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Over time, teeth can become damaged, gaining chips, stains, and even gaps between them. When that happens, you start to feel like you need a completely new smile—and that’s not as unattainable as it seems. With a smile makeover in Coral Gables, you can elevate the appearance of your teeth to the levels you’ve always wished for.
Smile makeovers combine various dental procedures, from teeth whitening to implants. These treatments help you obtain the smile of your dreams. The makeover is customized for every patient, but here are some of the treatments it typically involves.
A smile makeover is a customized, multi-phase treatment plan designed to improve the appearance of your smile. It addresses particular aesthetic concerns by employing one or more cosmetic dentistry procedures.
After a smile makeover, your mouth will look completely new. This makes it an appealing option for people who want a tooth transformation. Such a change is done with precision and careful planning.
A smile makeover entails designing a cosmetic and treatment plan that considers the appearance of your teeth and your personal preferences. Some factors dentists take into consideration are your teeth length, proportions, and texture, as well as other aspects like your skin tone, facial appearance, hair color, and gender.
This process is also known as smile design.
And nowadays, with digital design software, dental professionals can even give you a preview of what your smile will look like. They can even modify it in real time based on your preferences and objectives!
Then, to guarantee natural-looking results that match the mockup, your cosmetic dentist will serve as a smile guru and recommend the best dental procedures. Here are some of the most often used:
Teeth whitening treatments lighten and brighten yellow or stained teeth. They’re a fundamental treatment inside smile makeovers, helping address stains and discoloration.
Unlike over-the-counter alternatives, whitening treatments done by a dentist utilize higher amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which is why they take considerably less time to offer results and last much longer.
When designing a treatment plan for a makeover, teeth whitening will probably be the first step, as the color of your teeth will play a crucial role in the materials used in further restorations.
For instance, if you get a color-matched veneer and then whiten your teeth, the veneer will remain its original color, ruining all the efforts placed into your makeover.
As we anticipated, dental veneers are also used in smile makeovers. These thin shells are placed over a tooth to cover imperfections and fix a wide range of aesthetic problems, like chips, dents, and slight crookedness.
Dental veneers serve no other purpose beyond their cosmetic appeal. They are made from ceramic or porcelain, the latter being the strongest and most durable. However, there are other aspects to be considered when deciding which type of veneer is for you.
For example, the way forces are distributed within your mouth plays a big role in finding the right veneers. People who clench their teeth tightly will require a different course of treatment than those who have less jaw muscle mass and less dental wear and tear.
Some patients only feel slight discomfort while having veneers placed. To ensure a pain-free procedure, dentists numb the area using local anesthesia. You may also experience mild sensitivity afterward, but this usually goes away quickly.
Maintaining excellent gum health is crucial when getting veneers because the gums are pushed back during the procedure. Keeping them clean can prevent tooth decay and infection.
Often referred to as a "cap," a dental crown is a tooth-shaped covering that an expert or dentist places over a natural tooth or implant post. Crowns serve as a long-term solution to returning teeth to their normal size and shape by concealing aesthetical issues.
Unlike veneers, a crown’s benefits aren’t only cosmetic. They can also serve as a strengthening barrier for a tooth that has been weakened by a filling or another dental operation. Therefore, crowns can improve both a tooth's appearance and functionality.
Crowns help address issues like cracks, fractures, or profound tooth decay in a smile makeover. All-ceramic crowns are ideal for achieving this, as the material closely mimics the appearance of natural teeth.
With the right maintenance, ceramic materials can last up to 15 years and are extremely durable. They are also biocompatible and well-tolerated by the body, lowering the possibility of allergic reactions or sensitivity.
Maintaining good oral hygiene and scheduling routine dental exams can help your ceramic restorations last longer and function well.
Many people worry about their crooked or misaligned teeth. That’s why smile makeovers can also involve orthodontic treatments like braces or clear aligners, which can straighten crooked teeth and improve your smile’s overall alignment.
If that’s the case, then this treatment will probably be the first step.
An aligned smile doesn’t only enhance your smile appearance-wise, but it also contributes to better oral health. After all, crooked teeth tend to accumulate more food and plaque in between them, contributing to tooth decay. Bite problems can also lead to TMJ disorders and migraines.
If you don’t feel very keen on braces, clear aligners like Invisalign® are also a viable solution.
Invisalign is a contemporary orthodontic treatment that gradually straightens teeth using clear aligners. It works by exerting pressure, just like braces, but unlike them, these are virtually invisible, providing an unnoticeable alternative to traditional braces.
Additionally, aligners can be removed for eating and drinking with no food restrictions. You’ll have to be very thorough with oral hygiene after eating, as food remnants can stain your aligners and lead to decay over time.
Invisalign involves a series of removable mouthguard-like trays to make your teeth shift progressively. You will need to replace your aligners after two weeks as they gradually move your teeth into the desired position.
With each set of aligners, your teeth will gradually straighten as they build upon the previous set.
Dental implants help replace missing teeth and achieve a complete and natural-looking smile. More than a cosmetic procedure, implants are part of what we call “restorative dentistry,” as they are designed to mimic the look and function of natural teeth.
Implants consist of a titanium post surgically inserted into the jawbone to replace a natural tooth’s root and a crown placed on top. By ensuring a solid base with the score (called abutment), implants provide the closest resemblance to a natural tooth.
Restoring a missing tooth with an implant can offer a tremendous improvement in a patient’s quality of life. Once the abutment has been properly assimilated into the jawbone, there are a few food restrictions you need to abide by.
Dental implants provide a long-term tooth replacement option and can last a lifetime with proper care. As if that’s not enough, their simple presence helps stimulate the jawbone and prevent bone loss, helping maintain overall oral health.
Dental bonding uses a composite resin to fill in tooth gaps, repair chips, and address other cosmetic issues. It is a less invasive and less expensive option than veneers. After the material is placed on the teeth, it is then hardened to a strength using a laser or UV light.
Composite resin can also be used to close gaps between teeth, cover stains or discoloration, fix uneven or worn teeth, and increase a tooth’s size to achieve a more symmetrical smile.
Composite bonding usually lasts five to ten years. It is not as long-lasting as veneers and is not as stain-resistant. However, it’s an easier procedure that can be conducted in a 30- to 60-minute session.
Because composite bonding is limited in handling severe forces, it is recommended for areas with low-chewing pressure, like the front teeth. Other alternatives should be explored for molars.
Gum contouring, or gingival sculpting, is a procedure that reshapes or resculpts your gumline. It involves trimming away or extracting extra gum tissue that surrounds your teeth or repairing gum tissue if gum recession has occurred.
Reshaping the gum line helps you achieve a more balanced and visually appealing smile. Your dentist might even recommend it if you have an issue affecting your oral health, like gum disease or a partially impacted wisdom tooth.
Usually, a periodontist or cosmetic dentist can complete a gum contouring in one single appointment. Local anesthesia is typically all that’s needed to numb the gum area during the procedure, so you’ll be awake during the treatment.
The doctor can use a soft tissue laser or scalpel to resculpt the gumline. Afterward, sutures may be needed to hold the gum tissue in place.
By combining different cosmetic and restorative procedures like teeth whitening and dental implants, smile makeovers offer patients a transformation of their smile. The combination of these steps requires careful planning.
However, our Coral Gables dentists are well-experienced and knowledgeable about the smile design process. If you’re interested in learning more about this incredible treatment, give us a call!
*Invisalign®, the Invisalign logo, and iTero®, among others, are trademarks and/ or service marks of Align Technology, Inc. or one of its subsidiaries or affiliated companies and may be registered in the U.S. and/or other countries.
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