Smile makeover
For anyone who wants several front teeth fixed, planned together rather than one at a time.
A smile makeover is a plan rather than a single treatment: whitening, bonding, veneers, crowns, gum work or braces put in an order so the front teeth end up matching each other. People ask for one when three or four things bother them at once and fixing them separately would leave a mismatch.
Any of these sound familiar?
- Colour, shape, chips and gaps all bother you, and not on one tooth alone.
- Old crowns or bonding on the front teeth no longer match the teeth around them.
- Years of grinding have worn the front teeth short and uneven along the edge.
- You have had teeth fixed one at a time and the results do not match each other.
- You have an event in a few months and want to start far enough ahead of it.
Start to finish.
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01
One longer first visit
Dr. Malik examines the teeth, gums and bite, takes X-rays, and photographs the front teeth. You say tooth by tooth what bothers you, and that list is what the plan gets built from.
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02
Health before appearance
Cavities, gum disease, loose fillings and anything that hurts are dealt with first. Cosmetic work bonded onto an unhealthy tooth does not last, however good it looks on the day.
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03
A written plan, in order
You get the stages in sequence, each with its own estimate and rough timing. You can stop after any stage, or spread the stages across a year.
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04
See the shape first
Where teeth are changing shape, you get a preview: a shade chosen at the chair, or temporaries you wear and live with for a few weeks. Changes are far easier then than after the final work is bonded on.
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05
The work, in stages
Braces and whitening come early, because they move and lighten the teeth everything else is matched to. Veneers, crowns and bonding go last, made to the shade you settled on, and a night guard protects them if you grind.
What it costs, and who pays.
A makeover is billed treatment by treatment, never as a package, and most run over several months. Plans cover the parts that keep teeth healthy, such as cleanings, fillings and sometimes crowns, and pay nothing towards whitening or veneers, so the estimate splits the two apart.
Ask for a written estimateSmile makeover, answered.
How long does a smile makeover take?
Usually a few months, and closer to a year if braces are part of it. Whitening and bonding are quick, lab-made teeth mean two visits a few weeks apart, and gum work needs time to settle before the final teeth go on.
How many teeth are usually involved?
Most often the six to ten that show when you talk. Doing fewer costs less, but the stopping point can show, and Dr. Malik points out where that line would fall on your teeth.
Can I see what it will look like beforehand?
Up to a point, yes. Photographs, a shade guide and temporary teeth give you a fair preview of colour and shape. Nobody can promise you an exact final result, and we will not pretend otherwise.
Do I have to do it all at once?
No. The order matters more than the speed. Plenty of people do the health work and the whitening first, then leave veneers or crowns until the following year.
