A smile makeover is a cosmetic process that involves one or more dental procedures. The dentist considers your appearance and facial features, including skin tone, hair color, lips, and gum tissue. They will also consider the color of your teeth, shape, length, and tooth display.
It transforms your smile into a more aesthetically pleasing one and boosts your confidence. It involves different procedures that include teeth whitening, bonding, shaping, dental implants, and crowns.
The amount of work performed to give you the best smile depends on your set of teeth. Here are some of the procedures a smile makeover involves.
Teeth Whitening
The procedure can brighten or whiten your teeth. It is an office or home procedure that uses bleach to remove discoloration and staining. Not all teeth can become bright or white after teeth whitening, so check with your dentist first. Ask them to explain the details to avoid disappointments.
Teeth Shaping
Teeth shaping or enamel shaping is a procedure that reshapes the tooth by filing. It removes enamel to give the tooth an aesthetically pleasing shape. It is a conservative cosmetic procedure that balances your smile. It improves minor bite problems, bulges or pits in tooth enamel, the length of canines, and irregular teeth.
Teeth Bonding
It improves the appearance of teeth with gaps, chips, stains, and cracks. The dentist will use bonding materials to protect the roots of your teeth or fill cavities. It is an in-office procedure that can last for several years. After applying the bonding material, the dentist can add a composite resin that looks like the color of your teeth.
Veneers
These last longer than bonding and have a superior appearance. Veneers are porcelain and sometimes resin custom-made shells. The dentist will buff your teeth then take an impression to create a mold. The mold helps make veneers that will comfortably fit your teeth.
The veneers cover the front sides of your teeth, changing their shape and color. They improve the space between teeth, stains, chips, and misaligned teeth. They make you confident to smile.
Crowns
Crowns cover broken or misshapen teeth. They also hold dental bridges in place and cover dental implants. The aim is to tooth cover, restoring its usual shape and appearance. Crowns can be metal, porcelain, ceramic, or resin. They can have a long life if you take good care of them.
Dental Implants
Dental implants have three parts: the titanium part, an abutment, and the crown. The dentist implants the titanium part in your jawbone. After, the titanium integrates with the jawbone and promotes its growth. It provides stability for the new artificial tooth as roots do for your natural teeth.
The dentist places the abutment next, while the crown screws on top of it. The dentist will not fix your crown until your jawbone is strong enough. It needs to support the use of the new tooth. Eat soft foods until the surgical site heals completely.
For more information on what a smile makeover involves, visit Robert A. Rees, DDS, at our office in La Jolla, California. You can also call (858) 454-6181 to book an appointment today.