If you are researching ways to enhance your smile, you may have encountered the term smile makeover. It is an umbrella term that refers to a treatment plan of one or more procedures aimed at improving how a smile looks. If you want to change a few aspects of your smile's appearance, a smile makeover may be the right solution.
Essentially, a smile makeover is one or more procedures done as part of a plan to improve a smile's appearance. The procedures can include cosmetic treatments such as teeth whitening, orthodontic treatments such as clear aligners, and even restorative treatments such as dental crowns or implants. What makes a smile makeover different from other dental treatment plans is its focus on cosmetic improvement, even though some of its treatments can offer dental health benefits as a bonus.
A smile makeover can involve just one procedure or multiple. After evaluating the patient and talking to them about what they would like to change, the dentist designs a plan. Here are four common procedures a dentist may suggest as part of the patient's smile makeover plan.
Year after year, teeth whitening remains one of the most popular cosmetic procedures. Through in-office or take-home treatments, dentists help patients obtain a whiter smile. Teeth whitening from a dentist tends to be safer and more effective than do–it–yourself store-bought kits, with some patients seeing their teeth get up to eight shades whiter. However, some types of discoloration do not respond to teeth whitening, and teeth whitening solutions will not change the color of dental restorations such as crowns.
Dental veneers give patients a bright smile, uniform in tooth size, shape, and color. The treatment involves covering the teeth visible when smiling with thin porcelain or composite resin shells. Dental veneers can solve multiple cosmetic dental issues in just one treatment and can even cover stains that do not respond to teeth whitening. However, veneers can be one of the more expensive treatments and often require alteration to the original teeth.
Dental bonding involves adding tooth-colored composite resin to teeth to refine tooth size, fix imperfections, and even cover stains that do not respond to teeth whitening. The dentist matches the composite resin to the patient's tooth color, applies it to the tooth, shapes it, and then hardens it with a special light. This is a popular option for fixing certain stains, spaces between teeth, and damaged or misshaped teeth. The composite resin will not respond to teeth whitening. Therefore, teeth whitening should be done before dental bonding so the dentist can match the bonding to the newly whitened teeth.
Gum contouring can offer dental health benefits but is usually done for cosmetic reasons. Patients with excessive gingival display or a "gummy smile" can have this procedure done to bring balance to their smile. The goal is to show less gum tissue and more teeth when smiling and correct an uneven gumline. This procedure involves minor surgery to remove excess gum tissue, which may take a few days or a week to heal completely.
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If you want to revamp your smile, we can help. Our dentist can design a smile makeover plan to help you create the best version of your smile. Call our team today to learn more about smile makeovers.
Request an appointment or call Alexandria Old Town Dental at 703-763-1078 for an appointment in our Alexandria office.
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