A smile makeover and its important factors to consider

A smile makeover – in simple words – is the procedure that boosts the appearance of your smile through cosmetic dentistry treatments. As a matter of fact one or more cosmetic dentistry treatments may be associated with it. The Cosmetic dentistry treatments that are mainly used include the following –

• · Dental veneers

• · Tooth implants

• · Teeth whitening and

• · Composite bonding

The factors that are considered in a smile makeover include the appearance of your face, the tone of the skin, the colour of the hair along with the teeth, lips and the gum tissues. Natural shade, physical dimension and display of the tooth all are included as elements of consideration. Smile makeovers are unbelievably popular these days and are performed for varieties of reasons. A smile makeover can easily be customised to meet your unique needs and choices.

What is that you do not like about your teeth? What elements do you think are missing in your smile? Your cosmetic dentist will review your smile and collect your opinion before creating a unique treatment plan for you. The elements that you dislike about your smile or teeth could be resolved in many ways including the following –

• Colour of the tooth – tooth cavities that are filled with silver or amalgam fillings can easily be replaced with composite restorations in the colour of the tooth. Then teeth whitening can resolve the problem of your stained or dulled teeth. Tooth colour and shading are the two important factors to take into account while considering procedures like dental crowns, bridges, porcelain veneers, tooth implants and composite bonding. When selecting the colour of the teeth is concerned you should better keep one factor in the mind. Discoloured or dark teeth usually suggest an aged mouth while a healthy and attractive smile is comprised of bright white teeth which make the impression of youthful appearance. A dentist has to select a shade for teeth whitening or veneers with lot of care and consideration about the tone and colour of both your face and hair. Cosmetic dentists are always well skilled in setting the perfect balance while providing a patient with a brighter and whiter smile and maintaining a natural colour of the tooth at the same time.

• Spacing and alignment – crooked or overlapped teeth or those having gaps with adjacent ones can be straightened as well as properly aligned through modern orthodontic dentistry. Even treatments like invisalign prove helpful in such cases. Moreover the condition of these patients can also be improved significantly using veneers.

• Lost or missing teeth – if you have one or more missing teeth that can cause a miserable on your smile. It also affects your natural bite on one hand, while increases the risk of tooth decay on the other. Replacing any lost tooth or teeth is the basics of both sound oral health and facial aesthetics. Procedures that are relevant in such cases include dental implants, partial dentures and bridges.

• Balance and harmony – chipped, cracked or uneven teeth do not contribute to one’s aesthetic appeal. Such teeth can be bonded cosmetically to improve your aesthetic appeal. It is also possible to re-contour a gummy smile to boost the overall appeal of your smile.

• Lips, smile and cheeks all fuller - an ageing or unshapely face can also be rejuvenated or improved in appearance through smile makeover. Oral maxillofacial surgery and modern orthodontics offer definite solution to it.

A cosmetic dentist works closely with a patient to develop a customised treatment plan that caters to all the specific needs of the individual. The treatment plan is focused to help you achieve your precise expectations. The plan may include a number of cosmetic and functionally restorative treatment procedures. The most common procedures in this regard include the following –

• Veneers

• Composite bonding

• Dental crowns

• Gummy smile reduction

• Oral maxillofacial surgery

• Teeth whitening and

• Orthodontic braces

In addition to the list mentioned above, other procedures may also be included in your treatment plan.

Smile makeover and its aesthetic components

Cosmetic dentists do not only concern themselves with the colour, alignment and balance of your teeth. Rather they have to focus upon many other attributes of your teeth and smile while designing your unique smile makeover treatment plan. Some of these dental factors include –

The length of your tooth – long teeth provide one with a youthful appearance. As we grow older our teeth are subjected to lot of wear and tear. As a result those may appear shorter. On the other hand even a gummy smile makes the teeth look shorter. What is the treatment for shorter teeth? The solutions include reshaping and lengthening the pair of central teeth at the front using either composite bonding or porcelain veneers. The problem of gummy smile is usually resolved by modifying the gum line along with lengthening the appearance of the teeth. Laser dentistry procedures prove effective in teeth lengthening. As another option you may be referred to a periodontist who will lengthen the dental crown if the need be. Interestingly, the process of teeth lengthening impacts your overall facial appearance.

Smile line – this is an imaginary line along the sidewise edges of your upper teeth. Ideally this must be the same as the curve of your lower lip every time you smile. It is used as a standard point of reference to determine the renewed length of your teeth.

Tooth proportions – it is also the cosmetic dentist’s responsibility to examine your teeth to see whether those are in the right proportion with each other. In this context it is relevant to discuss about pleasing smiles. A pleasing smile is the one in which the two central teeth at front remain dominant along with having a width to length proportion of 4 to 5. A renowned smile dentist in London explains this ratio guides the length as well as the width of other teeth in the aesthetic zone to make the smile line look balanced.

Characterisation and texture of the tooth – it requires little artistic flair from a dentist to characterise your crowns and veneers to add more feminine or masculine touch. This is in addition to matching the look and the feel of the natural teeth.