Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Cosmetic Dentistry

The goal of cosmetic dentistry is to achieve the beautiful smile you've always wanted through state-of-the-art dental technology.

We can assess and address all areas of concern with your smile including:

• Stained teeth
• Chipped teeth
• Spaces or gaps between teeth
• Crowded teeth that overlap
• Worn teeth
• Undersized teeth

Schedule a personalized consultation. 

After a personalized consultation with Dr. Nelson at our modern Winston-Salem office, you will be able to decide which cosmetic dental procedures are best for you.  

Create the smile you’ve always wanted that you can afford. 

We will work with you to create the smile of your dreams with the most conservative and affordable treatment. We offer in-house payment plans and work with all insurances so cost never has to be a barrier to treatment.

Please visit our page on cosmetic dentistry to learn more!

Yes, our office has a digital scanner to take digital impressions.

In the past, if you needed a dental impression (mold of your mouth) to make a dental crown, bridge, or assess your bite, it required taking a traditional impression.  This process involved goopy impression material and impression trays, and patients often disliked the experience for being messy, time-consuming, and causing gagging!  Now, we have a digital scanner for impressions.  For a digital impression, a small wand is used to scan the mouth and create a model of your teeth digitally. Dr. Nelson and patients alike have loved the new technology as it is much more comfortable and accurate! 

We only use the most esthetic filling materials. 

If you need a filling to fix a cavity, then our skilled doctors will match your tooth with the proper shade of composite (tooth-colored) filling material. With the modern and high-quality tooth-colored filling materials that we use, our fillings are almost unnoticeable.

Please visit our page on tooth-colored fillings to learn more! 

At Blake Nelson, DDS the fee for a dental veneer is $1387 per tooth.  Most patients decide to place dental veneers on either two, four, or six front teeth to transform their smile.   

Reach Out To Book Your Veneers Consultation

Do you think porcelain veneers in Winston-Salem, NC could benefits your smile? Visit our services pages to learn more about porcelain veneers and cosmetic dentistry.

The cost of cosmetic dentistry depends on the recommended dental procedures.  Common cosmetic dental procedures include dental whitening, porcelain veneers, cosmetic dental crowns, dental bridges,  tooth colored fillings, or dental implants.  To learn more about cosmetic dentistry, visit our services page here.

• Dental Whitening Trays: $351 per tray
• Porcelain Veneers: $1387 per tooth 
• Cosmetic Dental Crowns: $1258 per crown
• Dental Bridge: $4161 
• Tooth Colored Fillings: $207-$378
• Dental Implant: $2027

The color or shade of veneers can be customized for each patient’s wishes. The excellent, local Winston-Salem dental labs create customized veneers for each patient’s desires.

Reduced Staining and Discoloration Over Time

High-quality porcelain stains at a much lower rate than natural teeth, composite fillings, or older crown materials.

Conservative Treatment

Veneers often remove less than .5mm of tooth material and sometimes none at all. This keeps your natural teeth stronger and allows the veneers to last for a long time.

Biology  

Porcelain has been used for a long time in dentistry and has a long track record of being well tolerated by the gum tissue in patients. There is no metal involved in the process so the potential for an allergic reaction is almost zero.

Crowns are predictable and reliable.

If Dr. Nelson recommends a crown for one of your teeth, that treatment option is the most predictable and longest-lasting choice for that tooth.

They are made from the strongest materials. 

Dental Crowns cover the entire chewing surface of the tooth with a very strong material that is highly resistant to fracture or chipping. This means you can enjoy your favorite foods without worry.

Our dental crowns are very esthetic. 

Dental crowns are also very esthetic and are indistinguishable from other natural teeth. They are also more resistant to staining which allows you to smile with confidence.

They feel just like your natural tooth. 

Dental crowns feel the same to your tongue and lips because they replicate the natural anatomy of your natural tooth.

Crowns are maintained just like your natural teeth. 

Brushing and flossing are performed in the same manner as with natural teeth.

Crowns provide protection from future decay. 

The tooth is much more resistant to dental decay and cavities because the crown material cannot be decayed by bacteria.

Your dentist may recommend a filling to fix a cavity, chip, or discoloration on your tooth.

Dental decay

A tooth can decay due to many reasons. Dental decay is caused by bacteria that soften and weaken the tooth structure and can even create holes in teeth. Dental decay can be painlessly removed, and the missing tooth structure can be replaced with a tooth-colored filling. 

Chipped or missing tooth structure

If your teeth have been chipped, a tooth-colored filling can be placed to replace the missing tooth structure. 

An old filling that has gone bad 

With time, your existing fillings can chip, crack, or even have cavities from beneath them. Your dentist will examine your existing fillings and can replace them with new ones if indicated. 

We only use the best materials for our patients. Dr. Nelson uses the top materials available to restore the shape, function, and color of teeth.

Dissatisfied with the color of your teeth

Dental veneers can improve the color or staining of front teeth, especially in patients who have tried dental bleaching (whitening) and are not satisfied with the results.

Dental wear or grinding

Over the years, grinding of teeth can slowly reduce the height of a patient’s front teeth. Porcelain veneers can increase the height of a patient’s front teeth to the original form and function before the teeth were worn down.

Chipped, broken, or traumatized front teeth

Previous trauma to teeth can often create an unaesthetic appearance. Teeth can turn grey or dark years after the trauma. Often, the old crowns or fillings that were placed at the time of the trauma no longer match the adjacent teeth. Dental veneers can be used to create a beautiful, natural smile for all front teeth.

Small tooth size 

Many patients are born with smaller than average teeth. Often, this occurs on the top teeth called lateral incisors. Dental veneers can correct and size discrepancies and give you the smile you have always wanted.

Spaces between teeth

Spacing can also be corrected with orthodontics or braces but it is often preferable and quicker to close the spaces with porcelain veneers.

Please visit our page on dental veneers to learn more!

Yes! We can make your dental implant match your adjacent natural teeth by using the most esthetic techniques.  

Experienced dentists who provide esthetic and comfortable care. 

Drs. Benton and Nelson are experts at restorative dentistry and implants. They have many years of experience at replacing missing teeth in the mouth.

The best materials at a local Winston-Salem dental lab. 

While dental implants can be made by labs anywhere in the world, Drs. Benton and Nelson work with a local lab right here in the Winston-Salem area. Using a local lab ensures Drs. Benton and Nelson that they have an experienced technician who they know, and guarantees that the lab will use the strongest and most esthetic materials.