Aesthetic Dentistry
The Smile
A smile is one of the very first traits we share with others. More than just a matter of vanity, dental aesthetics are directly connected to self-confidence, the way we interact socially, and even how health and well-being are perceived.
We see dental aesthetics as the harmony between biology, function, and beauty. Every case is carefully planned, respecting each patient's individuality, facial proportions, and the natural look of the result.
Among the most sought-after dental aesthetic treatments, we highlight:
Ceramic Veneers – minimally invasive solutions that correct the shape, color, and alignment of teeth.
Ultra-Conservative Treatments – ceramic veneers and fragments requiring minimal or even no tooth reduction.
All-Ceramic Crowns – ideal for correcting gum darkening caused by old crowns.
Teeth Whitening – a safe and gentle technique that restores brightness and natural color to the smile.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are an innovative solution for those who wish to transform their smile in a natural and long-lasting way. Made from high-quality glass-ceramic, these thin, customized shells are designed to correct aesthetic imperfections such as stains, wear, or minor misalignments, bringing perfect harmony to your smile.
At Dr. Hugo Costa Lapa's practice, every treatment is fully personalized. During the initial assessment, a detailed analysis of your oral health and expectations is carried out, ensuring that the treatment is meticulously planned to meet your specific needs. The process is minimally invasive, preserving the natural structure of the teeth while using state-of-the-art technology to deliver highly precise and top-quality results.
Beyond their aesthetic impact, ceramic veneers also offer strength and durability, allowing you to enjoy a radiant, confident smile for many years. If you are looking for a solution that combines beauty, functionality, and the expertise of a professional committed to excellence, ceramic veneers may be the ideal choice to achieve the smile of your dreams.
Ultra-Conservative Treatments
Unlike crowns and posts, which involve significant tooth reduction, ceramic veneers require only minimal preparation (0.2 to 0.5 mm) on the front surface of the teeth—and in some cases, no reduction at all. This is because they are bonded, not inserted or mechanically retained, making the approach ultra-conservative and minimally invasive.
Ultra-conservative treatments represent an innovative approach in dentistry, focused on preserving as much of the natural tooth structure as possible. At Dr. Hugo Costa Lapa's practice, this philosophy is applied to deliver minimally invasive solutions that maintain both the health and aesthetics of your teeth, without compromising healthy tissue.
With ultra-conservative treatments, you are guaranteed care that respects the integrity of your teeth while providing long-lasting, natural results. Discover how this approach can transform your dental experience by preserving the very best of your smile.
Gum Darkening
Gum darkening after dental treatment with ceramic crowns on the front teeth is relatively common, yet highly unesthetic and uncomfortable for the patient, often affecting self-esteem.
This appearance of greyish or darkened gums gives an artificial and unnatural look to dental treatments performed with ceramic crowns in the anterior region. In most cases, this effect results from an incorrect choice of materials—both in the crowns themselves and in the underlying tooth reconstruction. The consequence is that many patients stop smiling or hide their smile, fearing that others will notice something wrong with the gums around their teeth.
The solution lies in replacing the existing crowns with new ones made from materials that allow proper light transmission, restoring a natural and harmonious smile.
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is a cosmetic treatment designed to enhance the natural beauty of your smile, giving you brighter and more radiant teeth. At Dr. Hugo Costa Lapa's practice, we use modern techniques and high-quality products to safely and effectively remove stains and discoloration, restoring your teeth's natural luminosity.
It is the safest and most conservative cosmetic dental treatment available. This means that no mechanical wear or chemical erosion occurs as a result of whitening.
Before starting the procedure, we carry out a detailed assessment of your oral health, ensuring that the treatment is tailored to your individual needs.
Teeth whitening not only improves aesthetics but also boosts self-confidence, allowing you to smile freely in every situation. Discover how this treatment can transform your smile and book a consultation with Dr. Hugo Costa Lapa and his team to learn about the best solutions available for you.
Your Questions Answered
What is the ideal ceramic for dental veneers?
The ideal ceramic for dental veneers is feldspathic ceramic or leucite-reinforced glass ceramic. Both of these materials are highly similar to the optical, aesthetic, and mechanical properties of natural tooth enamel.
Contrary to what many marketing strategies promote—often associating "advanced technology" and "innovation" with supposedly superior esthetic results—feldspathic ceramic is in fact a well-established material that has been used in dentistry for many decades, with its first application dating back to 1938 by dentist Charles Pincus.
The main challenge in working with these ceramics lies in their fragility before being bonded to the teeth. Because of this, many dental technicians and dentists avoid using them, preferring materials that are easier to handle but offer inferior esthetic outcomes, such as lithium disilicate-reinforced glass ceramic or zirconia.
Once bonded, however, feldspathic ceramic veneers become as strong—or even stronger—than natural teeth, making them a highly reliable and esthetic choice.
How are ceramic veneers bonded?
Feldspathic ceramic veneers are bonded to the teeth in such a way that the tooth and the veneer essentially become one. When properly bonded to dental enamel, it is virtually impossible for a feldspathic ceramic veneer to detach.
The discovery of adhesive systems for bonding veneers dates back to 1955, when Michael Buonocore described the technique that is still used today. It is therefore not something "new" or technologically advanced.
The success of veneer bonding depends far more on the dentist's precision and strict adherence to clinical protocols than on the evolution of the adhesive material itself. Once bonded, the veneer and the tooth become stronger than the sum of their individual parts, forming a single unit very similar to a natural tooth—which is also made up of two bonded materials: enamel on the outside and dentin on the inside, joined by a natural "biological glue" known as the dentinoenamel junction.
What improvements can be expected in the smile with ceramic veneers?
Ceramic veneers can correct many aesthetic and functional problems, but they also have limitations. They are not a universal solution for every dental issue and may even be inappropriate when more conservative options are available, such as teeth whitening or direct composite resin restorations.
Changes in tooth position (crooked teeth, crowding, or gaps) can often be addressed, to a certain extent, with ceramic veneers. Modifications in tooth shape, size, and volume, as well as color corrections, can also be successfully treated with veneers.
They are also used to restore teeth affected by moderate to severe wear, regardless of the cause—mechanical (such as teeth grinding or bruxism), chemical (such as bulimia, reflux, or an overly acidic diet), or fractures resulting from accidents or trauma.
How long does a ceramic veneer treatment take?
On average, a veneer treatment requires three appointments.
First consultation – Planning
This includes a full medical history, impressions, photographs, X-rays, and a detailed case study.
Second consultation – Three key steps
- Test-drive (mock-up or project): You can see, test, and approve the final result before the treatment begins.
- Tooth preparation: Minimal adjustments (0.2 to 0.5 mm) are made to the front surface of the teeth. In some cases, no preparation is needed.
- Impressions: These are sent to the dental technician to craft your customized ceramic veneers.
Third consultation – Final bonding
The ceramic veneers are permanently bonded to your teeth, completing the treatment.
What kind of maintenance do ceramic veneers require?
Teeth with ceramic veneers behave just like natural teeth, so their use and maintenance are no different. Daily oral hygiene and regular check-ups—annually or every six months—with your dentist are essential to maintaining the health of both your teeth and your veneers.
Are ceramic veneers fragile?
Ceramic veneers are only fragile before being bonded to the teeth, as they are very thin pieces (just 0.2 to 0.5 mm thick). Once bonded, however, the veneer and the tooth become one, and their strength is equal to—or even greater than—that of a natural tooth.
What types of ceramic veneers are there?
There are different types of ceramic veneers, depending on the material used and their size:
By material: Three main ceramics can be used for veneers—feldspathic ceramic, leucite-reinforced glass ceramic, and lithium disilicate-reinforced glass ceramic. Feldspathic and leucite-reinforced ceramics provide the most natural results and superior esthetics, which is why they are the materials of choice for our veneers.
By size: Veneers can cover the entire front surface of the tooth, in which case they are called veneers or contact lenses. They can also cover only part of the tooth when we want to correct small details without any tooth reduction; in these cases, they are called ceramic fragments.
How many veneers should I get?
It is possible to place just a single veneer, or as many as 10 to 12 veneers on the same arch, depending on the aesthetic and functional needs of each treatment.
Why do gums darken after some crowns are placed?
Gum darkening following ceramic crown treatments on the front teeth is a much-discussed phenomenon in the scientific community, commonly referred to as the umbrella effect. This effect is often mistakenly attributed to the darkening of devitalized tooth roots. In reality, the phenomenon is far more complex and has little, if anything, to do with root discoloration.
The main factor behind this effect is optical. Our teeth behave much like lanterns: when exposed to light or radiation (from the sun or artificial sources), they literally emit light. This property is called fluorescence, and in teeth, it is the dentin—the inner hard layer beneath the enamel—that is responsible.
For dentin to fluoresce, it must receive light. Since enamel, the outer hard layer of the tooth, is nearly transparent, it allows light to pass through to the dentin. However, when ceramic crowns are placed using materials that are not sufficiently translucent, light cannot penetrate to the dentin, and the phenomenon of fluorescence is blocked.
It is this dentin fluorescence that gives the gums surrounding natural teeth a bright, healthy, and "alive" appearance, especially in the upper front teeth. When this phenomenon is prevented—due to the use of less transparent materials in crowns—the gums appear grayish or dark, lacking vitality.
How does teeth whitening work?
Teeth whitening is the safest and most conservative cosmetic dental treatment, as it does not involve or cause any wear to the teeth. The procedure uses a substance called carbamide peroxide, which breaks down and removes the pigments that accumulate on teeth over the years and are responsible for discoloration.
This whitening agent, in gel form, is applied to the teeth—usually overnight—for a period of 15 to 30 days. The gel is placed inside custom-made trays that fit perfectly over the teeth, allowing it to act effectively and safely.