A smile makeover is one of the most powerful things you can do to dramatically change your appearance. A beautiful smile is directly connected to personal success, confidence, and even how much money you make.

A smile makeover is a series of procedures or treatments that are aimed at refreshing your smile from a variety of different angles. These procedures can include dental veneers, composite bonding, tooth implants, and teeth whitening.

Your dentist will also take into consideration your facial appearance, your teeth – including their color, width, length, and shape) – gum tissue and lips. They even will take into account your skin tone and hair color.

What you can change with a smile makeover

Consider what aspects of your smile you dislike or would like to improve. A dentist can work with you to improve such things as:

Tooth Color: Teeth can become discolored and stained through general use or by smoking, or even just by silver or metal amalgam dental fillings. The color of your teeth can be improved through teeth whitening procedures that include replacing metal fillings with tooth-colored composite restorations, porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, composite bonding, and dental implants. Tooth color is important for a youthful smile as dark or discolored teeth can suggest an aged mouth.

Alignment and Spacing: Crooked teeth or teeth that overlap or have gaps can be straightened and aligned with options like orthodontics or even veneers.

Missing Teeth: The loss of a tooth can not only affect your smile’s appearance but it can actually change the shape of your face. When a tooth is not present, the jaw bone will deteriorate. Luckily missing teeth can be replaced by dental implants. Dental implants act just like natural teeth and can reinforce the jaw bone.

Overall aesthetic: Teeth that are uneven, chipped and cracked can be improved by cosmetically bonding them for an improved appearance. A smile with excess gum can be improved and re-contoured to help improve the overall look of the smile.

The cosmetic dentist can work with you to develop a plan for treatment that is specially designed to achieve exactly what you would want from a smile makeover. The treatment plan will likely consist of both cosmetic and restorative procedures. These could include teeth whitening, composite bonding, veneers, dental crowns, braces, oral maxillofacial surgery, and even gummy smile reduction.

What can be changed in a smile makeover?

Many attributes of your smile can be changed in order to help you achieve your perfect smile. In addition to the color, alignment, and balance of your teeth that show when you smile, a dentist could include a plan to enhance the following areas.

• Tooth Length: Long teeth help lend a certain youthful appearance. Aging can produce wear and tear that can result in shorter teeth. A smile with excess gums showing can also contribute to the look of an aged smile. Treatments for short teeth could include reshaping and lengthening the two front central teeth with composite bonding or veneers. They may also modify the gumline using laser dentistry procedures. Long teeth can also contribute to a slimming effect on the overall aesthetic of the face.
• Smile Line: The smile line is an imaginary line that follows the edge of the upper teeth and should be the same as the curve of your lower lip. This is a standard point of reference that the dentist can use to help you determine how long your new teeth should be.
• Tooth Proportions: The teeth will be examined by your cosmetic dentist to determine if they are in the right proportion with one another. The ideal ratio is to have the two central front teeth dominant and have a width to length ratio of 4-to-5. This proportion will be the guide for the width and length of the other teeth in the esthetic zone so that your smile appears balanced.

Keeping Your Results in the Long Term

Be sure to keep a regular oral hygiene care routine in order to maintain the brightness of your new smile. You may also have to repeat some procedures, such as teeth whitening, at regular intervals in order to maintain their appearance.

You may have to repair porcelain veneers that may chip or break off and need to be replaced. Work with your cosmetic dentist to find the right materials and procedures to help you have a brand new smile.

If you are interested in getting your very own smile makeover, and you live in Upland, CA call Upland Dental Group & Implant Center at (909) 985-1966 today to schedule your own consultation appointment.