The Smile Makeover Journey: A Step-by-Step Guide to Transforming Your Smile

A nice smile can significantly improve your confidence. It is one of the most striking parts of our face, yet over 50% of Americans reportedly feel insecure about their teeth. If you are planning to do a smile makeover, here are some things you need to know.

Step Number 1: The Consultation

When dealing with cosmetic dentistry, the dentist should first be briefed on what you want from the appointment. Do you want to remove the appearance of stained teeth, fix cracks in your teeth, or straighten crooked teeth? Your consultant will ask you these questions and more to determine the best treatment plan for you and ensure you will receive the most appropriate dental care.

The consultation will also involve an examination of your mouth and gums. This is an important step, as the cosmetic dentist must rule out any underlying oral health problems before you can start cosmetic treatment on those soon-to-be pearly whites.

Step Number 2: Creating a Treatment Plan

After the consultation, a dentist will create a treatment plan with you. This plan will be specific to your mouth, teeth, and aesthetic expectations. While this typically involves setting out treatments, including teeth whiting, veneers, and implants, your dentist may also recommend orthodontic intervention to straighten your teeth or eliminate gaps between teeth if needed.

Step Number 3: The Procedures 

Your smile can be transformed in many ways, and the proper treatment depends on your needs and goals. 

• Tooth Bonding can fix chipped, cracked, and discolored teeth. When treating cosmetic issues such as cracked teeth, a composite resin is applied to the tooth and shaped against it to reinforce the strength of the tooth and dull the appearance of the material. 
  • If you want to use tooth bonding to change the color of your teeth, the resin can be colored to the shade of your natural tooth for a natural appearance. 
  • Tooth bonding can also help remove gaps in the teeth. Resin is applied in the desired area, thus creating a seamless smile. 
• Veneers are thin, custom-made pieces surrounding your teeth to improve their appearance. Veneers can hide a multitude of oral problems, from discoloration to cracking. They are also made of a strong material, so they are less resistant to coloring substances like coffee and tea. 
  • To install veneers, your teeth need to be removed from a thin layer of enamel (this allows the veneers to adhere to the surface of the teeth properly). Then impressions are taken of your teeth, and custom-made veneers are made from these. The dentist will then bond each shell to the corresponding tooth. 
• Dental implants can create the effect of a tooth if it has been removed or has rotted. The process involves the fusion of a titanium post with the jawbone in a missing tooth’s root. After fusing occurs, an abutment and dental crown are attached. 
  • This procedure can restore the appearance of a healthy smile and prevent facial sagging in the long term.

Step Number 4: After Care

You have gone to great lengths to create your perfect smile, and now you must look after it. Many of the reasons your teeth became stained or cracked can cause re-coloring or re-cracking without proper care. Here are a few ways you can ensure that smile stays for longer:

• Keep up the cleaning. A regular oral hygiene routine can ward off damage to bonded teeth and coloration. It would be best to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled brush, making sure to floss after, too.
• Avoid drinking substances that could stain your teeth. This can include excessive consumption of coffee, tea, tobacco, red wine, and fizzy drinks.
• Visit your dentist regularly. Seeing your dentist regularly reduces the chances of developing oral health problems and helps maintain the procedures put on your teeth, such as tooth bonding.

Steps You Can Take Now

So you want a beautiful smile? Luckily, a few dental practices can help restore your smile today, including orthodontic treatments to straighten misaligned teeth and whitening processes that can brighten the appearance of teeth. Regular dental check-ups after your treatment will give you a radiant smile for years to come. Call Riverside Dental in St. George, UT or Washington, UT to schedule your dental appointment today!