If you’re unhappy with your current smile, you might consider a smile makeover. However, you may not know what to expect. What does a smile makeover do? How does it work? How long does it take? How long will the results last?
Your confusion is understandable since a smile makeover is a custom procedure explicitly designed for you by Dr. Ken Siegel at Dental Excellence of Blue Bell. It will mean different things to different people. However, you don’t have to be confused anymore. This article will help you understand exactly what to expect from your smile makeover.
What a Smile Makeover Can Do for You
A smile makeover gives you complete control over your smile’s appearance, allowing you customization over the shape and style of your teeth. You’ll have the choice of teeth that are longer or brighter, square or rounded, as well as other options. You can even adjust the relative size and shape of teeth. Make your central incisors more prominent–a youthful feature that some like–or make your canines sharper and more noticeable, for example. You’ll achieve dramatic results that will get noticed every time you smile. Alternatively, you may desire results that look naturally, subtly attractive–a smile that blends in without attracting undue attention. With a smile makeover, the choice is yours.
In addition, your smile makeover can correct any complaints you may have about the appearance of your current smile, including:
- Discolored teeth
- Worn teeth
- Chipped or cracked teeth
- Crooked or crowded teeth
- Gaps between teeth
- Decayed teeth
- Unattractive restorations, such as metal fillings
- Restorations that don’t match teeth or each other
- Poorly shaped teeth
- Short or narrow teeth
- Missing teeth
Modern cosmetic dentistry gives us the power to fix all these problems and more. You might have thought there was nothing you could do about your smile. Here at Dental Excellence of Blue Bell, however, we can transform almost any smile to become the beautiful smile of your dreams or restore the smile of your youth.
Techniques We May Use in Your Smile Makeover
How do we achieve an incredible transformation in your smile makeover? To get the desired results, Dr. Siegel will employ various techniques that are specifically chosen to take your smile from its current state to a smile you’ll be proud of.
Dr Siegel will use some or all of the following techniques.
Porcelain Veneers or Lumineers
Porcelain veneers are thin, ceramic facades that give your teeth a new visible surface. Lumineers are a type of veneer that can fit onto your teeth with less preparation. In some situations, we can use dental bonding, a quick and inexpensive alternative.
Adult Orthodontics
Orthodontics can move your teeth to desired positions to make them straighter, alleviate crowding, and eliminate gaps. Orthodontics isn’t just for children and teens–adults can get it, too.
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Old metal fillings can be unattractive. They start silver and can turn black, making them look as bad as untreated cavities. Tooth-colored fillings can replace old metal fillings or repair new cavities in an attractive way.
Dental Crowns
Sometimes called caps, dental crowns fit entirely over the visible part of the tooth. This protects and supports the tooth and gives it a beautiful new surface.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are tooth replacements that look and function like natural teeth. They include an artificial root that bonds with the jawbone and an attractive crown that functions like your natural tooth.
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening can remove stains from teeth due to foods, drinks, and other lifestyle habits such as smoking. The teeth whitening service at our office is more powerful than the products you can buy over the counter.
Laser Gum Recontouring
Although most people focus on their teeth when thinking about smiles, your gums also play an essential role. They frame and balance your teeth, which can affect your smile if they don’t look attractive. Laser gum recontouring can reshape your gums to improve your smile’s overall appearance.
The Smile Makeover Procedure
A smile makeover is a custom procedure that starts with a consultation to help determine the goals and approaches used. You’ll have the opportunity to talk to Dr. Siegel about the results you want to achieve. He will listen closely, take notes, and ask questions to ensure that he understands what you’re looking for.
If you’re not a current Dental Excellence of Blue Bell patient, Dr. Siegel will examine your mouth to determine your oral health. A complete evaluation might require X-rays or other techniques, including tests for temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ/TMD) or other bite problems.
After making his assessment, Dr. Siegel will recommend one or more pathways to achieve the smile you’re looking for. Sometimes, there are multiple options for achieving the same or similar results, from which you can then select the one that fits your preferences and limitations best. If you need help deciding, we can show you a computer simulation of potential results, mock up a smile in wax, or even make temporary restorations that you can wear to see how you feel about them.
How Long a Smile Makeover Takes
Different cosmetic dentistry procedures require different lengths of time, so how long your smile makeover takes depends largely on your selected procedures. Here’s a breakdown of procedures based on how long they require:
One Day
Dental bonding
Dental crowns
Composite fillings
Gum recontouring
Teeth whitening (though heavy stains might need longer to eliminate)
One Month or Less
Porcelain veneers
Dental inlays and onlays (ceramic fillings)
Dental implants (some procedures)
Six Months to a Year
Dental implants (some procedures)
Adult orthodontics (may require more than a year in some cases)
Dr. Siegel will help you understand how long your procedure might take in cases with variable lengths. However, it is sometimes impossible to tell how long a procedure will take before starting it.
How Long Your Smile Makeover Results Will Last
Modern cosmetic dentistry can deliver long-lasting results, especially when properly caring for teeth and restorations. Here is a breakdown of how long results from different cosmetic dentistry procedures might last:
Up to a Few Years:
Dental bonding
10 Years or More:
Porcelain veneers
Dental crowns
Tooth-colored fillings
Dental implant restorations (crown, bridge, or denture)
A Lifetime
(Maintenance procedures may be required)
Teeth whitening
Laser gum recontouring
Orthodontics
Dental implants
Ready for a Smile Makeover
If you’re ready for a new smile, Dr. Ken Siegel is here to answer all your questions and help you design a custom makeover to achieve the desired results.
Please call (610) 272-0828 or use our online form today to request an appointment at Dental Excellence of Blue Bell.
