Holistic Cosmetic Dentistry
General Disclaimer
The medical/dental/health information on this site is provided as an informational resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnosis or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to educate the patient, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical/dental advice, diagnosis and treatment. Please consult your health care provider before making any health-related decisions. For more info, contact Natural Dentistry Center for an appointment.
Holistic cosmetic dentistry is the art of creating a beautiful smile without compromising the biology of the body. At Natural Dentistry + Ceramic Implants, cosmetic dentistry is never just about veneers, crowns, whitening, or making teeth appear straighter. It is about understanding the entire system: the bite, the airway, the gums, the jawbone, the materials being placed in the mouth, the presence of old metals, hidden infections, inflammation, tooth structure, facial proportions, and the patient’s overall health goals.
A truly beautiful smile should not look artificial. It should look alive, natural, healthy, and in harmony with the face.
That means holistic cosmetic dentist Dr. May evaluates the materials, the bite, the gums, the bone, the airway, old metal restorations, hidden infection, inflammation, and the patient’s broader health picture before creating a cosmetic plan.
The result is dentistry that is beautiful — but also biocompatible, functional, 100% metal-free, and designed for long-term wellness.
Why has Dr. Yuriy May become a destination for patients seeking Biological Cosmetic Natural Dentist?
At Natural Dentistry, the entire orofacial and craniofacial philosophy is anchored on true biomimetic function and dental esthetics. Dr. Yuriy May, one of the top holistic cosmetic dentists in the USA, understands that in order for facial and individual beauty to be achieved, both cranial, facial, dental, and oral concerns need to be evaluated, understood, and ultimately addressed.
The challenge of combining the triad of phonetics, function, and esthetics has always been the primary restorative goal of world-leading biological dentists like Natural Dentistry’s Dr. May.
Understanding and appreciation of holistic cosmetic dentistry has increased, creating strong demand for expertise for holistic dentists who speak both “biology” and “beauty” in one.
What is holistic cosmetic dentistry?
At the highest level, holistic cosmetic dentistry is not about “fixing teeth.” Its more than “making teeth pretty.”
It is about restoring confidence, health, harmony, and beauty — using dentistry that respects the whole person. That harmonizes systemic biology with visual presentation of a smile.
That is the difference.
At Natural Dentistry, holistic cosmetic dentistry means that beauty and biology are not separate. They are inseparable.
A smile makeover should not just photograph well. It should feel good, function well, age beautifully, and be created with materials and techniques that respect the body.
This is especially important for patients who are highly health-conscious, sensitive to metals, dealing with autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, or seeking dentistry that aligns with a more biological, integrative approach.
Dr. May’s holistic cosmetic dentistry includes:
Metal-free restorations using high-quality ceramic, porcelain, and zirconia materials rather than metal-based dentistry.
Biocompatible smile design that considers how dental materials interact with the body, gums, immune system, and oral microbiome. No Metal. No BPA, No BisGMA.
Minimally invasive dentistry that preserves as much natural tooth structure as possible. Less is more in holistic dentistry.
Evaluation of oral inflammation and infection, including unhealthy root canals, periodontal disease, dental cavitations, failing metal implants, or old dentistry that may be contributing to chronic inflammation.
Safe amalgam replacement protocols for patients who are concerned about mercury-containing fillings, using protective techniques such as IAOMT SMART principles when appropriate.
Face-driven aesthetics, meaning the smile is designed around the patient’s lips, facial symmetry, personality, gum architecture, and natural beauty—not simply around “white teeth.”
Functional dentistry, because a smile that looks good but does not bite, chew, breathe, or function properly is not truly cosmetic dentistry at the highest level.
Modern research also supports the idea that dental aesthetics are connected to quality of life, self-perception, and social well-being—so cosmetic dentistry is not superficial when it is done thoughtfully. At the same time, material choice matters: zirconia is widely studied for its esthetic qualities and soft-tissue compatibility in implant and restorative dentistry, though the literature still continues to compare outcomes with titanium and other materials.
Natural Smile Design & Smile Makeovers
Made to look entirely natural and entirely perfect, like the patient was blessed with the world’s most beautiful teeth from birth. Natural Smile Makeovers always turn heads.
Poor Cosmetic Dentistry Fixes
Unfortunately, many dentists portray themselves to be “capable” of cosmetic dentistry without true expertise and Dr. May has fixes botched smiles and redoes poor, unnatural-looking veneer cases. Smile ReDos are Dr. May’s specialty and other dentists have refered patients to him for redo’s.
Feldspathic Veneers
Whether for an award ceremony, a wedding, a job promotion into public office or a movie role, Dr. May specializes in minimally invasive veneer smile makeovers that need to be done quickly, beautifully and with optimal function for long-lasting results. These are the most challenging cases and many doctors cannot achieve a beautiful result that also looks natural – Dr. May is a specialist due to his expertise and high level of attention to detail in addition to collaboration with top dental labs. Dr. May’s relationships with select teams of veneer ceramists and dental technicians allow for his ability to recreate perfection with the 3D visualization and digital workflows and deliver gorgeous results for time sensitive patients.
Dental Restoration Redos
Botched crowns, chiclet veneers, stained and uneven composite veneers, poor gum recontouring, and failing anterior bridges are sight for sore eyes. Dr. May has made his name in completely rehabilitating and redoing poor dental work in the esthetic zone (anterior teeth which are visible during a smile) and has won numerous awards for remarkable ethic results in the most dire and difficult of cases.
Dr. Yuriy May Smile Makeover Veneer Smile Transformation Video
Watch how Dr. Yuriy May, a top cosmetic dentist in the Tri-State area transforms the cosmetic dentistry patient with a natural smile makeover using 8 veneers.
The video includes a peek into our digital dentistry workflow!
delivering Beautiful Veneers Holistically
Average dentists will all tell you “I can do veneers” but a true smile makeover expert (and artisan!) like Dr. Yuriy May who spent the early parts of his career training with the most skilled clinicians in cosmetic dentistry will tell you “with time, effort and consideration we can make your smile beautiful.”
Among his award-winning full mouth reconstruction cases, Dr. Yuriy May was selected Best Dentist in Connecticut in 2017 and is known to patients across the USA for anterior tooth replacements and natural smile makeovers.
Natural Dentistry has mastered natural, beatiful smile makeovers and works with some of the top feldspathic veneer and crown labs in the industry.
Feldspathic Veneers vs Layered Veneers
So much goes into designing gorgeous smile enhancements with minimally-invasive dental veneers, most patients will have no idea that Dr. May spends hours of per full mouth case analyzing, planning, designing rendering mock up images, and modifying dental veneers until perfection is reached.
An introduction to MANY the elements of exceptional dental veneer considerations:
Multiple Foundational Approaches
- Direct Veneer Method
- Indirect Method
Multiple Material Choices
- Composite Dental Veneer
- Porcelain Layered Dental Veneer
- No-Prep Dental Veneer
- Feldspathic Dental Veneer
Multiple Dental Veneer Preparation Techniques
- No prep
- Enamel contouring
- Traditional
Multiple Fabrication Techniques
- Pressed Dental Veneer Technique
- Cut-back Dental Veneer Technique
- Stacked Dental Veneer Technique
Multiple Dental Veneer Unit Design Elements
- Color of Dental Veneer (feldspathic vs monolithic)
- Translucency of Dental Veneer (light properties)
- Texture of Dental Veneer
- Strength & Durability of Dental Veneer
- Shape of Dental Veneer
- Proportions of Dental Veneer (relative to other teeth)
- Gingiva Margin of Dental Veneer
Multiple Dental Ceramist & Dental Lab Choices
- Basic Quality Dental Veneer Unit Per Tooth Cost – $350-$450 manufacturing lab price*
- Great Quality Dental Veneer Unit Per Tooth Cost – $500-$750 manufacturing lab price*
- Elite Quality Dental Veneer Unit Per Tooth Cost – $850-$1450 manufacturing lab price*
*This is the price Dr. May pays the lab ceramists to hand manufacture single dental veneer for every single tooth being enhanced. Dr. Yuriy May’s cost per veneer is found on this table here
Artistic Elements of Smile Design
Regardless of the result desired, certain basic artistic elements must be considered to ensure an optimal esthetic result.
In conservative esthetic dentistry, these elements include the following relating to every single tooth in the smile:
- Shape or form
- Position and alignment
- Color
- Symmetry and proportionality
- Translucency
- Surface texture
Craniofacial, Orofacial, Dentofacial: Anatomy & Physiology in Smile Design
The most important aspect of performing smile makeovers also known as “orofacial plastic surgery” is knowledge of three-dimensional regional anatomy. For example, each nerve and blood vessel takes up space three-dimensionally. It’s critical for any surgeon and dentist recreating ideal biomimetics to recognize how these structures travel on the surface plane, but it is even more important for the success of the actual smile makeover surgery to know which tissue layers these structures run through.
Anatomical atlases and textbooks provide detailed images of these structures, but the knowledge gained from them is two-dimensional. Novice dentists typically memorize the two-dimensional image of teeth and the surgical or reconstruction field. Because of this, surgical results are sometimes unsatisfactory, or unexpected surgical complications may occur. To perform dentofacial smile makeovers with a high degree of difficulty, a smile surgeon has to be able to vividly visualize the three-dimensional regional anatomy of the dental anatomy and surgical field of soft tissue (gums).
During facial reconstruction residency, experts like Dr. Yuriy May had to study the regional anatomy in anatomical atlases and textbooks of all facial, cranial and oral ecosystem, and to ultimately confirm their anatomical knowledge in delivering highly esthetic and functional smile results. By repeating this pattern many times, Dr. Yuriy May was able to establish and practice three-dimensional anatomical tooth and jaw knowledge outpacing other dental professionals by more than just a margin. By having dental reconstruction smile design training based on accurate and meticulous 3D anatomical knowledge, a smile expert like Dr. May is be better equipped to perform high-degree smile makeover procedures compared to the average dentist that does not specialize in extensive and highly predictable biomimetic smile reconstruction.
In-Depth Knowledge Section: Anatomy of the Head, Face, Mouth, Neck
The anatomy of the head and neck is extremely complicated and the details differ among individuals and during different stages of life. These differences include the thickness of the tissues, their changes in response to aging, and even anatomical variations in vessels, nerves, and muscles.
Each organ in the head and neck region has a very distinct function. Consequently, pathologies involving the head that require surgery will be operated on by dentists and oral surgeons specializing in neurosurgery, otorhinopharyngolaryngology, ophthalmology, dental medicine, and cosmetic dentistry. While in-depth knowledge in the anatomical area of specialization is important in treating patients, Dr. May as the dental surgeon as well as the medical staff must also be highly familiar with not just related regions of the body but also with unrelated regions.
Unfortunately, in medical and dental education, the importance of physiology and anatomical education has been downplayed resulting in sub-optimal smile makeovers, oral reconstruction, facial reconstruction and a move away from delivering a natural and highly esthetic result. The answer to the dilemma, as Dr. Yuriy May found, is to study anatomy, continuously, and through various medical textbooks describing physiology, until the full anatomy of the cranium, orofacial and craniofacial physiology and everything in between is permanently ingrained in the orofacial reconstruction surgeon’s mind.
The Art of Smile Design | Art + Science + Mastery
In esthetic treatment, it is important to start visualising the final result as early as possible in the smile makeover process and to continue this visualization throughout treatment. This is the reason Dr. May uses significant drawings and computer aided design (“CAD”) to create, design and generate 2D Smile Architecture with mathematical proportions of the face and dentolabial analysis, 3D Smile Design to show angulation and depth of every augmented change on the tooth.
At Natural Dentistry, the most sophisticated Digital Smile Design (“DSD”) techniques are used to design and plan smile enhancements and to communicate the visualization to the ideal patient. This ensures that all parties involved in the treatment have the same endpoint in mind and allows changes to be made prior to the final restorations being cemented.
Symmetry & Proportionality
The overall esthetic appearance of a human smile is governed largely by the symmetry and proportionality of the teeth that constitute the smile. Asymmetric teeth or teeth that are out of proportion to the surrounding teeth disrupt the sense of balance and harmony essential for optimal esthetics. Assuming that the patient’s teeth are aligned normally (i.e., rotations or faciolingual positional defects are not present), dental symmetry can be maintained if the sizes of contralateral teeth are equivalent. A dental caliper should be used in conjunction with any conservative esthetic dental procedure that would alter the mesiodistal dimension of teeth. This recommendation is particularly true for procedures such as diastema closure or other procedures involving augmentation of proximal surfaces with composite.
By first measuring and recording the widths of the interdental space and the teeth to be augmented, the appropriate amount of contour to be generated with composite resin addition can be determined When dealing with restorations involving the midline, particular attention also must be paid to the incisal and gingival embrasure forms; the mesial contours of both central incisors must be mirror images of one another to ensure an optimally symmetric and esthetic result. In addition to being symmetric, anterior teeth must be in proper proportion to one another to achieve maximum esthetics. The quality of proportionality is relative and varies greatly, depending on other factors (e.g., tooth position, tooth alignment, arch form, configuration of the smile). One long accepted theorem of the relative proportionality of maxillary anterior teeth typically visible in a smile involves the concept of the golden proportion2.
Originally formulated as one of Euclid’s elements, this theorem has been relied on through the ages as a geometric basis for proportionality in the beauty of art and nature.3 On the basis of this formula, a smile, when viewed from the front, is considered to be esthetically pleasing if each tooth in that smile (starting from the midline) is approximately 60% of the size of the tooth immediately mesial to it. Although the golden proportion is not the absolute determinant of dental esthetics, it does provide a practical and proven guide for establishing proportionality when restoring anterior teeth, especially if these teeth are considered long. However, according to a study by Preston, only 17% of the population naturally exhibits smiles that meet the golden proportion as the recurring esthetic dental proportion.4 According to a survey of dentists by Ward, a recurring esthetic dental proportion of 70% (as opposed to 61.8 % as with the golden proportion) is preferred when teeth are of normal dimension.5 The reality is few dentists, if any, can match naturally talented and exceptionally trained smile specialists like Dr. Yuriy May in his smile analysis, smile design and surgical skill in the dentofacial esthetic realm.
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10 minutes to explain your situation
New Patient Appointment Detailes, Costs For Local & Travel Patients
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Why is Cosmetic Dentistry so popular now vs 25 years ago?
Although it was always the objective of dentists to restore teeth to their natural and esthetically optimal form, treating the dentition for purely esthetic reasons began to develop and evolve in the 1970s with the discovery of both enamel and dentin bonding agents and the ability to etch porcelain. The cosmetic dentist’s knowledge of the relationship between the craniofacial structure, facial proportion, dentofacial proportion, gingival tissues, teeth, and the perioral area as related to esthetics has vastly increased since this early beginning and over the 50 years of development, competition has emerged to allow the best cosmetic dentists and smile designers like Natural Dentistry’s Dr. May to win the hearts, smiles and minds of individuals in need of smile rehabilitation.
The reality is few dentists, if any, can match naturally talented and exceptionally trained smile specialists like Dr. Yuriy May in his smile analysis, smile design and surgical skill in the dentofacial esthetic realm. Beginning in the early in the 1990s, the smile became an integral, if not the most critical part of the total facial complex. The esthetic appeal of a “Hollywood” smile started to surface as the most important asset to a patient’s overall looks and appeal, identifying the societal status and individual attractiveness. Without question, esthetic improvement procedures in facial dentistry are in high demand by the populace and include dentofacial esthetics (smile makeovers), plastic surgery, and dermatology (microneedling & PRF) which are within themselves a highly interdependent ecosystem. Cosmetic dentistry has grown tremendously from its inception for a number of reasons.
Key driving forces for cosmetic enhancement include:
- Media – Hollywood’s idolization of white, perfect, esthetic, symmetric and beautiful teeth
- Aging – Age-related changes in an individual’s appearance
- Health – Awareness of integrative and holistic health
- Information – Access to information on the field of cosmetic dentistry and smile makeovers have flooded consumers to give them a leg up
- Dentists – As more dentist recognize that Cosmetic Dentistry is a treasure to chase
It is no wonder that Americans spend over $27 billion of dollars annually to attempt to improve their looks. Cultural differences aside, there are certain components of what is considered an attractive face that seems to be universal. Of the $27 billion, $17 billion is spent on dentistry and improving the smile.
Cosmetic Dentist Smile Makeover Costs in USA
Holistic Cosmetic Dentistry Prices – How Much is Holistic Comsetic Dentistry
Veneer Smile Makeover Cost (upper + lower)
- Average Cost: $40,000*
- Price Range: $35,000-$45,000
Crown Smile Makeover Cost (upper + lower)
- Average Cost: $40,000*
- Price Range: $35,000-$45,000
Zirconia Implant Crowns/Bridges (upper + lower)
- Average Cost: $3,500 per implant/unit
- Price Range for a 12 Unit Implant Supported Bridge (upper or lower): $40,000-$48,000
Dental Porcelain Veneer Prices – Per 1 Tooth Unit
Basic Quality Dental Veneer
- Lab Cost*: $450
- Patient Cost: $2,000
Great Quality Dental Veneer
- Lab Cost*: $850
- Patient Cost: $3,000
Ultimate Quality Dental Veneer
- Lab Cost*: $1,250
- Patient Cost: $4,500
*This is the price Dr. May pays the lab ceramists to hand manufacture a single dental veneer for every single tooth being enhanced. Dr. Yuriy May’s cost per veneer is found on this table here
Seeing the Lab Quality of Veneers is Believing
At Natural Dentistry, patients who desire absolutely stunning results will never receive anything less than great quality veneer and oftentimes, if finances allow, our very discerning patients choose to upgrade to the most exceptional quality. Seeing some of the photos below, you will begin to understand the difference between a mediocre lab ($) which is what you can expect from an average dentist, even one who calls themselves “cosmetic dentist”, and great quality veneer ($$) to an excellent quality veneer ($$$) and the ultimate quality veneer ($$$$).
Nothing is worth more than a smile
Although we are admonished “don’t judge a book by its cover”, we repeatedly defy that warning as we go about our daily lives responding to people on the basis of their facial appearance.(2) The findings fall in line with the ecological theory which states that facial qualities are useful in guiding adaptive behavior in others (and is often accurate). The results of a study from “Why Appearance Matters” are conclusive:
- We form first impressions from faces despite warnings not to do so.
- People’s faces provide adaptive information about the social interaction opportunities(3)
- People’s faces provide adaptive perception of the individual’s perceived traits (their character, who they are)
- Ecological theory assumes that our perceptions of faces, both trained and social interaction will often be accurate because they are learned (aka adaptive)
No one should feel guilty. Generalizing, or “overgeneralization” across faces is just one instance of the broader cognitive mechanism of stimulus generalization that is essential for adaptive behavior (aka survival). The world would be quite overwhelming if we had no expectations about our social and non-social environment because we failed to generalize from known cases to similar unknown ones. Regardless of cultural or temporal differences, the face is ordinarily the first thing that people (Dr. May included) see when we come upon another person. We then use that experience to form our initial impression of the person. That very first critical impression, the visualization of an individual’s facial appearance, is the very focal point of an individual since it is usually the most exposed body part and our reptilian brains use the information of facial appearance to quickly formulate and extrapolate an opinion. In other words, 87% of the subjective interpretation of a person’s substance is generated from an instantaneous judgment from their face. For example, good-looking individuals are assumed to be more intelligent, have better personalities, and to be sexually warmer than those who are not. This phenomenon, although not universally accepted, is frequently referred to as the ‘halo effect.’ The opposite can also be experienced. The negative halo effect refers to an unfavorable impression that is attached to those less attractive.
In-Depth Knowledge Section: Ecological Theory
Ecological theory intersects with evolutionary psychology theories(4) and it has much in common with a long line of research on nonverbal communication that is also concerned with reactions to facial cues (DePaulo & Friedman, 1998). It also complements contemporary models of face perception in the cognitive neuroscience literature.
One is the dual process model that differentiates mechanisms for the perception of identity versus the perception of emotion and other changeable facial qualities(5) Ecological theory adds to these models by emphasizing that face perception guides behavior, expanding the domain of face perception to include perceived traits and social interaction opportunities, and predicting these perceptions from the overgeneralization of adaptive responses.
Principles of Cosmetic Dentistry
Beauty is a principle that man has grappled with for centuries and some would argue, since the beginning of time. The concept of beauty and its interrelation with facial proportions has long been contemplated by Dr. Yuriy May during his extensive studies in “Beauty & Symmetry of Facial Dimensions” during which time he understood that the forms of facial attractiveness, and indeed the form of beauty in general, to be composed of, or the result of, two ideal components: Symmetry and harmony and a third unique variable: Facial features.
- Symmetry: is defined as the mirror image of parts or components about an axis. By all accounts a beautiful face is symmetric.
- Harmony: can be defined as a recurring theme.
Why do patients fly in for cosmetic Dentistry with a top biological dentist
At Natural Dentistry, the entire biological dental philosophy is anchored on true biomimetic function and dental esthetics. Teeth must be rebuild to be natural AND beautiful. And natural teeth can be stunningly beautiful without being “chiclet” uniform and blindingly white.
In order for facial and individual beauty to be achieved, both cranial, facial, dental, and oral concerns need to be evaluated, understood, and ultimately addressed.
The challenge of combining the triad of phonetics, function, and esthetics has is Dr. May’s primary restorative goal in every cosmetic case.
Dr. May balances maintaining bite dimensions and enhancing the smile so it’s in balance with the face and lips. The new smile must reflect the character and energy of the patient, and their smile and visual esthetic must be a conduit for their presence in the world.
Holistic COsmetic Dentistry by Dr. May
According to David Perrett, Professor of Psychology at University of St. Andrews and head of the Perception Lab in Scotland, the attributes of an attractive face can be divided into two categories:
- absolute conditions of physical preferences
- relative conditions of physical preferences
Absolute conditions apply to everyone. For example, these may include the horizontal symmetry, how close the face is to aesthetic ideals and what emotions and expressions the face presents, etc. On the other hand, the relative conditions may included similarity (resemblance), difference, and discrepancy of beliefs, etc. These relative conditions result in different preferences of beauty among individuals. Four conditions of beauty that major theories on facial attractiveness have in common are:
- youthful appearance
- horizontal symmetry
- balanced and ideal proportions
- facial features/characteristics fitting the age and sex
The 5th is positive emotions and bright, happy countenances, which Perrett believes complete the absolute conditions of beauty. In other words, the ideal cephalometric proportions and balance, rather than the golden ratio, may create individual beauty.
Fly in for Surgery
& Transformative Dentistry
Many of our patients fly in from all over the world. We have perfected the “fly-in patient” protocol, making it possible for anyone to receive the world-class treatment at Natural Dentistry. Fly-in alone or with loved ones. Our team will walk you through every step of the way to make sure you have a transformative experience and you return home healthier.
About Dr. Yuriy May
Widely sought after for his precision and leadership in biological oral surgery and zirconia implantology, Dr. Yuriy May is recognized as an accomplished leader in metal-free, biologically driven dentistry. With over 12 years of clinical experience, his work is defined by uncompromising standards, refined surgical execution, and outcomes that support both oral and systemic health.
Dr. May holds advanced certifications and training in zirconia implantology from programs ranging from IAOCI and Tufts University, is Board Certified as a Naturopathic Dentist by the ANMCB, and is a distinguished Ceramic Implant Ambassador for SDS—an honor reserved for clinicians shaping the future of ceramic implant science.
A respected educator and international lecturer, Dr. May has presented extraordinary ceramic implant cases to dentists worldwide, including the JCCI in Switzerland, and has served as an instructor in the Ceramic Implant Program at ACIMD. He lectures nationally, publishes complex metal-free surgical cases, and serves as a Board Member of the IAOCI (International Academy of Oral Ceramic Implantology). Dr. May has recently become an Associate Fellow of the AAID (American Academy of Implant Dentistry), one of the few focusing solely on zirconia dental implants, and has been and an Accredited S.M.A.R.T. Certified member of the IAOMT for many years. He is also a Certified Biological Dentist with the IABDM, reflecting his commitment to removing root canal infections and to mercury-safe, evidence-based biological protocols.
Dr. May’s reputation, results, and excellence in ceramic implant dentistry have made him a destination provider for patients and referring clinicians seeking the highest level of ceramic implant surgery and biological dental care.
DMD, IBDM, AIAOMT, CIABDM
Associate Fellow, American Academy of Implant Dentistry
ANMCB Board Certified Naturopathic Dentist