I'd Love to Get a Smile Makeover, but How Long Does It Take?
Many people live with many distracting dental defects that can make it hard for them to feel proud about their smiles. Thankfully, your cosmetic dentist can create a customized treatment plan designed to address a wide range of issues called a smile makeover. Here’s a brief overview of how this process works as well as a quick guide to how long your smile makeover might take.
Step One: Your Consultation
The first step to receiving a smile makeover is scheduling a consultation with your cosmetic dentist. During this appointment, your dentist will carefully inspect your mouth and evaluate your medical history to determine which treatments can address your needs and preferences. They will then design a customized treatment plan for you and inform you about the treatments you will need as well as the timeframe involved.
Step Two: Preliminary Treatments
In many cases, a patient with gum disease, tooth decay, or low jawbone density may not be able to receive cosmetic dental treatments. Luckily, many people can address these issues with restorative treatments so that you can receive cosmetic procedures later. Your dentist may recommend receiving tooth-colored fillings, root canals, or extractions to address tooth decay and periodontal treatments to clear up gum disease. If your jawbones are too thin to receive a needed restoration, you may be able to reinforce them with bone grafts.
These preliminary treatments can take several weeks or months based on the types of procedures performed, whether they can be performed simultaneously, and the length of the recovery periods involved. While it might take a week or two to sufficiently recover after a filling, root canal, or periodontal treatment, it may take a month or more to recover from bone grafts or tooth extractions. Once your mouth has healed properly, you’ll be ready to begin the cosmetic part of your smile makeover.
Step Three: Cosmetic Procedures
Once your mouth is in good health, you’ll be ready to receive cosmetic procedures. The number of treatments your smile makeover can include is limited only by your budget and what your dentist recommends, and you may have to wait a while after one procedure before receiving the next so you have time to recover. A few popular cosmetic treatments for smile makeovers include:
- Veneers: These remarkable cosmetic devices can conceal even extensive chips, gaps, cracks, gaps, and misshapenness with one versatile treatment that typically takes about two weeks.
- Metal-free restorations: These lifelike dental crowns can rebuild or reshape misshapen or compromised teeth so that they can function normally. These devices are usually placed over several weeks.
- Cosmetic dental bonding: This treatment can beautifully conceal cracks, chips, gaps, and stains with a painless and noninvasive procedure that can be performed in minutes. This process typically involves no anesthesia or recovery period.
- Teeth whitening: These treatments can take the form of a take-home kit that can be completed in about two weeks or an in-office procedure that takes about an hour.
- Gum recontouring: Many people feel that their smiles show too much gum tissue. Your dentist can use a specialized laser to reshape your gums with minimal recovery time.
A smile makeover can be a fantastic way to address a wide range of dental imperfections. Consulting with your cosmetic dentist can help you determine which treatments may be right for your smile makeover.
About the Office
Sparkling Smiles Fayetteville offers the finest oral health services in Georgia. Led by Drs. Dave C. Lee and Lauren Lee Polito, the staff ensures that each patient enjoys a pleasant experience in a clean and comfortable office environment. Areas of expertise include general, restorative, emergency, and cosmetic dentistry. To schedule a consultation for your smile makeover, contact the practice online or dial (770) 461-6465.
