COSMETIC DENTISTRY
BEAUTIFUL & NATURAL RESULTS
New Reasons to Smile
When Dr. Astugue was a senior in high school, he got his braces off after one year of wearing them and felt like he was on cloud nine when he smiled. That early experience showed him how even just a small or moderate esthetic improvement can make a huge improvement in a person’s confidence. Our mouth and our teeth are front and center whenever we communicate with others, and feeling good about their appearance can truly have an impact on our sense of self. Dr. Astugue appreciates how cosmetic dentistry can give a patient immediate results that create change beyond our oral health. If you’ve been contemplating an enhancement to your smile, whether it be a big or a small change, please schedule an appointment with us to discuss your ideas and goals.
Customizable Cosmetic Dental Treatments
Dr. Astugue has a particular interest in creating beautiful, natural-looking veneers and full smile makeovers, working closely with you to understand what vision you have for your smile. We invite you to read more about the Smile Makeover process in a special section at the bottom of this page.
While a Smile Makeover is an exciting, rewarding process, it’s not always necessary in order to get the results you desire. Subtle enhancements can be made to your smile using conservative treatments such as cosmetic bonding and injection molding. We can use these treatments to fill in tiny gaps (a.k.a. black triangles) or to straighten the appearance of a tooth or improve its shape.
Additionally, our CEREC system (which we regularly use for same day crowns, bridges, and onlays) can be used in certain veneer cases. If you’re a candidate for this, we’ll explain how your results will differ with the CEREC system versus a more traditional smile makeover so you can make a choice that works best for your esthetic goals and other considerations such as time/schedule and budget.
Teeth whitening brightens up a smile, and we have multiple options that patients can choose from. KöR is the most effective option, combining an in-office session with at-home whitening for maximum results. Opalescence Boost is also a popular choice amongst our patients, as it is more cost-effective than KöR. We typically recommend at least two in-office sessions with Opalescence Boost. We also have in-office Philips Zoom Whitening as well as pre-loaded packs and custom trays with syringes.
For minor orthodontic improvements, we offer clear aligner systems through both SureSmile and Invisalign. When more extensive cases are needed, we’ll refer you to a trusted orthodontist. If your orthodontics are part of a larger cosmetic dentistry goal, we’ll work closely with the orthodontist to coordinate the steps of your treatment to meet the larger overall vision for your smile.
Smile Makeoevers
Veneers
Teeth Whitening
Bonding/Injection Molding
Black Triangle Treatment
(filling small gaps)
Clear Aligners
(SureSmiles and Invisalign)
Crown Lengthening
Gingivectomy
(reshaping your gum line)
How a Smile Makeover Works
A smile makeover with precisely customized veneers can be a very rewarding process for both the patient and the dentist. Patients often say the experience is fun and even more importantly, the final cosmetic results make them feel happier and more confident.
The first step is working with Dr. Astugue to discuss what your goals are for your smile. Together, the two of you will come up with a plan that will achieve the smile you envision while also taking into account the shape of your face and mouth as well as the functionality of your bite so that your enhanced smile looks natural and feels good.
We take scans and impressions of your teeth, and then you visit our local, renowned master ceramist, Mike Bellerino, at his studio in Metairie, where he will do a “shade” photo shoot. This allows us to get the perfect custom shade for you and design a model of what your updated teeth will look like.
Next, at our office you’ll get a chance to see what the results will look like when we do a chairside mock-up. We do this by injecting filling material into a special retainer to simulate the look of your veneers. You’ll actually get to put this retainer in your mouth during the appointment to see what your new smile will look like.
Once you give the final approval, we schedule you for the final appointment(s) of your smile makeover! Every cosmetic case is unique, and we put a lot of care and communication into ensuring the process is seamless and your results are successful.
Office Hours
Mon-Thur: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Kevin C. Astugue, DDS
Family & Cosmetic
Dentistry
Contact Info
100 Allen Toussaint Blvd
New Orleans, LA 70124
(504) 286-3880
Email Us