Smile Makeover Candidates By Dr. John Goodman on May 22, 2012

Patients undergoing smile makeovers often experience an instant boost in self-esteem. Because of the negative impact dental imperfections can have on a person’s self-confidence, it is not unusual for the self-esteem to be affected. By addressing the cosmetic issues preventing a person from feeling confident when smiling and talking, we are able to effectively improve a person’s quality of life.

What Is a Smile Makeover?

A smile makeover is a treatment plan consisting of one or more dental treatments designed to enhance your smile. A smile makeover is tailored to each individual patient, because no two people share the same goals or needs, and every smile is unique. Three treatments that are commonly included in a smile makeover at our Kansas City cosmetic dentistry practice are teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, and dental bonding.

Smile Makeover Candidates

Dental patients who are unhappy with the appearance of their smiles, are free of gum disease, and have good oral health and healthy tooth structure are ideal smile makeover candidates. However, any patient undergoing a cosmetic dental procedure is a candidate for a smile makeover. Patients should address any dental issues, such as tooth decay and gum disease before undergoing a smile makeover. For patients with extensive dental problems that affect the function of the teeth, restorative dental treatments or even a full mouth reconstruction may be recommended.

Teeth Whitening

At our Kansas City dental practice, we specialize in Teeth Whitening. ZOOM! 2™ teeth whitening is among the most effective in-office teeth whitening procedures available today. The results of the ZOOM! 2™ teeth whitening procedure can be seen almost instantly after the treatment has been completed in-office. Many patients are able to brighten their smiles six to ten shades after just one ZOOM! 2™ teeth whitening treatment. During ZOOM! 2™ treatment, teeth whitening gel is applied to the enamel of the teeth and is then heated with a special lamp. The heat from the lamp breaks down the gel which releases oxygen into the dentin of the teeth. This release of oxygen bleaches the teeth, thereby removing unattractive stains.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are thin, custom-made porcelain shells that are bonded to the front surfaces of the teeth to improve their appearance. For our patients in Kansas City, porcelain veneers may be used to address cosmetic dental issues such as uneven teeth, discolored teeth, crooked teeth, and worn-down teeth. For our patients wanting to completely change their smiles while still achieving natural-looking results, porcelain veneers are a great treatment option in a smile makeover.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is a popular, versatile, and relatively inexpensive treatment used to improve the appearance of dental flaws. Dental bonding may be used to repair cracked or chipped teeth, change the shape of teeth, improve the appearance of discolored teeth, close spaces between teeth, and make teeth look longer. While dental bonding can address many of the same dental issues as porcelain veneers, the results achieved through dental bonding are not as long lasting.