The Treatment You Need, and What It Costs
Most people come in with one of three things: teeth that have darkened, edges that are chipped or worn, or gaps and uneven shapes. Each has a different answer, and the cheapest one is often the right one.
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Whitening handles color and costs $399 in office. Bonding rebuilds a chipped edge in a single appointment and lasts five to seven years. Veneers change shape and alignment and last 10 to 15 years with proper care.
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Cosmetic treatment is rarely covered by dental insurance, so you should see the number before you agree to anything. The consultation is free, and you leave with the plan and the full cost in writing, whether or not you book.
Veneers, Whitening and Bonding
What each visit involves, from the first appointment to the final result.
Porcelain Veneers
Two visits. We prepare a thin layer of enamel and take a digital impression. Our own technician matches the shade against your teeth in person, not from a photo, and adjusts it before bonding.
Who Veneers Are For
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Chipped or worn teeth
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Uneven spacing or shape
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Deep discoloration that does not respond to whitening
Teeth Whitening
One visit of about an hour. We use Opalescence Boost, which contains potassium nitrate and fluoride to reduce sensitivity. Zoom is available on request.
In-office whitening: $399.
Who Whitening Is For
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Yellowing or stained teeth
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Patients preparing for a cosmetic enhancement
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Those seeking a refreshed, brighter smile
Dental Bonding
One visit, usually without numbing. Composite resin is applied directly to the tooth, shaped by hand, hardened with light, then polished so it matches the color and surface of the neighboring teeth.
Who Bonding Is For
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Chipped or worn front edges
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Small gaps between teeth
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Patients not ready for veneers
You See the Result Before It Is Permanent
Veneers and bonding are approved in your own mouth, not on a screen. You see the shape and the shade in daylight and in the mirror, and we adjust until you are satisfied. If a smaller treatment will get you the same result, we tell you before you commit to the larger one.
Veneers, Whitening & Bonding: Common Questions
A thin layer of enamel is removed so the veneer sits flush with the neighboring teeth, and that layer does not grow back. Bonding and whitening remove nothing. We start with the least invasive option that will get you the result you want.
At Modern Dental, porcelain veneers are $1,500 to $2,500 per tooth. Most people treat six to ten front teeth, so a full case usually runs $9,000 to $25,000. The per-tooth fee covers the preparation and bonding appointments and the lab work, which is done in our own lab in the office. Treating decay, gum problems or replacing old fillings before a veneer can be placed is quoted separately. You get the full figure in writing before anything begins.
The tooth underneath is most of it. A tooth that is already well aligned and close to the shade you want takes a thin facing of porcelain and sits at the lower end of the range. A tooth that is dark, worn or chipped has to be built up and shaped first, and our technician spends considerably longer matching it against the teeth beside it. That time is the difference between the two ends. We tell you where your own teeth fall at the consultation, before anything is prepared.
Yes. We photograph your face and smile and design the veneers digitally, so you can see the proposed shape, length and proportions on your own face before anything is fabricated. That is the point to ask for changes, when changes cost nothing. The design is a plan rather than a guarantee of the final result, but it means you are not seeing your new teeth for the first time after they are bonded.
Work done purely to change appearance is normally excluded from dental plans. If a tooth is cracked, worn or decayed, part of the treatment may be covered as restorative care instead. We check your plan first and tell you which portion, if any, applies.
Results hold one to three years depending on coffee, tea, red wine and smoking. Take-home trays extend that. Whitening does not change the color of existing crowns, veneers or fillings, so those are matched or replaced separately if they no longer blend in.
Sensitivity is the most common complaint after whitening, and it is usually caused by the treatment itself rather than by your teeth. We use Opalescence Boost, a chemically activated gel with potassium nitrate and fluoride built in to calm the nerve and strengthen enamel while it works. Your gums are isolated first, and we adjust the number of cycles if you react strongly.
Sometimes. Veneers correct mild spacing and rotation. If the bite is significantly off, straightening the teeth first gives a more durable result and usually means fewer veneers. We tell you which situation you are in at the consultation, before anything is prepared.
Usually it comes down to shade, not the porcelain. Natural teeth sit between A1 and A3 on the standard shade guide, and bleach shades rarely read as real against skin tone. Because our lab is in the practice, the technician matches the color against your own teeth in daylight before anything is bonded.
Modern Dental is at 19 Phelps Ave in Tenafly and treats patients from across Bergen County and Northern New Jersey. Veneers, whitening and bonding are all done in the practice. Call 201-377-7374 to arrange a cosmetic consultation.
A smile makeover is a plan, not a single procedure. It usually combines whitening, veneers or bonding, and sometimes replacing older crowns and fillings so everything matches. We map out the sequence, the number of visits and the total cost at the consultation, and treatment can be staged over time rather than done all at once.​
What Happens at the Consultation
Nothing is prepared on the first visit. We look at your teeth, take photos, and talk through what bothers you and what you want changed.
You leave with the options, the timeline and the price for each, in writing. There is no pressure to decide in the chair.
If you are only considering it for now, that is fine. Call 201-377-7374 and we will find a time that works.