Cosmetic dentistry
Adelaide Cosmetic Dentistry: whitening, veneers and Invisalign, planned around your teeth
Cosmetic dentistry is any treatment chosen mainly for how your teeth look: whitening, veneers, Invisalign, or a combination planned together. If you’re looking for a cosmetic dentist in Adelaide, here’s what you’ll find at Avenue Dental. Cosmetic treatment is provided by the same dentists who look after your general care, so what’s recommended is what suits your teeth.
Not sure where to start? That’s what the free consultation is for. You’ll leave knowing your options and their costs, with nothing to decide on the day.
Want to know what it would cost?
Tell us what you’d like to change and our Adelaide team will call you with the treatments that may suit and what each is likely to cost. Or book a free consultation and see a dentist in person.
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Your cosmetic options at Avenue Dental Adelaide
Four treatments cover most of what people want to change about their smile, and each does a different job. Here’s what each one is for, and where to read more.
A lot of smiles end up as a sequence rather than a single treatment: Invisalign first if the teeth need moving, whitening once they’re where they should be, and veneers only on the teeth that still need shape or colour work. Your dentist maps that order with you so nothing is done twice.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. The information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute clinical advice. Individual suitability, treatment and costs depend on an assessment specific to you. Before proceeding, seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. View treatment risks here.
Real patients results at Avenue Dental
Dr Ernesto Villalba (DEN0002568419), Registered dentist, general registration. Treatment: Dental Implants, Invisalign, Veneers and Crowns. Final image taken 2 weeks after final treatment.
Dr Peter Borbiro (DEN0002134869), Registered Dentist, General Dentist. Treatment : Bridges + Crowns. Final image was captured on the day the bridge/crowns were placed.
We always encourage you to weigh up your options, ask questions and make a decision alongside your practitioner, and to seek independent advice or a second opinion from an AHPRA-registered health practitioner before going ahead.
The images shown on this page are for informational purposes only and depict examples of dental treatments performed at Avenue Dental. Results can vary based on individual circumstances, and any dental procedure carries risks and benefits. A comprehensive dental examination and consultation are required to determine the most appropriate treatment options for your needs. These images are not intended to be testimonials or guarantees of outcomes. All of our patients have consented to images being shared here. This content is general in nature and intended for adults. It is not medical advice. Any surgical or cosmetic procedure carries risks. Read more about the risks here.
Not sure whats bothering you is fixable? Start here
Most people don’t come to us asking for a treatment. They come with something they’ve stopped liking about their smile: teeth that have lost their brightness, one tooth that’s chipped or shorter than the rest, a gap, or a general feeling that the whole thing could look better.
“My teeth have gone dull or yellow”
Whitening is usually where this starts, and for many people it’s where it ends. Custom trays lift the natural shade of your teeth over one to two weeks, and staining from coffee, tea and wine tends to respond well.
Discolouration that sits deep in the tooth, from an old knock, some medications or a root canal, may not lighten evenly with whitening, and a veneer on that tooth can be the better answer. Your check-up is where we tell you which it is.
“There’s one tooth that’s chipped, short or worn”
A single composite veneer, shaped by your dentist in one visit, is often the most conservative way to rebuild an edge and match it to the teeth beside it.
If several front teeth are worn flat, usually from grinding, porcelain may hold up better over time, and the grinding itself needs addressing or the new surfaces will wear the same way.
“My teeth are crowded, or there’s a gap”
Invisalign moves your own teeth into a straighter position without covering them, and for crowding, spacing and teeth that have drifted since braces it’s the option we’ll usually discuss first. As a Diamond Elite provider we treat a lot of it, which helps with knowing what Invisalign can and can’t do for a given set of teeth.
Veneers can visually close a small gap or even up the front teeth, and sometimes that’s the right choice. Using them to hide crowding means covering healthy teeth, though, and your dentist will be straight with you about that trade-off.
“One of my teeth is cracked”
A crack is a dental problem before it’s a cosmetic one. Depending on how deep it runs, the tooth may need a filling, a bonded composite repair, or a crown to hold it together, and that’s decided from an examination and X-ray rather than from how it looks.
Once the tooth is stable, the cosmetic side is handled the same way as a chipped tooth: composite for smaller repairs at the front, porcelain where more of the tooth needs rebuilding. Leaving a crack because it doesn’t hurt yet usually means a bigger repair later.
“I’m missing a tooth”
A gap changes more than your smile: the teeth either side drift into it and the bone beneath it shrinks over time. A dental implant replaces the tooth from the root up and stops both, without touching the neighbouring teeth. A bridge or a partial denture are the alternatives, and each has trade-offs your dentist will explain.
If the missing tooth is at the front, a temporary tooth can be worn while an implant heals, so you’re not without one. Implant treatment starts with a scan to check the bone, and a written plan with costs before anything is booked.
“Too much gum shows when I smile”
A gummy smile has several possible causes: teeth that erupted only partway so gum covers them, a lip that lifts high, or a jaw that sits a little low. Which one you have decides the treatment, so this one always starts with an assessment.
Where the teeth are simply covered by excess gum, the gum line can be reshaped (gum contouring) to reveal more tooth, often in one visit. Where the cause is the lip or the jaw, other approaches apply, and your dentist will tell you honestly what’s likely to help and what isn’t.
“I’d like to change the whole thing”
A smile makeover is usually a sequence rather than a single treatment. Straighten first if the teeth need moving, whiten once they’re in position, then veneers only on the teeth that still need help with shape or colour.
That order tends to mean fewer veneers, less tooth preparation and a result that’s easier to maintain. Your dentist maps the whole sequence with you, with costs, before the first step.
The thread running through all of these: the least invasive treatment that addresses the concern comes first. Whitening before veneers. Invisalign before covering crooked teeth. One composite veneer rather than a set. It leaves you with more of your own teeth and less to look after in ten years’ time.
Book a free consultation and we’ll tell you which applies to your teeth
Why Choose Avenue Dental for Cosmetic Dentistry in Adelaide
Conservative first, always — Whitening before veneers. Invisalign before covering crooked teeth. One veneer rather than a set. We plan cosmetic work in the order that keeps the most of your natural teeth, because they’re the ones that have to last.
A Diamond Elite Invisalign provider — Invisalign awards Diamond Elite status based on the number of cases a practice treats. It means the dentist planning your Invisalign has done it many times before, and knows when it’s the right tool and when it isn’t.
You see it before you commit — For veneers and full smile plans, your free consultation includes a digital scan and a 3D render of the proposed result, reviewed on screen with your dentist as an indication of what’s possible, before anything is made or touched.
Made close to home — Porcelain veneers are crafted by dental technicians in laboratories local to our practice, composite veneers are sculpted by your dentist in the chair, and your whitening trays are made by our own in-house lab team.
Flexible payment options — Interest-free payment plans through Humm are available, with approval and terms assessed by Humm. We’ll walk you through the options before you decide anything.
Dr Angela Chen (DEN0002310635), Registered dentist, general registration. Treatment: Invisalign Final image taken on completion of treatment. Results are individual and yours may differ.Results can vary based on individual circumstances, and any dental procedure carries risks and benefits. See treatment risks here.
How to choose a cosmetic dentist in Adelaide
Do they check your teeth are healthy before talking about how they look?
Cosmetic treatment on top of untreated decay or gum disease fails, and it fails expensively. A practice that goes straight from “what would you like changed” to a quote has skipped a step. Look for one where the first visit is a check-up as well as a conversation.
For Invisalign, how many cases have they actually treated?
Invisalign ranks its providers by case volume and displays the tier publicly, so this one is easy to check. A practice treating a handful of cases a year and one treating hundreds are offering different levels of experience for the same aligner. Ask for the tier, or look it up on Invisalign’s provider finder.
Will you see the plan before anything is made?
A scan and a rendered preview of the proposed result, whether that’s veneers or Invisalign, should be part of the consultation, and you should be able to ask for changes at that stage. Any preview is an indication rather than a promise, but a practice that won’t show you one at all is asking you to buy blind.
Where are your veneers, trays and aligners made?
Porcelain veneers by a local laboratory your dentist can call; whitening trays and retainers by a lab close enough that a fit problem is fixed in days. Offshore manufacturing is cheaper, and that’s fine as long as you’re told that’s what you’re paying for.
Did they suggest anything other than the treatment you asked about?
If you asked about veneers and heard about whitening or Invisalign first, that’s a practice planning your smile rather than filling a chair. The most conservative option that addresses the concern should come up before the most profitable one.
What’s in the quote, and what happens afterwards?
Scans, temporaries, adjustments, retainers, and the review process if the shade or shape isn’t right once it’s in your mouth. Get it in writing. It tells you how the practice thinks about the years after the treatment, which is where most of your time with it will be spent.
None of these questions are awkward, and any practice worth choosing will be glad you asked.
The information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute clinical advice. Individual suitability, treatment and costs depend on an assessment specific to you. Before proceeding, seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. View treatment risks here.
Cosmetic dentistry in Adelaide: your questions answered
What are the most common cosmetic dental treatments in Adelaide?
Whitening, veneers and Invisalign make up the bulk of cosmetic dentistry in Adelaide. Whitening is the usual starting point, and at Avenue Dental Adelaide custom whitening trays are included with your new patient check-up, with terms and conditions that apply. Many people end up with a sequence rather than a single treatment: Invisalign to straighten, whitening once the teeth are in place, then a veneer or two only where shape or colour still needs help.
Is there such a thing as a cosmetic dentist in Adelaide?
Cosmetic dentistry is not a registered specialty in Australia, so any registered dentist can provide it and the term describes a focus rather than a qualification. What differs between practices is experience with particular treatments, how conservatively they treat teeth, and whether they look after your oral health as well as your appearance. At Avenue Dental Adelaide, cosmetic treatment is provided by the same dentists who do your check-ups, and for Invisalign the practice holds Diamond Elite provider status, which Invisalign awards based on case volume.
How much does cosmetic dentistry cost in Adelaide?
It depends on the treatment. Across Adelaide, composite veneers are commonly quoted from around $350 to $1,200 per tooth, porcelain from around $1,200 to $3,000 per tooth, and Invisalign from around $3,000 to $9,000 or more. At Avenue Dental Adelaide, composite veneers start from $745 per tooth, porcelain from $1,780 per tooth and Invisalign from $3,400, and custom whitening trays are included with your new patient check-up. Your cosmetic consultation is free and you receive a written plan and quote before anything begins. See our Adelaide veneer pricing.
Are whitening trays really included with a check-up?
Yes, for new patients at Avenue Dental Adelaide, with terms and conditions that apply. Your new patient check-up includes a full examination and X-rays where needed; if your teeth are suitable, a digital scan is taken and custom trays are made by our in-house lab team, usually within one to two weeks, then fitted with dentist-prescribed gel. Any treatment your teeth need first, such as a filling or a clean, is done before whitening. Read the full terms.
Why do cosmetic dentistry prices vary between Adelaide practices?
Because the work behind the same name varies. A composite veneer can be a single layer of resin or built up by hand, layer by layer. Porcelain can be made offshore or by a local laboratory. Teeth can be prepared minimally or reduced heavily. Invisalign can be quoted with or without retainers and refinements. A lower price is not automatically the wrong choice, but it is worth asking which of those you are being quoted for.
Can I see what treatment might look like before I decide?
Yes. For veneers and smile plans, your free consultation includes a digital scan and a 3D render of the proposed result, which you review on screen with your dentist. For Invisalign, the iTero scan and Outcome Simulator Pro show how your teeth could look after treatment. Both are an indication of what is possible rather than a guarantee, and individual results vary, but they let you see the direction before committing.
Can cosmetic treatments be combined?
Often that is the best approach. A typical sequence is Invisalign first if the teeth need moving, whitening once they are in position, then veneers only on the teeth that still need shape or colour work. Whitening comes before veneers so the veneer shade can be matched to your whiter teeth. Your dentist maps the order at your consultation so nothing is done twice.
Is cosmetic dentistry safe?
Whitening and Invisalign, when supervised by a dentist, do not remove tooth structure. Veneers require some preparation of the tooth surface, and that preparation is not reversible, which is why we prepare minimally and suggest whitening or Invisalign first where they would address the concern. Any cosmetic treatment on top of untreated decay or gum disease is a poor idea, so a check-up comes first. All dental treatment carries risks, and your dentist will discuss the ones relevant to you before you consent. View treatment risks here.
How long do the results last?
Whitening typically lasts one to two years and is easily topped up because you keep your trays. Composite veneers may last on average three to seven years; porcelain veneers ten to fifteen. Teeth straightened with Invisalign stay straight for as long as retainers are worn as advised. Longevity varies between individuals and depends on oral hygiene, bite, diet and habits such as grinding.
How long does cosmetic treatment take?
Whitening trays take one to two weeks to make, then one to two weeks of use at home. Composite veneers are done in a single visit. Porcelain veneers take two or three visits over about two weeks while the laboratory makes them. Invisalign runs six to eighteen months. A combined plan is sequenced across these and your dentist gives you a timeline at the outset.
Does health insurance cover cosmetic dentistry in Adelaide?
Cosmetic treatment is generally not covered, as most funds exclude work done purely for appearance. Some funds contribute where there is a clinical reason, such as a veneer on a fractured tooth, and orthodontic extras cover may contribute towards Invisalign. Medicare does not cover cosmetic dental work. We give you the item numbers so you can check with your fund.
What should I look for when choosing a cosmetic dentist in Adelaide?
Ask whether they check your teeth are healthy before talking about appearance, how much Invisalign they actually treat (the provider tier is public), whether you will see a preview before anything is made, where veneers and trays are manufactured, whether they suggested anything other than the treatment you asked about, and what the quote includes. A practice that answers those openly, and sometimes recommends the smaller treatment, is one to take seriously.
Flexible payment plans
At Avenue Dental on the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne, we understand that dental treatment can be difficult to fit into your budget, which is why we offer a range of different dental payment plan options.
