Every photograph on this page is a patient of La Costa Dental Excellence. Same person, before and after. No models, no stock library, no digital retouching.
We show them because a smile is hard to describe and easy to recognize. You can read about a procedure for twenty minutes and still not picture what it would look like on you. One honest photograph answers that faster than any paragraph will.
The cases here range from a single tooth to an entire mouth rebuilt, and we add to them as patients give us permission to share their results. The treatments differ. The way to judge them does not.
Ask one question of every photograph as you scroll: does this look like teeth, or does it look like dentistry? Real teeth are not identical to one another. They are not uniform in color, not the same width across the smile, and not perfectly straight along the edges. Reproducing that variation is where most dental work gives itself away, and getting it right takes an artist as much as a technician.
Each case below names the dentist who did the work. Dr. Piper Dankworth, DDS leads the cosmetic, restorative, and implant care at our Carlsbad practice. She trained at the Kois Center, one of the most demanding advanced-education programs in dentistry, and has completed further training at the California Implant Institute. She practices alongside Dr. Stephen Dankworth, DDS and Dr. Kimberly Corrigan-Dankworth, DDS, who founded the practice in 1984 and whose porcelain work other dentists have called the finest they have seen.
Full Mouth Dental Implants Before and After
When every tooth is failing at once, the problem stops being dental and starts being daily. Eating in front of other people becomes something you plan around. Laughing becomes something you cover.
A full-arch case replaces an entire upper or lower set of teeth with a fixed bridge anchored on implants. It does not come out at night. You brush it like teeth, because that is what it is doing.
The case below is both arches.
Michael, Both Arches Rebuilt on Implants
Shared with Michael’s permission. We use first names only.
BeforeAfter
Michael spent years as his wife’s caregiver through a long illness. Everything that was not urgent got deferred, and his own teeth sat near the top of that list. By the time he came in, years of deferral had compounded into decay, wear, and teeth he had already lost. He told us he was scared and he told us he was embarrassed. Both were true, and neither is unusual.
He did not need a lecture about flossing. He needed a plan he could face.
That plan was a full-arch rebuild. The implant specialist we work with removed the remaining teeth and placed the implants, upper and lower. Michael was fully sedated for it, with an anesthesiologist present and monitoring him throughout, which is what allowed a patient this anxious to get through a procedure this size in one sitting.
Once the implants healed, a La Costa Dental Excellence team led on this case by Dr. Stephen Dankworth, DDS restored both arches with fixed zirconia bridges. Complex full-mouth reconstruction has been his focus since the practice was founded in 1984, and he is a member of the American Academy of Osseointegration. Zirconia was chosen here because it holds its shade, resists chipping under a full bite, and is strong enough to carry an entire arch without a dark metal margin showing at the gum line.
What Michael reports now has little to do with teeth. He eats what he wants. He laughs without putting a hand in front of his mouth. He has started traveling with his children and grandchildren again.
Full-arch treatment is not right for everyone, and no two mouths heal the same way. What a case like this shows is what becomes possible when someone stops managing around a problem and starts fixing it. There is more on our dental implants and implant-supported dentures pages.
Porcelain Veneers Before and After
A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain bonded to the front of a tooth. It corrects shape, color, chips, and small gaps in a single treatment.
The cases below reshaped the visible upper teeth. Notice that the finished smiles are not uniform. Real teeth vary in width and edge shape, and reproducing that variation is what keeps a veneer case from looking like a row of identical tiles.
Every case begins with a design, not a drill. Dr. Piper Dankworth plans the shape and the shade with you first, and you approve it before any porcelain is made. There is more detail on our dental veneers page.
VeneersVeneersVeneers
Dental Crowns Before and After
A crown covers the entire tooth. It is what we use when a tooth is cracked, badly worn, heavily filled, or has had a root canal, and too little healthy structure remains to hold a filling.
Crowns have to do two jobs at once. They have to bite correctly and they have to look like they have always belonged to you. The five cases below are front-tooth work, which is the least forgiving place to do it.
We send this work to an outside porcelain lab we have used for years. Patients mention that lab in their reviews, which is unusual. Most people never think about where their crown was made. There is more on our dental crowns page.
CrownsCrownsCrownsCrownsCrowns
Dental Implants Before and After
An implant replaces the root of a missing tooth with a titanium post, then carries a crown on top. Once it heals, it works like the tooth it replaced.
The case below is a single implant toward the front of the mouth. Front implants are the most demanding kind, because the gum line has to match the neighboring teeth exactly. A millimeter of difference shows when you smile. There is more on our dental implants page.
Implants
What These Patients Said Afterward
These are real patients of La Costa Dental Excellence, quoted in their own words. We use first names only.
“I looked for a long time to find the right dentist and I made the right choice when I found Dr. Dankworth. The entire team gave me unsurpassed care. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I also chose La Costa Dental Excellence because of all the newest technology and their incredible relationship with an outstanding porcelain lab. I deserved a “Million Dollar Smile” and I got it. I love my smile.” – Resi
“I had old dentistry that needed to be redone and Dr. Dankworth spent quality time with me to design my new smile. I felt he understood and listened to my concerns and he knew I was hesitating so he described sedation dentistry. I knew this was my answer. The morning of my appointment flew by and I never had any discomfort. My bite and my smile are perfect.” – Tiffany
“I needed a lot of dentistry done and it was the professionalism of the front office that convinced me to come meet Dr. Corrigan. I wanted a female dentist and we hit it off immediately. I learned so much about my bite and my need for full mouth dentistry. The journey was amazing and the results are life changing. I saw first hand the exceptional technology and planning that goes on behind the scene. It was great watching it all come together. This exceptional team is why I see a lot of my friends and neighbors here too.” – Susan
“I put a lot of thought into what I wanted my teeth to look like. Dr. Corrigan and I designed the shape and color with precise detail. The entire team got involved in the perfect shade of white for me. It was actually a fantastic experience. Everyone is very nice and I look forward to my regular visits. Dr. Corrigan and the staff were great. The difference is amazing, both functionally and cosmetically, and I’m very happy with the result.” – Jerry
“When I heard I could straighten my teeth without wires I was immediately committed to the Invisalign process. The aligners never bothered me and I was finished before I knew it. I have always had pretty teeth, but now everyone tells me how beautiful my smile is. The whole team at La Costa Dental Excellence is terrific. I absolutely love getting my teeth cleaned by the hygienists and the prophy jet they use to “spray away” any stain I have.” – Helle
How a Case Like This Gets Planned
None of the results above started with a drill. They started with a conversation and a set of records.
We photograph your teeth, take digital scans, and study how your bite actually functions. Dr. Piper Dankworth then designs the result before anything is touched, so you can see where the case is going and say no to it.
If dental anxiety is what has kept you away, say so at that first visit. We were among the first practices in North San Diego County to offer sedation dentistry, and several of the patients above chose it. One of them describes the morning of her appointment as having flown by.
Most of these cases took more than one visit. None of them were rushed.
Because Every Laugh, Every Photo, and Every Memory Matters
If something on this page looks like your situation, that is a good reason to come in and talk about it. A consultation costs you an hour and commits you to nothing.
Call our office today at (760) 633-3033, or request a time that works for you.
Written by Dr. Piper Dankworth, DDS, a Kois-trained dentist whose cosmetic work emphasizes natural, conservative smile design.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Kimberly Corrigan-Dankworth, DDS, co-founder recognized for her porcelain veneer artistry, practicing cosmetic dentistry in Carlsbad since 1984.
Reviewed August 2026
Because Every Smile Tells A Story
At La Costa Dental Excellence, we see every smile as a story worth celebrating. The trust and appreciation our patients share reminds us why we do what we do, because care is about more than dentistry; it’s about people. We’ve gathered real stories from those who have experienced the warmth, transparency and dedication that define our practice. Step inside and discover what compassionate dental care truly feels like.
