What you Should Know Before Having a Smile Makeover

Smile Transformation: Cosmetic Dentistry’s Hottest Trend

A smile transformation goes one step further than a smile makeover, as it is not just focused on the aesthetic look of your teeth. A stunning smile is no fun if you still have decayed teeth or diseased gums lurking beneath veneers or disguised by teeth whitening. A smile transformation combines cosmetic dentist services with dental treatments that ensure your teeth and gums are healthy. 

Cosmetic dental treatment should always go further than just correcting imperfections in your teeth and gums. Pain and discomfort from cracks, shifted or crooked teeth, gum disease and an incorrect bite should disappear so that you can enjoy your new smile without any further issues later on. 

Common Cosmetic Dental Issues 

Most smile makeovers will look to correct common dental issues that can be addressed quickly. Dental problems that can transform your smile in just one or two dental visits include:

When you have healthy teeth and gums, all of the above treatments can work splendidly to give you an instant perfect looking smile. The problem is when (like most people) you haven’t visited the dentist for a long time. When non-dental clinics perform cosmetic dental treatments on teeth with decay and gum disease, this can lead to future tooth loss. It’s like building a house on rubbish foundations. 

Serious Dental Issues

Gum disease is the most frequently treated dental issue and it is estimated that gum disease affects 90% of UK adults to varying degrees. Even more concerning is that research has indicated gum disease is associated with kidney disease, cardiovascular (heart) disease and diabetes.

Early gum disease is called gingivitis and early signs of gum disease include:

  • bleeding and sore gums
  • gums receding (shrinking)
  • halitosis (bad breath).

When there are more serious signs of gum disease, this is called periodontitis which can lead to tooth loss. 

Tooth decay is another serious dental issue that must be treated before a smile transformation. If tooth decay is simply covered up with composite bonding or veneers, it will worsen and eventually lead to tooth loss. When teeth have become loose, it may be possible to save them with restorative dental treatment. Ignoring wobbly teeth will inevitably lead to the teeth falling out. 

Before having any type of cosmetic dentistry, a hygienist and a dentist must treat gum disease, tooth decay, and loose teeth. A Professional Hygiene Visit will remove any plaque build-up to allow gums to recover with good oral hygiene practices. A dentist will then remove any tooth decay prior to placing any fillings and assess the situation with loose teeth. All good dentists will do their utmost to preserve natural teeth and will never advise you to have a tooth removed if there is any way to save it.

Mini Smile Makeover

A mini smile makeover or smile transformation will focus on issues that can be corrected quickly. Often a mini smile makeover will focus on the front six upper and lower teeth that are most visible when you smile. The treatments that might be recommended are:

  • Teeth cleaning to remove plaque and ensure teeth and gums are healthy.
  • Teeth whitening — teeth whitening with bleach can be performed using a laser to lift teeth by up to three or four shades instantly.
  • Composite bonding — composite bonding can replace silver fillings, bond cracked teeth and reshape crooked or chipped teeth. Unlike porcelain veneers, natural teeth are normally left untouched. Composite is simply laid over the top of them.

Complete Smile Makeover

A complete smile makeover will tend to include longer-term or more advanced cosmetic dental treatments, including:

  • Orthodontics — permanent straightening of natural teeth and correcting a misaligned bite with braces or Invisalign.
  • Dental implants — provide a permanent solution with implants to replace missing teeth or loose teeth that can not be saved. 

What about Porcelain Veneers?

Many cosmetic dental services promote porcelain veneers as the most advanced and fastest way to transform teeth. They used to cover chipped or worn teeth and have been made more popular by celebrities in the US. They truly are the gold standard for aesthetics and can be designed to be any colour and shape, whether you’re looking for natural or a “Hollywood Smile”. A common misconception is that teeth need to be filed down significantly for porcelain veneers, but this is not the case as long as the teeth are well aligned first. Treatments like Invisalign can be used to straighten the teeth, which means veneers can be placed with minimal tooth preparation. Do not confuse veneers with crowns, which have been made popular abroad and are placed by grinding teeth to small stumps and will cause significant long-term problems. Crowns have to be used when the teeth are not straight, with severe amount of enamel to align the teeth with this treatment.

Digital Smile Makeover

Many cosmetic dentists will be able to provide you with a  digital smile makeover using digital technology. This will show you how various cosmetic dental treatments can transform your smile before you make any commitments. Whatever way you want to have a smile transformation, for long-term results, always visit a cosmetic dentist that is GDC registered

To find out risk-free how you can transform your smile with a smile makeover done by cosmetic dentists that care about the long term health of your teeth and gums, simply send six photos of your smile to Smile Stories cosmetic dentists in Bournemouth

You will then receive a bespoke Confident Smile Report, advising you of your options. You can then choose to have a complementary Video Consultation for your complete smile transformation action plan. Create your own perfect smile and enjoy a lifetime of smile confidence.



AUTHOR

Dr Gareth Edwards BDS (Hons) MFDS RCPS (Glasg) is a dentist who qualified with honours. Based in the Poole and Bournemouth area, he has a keen interest in orthodontics and aesthetic dentistry and is a certified Invisalign provider.

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