Our Guide to Understanding The Smile Makeover Process

A big radiant smile gives the impression of joy and energy. If you feel self-conscious about smiling, a smile makeover can restore your self-confidence. Sometimes patients ask us about the smile makeover process and how it works.

This article isn’t a substitute for professional care from an experienced dentist. Any smile makeover process starts with a visit to a dentist for a consultation and thorough examination. After considering your oral health, history, aesthetic goals, and budget, your dental team will create a custom plan for your smile.

What is a Smile Makeover?

During a smile makeover, your dental team performs one or more cosmetic dental procedures that transform your smile’s appearance.

People who feel self-conscious about the appearance of their teeth or gums often wish for straighter teeth, whiter teeth, or more evenly spaced teeth.

A smile makeover is ideal for people who dislike more than one thing about how their smile looks. Each makeover is as unique as each patient.

What Happens During a Smile Makeover Process?

The smile makeover process usually includes a combination of cosmetic services. Your dentist will plan each phase as appropriate for maximum impact.

A smile makeover might be right for you if you feel self-conscious about one or more of the following:

• Crooked, overlapping, or unevenly spaced teeth.
• You wish for whiter or brighter-looking teeth.
• You are missing one or more teeth.
• You have visible chipped teeth or don’t like the shape of one or more teeth.
• You think your teeth look too long or too short.
• You have a mouth full of visible silver fillings.

You don’t have to resign yourself to smiling with a closed mouth or covering your mouth when you laugh. For many people, feeling confident about their smile spills over into other aspects of their life.

A few popular treatments make a big difference for most common complaints people have about their smiles. Most smile makeovers involve a combination of teeth whitening, straightening, and possibly veneers.

Three Popular Treatments for Your Smile Makeover

Just about any cosmetic dental procedure may be part of a smile makeover. Three of the most popular procedures that make a big difference include invisible straighteners, tooth whitening, and cosmetic veneers. 

Invisalign

Many people feel embarrassed by crooked or unevenly spaced teeth. In some cases, misalignments also contribute to pain and discomfort. Adults who missed out on orthodontic treatment during their youth are sometimes hesitant to commit to braces or retainers.

Advances in barely visible straightening treatments like Invisalign make it easier for adults to get the smile of their dreams without the inconvenience and discomfort of braces.

While completing Invisalign treatment, you can eat normally and brush and floss normally. The aligners are barely visible, so many adults who never considered orthodontics are visiting their dentists to ask about Invisalign.

While completing Invisalign treatment carefully follow your dentist’s instructions. This helps ensure that you stay on course to complete your treatment within the time estimate your dentist provides. Many patients achieve straightened teeth within a year, but this varies depending on the nature of the misalignment and how well the patient complies with their treatment plan.

Teeth Whitening

Many people wish for whiter teeth since a bright smile gives the impression of youth and health. According to the American Dental Association, whitening treatments are the most commonly requested cosmetic treatment. This is excluding all the people who try DIY over-the-counter whiteners like strips or whitening toothpaste.

While it is natural for teeth to darken with age, today’s procedures make it easier to achieve the bright smile of youth. Aggressive whitening treatments can damage tooth enamel and lead to tooth sensitivity.

Since professional treatments are so popular and affordable, it is well worth talking with your dentist about your options. Some discolorations do not respond to bleaching. Consulting with your dentist saves wasted money and potential damage to your teeth.

A dentist skilled in cosmetic procedures can also help you choose the right level of “brightness” for your coloring, any veneers or caps, and your personal preference. After a single one-hour whitening procedure, you may notice obvious results. Some patients may need more than one visit to achieve their desired level of whitening.

Maintain your results by carefully following your dentist’s recommendations first home oral hygiene and ongoing professional dental care.

For many patients, the combination of Invisalign and whitening is convenient and makes a huge difference in how they feel about their smiles. However, if the patient is unhappy about chips or a misshaped tooth, then veneers are often the go-to solution.

Veneers

A dental veneer consists of a super-thin “tooth-colored” surface that your dentist cements to the front of your tooth. Usually made from porcelain or a composite material, they provide an attractive “face” for the teeth. Some issues that veneers can cosmetically fix include uneven spacing, chips or cracks, alignment issues, discoloration, or worn enamel.

Veneers can be a less invasive alternative to crowns in some cases. The best way to learn whether you might benefit from veneers is to see a dentist specializing in smile makeovers. The results from veneers are immediate, but depending on the situation, it may require a couple of visits. Maintain your veneers for years by carefully following your dentist’s instructions.

Other cosmetic treatments like crowns and bridges may also be part of your smile makeover process, depending on your needs. Each makeover is customized to the patient’s desires and needs.

Next Steps: Contact Dentist Skilled in Smile Makeovers

At Southview Dentistry, we have been making over Charlotte-area smiles since 2009. We love to see our patients walk out with a big, radiant smile. Most of all, we love to see the transformative power of a smile makeover at work in our patient’s lives.

Contact us today to schedule your consultation and to be one day closer to the smile of your dreams.