Introduction:

A true smile can completely change your life; it gives you confidence, creates connections, and gives you a greater sense of self than anything written on paper (with the exception of your birth certificate). Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who are too insecure to show their true smile because they feel embarrassed by how their teeth look. 

Years of drinking coffee have left many people with brown stains all over their teeth; kids get knocked out, leaving gaps between their teeth; kids get hit in the face with rocks, causing chips. That’s why the smile makeover was developed, to provide people with a complete approach to dental aesthetics that will change the way we view our teeth and smiles forever!

During the past few decades, modern dentistry has grown into something much more than just “drilling holes and filling them.” Today’s smile makeovers involve both artistry and advanced technology, and the results look natural, not fake or plastic, unlike the days when a dentist would create uniformly white, perfectly rectangular porcelain veneers for the patients, with no individualization whatsoever. 

Today, cosmetic dentists realize that real beauty and natural-looking smiles come from details like: how a tooth looks, how a light will play across the surface of the tooth, and how a smile should fit harmoniously within the facial structure.

Understanding the Makeover Process:

​​The process of a makeover begins with a conversation rather than a drill. A skilled cosmetic dentist functions more like a portrait artist than a doctor; he or she examines your face from all angles and takes into account your skin colour, lip shape and even your character. Through digital imaging, photographs and sometimes temporary models, you can catch a glimpse of how your smile might look after treatment. The process of achieving the perfect smile is a teamwork effort between you and the dentist; your opinion is just as important as the dentist’s.

What surprises many people is the level of personalization that can occur with the makeover process. Although two people may enter the office with the same complaint about their teeth, they will often leave with very different treatment plans. One may need to have their teeth professionally whitened and straightened, while another will require a combination of veneers, crowns and orthodontics. When creating the ultimate smile, the cosmetic dentist considers not only the aesthetics but also their functionality, ensuring that your beautiful new smile will be able to perform its primary function (e.g., chewing, talking) and be durable enough to last a lifetime.

The Technology Behind the Transformation:

Advancements in technology over the last 20 years have revolutionized how dental professionals perform procedures. A new exciting tool that is used is called “Digital Smile Design.” This allows the patient to view a simulated 3D image of their smile before any work begins on the enamel. Another innovation is the use of intraoral scanners instead of the messy impression trays that I remember having to use when I was younger. Instead of using a tray with putty, these small handheld devices take thousands of digital pictures of the inside of your mouth per second and convert that information to a digital 3D image of the patients’ mouth.

Creation of prosthetics such as crowns, veneers and bridges have advanced significantly over time. Computer-assisted design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) allow the dentist to create crowns, veneers, and bridges in one visit, with precision that can only be achieved with this technology. Many dental offices now have in-office milling machines that will create the dental prosthetic for the patient while they wait. There are no longer any temporary crowns, or multiple visits for the patient.

The development of new porcelain materials has allowed dental ceramic materials to closely approximate the appearance of natural enamel. In fact, many times, the dentist cannot distinguish between the dental porcelain materials and natural enamel, and porcelain dental materials have now been designed to resist staining. Some of the ceramic porcelain materials are much stronger than natural enamel, and the use of advanced bonding methods and materials reduces sensitivity and increases comfort during the service.

Popular Procedures in a Smile Makeover:

Teeth whitening continues to be the most popular type of cosmetic dental work, and while both types of teeth whitening procedures utilize similar bleaching agents, professional teeth whitening will provide results far superior than any over-the-counter whitening strips will produce. Using agents in precise concentrations and utilizing lasers or LED lights to speed up the procedure, in-office teeth whitening can produce multiple shades of whiteness in just one hour of a visit.

Porcelain veneers have become the go-to option in cosmetic dentistry. These thin layers of porcelain are bonded to the front surface of the tooth and can fix a multitude of problems such as stained teeth and minor tooth alignment problems in one procedure. The preparation process has become increasingly conservative, as many of the current cases are being treated with minimal prep or no prep veneer options which preserve more of the patient’s natural tooth structure.

In addition to displacing orthodontics from a teenage view, orthodontics has made significant strides in catering to the adult population through the introduction of clear aligners. Accelerated orthodontics now allow for a significant reduction in overall treatment time for many patients. In some instances, patients will undergo orthodontics to prepare their teeth for placement of porcelain veneers and/or crowns.

Due to the permanent foundation provided by dental implants, they should get a special mention in a full mouth reconstruction introduction. When teeth are lost or destroyed, dental implants can restore the normal look, function, and feel of natural teeth. As opposed to bridges and dentures that may become loose over time or may cause harm to adjacent teeth, dental implants are attached to the jaw and become part of the bone structure and thus prevent the loss of bone mass associated with aging.

Managing Expectations and Investment:

Honesty is important when considering smile transformations because they require time and money. Depending on your unique circumstances, the cost of smile transformations can range from a few hundred dollars for whitening to tens of thousands of dollars for a full mouth restoration. Most insurance companies view smile transformations as elective, and therefore unlikely to be covered by insurance; however, certain aspects of smile transformations may be partially covered if they provide a function.

The amount of time required to complete your smile transformation will also depend on the complexity of your case; for example, a straightforward case of whitening and bonding may be complete in just two visits, whereas more complex cases involving orthodontics and multiple restorations may take six months to one year. Rushing through your smile transformation in order to meet an arbitrary timeline may result in subpar outcomes, so be sure to give yourself enough time.

Maintaining your smile after a smile transformation will be part of your routine. Today’s modern dental materials are extremely durable, but they cannot withstand too much wear or abuse. To increase the longevity of your smile transformation, you should continue to visit the dentist regularly for tooth cleanings and practice good oral hygiene. 

Avoiding certain habits such as chewing on ice and using your teeth as tools will also help extend the life of your smile transformation. Dentists may recommend wearing night guards for patients who grind their teeth at night, which will help protect both the natural teeth and any restorations that you may have received during your smile transformation.

Conclusion: The Confidence Factor

When thinking about smile transformation, being forthright and truthful is key because every person possesses their own set of constraints with respect to financial resources and time. Depending upon an individual’s unique situation, the price of a smile transformation can vary greatly. Some people may only need a few hundred dollars to have their teeth whitened, while others may need a complete restoration of their entire mouth, which can cost as much as several tens of thousands of dollars. 

Most likely, your insurance company will consider a smile transformation as a voluntary procedure and therefore will not cover the cost. But certain aspects of a smile transformation that do provide functionality may be partially covered. Along with cost, time is another important factor when it comes to completing your smile transformation. The length of time it will take to finish varies depending upon how complex your case is. 

A simple whitening and bonding case might only take two dental appointments, while a more complex case (that requires braces, multiple restorations, etc.) might take anywhere from six months to one year. If you try to hurry through your smile transformation due to a self-imposed deadline, chances are that your results will not be satisfactory; therefore, allow yourself sufficient time.

The type of care and maintenance needed to maintain your newly-transformed smile will also be part of your daily routine. Today’s modern dental materials are built to last, but are subject to wearing down and suffering damage through normal use.