People often arrive at a cosmetic consultation expecting to be talked into something. A useful consultation does close to the opposite: it establishes what is actually achievable for your teeth, what it would involve, and what it would cost, so you can decide with the full picture in front of you.
Here is what a thorough one covers.
Before anything else: what you want
The most important part of the appointment is the conversation, and it is worth preparing for. Come with specifics rather than a general wish. “The colour” is a different problem from “the shape of this one tooth” or “the gap” or “how much gum shows when I smile”, and they lead to different treatments.
Photographs of your own smile from a few years ago are more useful than photographs of other people’s. If you do bring reference images, expect a frank conversation about what is and is not transferable to your face, your lip line and your existing tooth position.
The clinical assessment
Cosmetic work sits on top of a functioning mouth, so the examination comes first and it is not a formality.
- Teeth and existing restorations, checked for decay, cracks and failing margins. Active problems are treated before cosmetic work, always.
- Gum health, measured rather than eyeballed. Veneer and crown margins sit at the gum line, so inflamed or receding gums undermine the result.
- The bite, including how the teeth meet and whether any are taking excessive load.
- Signs of grinding, which change both the treatment plan and the material choice. Untreated grinding breaks cosmetic work.
- Enamel thickness and wear, which determines whether there is enough to bond to.
- Smile line and lip dynamics, meaning how much tooth and gum show at rest, when speaking and when smiling broadly. This determines how many teeth need treating to produce a consistent result.
Records
A consultation at our practice includes an OPG x-ray, a dental examination and assessment of the teeth and gums, intraoral and resting photographs to assess the position and function of the teeth, and a discussion with a dentist focused on cosmetic treatment. Those records are what allow a plan to be built on evidence rather than impression, and they are also the baseline you can compare against later.
Options, with trade-offs
You should hear more than one route where more than one exists, with the honest downsides of each. For example: whitening first may achieve enough on its own and costs a fraction of veneers. Aligning teeth with clear aligners before veneering often produces a better result with less tooth removed. Composite bonding is more conservative and repairable but wears faster than porcelain. Porcelain is more durable but usually involves irreversible enamel removal.
A consultation that presents one option with no alternatives is not giving you enough to decide with.
What you should leave with
- A written treatment plan setting out the stages in order.
- Itemised costs, including anything preparatory such as fillings or gum treatment.
- A realistic timeline.
- An explanation of what maintenance and replacement will involve years from now.
- The risks and limitations relevant to your case, stated plainly.
- Time to think about it. Any plan of this size deserves consideration away from the chair.
Questions worth asking
- How much enamel will be removed, and is this reversible?
- What happens if I do nothing?
- What will this look like in ten years, and what will it need by then?
- What could go wrong, and what does fixing that involve?
- Who makes the veneers or crowns, and can I see the planning before you prepare my teeth?
- What is not included in this quote?
On the planning point: techniques exist to preview a result before any tooth is touched, which is worth asking about specifically. See digital smile design.
A note on before-and-after expectations
Outcomes differ between patients because teeth, gums, bite and starting position differ. A result achieved for someone else is not a prediction of yours, and no dentist can promise a specific outcome in advance of examining you. What a good consultation gives you is a realistic range rather than a promised outcome.
What it costs
Consultation fees are confirmed when you book, and vary with what the appointment includes. Treatment costs at Civic Gentle Dental Care: composite veneers start from $700, handcrafted porcelain veneers from $1,490 per tooth, whitening packages from $489, porcelain crowns from $1,800, Invisalign ranges from $4,200 to $8,990, and dental implants start from $5,500. Interest-free payment plans for veneers, crowns and implants are available through external providers, subject to their assessment and approval.
Most cosmetic treatment is not covered by health fund extras, though any restorative work identified along the way often is. Current fees are on our price list, with more on cosmetic dentistry in Canberra.
Common questions
Will I be pressured to decide on the day?
You should not be. Take the written plan away and think about it. A second opinion on a plan of this size is entirely reasonable.
Can I see what the result will look like first?
Planning techniques can preview a proposed result before any preparation begins. Ask about this at the consultation.
Do I need to fix other dental problems first?
Yes. Decay, gum disease and untreated grinding are addressed before cosmetic work, because they undermine it otherwise.
How long does the consultation take?
Allow around an hour for the examination, records and discussion.
Booking an appointment in Canberra City
Civic Gentle Dental Care is a dentist in Canberra City at Suite 8, Level 3/161 London Circuit, a short walk from the Canberra Centre. To arrange an appointment, call (02) 6247 0224 or send us a message through our contact page.
This article is general information only and is not a substitute for individual dental advice. Whether a treatment is suitable for you, and what it will involve, can only be determined after an examination by a dentist. Any prices mentioned are estimates drawn from our current price guide and are not a quote.