Cosmetic dentistry in Rockville, Maryland, can address concerns such as stained teeth, chips, gaps, uneven tooth shape, worn edges, and other features that affect the appearance of your smile.
Dr. John Savukinas has practiced cosmetic dentistry for 34 years. His clinical experience includes more than 1,000 veneer cases, more than 1,000 bonding cases, and thousands of restorative procedures involving the shape, color, and structure of teeth.
Cosmetic treatment is not about creating the same smile for everyone. Dr. Savukinas considers your facial features, oral health, bite, existing dental work, and personal preferences when helping you decide what changes may be appropriate.
Whether you want to brighten stained teeth, repair a chipped edge, close an unwanted space, or consider a broader smile transformation, a consultation can help you compare your options.
Considering cosmetic dentistry in Rockville, MD?
Call 301-738-1155 or request a cosmetic consultation online.
What Would You Like to Change About Your Smile?
Some patients know which cosmetic treatment they are interested in. Others simply know there is something about their smile they would like to improve.
Common concerns include:
- Teeth that appear darker, yellow, or stained
- Chipped, worn, or uneven tooth edges
- Spaces between teeth
- Teeth that look too small, short, or irregularly shaped
- Old fillings or restorations that stand out
- Uneven or asymmetrical appearance
- Multiple concerns affecting the overall smile
You do not need to diagnose the problem or choose a procedure before your visit.
During a consultation with our cosmetic dentist in Rockville, Maryland, Dr. Savukinas will evaluate your teeth, gums, bite, and existing dental work before explaining which treatments may address your concerns.
Cosmetic Dentistry Designed Around Your Features
A natural-looking cosmetic result should complement your face rather than draw attention to the dental work itself.
When planning treatment, Dr. Savukinas may consider:
- Your facial proportions and smile line
- The position and movement of your lips
- Your natural tooth color and translucency
- The size, shape, and symmetry of visible teeth
- Your gumline
- Your bite and jaw movement
- Existing crowns, fillings, bonding, or veneers
- Your preferences for appearance and maintenance
The goal is not to make every tooth identical. Thoughtful cosmetic care can improve balance and proportion while preserving a natural appearance.
Cosmetic Dental Treatments
Cosmetic treatments may be used individually or combined as part of a coordinated plan.
Professional Teeth Whitening
Professional teeth whitening can reduce many common stains caused by coffee, tea, red wine, tobacco, and natural aging.
Whitening changes the shade of natural enamel but does not lighten crowns, veneers, bonding, or fillings. Dr. Savukinas can review existing restorations before treatment so you understand how whitening may affect your overall smile.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are thin restorations placed over the front of selected teeth. They may be considered for concerns involving color, shape, minor spacing, worn enamel, or uneven proportions.
Dr. Savukinas has completed more than 1,000 veneer cases and will explain whether veneers or a more conservative option may be appropriate.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding uses tooth-colored material to reshape or repair a tooth. It may help address small chips, minor spaces, uneven edges, or selected shape concerns.
Dr. Savukinas has completed more than 1,000 bonding cases. Bonding may require less alteration to the natural tooth than some restorative alternatives, although it can stain, chip, or wear over time.
Smile Makeovers
A smile makeover combines two or more treatments to address several concerns within one coordinated plan.
Depending on your needs, treatment may involve whitening, bonding, veneers, orthodontic care, restorative treatment, or procedures involving the gumline.
The order of treatment matters. For example, whitening may be completed before selecting the final shade of a veneer or bonded restoration.
Clear Aligners and Orthodontic Care
When tooth position is the primary concern, moving the teeth may be more conservative than covering them with restorations.
Dr. Savukinas has 12 years of experience providing clear aligner and orthodontic treatment and has completed more than 500 clear aligner or orthodontic cases.
Visit our orthodontics section to learn more about available treatment options.
Choosing the Right Cosmetic Treatment
The most extensive treatment is not always the best choice.
A small cosmetic concern may sometimes be improved with whitening or bonding. When alignment is the main issue, orthodontic treatment may preserve more natural tooth structure than a restorative procedure. Veneers or a coordinated smile makeover may be considered when several concerns affect the same teeth.
Dr. Savukinas will help you compare options based on:
- The concern you want to improve
- The health and condition of the affected teeth
- How much natural tooth structure each treatment requires
- The type of change you hope to achieve
- Expected treatment time
- Maintenance requirements
- Whether future repair or replacement may be needed
This approach allows you to consider appearance, tooth preservation, function, and long-term care before deciding how to proceed.
Cosmetic Dentistry and Oral Health
Cosmetic treatment should be built on a healthy foundation.
Tooth decay, gum inflammation, active infection, damaged teeth, or an unstable bite may need attention before elective cosmetic procedures begin.
Before developing a cosmetic plan, Dr. Savukinas may recommend:
- A comprehensive dental examination
- A professional cleaning
- Treatment for cavities or damaged teeth
- Evaluation of gum health
- Assessment of clenching or teeth grinding
- Review of older dental restorations
Addressing these concerns first may improve comfort, appearance, and the long-term predictability of cosmetic treatment.
What Happens During a Cosmetic Dentistry Consultation?
A cosmetic consultation begins with what you would like to change about your smile.
Dr. Savukinas will examine your teeth and oral health, discuss your goals, and help you compare appropriate cosmetic dental treatments.
Your visit may include:
- A review of your dental and medical history
- An examination of your teeth, gums, and bite
- Discussion of the concerns you notice when you smile
- Review of existing crowns, fillings, bonding, or veneers
- Discussion of preferred tooth shade, shape, or proportions
- Photographs or digital records when helpful
- Comparison of treatment alternatives
- Discussion of treatment timing and maintenance
- Review of financial considerations
You may bring photographs that illustrate features you like, but treatment should still be planned around your own teeth, facial features, bite, and oral health.
What Affects the Cost of Cosmetic Dentistry?
The cost of cosmetic dentistry varies because treatment may involve one tooth, several teeth, or multiple procedures.
Factors that may affect cost include:
- The type of cosmetic treatment
- The number of teeth being treated
- The materials used
- Whether existing dental work needs to be replaced
- Whether preliminary dental treatment is needed
- Whether several procedures are combined into one treatment plan
- The complexity and length of treatment
After examining your teeth and discussing your goals, Dr. Savukinas can explain the recommended options and the financial considerations associated with each approach.
Focused Improvements or a Complete Smile Makeover
Cosmetic dentistry does not always require extensive treatment.
A focused procedure may be enough when one or two teeth are affecting the appearance of your smile.
Examples may include:
- Repairing a chipped front tooth with bonding
- Brightening stained natural teeth
- Reshaping an uneven edge
- Closing a small space
- Replacing a visible discolored restoration
- Improving the proportions of an undersized tooth
When several concerns affect the same smile, treatment may be coordinated as a broader plan.
A comprehensive cosmetic plan may address:
- Discoloration
- Multiple chipped or worn teeth
- Uneven spacing
- Old or mismatched dental work
- Short or irregular tooth proportions
- Changes related to grinding or bite wear
Dr. Savukinas can help you determine whether a focused treatment or a more comprehensive smile makeover better fits your goals.
How Long Do Cosmetic Dentistry Results Last?
The longevity of cosmetic treatment depends on the procedure, materials, bite forces, oral hygiene, and personal habits.
Professional whitening may require periodic touch-ups.
Dental bonding may stain, chip, or wear and may eventually need repair or replacement.
Veneers and other restorations may serve for years with appropriate care, but they should not be considered lifetime restorations.
You may help protect cosmetic results by:
- Brushing and flossing consistently
- Scheduling regular dental examinations and cleanings
- Avoiding tobacco products
- Limiting habits such as chewing ice or biting hard objects
- Wearing a night guard when recommended
- Reporting chips, movement, sensitivity, or other changes promptly
Visit our oral hygiene and dental cleanings and exams pages for information about maintaining your oral health and dental work.
Why Choose Dr. Savukinas for Cosmetic Dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry involves more than changing tooth color or shape. Treatment also needs to account for how the teeth fit together, how restorations function, and how materials may perform over time.
Dr. Savukinas has practiced cosmetic and restorative dentistry for 34 years.
His relevant experience includes:
- More than 1,000 veneer cases
- More than 1,000 bonding cases
- More than 1,000 dental crowns
- More than 1,000 dental bridges
- More than 3,000 fillings and restorative cases
- More than 500 clear aligner or orthodontic cases
- Extensive continuing education in cosmetic and restorative dentistry
Dr. Savukinas is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and has served as a faculty member at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry since 1994.
His experience allows him to consider both how cosmetic treatment looks and how it may affect function, bite, tooth structure, and long-term maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cosmetic Dentistry
What is cosmetic dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry includes treatments intended to improve the color, shape, spacing, alignment, proportions, or overall appearance of the teeth and smile. Some procedures may also provide restorative or functional benefits.
How do I know which cosmetic dental treatment I need?
You do not need to choose a procedure before your consultation. Dr. Savukinas will evaluate your concerns, oral health, existing dental work, and goals before explaining which options may be appropriate.
Can cosmetic dentistry look natural?
Cosmetic treatment can be planned to complement your natural tooth color, facial proportions, smile line, and surrounding teeth. The goal is generally to create balance and improvement without making the dental work look artificial.
What is the most conservative cosmetic dental treatment?
The answer depends on the concern. Whitening may be appropriate for discoloration, bonding may repair a small chip with limited tooth alteration, and orthodontic treatment may improve tooth position without covering the teeth with restorations.
Can I receive cosmetic treatment if I have gum disease?
Active gum disease generally needs to be treated before elective cosmetic procedures begin. Healthy gums provide a more stable foundation and can influence both appearance and long-term treatment results.
How much does cosmetic dentistry cost?
Cost depends on the type of treatment, number of teeth involved, materials, whether preliminary dental care is needed, and whether multiple procedures are combined. Dr. Savukinas can explain the financial considerations associated with your recommended options after your evaluation.
How long does cosmetic dentistry take?
Some procedures may be completed in one or two appointments. Others, including clear aligner treatment or a multi-step smile makeover, may take several months. The timeline depends on the procedures involved and your individual treatment plan.
Does dental insurance cover cosmetic dentistry?
Procedures completed only for appearance are often considered elective. Coverage may differ when treatment also restores a damaged or unhealthy tooth. Our team can review available benefits and discuss financial options.
How long do veneers, bonding, and whitening last?
Each treatment has different maintenance and replacement expectations. Whitening may require touch-ups, bonding may need repair or replacement over time, and veneers may last for years with proper care. Bite forces, habits, materials, and oral hygiene all affect longevity.
What areas do you serve?
Dr. Savukinas provides cosmetic dentistry in Rockville, Maryland, and serves patients from Gaithersburg, Germantown, North Potomac, Potomac, and nearby communities.
Schedule a Cosmetic Dentistry Consultation in Rockville, Maryland
You do not need to know which procedure you want before scheduling a consultation.
If you are concerned about stains, chips, spaces, tooth shape, worn teeth, or several aspects of your smile, Dr. Savukinas can evaluate your oral health and help you compare treatment options.
To discuss cosmetic dentistry in Rockville, Maryland, call 301-738-1155 or schedule your cosmetic consultation online.