Your smile is unique as you are, but if it doesn’t look its best, a smile makeover could help. A smile makeover uses one or more cosmetic dentistry procedures to improve and enhance the aesthetics of your smile.
This guide explains more about smile makeovers and the potential benefits. We discuss the different factors our cosmetic dentist must consider when planning smile makeovers and outline the process required. We also look at how to maintain the results for longer.
What Is a Smile Makeover?
A smile makeover is a process that can help to improve the appearance of your teeth and gums. Using a combination of carefully selected treatments, we can help whiten teeth, mask any imperfections, and create a nicely aligned and cosmetically pleasing smile.
Treatments typically used during a smile makeover can include:
Sometimes, we may recommend other treatments that we feel will benefit the appearance of your smile and oral health. These may include the latest ceramic crowns and bridges, orthodontics like Invisalign clear aligners, or dental implants for replacing missing teeth.
When to Consider a Smile Makeover?
A smile makeover can be useful if you have several issues you want to correct. For example, you may have stained or chipped teeth or unsightly gaps between them.
Perhaps some teeth are out of alignment or not quite the ideal shape. A smile makeover can correct problems like an uneven gumline, ensuring you have healthy gums that frame your teeth nicely.
How Long Does a Smile Makeover Take to Complete?
Some treatments, like teeth whitening and porcelain veneers, are quite quick and can be completed in a matter of weeks. Others can take longer, especially if you have missing teeth or would love to discover more about adult orthodontics.
We frequently see people who are planning a smile makeover for a special life event. In this case, we recommend allowing plenty of time, especially if you intend to have several different treatments. Giving yourself time allows you to enjoy seeing your new smile emerge and to gain the best results.
When you visit our dental office, we can provide a more accurate timeline as part of your treatment plan.
What Are the Benefits of a Smile Makeover?
The benefits can be substantial and may include:
- Improved self-confidence and self-esteem
- Correcting multiple cosmetic issues
- Enhancing your facial profile and overall appearance
- Improved oral health when dental issues are addressed
Your cosmetic smile makeover is individually tailored to meet your treatment goals, providing a beautiful, healthy smile.
How Much Does a Smile Makeover Cost?
Cost is an important factor for most people, and we will provide you with a complete treatment plan detailing the prices of all procedures we recommend. We can also work within your budget, suggesting cost-effective procedures that provide good results.
The great thing about a dental makeover is that it can achieve excellent results more conservatively. Combining two or more treatments can help reduce the cost in certain circumstances.
A good example is when combining teeth whitening with dental veneers. If you have teeth that are generally nicely shaped, they may only require whitening, and afterward, we can selectively veneer teeth that will benefit from this treatment. It is a more conservative approach compared with fitting multiple veneers.
Will Dental Insurance Cover Any Treatments?
Most treatments used in a tooth makeover are unlikely to be covered by dental insurance as the benefits are largely aesthetic. However, there are exceptions.
Sometimes, we can provide an aesthetic smile reconstruction that benefits oral health, protecting and preserving your natural teeth. In this case, your dental insurance may cover some of the costs. In contrast, treatments like teeth whitening are regarded as dental cosmetology and would not be covered.
How Do I Know Which Treatments Will Help Me?
Our cosmetic dentist has years of experience planning smile makeovers and can guide you through the process. We’ve outlined some of the steps below so you know a little about what to expect, but your treatment plan is tailored just for you, so the exact procedure may differ slightly.
Initial Consultation
Your smile makeover journey begins with an initial consultation where we examine your teeth and gums and discuss your medical history. It’s important to learn about your overall health in case any factors could influence our recommended treatment.
If you need any procedures to improve oral health, for example, to treat issues like tooth decay or gum disease, these must be completed first. It’s important to have a strong, healthy foundation for your smile makeover so it lasts longer.
We will spend quite some time with you discussing your treatment goals to understand what you want to achieve. We may wish to take some diagnostic images to help plan your treatment accurately.
Discussing Your Treatment Plan
Once we have all this information, we can plan your smile makeover. Some factors we consider include your personality, facial appearance, skin tone, and hair color. These factors help guide us when planning how your new smile should look.
Our cosmetic dentist will review your custom treatment plan with you. It will include information about all the recommended procedures, the costs, and the time needed. We may include digital images depicting how your new smile could look.
There can be quite a bit of information to take in as sometimes there is more than one option that can achieve similar results. When this happens, we will explain the differences between each treatment and how these affect the outcome.
It’s important to us that you understand your treatment plan fully, so we encourage you to ask questions.
Treatment Scheduling
Once your treatment plan is finalized, we can schedule your appointments. Sometimes, certain treatments must be carried out before others for the best results. Teeth whitening is a good example, as we can match any porcelain restorations to your brighter smile after whitening.
Reviewing the Results
When your treatment plan is complete, we can review the outcome with you to ensure you are entirely happy. If necessary, we can always adjust your plan to meet your goals.
Caring for Your Smile Makeover
On completion we will provide lots of useful information on how to maintain the results for longer. Our friendly dental team can collaborate with you to ensure you have an excellent oral hygiene routine. We strongly suggest you schedule regular dental exams and hygiene appointments.
Are You Ready to Transform Your Smile?
Take the first steps by scheduling your consultation with our cosmetic dentist. We can provide you with more information about treatments that could help you and help you achieve your dream smile.