through digital previews or mock-ups when available.

After discussing options, benefits and clinical considerations, the dentist develops a personalized sequence of care that addresses health, function and aesthetics. The plan balances conservative and definitive treatments to achieve predictable results while protecting enamel and supporting structures. Regular communication and informed consent ensure the patient understands each step and expected outcomes.

How long do cosmetic dental results last and how are they maintained?

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The longevity of cosmetic dental results depends on the procedure, materials used and the patient’s oral hygiene and habits. Whitening results may require periodic touch-ups, while porcelain veneers and well-made crowns can last many years with proper care. Regular dental checkups and professional cleanings help detect issues early and extend the life of cosmetic restorations.

Maintenance also includes practical measures such as avoiding highly staining foods and beverages when possible, using nonabrasive toothpaste, and wearing a nightguard if grinding is present. Patients should report changes such as chipping, discoloration or sensitivity so the dentist can evaluate and address concerns promptly. A proactive maintenance plan preserves both appearance and function over time.

What role does technology play in modern cosmetic dentistry?

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Modern cosmetic dentistry relies heavily on technology to improve precision, predictability and patient experience. Digital photography, intraoral scanning and CAD/CAM design allow clinicians to plan restorations with accurate color matching and precise fit. These tools also enable virtual smile simulations and same-day restorations in many cases, shortening treatment timelines while maintaining high aesthetic standards.

Three-dimensional imaging and guided implant planning enhance surgical accuracy and soft tissue outcomes, which are critical for cosmetic success. Advances in dental materials provide stronger, more lifelike ceramics and composites that resist staining and mimic natural translucency. Together, these technologies give clinicians greater control over form, function and long-term aesthetics.

How do I choose the right cosmetic dentist?

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Select a cosmetic dentist who combines clinical training, aesthetic judgment and a documented commitment to current techniques and materials. Look for a clinician who performs a thorough diagnostic evaluation, communicates options clearly, and offers digital planning or mock-ups to help you visualize potential results. A strong cosmetic provider will balance aesthetic goals with functional considerations and prioritize tooth preservation when possible.

Dentistry on the Square takes a patient-centered approach that emphasizes individualized treatment planning, modern technology and attention to long-term oral health. During an initial consultation the team reviews your concerns, explains appropriate options and outlines the clinical steps needed to achieve a natural, durable smile. Choosing a practice that offers comprehensive care and clear communication helps ensure predictable, satisfying outcomes.

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Get in Touch with Dentistry on the Square Today

Your smile deserves care that feels as good as it looks and we’re here to make that happen.

At Dentistry on the Square, reaching out to us is as easy and comfortable as walking through our doors. Whether you're looking to schedule an appointment, curious about a treatment, or just want to chat about your dental goals, our caring team is always happy to help. Give us a call, send us a message or use our quick online form, whatever’s easiest for you. We’re here to answer your questions, ease your concerns, and welcome you with the kind of personalized attention you won’t find just anywhere. Let’s make your next visit something to smile about. We can’t wait to hear from you!