Are you feeling trapped with tainted teeth? Are you challenged by difficulty chewing? If you’re thinking about revamping your grin to boost your confidence, we have you covered. Here, learn the signs it’s time to experience the liberating power of a smile makeover.
What is a smile makeover?
What exactly happens during this makeover? Think of it as the total transformation to achieve your perfect smile. It takes a holistic approach to improving your teeth and reaching their optimal potential.
The process entails a combination of dental or orthodontic treatments that address specific concerns. And the goal? A straighter, brighter smile to help boost your health and confidence.
What is involved in a smile makeover?
Don’t confuse a smile makeover with full-mouth dental reconstruction, which involves a more invasive approach suitable for more serious oral conditions. But the good news is that transforming your smile is possible even without major surgery.
There isn’t a fixed formula for this process because your smile is unique to you, as is the shape and symmetry of your face. Your dental and oral health and the aesthetics of your face and smile are just some of the factors to consider when planning your smile makeover.
First of all, do you even need to have a smile makeover? Keep reading to discover what you should watch out for before you consult your dentist, the dental solutions that might be ideal for you and your smile makeover, and whether a smile makeover is permanent.
Signs you need a smile makeover
You might have other questions like, what age is best for a smile makeover? What treatments will offer the best chance for success? It all depends on your situation.
For personalised answers and a thorough assessment of your condition, it’s best to consult your dentist. In the meantime, watch for these signs your grin might need fixing.
1. Stained teeth
This one’s for all you wine and coffee enthusiasts. Remember – highly acidic food and drink can cause your teeth to appear yellowish. And there’s nothing like tooth discolouration to chomp down on your confidence.
Additionally, a study by the International Dental Journal observed a link between smoking and poor self-perception among adolescents. It becomes worse once they notice teeth staining. Does this ring true for you? Consider shifting your lifestyle habits and saying yes to the makeover.
2. A chipped tooth
If you have a cracked or chipped tooth, consider it a smile emergency. Nursing one will keep you from flashing your smile and make you extra conscious when facing others. Time to schedule that dentist visit!
3. Uneven tooth alignment
One of the factors affecting how you smile could be teeth alignment. Crooked or crowded teeth can significantly impact your appearance, taking a bite out of your confidence. Fixing your uneven tooth alignment can help grow your confidence in social settings and improve your oral health.
4. Tooth gap
A gap between your teeth, or diastema, can make you feel embarrassed to smile. Seeking treatment for it can boost your confidence and even make speaking easier.
5. Gum issues
Whether you have receding gums, reddish gums or loose teeth, it could be a sign you need to visit your dentist and find the best course of treatment for your gum health.
6. Missing teeth
Did you know that a missing tooth can result in your other teeth shifting out of place? Besides throwing off your bite, it can cause bone resorption, leading to bone tissue loss.
7. Discomfort while eating
A bad bite can turn simple pleasures, like eating, into a nightmare. Whether you have an overbite, underbite, or open bite, unresolved teeth misalignment issues can make chewing uncomfortable. If you feel pain when you eat, tell your dentist right away.
8. A foul taste in your mouth
News flash – the bad taste in your mouth can result from accumulated bacteria. Yes, poor oral health can make your breath smell bad and food taste different. So, zap the funk in your mouth by heading to the dental clinic for professional care.
9. Self-consciousness about your smile
Have a bad case of selfie shyness? Instead of putting your hand up to cover the camera, get a smile makeover to flash your pearly whites with renewed confidence! If stained teeth and receding gums aren’t enough to see your dentist, let your well-being be the reason to get dental treatment.
Possible dental procedures for your smile makeover
Depending on your specific condition, your dentist can recommend any of these procedures to flip your smile the right side up.
Dental crowns or veneers
Dental veneers or crowns are reliable solutions to restore a smile. Typically made of porcelain, a crown fits over the entire tooth to protect it. Veneers, on the other hand, cover the front surface of a tooth.
Teeth whitening
Restore the lustre of your smile by busting through stubborn teeth staining with whitening treatments. Skip the DIY solutions and go for your treating dentist’s recommendation, whether laser therapy or other non-invasive options.
Dental implants
Your dentist might suggest an implant to replace a missing or severely decayed tooth. This option is reserved for more serious conditions, especially when other treatment options can no longer fix the teeth.
Orthodontics
Looking to straighten misalignments and crooked teeth? Talk to an orthodontist (you can ask your dentist for a recommendation if you don’t have one yet) for information on the right teeth alignment method for you.
As an alternative to bulky braces, consider aligner therapy. ClearCorrect aligners are more convenient and discreet while effectively moving teeth into their proper positions. Plus, these invisible dental aligners use a revolutionary tri-layer ClearQuartz material to give you only the best results from your treatment. You can take an online smile assessment to determine if you’d be a good candidate for ClearCorrect.
How long does a smile makeover last?
Is a smile makeover permanent? Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the changes you and your dentist, orthodontist or surgeon have made to improve your smile will last the rest of your life.
Natural changes to your body may cause changes that can affect your smile makeover. For example, your teeth may shift over time or due to wisdom teeth coming in. You may also suffer injuries to the mouth or have to have teeth extracted for whatever reason.
Teeth whitening will certainly need to be repeated over time to keep those pearly whites pearly and white in appearance.
How to ensure your smile makeover lasts longer
Just because you can’t guarantee a smile makeover will be permanent, it doesn’t mean you can’t do your best to keep the need for repairs or touch-ups to a minimum.
Here are a few things you can do to make sure your ideal smile lasts longer:
1. Practise good oral hygiene.
Maintaining your oral health ensures the longevity of your smile. Although there are a few dental hygiene upgrades you can do to keep your smile bright, the most important is regularly and properly brushing your teeth and not forgetting to floss. Even with a busy schedule, you should do your best to keep your mouth and chompers healthy.
2. Avoid bad habits that can damage or misalign teeth.
If you grind your teeth at night or while awake, be aware this can cause cracked, chipped or lose teeth—none of which are good news for your smile. Nail biting is another bad habit that can injure gums enough that they start bleeding.
3. Eat healthy and avoid food that can stain or damage your teeth.
You might be surprised at the ways a healthy diet improves your teeth. Stay away from sweet food that can promote the build-up of dental plaque, which causes tooth decay, or acidic foods that weaken your enamel. To ward off the need for frequent whitening treatments, you may also want to avoid food and beverages with intense colour pigments. These include coffee, tea and wine.
4. Get regular dental check-ups.
At any dental check-up, your dentist will give you a thorough teeth cleaning and will also assess the health of your mouth, teeth, and gums. Scheduling regular dental visits, ideally twice a year, will increase the likelihood any issues to be concerned about will be caught early or prevented from developing at all.
5. Follow your health practitioner’s advice for wearing and maintaining your teeth aligners.
Are you already undergoing treatment to align your teeth? If so, you may want to follow orders from the professionals in charge of your care. Ask your dentist or orthodontist to demonstrate the best way to maintain oral hygiene, including proper brushing techniques and how to floss with braces.
Also make sure you clean your aligners according to instruction. And if you are wearing removable devices like ClearCorrect aligners, it’s wise to wear and remove these at the correct times. Following directions increases your chances for a successful treatment.
Estimated cost of a smile makeover
Because a smile makeover will be personalised for you, costs will vary per patient. If only minor treatments are needed to perfect your smile, it will cost much less than if you require long-term solutions or surgery.
If you’re on a budget, feel free to be honest about it when you consult your dentist, orthodontist or surgeon. This way, they will know to offer you options that will be friendly to your hip pocket. They may even be able to offer staggered payment or other assistance to soften the hit to your finances.
Still, even if the cost of a smile makeover means tightening your belt for a few weeks or months, remember that the mental, physical, and social benefits you get from being able to smile confidently are priceless.
A smile makeover can address a host of issues that range from receding gums to stained teeth. If you’re experiencing these red flags, consult your dentist immediately. And don’t downplay the power of a great smile. Have your grin upgraded and get ready for a whole new you!
References:
De Oliveira, L. V., Colussi, P. R. G., Piardi, C. C., Rösing, C. K., & Muniz, F. W. M. G. (2022). Self-Perception of teeth alignment and Colour in Adolescents: a cross-sectional study. International Dental Journal, 72(3), 288–295.
Lin, H. K., Pan, Y., Salamanca, E., Lin, Y. T., & Chang, W. J. (2019). Prevention of Bone Resorption by HA/β-TCP + Collagen Composite after Tooth Extraction: A Case Series. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(23), 4616.
