CJ Henley, DMD, PA / San Marco, Jacksonville, Florida
Cosmetic dentist in Jacksonville, FL.
Artistic work, planned so your teeth still look like yours.
Dr. CJ Henley is a top-rated cosmetic dentist in Jacksonville, providing cosmetic dentistry at our San Marco office: porcelain and composite veneers, bonding, teeth whitening, clear aligners, gum contouring, smile makeovers, and redos of cosmetic work done elsewhere. Good cosmetic dentistry is part clinical judgment and part artistry. Dr. Henley checks your teeth, gums, and bite first, shows you a preview before any tooth is changed, and recommends the least invasive option that gets the result you want.
- 1 dentistDr. Henley does your consultation, design, preparation, and delivery himself
- 3 visitsfor most porcelain veneer cases, over about a month, with a preview first
- 3–30%of a front tooth removed for a veneer in a lab study, versus 63–72% for a crown1
- 94%of glass-ceramic veneers still in place at a median of 9 years in a meta-analysis2
Voted a Jacksonville Magazine Top Dentist for more than a decade. 4.9 stars on Google from more than 225 patient reviews.
Where to start
Start with what you want to change.
Cosmetic dentistry here starts with a question, not a treatment menu. Tell us what bothers you when you smile, and we will match it to the most conservative option that will actually get you there. Sometimes that is a box of whitening strips. Sometimes it is veneers. Often it is two or three treatments done in the right order.
One dentist at every visit. A preview before any tooth is prepared. Porcelain hand-layered by a ceramist we can name. The fee in writing before treatment starts. And a straight answer when something simpler would serve you better.
- My teeth look yellow or dullTeeth whitening
- I have a chip, a gap, or an uneven edgeComposite bonding
- I want to change shape and color togetherPorcelain veneers
- My teeth are crowded or have shiftedClear aligners
- My smile shows too much gumGum contouring
- I don’t like cosmetic work I already haveVeneer and bonding redos
Treatments
Cosmetic treatments we provide.
Each of these has a place. The useful questions are what it changes, how much tooth it costs, and how long it lasts. Each one links to a page with the full details.
Porcelain veneers
Porcelain veneers are thin, custom-made ceramic shells bonded to the front, and often the biting edge, of a tooth to change its color, shape, or length.
Most of ours are layered e.max, a lithium disilicate ceramic that is strong for its thickness and lets light through like enamel. Each set is hand-layered by ceramist Paul Robert at Dynamic Dental Solutions, an artist in porcelain, from a design you approved in a mock-up. We also offer composite veneers and, for the right teeth, minimal-prep and no-prep veneers.
- Best for
- Color, shape, and proportion changes across several front teeth
- Visits
- About three, over about a month
- Tooth removed
- Usually a little; none to very little for no-prep
When we may suggest something elseIf teeth are crowded, aligning them first can mean thinner veneers, fewer of them, or none. A broken or heavily filled tooth does better with a crown. Gum disease, decay, and grinding are dealt with before the design is final.
Composite bonding
Composite bonding uses tooth-colored resin to repair chips, close small gaps, and even out edges, usually in one visit and often with little or no drilling.
Dr. Henley uses Filtek Supreme composite for its shade range and translucency and a Bioclear matrix to shape smooth contours at the gumline. To keep the detail work unhurried, he usually limits a bonding visit to six teeth or fewer, and for larger changes he can make a quick mock-up so you see the shape first.
- Best for
- Small chips, narrow gaps, worn or uneven edges
- Visits
- Usually one
- Tooth removed
- Little or none
When we may suggest something elseComposite stains and roughens sooner than porcelain and is a weaker choice for large color changes. It is easy to repair or adjust, which is part of its appeal.
Teeth whitening
Teeth whitening uses a peroxide gel to lighten the natural color of your teeth. It does not change crowns, veneers, bonding, or fillings.
We check your teeth first, then tell you plainly which option fits: over-the-counter strips when they will get you there, custom take-home trays made from a digital scan, in-office Opalescence Boost when you have a deadline, or internal bleaching for one dark tooth after a root canal.
- Best for
- Yellowing from age, coffee, tea, and wine
- Visits
- None for strips; one for in-office whitening
- Tooth removed
- None
When we may suggest something elseGray or banded stains respond slowly and may need months of tray wear, bonding, or veneers. If strips will give you the shade you want, we will tell you, even though in-office whitening is something we sell.
Clear aligners
Clear aligners are a series of thin, removable trays that move teeth in small steps, worn 20 to 22 hours a day.
Dr. Henley plans each aligner case himself and sees you at every check. Because he also does the veneers, bonding, and crowns, he moves teeth to where any later work will look and last best. We are not an Invisalign provider; the aligners we use work the same basic way.
- Best for
- Mild to moderate crowding, gaps, teeth that shifted after braces
- Time
- Up to about nine months for minor cases; longer for bigger moves
- Tooth removed
- None
When we may suggest something elseLarger jaw and bite problems usually do better with braces or an orthodontist. Dr. Henley will tell you at the consult if yours is one of them.
Gum contouring
Gum contouring reshapes a high or uneven gumline so teeth show at a natural length.
We use a laser to reshape the gumline, sometimes as laser crown lengthening. In a veneer plan it comes first, so the new teeth have a balanced frame. You heal, often in temporaries, before the final porcelain is made.
- Best for
- A gummy smile, short-looking teeth, an uneven gumline
- Order
- Before veneers or crowns
- Tooth removed
- None
When we may suggest something elseNot every short-looking tooth is a gum problem. Worn edges may need length added back instead, and the exam tells which.
Crowns for front teeth
A crown covers the whole tooth and is the better choice when a front tooth is broken, cracked, or mostly filling.
Every crown we place is handmade by a local ceramist rather than milled in the office, so color and translucency can be layered the way natural teeth have it. Front crowns can be made from the same e.max as veneers, so crowns and veneers side by side match.
- Best for
- Broken, heavily filled, or darkened front teeth
- Material
- e.max, zirconia, porcelain, or gold, chosen for the tooth and the bite
- Tooth removed
- More than a veneer
When we may suggest something elseA healthy front tooth that only needs a change in color or shape usually does better with a veneer or bonding, which removes far less tooth.
Compare
Whitening, bonding, veneers, crowns, or aligners: how they compare.
Choose the least invasive option that gets the result you want. Whitening changes only natural tooth color. Bonding fixes small chips in one visit. Veneers change color and shape with little tooth removal. Crowns cover a tooth that is broken or heavily filled. Aligners straighten crowded teeth so veneers, if you still want them, can stay thin.
| Treatment | Best for | Tooth removed | Visits | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teeth whitening | Natural tooth color | None | Strips at home, or one office visit | Several months to a few years, with touch-ups |
| Composite bonding | Small chips, gaps, uneven edges | Little or none | Usually one | Needs repair or replacement sooner than porcelain; easy to fix |
| Composite veneers | Shape and color at a lower cost | Little or none | Often one | Studied over about 2 to 8 years; stains and roughens sooner4 |
| Porcelain veneers (layered e.max) | Color, shape, and proportion together | About 3–30% of a front tooth; less for minimal-prep1 | About three, over about a month | 94% in place at a median of 9 years for glass-ceramics2 |
| Front crowns | Broken, cracked, or heavily filled teeth | About 63–72% of a front tooth1 | Lab-made, over more than one visit | Depends on the bite, habits, and care |
| Clear aligners | Crowding, spacing, tooth position | None | Short checks at regular intervals | Stable only with retainer wear |
How long any of these lasts depends on your bite, habits, hygiene, and regular care. Your consultation determines which options fit your teeth.
Second opinions
Unhappy with cosmetic work you already have?
Many of our cosmetic patients come to us for a second opinion. Their veneers look bulky, opaque, or too white, bonding has stained at the edges, or older work stopped matching after the gums receded. We repair and redo cosmetic work placed by other dentists, and we start by finding out why it looks wrong, so the replacement doesn’t repeat the problem.
Opaque or flat
Porcelain with no translucency reads as a cap, not a tooth. Natural enamel lets some light through at the biting edge.
Bulky or too big
Extra thickness on teeth that were already full-sized makes veneers hard to close your lips over and hard to clean at the gumline.
Too white or mismatched
“As white as possible” is one of the most common reasons veneers look fake. Shade should suit your skin, eyes, and remaining teeth.
Edges that ignore the smile
Flat, uniform edges that don’t follow your lower lip look manufactured. The design should come from your face, not a catalog.
Stained or failing bonding
Old composite darkens and chips at the margins. Sometimes it can be polished or repaired; sometimes the real problem is something else, like short teeth.
A gray or exposed gumline
When gums recede, an old veneer or crown edge can show. Gum treatment or a new restoration may be the fix.
Can it be fixed without replacing it?
Sometimes. Surface stain can be polished, a small chip can be smoothed or repaired with composite, an intact veneer that came off can sometimes be rebonded, and gum treatment can improve a gumline. Whitening won’t change porcelain, so a color problem in the ceramic means a new veneer.
What a redo involves
A mock-up shows the new shape before old work comes off. Removing old veneers usually costs a little more tooth, so we only redo what needs it. The new veneers are layered e.max, on the same three-visit plan with temporaries. A second opinion doesn’t commit you to anything, and we would rather tell you a redo won’t help than make one that doesn’t.
Why veneers look fake, and whether they can be redone · A second-opinion redo of bulky, opaque front restorations
Smile makeovers
How we plan a smile, and why the order matters.
A smile makeover is several treatments done in a planned sequence. Getting the order right is what keeps later work thinner, better matched, and longer lasting.
Step 1
Health first
Decay, gum disease, and grinding are treated or planned for before anything cosmetic.
Step 2
Move
If teeth are crowded or tipped, clear aligners come first, so later work can be thinner or unnecessary.
Step 3
Whiten
New work is matched to your lighter shade. We usually wait about two weeks after whitening before bonding.
Step 4
Frame and restore
Gum contouring if needed, then bonding, veneers, or crowns built from a design you approved.
This is where the artistry comes in. The design follows your face. We show the new length against your lips in a mock-up, take shade photos in more than one light, and plan translucent edges and fine surface texture with the ceramist. Our cosmetic dentistry is planned with the lab, not just sent to it.
Your visit
What happens at a cosmetic consultation.
Dr. Henley does the consultation himself. There is no treatment coordinator presenting a plan and a price. New patients should plan on about two hours for a first visit, which includes a full exam.
Tell us what you want to change
Bring photos of smiles you like, and any records of old veneers, crowns, or bonding.
Exam and records
Dr. Henley checks your teeth, gums, bite, and jaw joints, and takes photos and X-rays when they are needed.
See it first
For veneers and larger bonding cases, a mock-up or digital preview shows the new length and shape on your own teeth.
A plan and a fee, in writing
You leave with your options in order, what each one changes, and the fee for each step. Nothing is scheduled that you didn’t choose.
Our work
Cosmetic dentistry before and after: cases from our office.
These are our own patients, treated in our San Marco office. Look at the edges and the gumline, where craftsmanship shows: natural-looking work lets some light through at the biting edge and has fine surface texture. Drag the slider on each photo to compare.
Veneers and crowns after childhood trauma
Front teeth darkened by a childhood injury, with a gap. The center teeth needed crowns; the teeth beside them got e.max veneers. One material keeps color and translucency consistent, and the new shapes closed the gap. Read the full case.
Beyond rebonding: gum contouring, then veneers
She had been told to redo her composite bonding, but the real problem was short teeth. A laser reshaped the gumline, she wore temporaries while it healed, and layered e.max veneers finished the smile. Read the full case.
Gummy smile: laser first, then veneers
Laser crown lengthening created a better frame, then layered e.max veneers improved shape, color, and proportion. The design was set by her face, not a template. Read the full case.
Replacing a smile of mismatched front teeth
Front teeth of different shades, shapes, and lengths, restored with veneers in one balanced shape and shade. See the case.
Photos show individual patients; results vary.
Cost and insurance
What does cosmetic dentistry cost in Jacksonville?
The cost depends on the treatment, how many teeth are involved, the material, and whether whitening, gum, or orthodontic care has to come first. Whitening strips cost the least. In-office whitening, bonding, composite veneers, and porcelain veneers cost progressively more, and replacing old veneers adds a removal step. For veneers specifically, see how much veneers cost in Jacksonville. You get a written plan with the fee for each step before any treatment begins.
We are an out-of-network practice. Most dental plans treat purely cosmetic work as not covered, though some cover part of a veneer or crown when a tooth needs restoring, often with frequency limits, and the exam and cleaning beforehand are often covered. We can help you understand how to use your benefits; you are responsible for amounts your plan does not pay. Call our team with your plan details to ask about fees and payment arrangements.
What patients should know about out-of-network dental insurance · Why crown costs vary in Jacksonville
San Marco, Jacksonville
A top cosmetic dentist in San Marco, for all of Jacksonville.
Dr. CJ Henley is a general dentist whose practice centers on cosmetic and restorative dentistry. He earned his DMD at the University of Florida, with recognition in cosmetic dentistry, is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and has been voted a Jacksonville Magazine Top Dentist for more than a decade. You see him at every visit, from the first conversation to the final check of your bite.
Patients drive across Jacksonville for cosmetic work, farther than they would for a cleaning, and some travel from other parts of Florida and other states for veneers and redos. Porcelain veneers take about three visits over about a month, which is a manageable trip from most of Northeast Florida, and we plan the visits around your travel.
San Marco, Southbank, and Downtown
Minutes away on Hendricks Avenue
Easy to fit a consultation or a bonding visit around a workday.
Riverside, Avondale, and Ortega
Over the Fuller Warren, then San Marco Boulevard
A short trip across the river for cosmetic and restorative care.
San Jose, Mandarin, and the Southside
San Jose Boulevard becomes Hendricks Avenue
One straight road from many neighborhoods to our door, which helps across several visits.
The Beaches, Ponte Vedra, Orange Park, and St. Augustine
Visits booked ahead
Most worthwhile for veneers, a veneer redo, or a smile makeover that needs careful planning.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about cosmetic dentistry.
How much does cosmetic dentistry cost in Jacksonville?
It depends on the treatment, the number of teeth, the material, and whether other care has to come first. Whitening strips cost the least; in-office whitening, bonding, composite veneers, and porcelain veneers cost progressively more. You get a written plan with the fee for each step before any treatment begins. We are an out-of-network practice and can help you understand how to use your dental benefits.
Should I get bonding or veneers?
Bonding is usually better for one small chip or gap: it is done in one visit with little or no tooth removed, and it is easy to repair. Porcelain veneers are better when several teeth need a real change in color or shape and you want stain resistance. Bonding stains and wears sooner than porcelain.
Can I just whiten instead of getting veneers?
Often, yes. If your teeth are healthy and well shaped and the concern is color, whitening is the most conservative first step, and for many people over-the-counter strips are enough. Veneers make sense when shape, chips, or stains that won’t bleach are part of the problem.
Do veneers ruin your teeth?
Well-planned veneers don’t ruin teeth, but prepared enamel doesn’t grow back, so a prepared tooth will always need a veneer or another restoration. In a lab study, veneer preparations removed about 3 to 30 percent of a front tooth, compared with 63 to 72 percent for crowns. Minimal-prep and no-prep veneers remove little or none when the teeth allow it.
How long do porcelain veneers and bonding last?
Porcelain veneers usually last many years. A meta-analysis found 94 percent of glass-ceramic veneers still in place at a median of 9 years, and a long-term study estimated about 83 percent at 20 years. Composite bonding and composite veneers usually need repair or replacement sooner. Grinding, root-canal-treated teeth, and skipped checkups shorten both.
How many visits do porcelain veneers take?
Usually about three visits over about a month: one to plan and preview, one to prepare the teeth and place temporaries made from your approved design, and one to try in and bond the final veneers. Any whitening, gum, or orthodontic care comes before the first preparation.
Can I see what my new smile will look like first?
Yes. Before any tooth is prepared for veneers, we show you a mock-up or digital preview of the new length and shape on your own teeth. You can ask for changes then, and your temporaries are made from the approved design so you can live with it before the porcelain is finished.
Can old veneers or bonding be replaced?
Yes, including work placed by another dentist. We first find out why it looks wrong or failed, whether that is the material, the design, the gums, or the bite. Sometimes polishing, a repair, or gum treatment is enough. Removing old veneers usually costs a little more tooth, so we only redo what needs it.
Should I straighten my teeth before veneers?
Often, yes. Straightening crowded or tipped teeth first can mean thinner veneers, fewer veneers, or none at all. Final veneers are made once the teeth are in position and held with retainers, and we set the timing for your case at the consultation.
Does cosmetic dentistry hurt?
Whitening and most bonding need no numbing. Veneer preparation is done with local anesthetic, much like a filling, and some teeth are briefly sensitive to cold afterward. Whitening can cause temporary sensitivity that usually fades within a few days. Oral sedation is available for some anxious patients.
When should cosmetic treatment wait?
Cosmetic work should wait if you have untreated decay, gum disease, or an unresolved bite or grinding problem, because those shorten the life of whatever we place. Elective whitening should wait during pregnancy and breastfeeding. We treat the foundation first so the cosmetic work lasts.
Is cosmetic dentistry covered by insurance?
Usually not, when the purpose is appearance. Some dental plans cover part of a veneer or crown when a tooth needs restoring, often with frequency limits, and the exam and cleaning beforehand are often covered. We are an out-of-network practice; call our team with your plan details and we will help you understand your benefits. You are responsible for amounts your plan does not pay.
Is Dr. Henley a cosmetic dentist?
Dr. CJ Henley is a general dentist whose practice centers on cosmetic and restorative dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized dental specialty, so the useful questions are how a dentist plans, who makes the porcelain, and whether you can see real cases. He earned his DMD at the University of Florida, with recognition in cosmetic dentistry, and is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
How do I choose the best cosmetic dentist in Jacksonville?
Start with the dentist’s own before-and-after photos, not stock images, and look for cases like the result you want. Ask whether you will see a mock-up before any tooth is prepared, who makes the porcelain, and whether the same dentist does every visit. Read recent reviews and check training, such as membership in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. The best cosmetic dentist for you also tells you plainly when a simpler option will do. Dr. Henley has been voted a Jacksonville Magazine Top Dentist for more than a decade and has a 4.9-star Google rating from more than 225 patients.
Where is your office?
CJ Henley, DMD, PA is at 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207, in San Marco. Patients come from across Jacksonville, the Beaches, Ponte Vedra, Orange Park, and St. Augustine, and some travel from other parts of Florida and other states for veneer and redo cases. Call 904.398.1549 or request an appointment online.
Your next step
See your options before you commit to anything.
Whether you want a brighter shade, one chipped tooth fixed, new veneers, or a second opinion on work you already have, start with a consultation. You will see what we see, hear which option we would choose and why, and get the fee in writing. If a tooth has broken or a veneer has come off and it hurts, see emergency dental care.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA3675 Hendricks Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Prefer a nonurgent text? 904.762.5616 is our practice on-call and text line. Please don’t send sensitive health information by text, and call for anything urgent.
Related pages
Sources
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- Morimoto S, Albanesi RB, Sesma N, Agra CM, Braga MM. Main clinical outcomes of feldspathic porcelain and glass-ceramic laminate veneers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of survival and complication rates. Int J Prosthodont. 2016;29(1):38-49.
- Beier US, Kapferer I, Burtscher D, Dumfahrt H. Clinical performance of porcelain laminate veneers for up to 20 years. Int J Prosthodont. 2012;25(1):79-85.
- Lim TW, Tan SK, Li KY, Burrow MF. Survival and complication rates of resin composite laminate veneers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2023;23(4):101911.
- da Rosa GM, et al. Effectiveness of whitening strips use compared with supervised dental bleaching: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Oper Dent. 2020;45(6):E289-E307.