A beautiful, healthy smile is something that isn’t hard to get today. With the help of the right dentist, you can have the perfect set of teeth you’ve always wanted.
But to have a smile that truly complements and enhances your particular look, personality, and lifestyle, you will have to undergo a special dental procedure called a smile makeover.
What is a Smile Makeover?
A smile makeover refers to the process of improving the appearance of your smile through a carefully designed combination of cosmetic dental treatments. Under this procedure, your dentist will assess your physical appearance and consider your requirements and then come up with a plan for a customized smile transformation best suited for you.
When designing your new smile, the dentist will take into account these key factors:
- Your facial features
- The color of your hair and skin
- Your mouth
- Color, length, and condition of your teeth
- The shape of your gums
What Elements of Your Smile can be Improved During a Makeover?
Here are some aspects of your smile that will be fixed or enhanced during a makeover:
1. Missing teeth
If you have one or more missing teeth, your dentist will prioritize this in the makeover plan. This is because one or more missing teeth can negatively affect the aesthetic appeal of your smile and your bite. It can also increase your risk of tooth decay.
Options for replacing missing teeth include dental implants, bridges, and full or partial dentures.
2. Broken or chipped teeth
A chipped or broken tooth can easily make anyone feel embarrassed about their smile. It can also impede a person’s speech, chewing and eating habits. With a makeover, your damaged tooth will be repaired and can be made to look like new again.
Cover-up options for chipped or broken teeth include dental filling, veneers, and composite bonding.
3. Misaligned, crooked, and gapped teeth
Teeth that are misaligned, crooked, gapped or overlapped won’t just make your smile unappealing; they can cause various dental issues too. These include:
- Gum disease
- Poor oral hygiene
- Excessive tooth wear
- Malocclusion (bad bite)
These dental issues can be fixed through Invisalign, orthodontics and enhanced with veneers.
4. Unattractive teeth color
One of the many reasons why people are not proud of their smiles is because they have stained or discolored teeth. After all, dark or discolored teeth often suggest an aged mouth and overall appearance. If you have this problem, your dentist will also prioritize this in the makeover plan.
During the makeover process, your dentist will recommend a shade that will work well with the color and tone of your face and hair. The best cosmetic dentists will give you a whiter, brighter smile but still maintain the natural color of your teeth.
In case you have silver or amalgam dental fillings, your dentist will replace them with natural, tooth-colored composite restorations.
Throughout the treatment plan, the recommended new shade of your teeth will also dictate the color of the other procedures as well such as your porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, dentures, implants and composite bonding.
5. “Gummy” smile
Your smile will also be affected if you have uneven gums or gums that cover too much or too little of your teeth. If this is the case, your dentist may recommend gum contouring or gum reshaping.
Under this procedure, the dentist will reduce excessive gum tissues that are giving you a “gummy” smile. The process can also restore gum tissue that has receded and is now exposing too much of your teeth.
A smile makeover can also include orthodontics or oral maxillofacial surgery to give you a fuller smile, lips, and cheeks. As such, an unshapely or aging face can be improved or rejuvenated when a smile makeover is combined with other treatments.
What Happens During the Initial Consultation?
During your first visit to your cosmetic dentist, you will be asked which particular components of your smile you are not happy with and you want improved. The dentist will then check the current condition of your teeth using the latest dental technology. You will also have to undergo some preliminary tests including a series of dental X-rays.
Using the interview and test results, your dentist will then design a special makeover plan that details the types of procedures you will need to undergo for that perfectly customized smile.
On your next visit, you will see a preview of the expected outcome of the smile makeover. Your dentist can give you a digital image of the possible result. He or she can also use dental study models to show you what your teeth will look like after getting veneers and implants done by an experienced and skilled dentist.
Your dentist will also give you the total cost of the procedure and provide details regarding the duration of the treatment. If you are amenable to the rate and ready for the different cosmetic dental procedures, you can have a healthier, more attractive smile that suits you after the treatment plan.
AUTHOR BIO: Dr. Michael Letham is the owner and dentist at Bayside Smiles and 24/7 Dental. He graduated from Sydney University in 2000 with Honours, receiving the R Morse Withycombe Prize for Proficiency in Clinical Periodontics (gum treatment). Striving to provide a modern, holistic approach to dental care that is tailored to each individual's requirements, Mike's focus is on being thorough and meticulous whilst being caring and compassionate.