Cosmetic dentistry procedures help you brighten, reshape, and strengthen your smile using modern materials and techniques. When you explore today’s cosmetic options, you’ll see how treatments like whitening, veneers, bonding, and implants can improve both confidence and function.
At El Segundo Modern Dentistry & Orthodontics, your treatment plan focuses on comfort, clarity, and predictable outcomes. Our team explains each step in simple terms and helps you compare cosmetic choices that fit your goals, timeline, and budget.
In this guide, you’ll learn how cosmetic procedures work, who performs them, what results typically look like, and how long each option lasts. You’ll find details on whitening, veneers, bonding, crowns, and gum contouring to choose the best path to a healthier, more attractive smile.
Overview of Cosmetic Dentistry
Cosmetic dentistry focuses on changing how your teeth and gums look and how your smile works. You will learn what cosmetic procedures do, the main benefits you can expect, and how dental professionals plan a smile transformation.
What Is Cosmetic Dentistry
Cosmetic dentistry, also called aesthetic dentistry, includes treatments that change the look of your teeth, gums, and bite. Common procedures are teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, dental bonding, crowns, and gum contouring.
More advanced options include dental implants and orthodontics for alignment. You may get a single treatment, like whitening, or a full smile makeover that combines several procedures. Dental professionals use materials such as ceramic or composite resin to match color and shape.
Some work is reversible; other steps, like veneers, may be permanent or need future replacement. Digital tools like digital smile design let you preview results before treatment begins. This makes planning clearer and helps you set realistic expectations.
Benefits of Cosmetic Dental Procedures
Cosmetic dental work improves how your smile looks and how you feel about it. You can remove stains, close gaps, fix chips, and make teeth look straighter or more even. These changes often raise your confidence in social and work settings.
Some procedures also improve function. Crowns and implants restore chewing ability, and alignment work can ease jaw strain. Many cosmetic treatments need routine care and occasional replacements, like whitening touch-ups or new veneers after several years.
Insurance may not cover cosmetic services because they’re often elective. Ask about costs, the expected lifespan of each treatment, and alternative options that balance appearance and budget.
How Whitening Works on Enamel
Whitening gels use peroxide to break apart stain molecules trapped in enamel. These molecules form from foods, drinks, and natural aging. Peroxide penetrates enamel safely and leaves tooth structure unchanged when used correctly.
The American Dental Association (ADA) explains that hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide are the only professionally accepted whitening agents. Their safety depends on controlled application and proper concentrations.
Dentists may adjust strength or session length if you have sensitivity or existing restorations that need special care. Understanding how peroxide acts on enamel helps you choose a treatment that gives predictable results.
How Cosmetic Dentists Assess Smile Transformation
Your cosmetic dentist starts with a focused exam and photos of your teeth, gums, and bite. They check tooth color, shape, alignment, gum line, and oral health issues like decay or gum disease that must be treated first.
Dental professionals use measurements and digital smile design software to test proportions and symmetry. They consider your facial features, lip line, and how much gum shows when you smile. This creates a personalized plan that lists procedures, sequence, timelines, and estimated costs.
You’ll review mock-ups or digital previews and can request adjustments. The dentist also explains recovery time, maintenance needs, and when results will be staged or final.
Teeth Whitening Treatments
You can choose fast in-office bleaching or slower at-home options. Peroxide-based gels act as the active ingredient, and you may experience temporary sensitivity after treatment.
Professional Teeth Whitening
Professional teeth whitening uses higher-strength peroxide gels that your dentist applies and controls. In-office whitening often uses hydrogen peroxide at higher concentrations than store products and may include protective barriers to shield gums.
A typical visit lasts 60–90 minutes. The dentist polishes your teeth, places a gum barrier, applies the whitening gel, and may repeat coats. Some practices add a light (LED or laser) to speed action.
Costs usually run higher than take-home or OTC options. You get faster results—often several shades lighter in one or two visits—and a supervised process that lowers the risk of chemical damage to soft tissue.
At-Home Whitening Options
At-home whitening includes custom take-home trays from your dentist and over-the-counter kits like strips or pens. Custom trays use carbamide peroxide gels in concentrations calibrated by your dentist for safer, more even contact with teeth.
You wear custom trays for a few hours or overnight across days or weeks, depending on the product. OTC strips are cheaper but use lower peroxide levels and may fit poorly, increasing gum irritation or uneven whitening.
Follow instructions exactly. Avoid smoking, coffee, red wine, and colored foods during treatment. Expect slower results than in-office treatment, but the option for regular touch-ups with your dentist’s gel.
Addressing Tooth Sensitivity
Tooth sensitivity often appears during or after bleaching because peroxide temporarily increases enamel permeability. You may feel sharp sensitivity to cold, hot, or sweet stimuli for a few days to a few weeks.
Reduce sensitivity by using fluoride toothpaste or gels and desensitizing products that contain potassium nitrate or fluoride. Your dentist can lower the peroxide concentration, shorten the application time, or recommend alternating days of treatment.
If sensitivity persists beyond a few weeks or is severe, stop whitening and see your dentist. They will check for cavities, gum recession, or exposed roots that need treatment before you continue bleaching.
Veneers and Dental Bonding
You can improve chips, gaps, stains, and worn edges with either porcelain or composite solutions. Each option differs in cost, durability, and how much tooth structure the dentist removes.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are thin ceramic shells bonded to the front of your teeth. Your dentist removes a small amount of enamel, takes impressions, and places temporary veneers while a dental lab makes the final pieces.
Porcelain resists stains and mimics natural tooth translucency, so it often looks more lifelike than resin. Expect higher upfront cost per tooth and two or more visits, but the typical lifespan ranges from about 10 to 15 years with good care.
Porcelain is a good choice if you want long-term color stability, need correction for several teeth, or have deeper discoloration that won’t respond to whitening. Porcelain works well for cracked teeth when strength and appearance matter.
Composite Veneers and Bonding
Composite veneers and dental bonding use tooth-colored composite resin placed directly on your teeth. Your dentist sculpts the resin, cures it with a light, and polishes it in a single visit for quick results.
Composite is more affordable and conservative because little or no enamel removal is needed. It can repair chips, close small gaps, and mask mild stains effectively, but it stains more easily and typically lasts 3–7 years before repairs.
Composite bonding suits you if you want a lower-cost, fast fix or expect to adjust the work later. It also lets your dentist repair future chips quickly without replacing the entire restoration.
Choosing Between Bonding and Veneers
Decide by weighing durability, cost, and how many teeth need treatment. If you want the most natural, long-lasting result and can budget more, porcelain veneers are the stronger choice.
If you need a single-tooth fix, prefer fewer visits, or want to preserve enamel, composite bonding often fits better. Ask about your bite, enamel thickness, and daily habits like smoking or coffee drinking, since these affect stain resistance and longevity.
Request before-and-after photos and a clear cost breakdown for each tooth. That helps you compare expected lifespan, maintenance needs, and potential future replacement.
Crowns, Bridges, and Implants
You may need a crown, bridge, or implant to fix a broken tooth, fill a gap, or replace one or more missing teeth. Each option changes how your teeth look and work, so pick the one that fits your budget, timeline, and dental health.
Dental Crowns
A dental crown covers a damaged or weak tooth to restore shape and strength. Your dentist removes decay, shapes the tooth, and fits a crown over it. Crowns can be made of porcelain, metal, or porcelain-fused-to-metal.
You might get a temporary crown while a lab makes your final crown. Some offices offer a same-day crown using milling machines, so you leave with a permanent crown on the same visit. Crowns protect teeth with large fillings, rebuild broken teeth, and cover implants as the visible tooth.
Care is simple: brush, floss, and avoid very hard foods on the crown. If a crown feels loose or causes pain, contact your dentist. A well-made crown can last many years with good home care.
Dental Bridges
A dental bridge fills one or more gaps by anchoring a false tooth (pontic) to adjacent teeth or implants. Traditional bridges use crowns on the teeth next to the gap as abutments to hold the pontic in place. This restores chewing, keeps nearby teeth from shifting, and improves your smile.
If you prefer not to alter adjacent teeth, implant-supported bridges attach to dental implants instead of crowns on natural teeth. Bridges require careful cleaning under the pontic and around abutments to prevent decay and gum disease.
Bridges are quicker and often cheaper than multiple implants, but they rely on the health of neighboring teeth. Discuss durability, cost, and oral hygiene needs before choosing a bridge.
Dental Implants
Dental implants replace missing teeth by putting a titanium post into your jawbone as a new root. After implant placement and healing, your dentist attaches an abutment and a crown to the implant. Implants look and function like natural teeth and help preserve jawbone volume.
You can choose a single implant for one tooth or implant-supported dentures and bridges for several missing teeth. The process can take months because the bone must fuse to the implant, but the results are long-lasting.
Implants need good bone and healthy gums. Your dentist may recommend bone grafting if the bone is thin. Maintain implants with the same brushing and flossing you use for natural teeth, and schedule regular dental checkups.
Orthodontic and Alignment Procedures
These treatments move and hold teeth so your bite works better, and your smile looks balanced. They include fixed and removable options, planned by an orthodontist to match your goals and mouth shape.
Braces and Orthodontic Treatment
Braces use brackets and wires to guide teeth into place. Metal braces are the most common and strongest option for complex misaligned teeth. They attach to the front of teeth and let your orthodontist apply precise forces over months to years.
You can also get lingual braces that attach behind your teeth. Lingual braces are less visible but may feel different on your tongue and can be harder to clean. Both metal and lingual braces require regular adjustments and careful brushing around brackets.
Orthodontic treatment can correct crowding, gaps, overbites, underbites, and crossbites. Your orthodontist will take X-rays and impressions or digital scans to make a treatment plan with estimated time and costs.
Clear Aligners and Invisalign
Clear aligners are removable plastic trays that fit over your teeth and shift them gradually. Invisalign is a well-known brand of clear aligners, but other systems work similarly. Aligners typically change every 1–2 weeks and move specific teeth in planned steps.
You must wear aligners about 20–22 hours per day for the best results. Remove them only to eat, drink (except water), and brush. You’ll visit your provider less often than with braces because aligners come in a series you switch at home.
Clear aligners suit mild to moderate misalignment, and many adults prefer them for the low visibility. They may not be ideal for very complex movements; your orthodontist will tell you if aligners alone can straighten your teeth.
Retainers and Post-Treatment Care
After active movement, retainers hold teeth in their new positions while bone and tissue stabilize. Your orthodontist will prescribe either removable retainers or fixed (bonded) retainers that stick behind teeth.
Wear schedules vary: many people start with full-time wear for several months, then shift to nightly wear. Follow instructions strictly—skipping retainer time can let teeth drift back toward the original position.
Keep retainers clean and check them for damage. Combine retainer use with good oral hygiene and regular dental visits to protect your straightened teeth and long-term results.
Gum Contouring and Additional Cosmetic Treatments
These treatments change the look of your smile by reshaping gums and teeth, fixing uneven edges, or rebuilding damaged tooth surfaces. They aim to improve tooth visibility, balance, and long-term function using precise tools and lab-made restorations.
Gum Reshaping and Contour
Gum contouring trims or adds gum tissue so your teeth look even and proportionate. If you have a gummy smile or uneven gum line, a dentist may use a laser or scalpel to remove excess tissue. Lasers cut with less bleeding, less swelling, and often faster healing than traditional surgery.
If gum recession or periodontal disease causes problems, your dentist may graft tissue instead of removing it. That restores lost gum and protects tooth roots. Follow-up care includes gentle brushing, antiseptic rinses, and short soft-food diets while tissues heal.
Expect local anesthesia for comfort. Costs, healing time, and whether insurance helps depend on whether the work is cosmetic or medical. Ask your dentist about risks like infection, tissue relapse, and allergy to anesthetic.
Enamel Shaping and Tooth Contouring
Enamel shaping removes tiny amounts of tooth enamel to correct small chips, sharp edges, or uneven shapes. You keep your natural tooth and usually avoid drills. The dentist uses fine instruments and polishers to smooth and subtly reshape the biting surface or sides.
This works well when the problem is minor, and you want a quick fix. It pairs well with bonding if you need added structure. Bonding uses tooth-colored resin to fill gaps or rebuild edges before shaping and polishing.
Tooth contouring is low-cost and usually done in one visit. It is not reversible once enamel is removed, so your dentist will plan conservatively. Discuss sensitivity risks and whether enamel shaping alone meets your cosmetic goals.
Inlays and Onlays
Inlays and onlays restore larger damaged or decayed areas when a simple filling won’t hold. You may get an inlay when damage fits inside the cusps of the tooth, or an onlay when damage extends over one or more cusps. Both are lab-made, often from porcelain or composite, and cemented into place with dental cement.
Your dentist will remove decay, take an impression or digital scan, and place a temporary restoration. A dental laboratory then fabricates the inlay or onlay to match your tooth color and bite. At the second visit, the dentist bonds the piece with dental cement and checks fit and function.
Inlays and onlays last longer than fillings and preserve more tooth structure than crowns. They suit cases where you want durable, natural-looking repairs that resist stain and match surrounding teeth.
A Confident Smile Starts With the Right Guidance
Cosmetic dental procedures offer options for nearly every concern, from stains and chips to gaps and worn teeth. Today’s materials and digital tools make it easier to achieve natural-looking results that last for years. Whether you need a small improvement or a full smile update, understanding each treatment helps you choose with clarity and comfort.
At El Segundo Modern Dentistry & Orthodontics, your cosmetic care is shaped around education, comfort, and transparency. Our team walks you through every step, compares options, and ensures your smile goals match treatments that protect long-term oral health.
If you're ready to explore whitening, veneers, bonding, implants, or full smile makeover options, a consultation can help * you decide your next step. You’ll leave with a clear plan, realistic expectations, and personalized guidance that brings your ideal smile within reach.
* We're sorry, but we do not accept Medi-Cal, Denti-Cal, or HMO.
Frequently Asked Questions
This section explains specific procedures, who performs them, what to expect during treatment, typical costs, and how to find a reliable clinic near you.
What are the most common procedures offered by cosmetic dentists?
You can choose teeth whitening to remove stains and brighten your smile in one or two visits. Veneers cover the front of teeth to change shape, color, and size; they usually require two visits for preparation and placement.
Dental bonding fills chips or gaps using tooth-colored resin in a single visit. Crowns restore broken or worn teeth and may take two appointments. Dental implants replace missing teeth with a titanium post and crown; the process can take months because of healing and placement steps.
Orthodontic options like clear aligners are often offered to straighten teeth for appearance, not just function. Gum contouring reshapes excess gum tissue to change the look of your smile.
How does cosmetic dentistry differ from orthodontics?
Cosmetic dentistry focuses on how your teeth and gums look. It includes whitening, veneers, bonding, and implants to change color, shape, or spacing.
Orthodontics focuses on tooth and jaw alignment and bite correction. Orthodontists use braces or aligners to move teeth over time; some cosmetic dentists offer aligners, but complex bite issues usually need an orthodontist.
What qualifications are needed to practice as a cosmetic dentist?
You must first be a licensed dentist with a DDS or DMD degree. Most cosmetic dentists complete extra training in aesthetic procedures through courses, workshops, or residency programs.
Look for dentists who show before-and-after photos of their work and who maintain continuing education credits. Membership in professional groups and certifications in specific techniques (like implant placement or veneers) can indicate advanced training.
Can you explain what cosmetic dental treatment involves?
A consultation starts the process with photos, X-rays, and a discussion of your goals. The dentist creates a treatment plan that lists procedures, timeline, and costs.
Many treatments require local anesthesia; implants need surgical placement and healing time. You may need multiple visits spaced over weeks or months for restorations like veneers, crowns, or implants.
What is the average cost of a cosmetic dental surgery?
Teeth whitening often costs a few hundred dollars for an in-office session. Bonding can range from a few hundred to a thousand per tooth, depending on the repair.
Veneers typically cost several hundred to a few thousand dollars per tooth. Dental implants can cost several thousand dollars per tooth when you include the implant, abutment, and crown. Costs vary by location, dentist skill, and materials used. Check exact prices with your dentist.
How can I find a reputable cosmetic dentistry practice near me?
Search for local dentists with clear before-and-after galleries and patient reviews. Ask for referrals from your general dentist or friends who had similar work. Confirm the dentist’s license and check for additional training or memberships in dental societies.
Schedule a consultation to discuss your goals, ask about experience with your needed procedure, and request a written treatment plan and cost estimate.
