Cosmetic Dentist – Burien, WA
A Flawless Smile For the Future
Designed to address your smile’s imperfections, cosmetic dentistry can include everything from veneers, composite fillings, metal-free dental restorations, teeth whitening, gum recontouring, and smile makeovers. Dr. Lam, your trusted cosmetic dentist in Burien, WA, wants to help you feel confident in your appearance, which is why he brings the best in modern dentistry, so patients like yourself can enjoy a stunning smile. Contact us to schedule an appointment to learn how you can see a new and improved you!
Why Choose Seahurst Smiles of Burien for Cosmetic Dentistry?
- In-Office and At-Home Teeth Whitening Available
- Stain-Resistant Veneers
- Financing Available for Interested Patients
Veneers
Veneers make it easy to hide stains, chips, cracks, discoloration, minor gaps, misshapen teeth, and even slight misalignments. Made of thin sheaths of porcelain, these customized restorations fit snugly over the surface of your teeth to conceal imperfections. Requiring two visits to complete, we must remove a small portion of tooth enamel, making this service irreversible. With regular care, veneers can last 10+ years!
Metal-Free Dental Crowns
If you have a damaged or decayed tooth that requires treatment, our team can equip you with a metal-free dental crown for a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. Although traditional metals are durable, porcelain crowns look natural and offer optimal stability and functionality. Not to mention, you as well as those around you will have a hard time differentiating between your artificial tooth and your real ones!
Cosmetic Dental Bonding
When minor flaws plague your smile, don’t assume all hope is lost. Instead, we can use the same composite resin material for our tooth-colored fillings to easily conceal chips, cracks, stains, and many of the same problems hidden by veneers. In just one appointment, we can lightly etch the surface of your teeth and apply the resin, shaping and sculpting it before hardening it into place and giving your teeth a final polish.
Learn More About Cosmetic Dental Bonding
Teeth Whitening
Eliminating tooth stains shouldn’t have you running to the drug store to buy an over-the-counter kit. Instead, let our team recommend in-office or at-home whitening. Using the GLO and Opalescence systems, we can have you seeing results in as little as one hour with in-office care or in just two weeks if you want to whiten in the comfort of your own home. A whiter, brighter smile is possible when you choose professional teeth whitening.
Learn More About Teeth Whitening
Gum Recontouring
Your teeth are not the only components of your smile that can be problematic. Your gums can also cause a decline in self-esteem. But with gum recontouring, Dr. Lam can use laser dentistry to quickly remove excess tissue, eliminating your “gummy smile,” and creating a more balanced gumline. In doing so, not only will your appearance improve, but your risk for gum disease will decline as well.
Candid Pro Clear Aligners
Are you dealing with a bite issue or misaligned teeth? Metal braces are effective, but many people don’t want to show off metal brackets and wires whenever they smile. Fortunately, at Seahurst Smiles of Burien, we offer Candid Pro Clear Aligners to help you achieve the perfectly straight smile you’ve been dreaming of. By wearing clear aligners every day, you will be able to watch the appearance of your smile transform right before your eyes!
Learn More About Candid Pro Clear Aligners
Understanding the Cost of Cosmetic Dentistry
While improving your pearly whites can benefit both your oral health and overall quality of life, you’ll want to consider how much you’ll need to pay before undergoing treatment. Fortunately, our team will be happy to walk you through the details of your procedure so that there aren’t any surprises when it comes time to pay the bill. We’ll also go over your various cosmetic services as well as the methods we offer for minimizing your out-of-pocket expenses. Here’s what to consider when it comes to the cost of cosmetic dentistry.
Which Cosmetic Dental Service is Right for Me?
Generally speaking, the best cosmetic dental treatment for you will mostly depend on the kind of dental flaw(s) you’re trying to address as well as the budget you’re working with. At our practice, we can provide a wide range of various services each with their unique price point and purpose. For instance, to improve the color and/or shape of your teeth, we can offer professional teeth whitening or dental bonding to conceal minor imperfections at a more affordable cost. For longer-lasting or permanent improvements, we provide veneers, Candid Pro Clear Aligners, and gum recontouring, which typically come with higher upfront prices.
Of course, our team will first need to evaluate your oral situation with an initial consultation. This way we can assess your health, address any underlying issues we might detect, and determine the best solution for helping you achieve your smile goals.
Cosmetic Dentistry Can Be an Investment Worth Making
One of the best things about cosmetic dentistry that makes it incredibly popular is that you can boost your confidence and self-esteem with your chosen treatment. That said, these services can do much more for you than simply improve your pearly whites. Solutions like metal-free restorations can improve the aesthetics and strength of a mildly damaged tooth whereas clear aligners can straighten your smile while making it easier for you to maintain great oral health in the long run. In some cases, patients feel even more motivated to preserve their teeth, making them less likely to develop costly complications like tooth decay or gum disease later on.
How to Make Cosmetic Dentistry Affordable
Cosmetic dental services aren’t normally going to be covered by dental insurance, as they aren’t considered “necessary” for oral health. Still, there may be exceptions for certain situations, such as veneers that are designed for repairing a damaged tooth. Consult your provider about the details of your policy just in case. Otherwise, you’ll want to explore alternative methods for working within your budget, such as financing through CareCredit. This third-party financier can split the total cost into low-to-no-interest monthly installments. Our team also has an in-house membership plan that can offer discounts on multiple treatments, including cosmetic procedures.
Cosmetic Dentistry FAQs
Is Cosmetic Dentistry Expensive?
While cosmetic dentistry occasionally has a reputation for being expensive, this isn’t necessarily the case. There are a variety of aesthetic treatments available to help you, many of which are fairly affordable.
Direct bonding and teeth whitening are two examples of relatively low-cost cosmetic treatments that can make a massive difference in how you look. Even though you may not be able to depend on insurance to pay for cosmetic care, you can still find options that will fit within your budget.
How Do I Know If I Need Cosmetic Dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry has something to offer for just about anyone who has a problem with the look of their smile. If you have stained teeth, teeth whitening can give you a brighter smile. People with chips and cracks in their teeth can benefit from direct bonding. Whether you’re looking to address minor issues, look a bit younger, or undo damage to your teeth, we can talk to you about what kind of aesthetic treatments would be ideal for you.
Does Cosmetic Dentistry Hurt?
Even if you’re excited about what cosmetic dentistry could do for you, you might also be a little bit concerned about whether the treatment could be painful. Thankfully, there isn’t much for you to worry about.
Many of the most common cosmetic treatments are painless by their very nature. Teeth whitening and direct bonding, for example, don’t entail any discomfort on the part of the patient. Even in the case of more intensive procedures, we’ll numb your mouth completely to ensure your comfort throughout the duration of the procedure.
What Causes the Discoloration of a Tooth?
If you do wind up getting cosmetic treatment in order to brighten your smile, you’ll probably want to protect the investment you make. Here are a few things that you may want to avoid in that regard.
- Foods and Drinks : Certain foods and beverages like coffee, tea, red wine, and dark-colored sodas are known for staining teeth.
- Tobacco Use : Smoking or chewing tobacco can lead to yellowed teeth.
- Poor Dental Hygiene : Inadequate brushing and flossing to remove plaque and stain-producing substances like coffee and tobacco can cause tooth discoloration.
- Disease : Certain diseases that affect enamel and dentin can lead to tooth discoloration. Additionally, treatments for certain conditions, like radiation and chemotherapy, can also affect tooth color.
- Medications : Some antibiotics, like tetracycline and doxycycline, are known to discolor teeth when given to children whose teeth are still developing. Antihistamines, antipsychotic drugs, and high blood pressure medications can also cause teeth discoloration.
If you want to keep your smile in immaculate condition, you may also need to visit us for occasional touch-ups, and make sure to keep up with your regular preventive appointments.