All About Smile Makeovers

A lot of times modern dentistry combines both function and fashion, with many procedures serving the dual purpose of improving a patient’s oral health while also improving the quality of their smile. This type of cosmetic dentistry is sometimes known as a smile makeover.

There are many oral surgery procedures that fall into this category such as bridges, implants, and crown lengthening. These procedures all have a functional purpose and are meant to repair existing tooth damage and prevent infection and further damage, and they also improve the appearance of a patient’s teeth and help create a beautiful, natural-looking smile.

How We Can Help You

Patients in the Burke, Virginia area who aren’t happy with their current smile and who are in need of a smile makeover should make an appointment with Burke Dental. Led by Dr. Farzin Ghanavati, the team at Burke Dental offers a large range of cosmetic dentistry procedures that will help improve a patient’s oral health and fix their smile at the same time. Dr. Farzin Ghanavati and his team understand that a patient needs to feel good about their teeth and their smile and that while oral health is important, so is a confident smile.

Smile Makeover Procedures

Cosmetic dental procedures can be broken up into two categories: smile enhancement and smile makeover. A smile enhancement generally involves minor fixes and procedures that are designed more to improve the appearance of a smile than to repair any damage. A smile makeover on the hand refers to surgical procedures, ones that are fixing more serious issues as well as improving the appearance. Some procedures that fall under the category of smile makeover include:

  • Crown Lengthening. In the context of cosmetic dentistry, crown lengthening involves removing excess gum tissue. It can be done as part of other procedures, such as to prepare the tooth for a dental crown or to allow a tooth to be extracted properly, or it can be done for cosmetic purposes. This can be done if the patient feels that their smile is too “gummy” and wants to expose more tooth.
  • Dental Bridge. A dental bridge is a solution for missing teeth that involves placing dental crowns on the teeth on either side of the missing tooth and using them to anchor an artificial tooth. This replaces the missing tooth, but it also has the benefit of restoring the appearance of the neighboring teeth and covering up any imperfections or minor damage.
  • Dental Implant. A dental implant is one of the most effective solutions for replacing a missing tooth. Implants are long-lasting and mimic the appearance of natural teeth. Missing teeth can lead to further oral health problems, and they can also be awkward and unseemly and leave gaps in the patient’s mouth. A dental implant removes the gap and restores the uniformity of the patient’s smile.

These procedures help fix missing or broken teeth, which in addition to preventing further health problems, also has cosmetic benefits. Missing or broken teeth can affect the appearance of a person’s mouth, leaving them feeling awkward and self-conscious while a smile makeover can overcome these problems and leave the patient with a natural-looking smile.

Benefits of a Smile Makeover

There are a lot of reasons a patient would choose to undergo a smile makeover. These reasons include health benefits and wanting to have nicer looking teeth. Some of the benefits of a smile makeover include:

  • A More Natural Smile. Missing or damaged teeth can affect how a person’s smile looks. Fixing these issues restores the teeth to an enhanced appearance and creates a healthy, beautiful looking smile.
  • Improved oral health. These procedures may be considered cosmetic dentistry, but they also have health benefits. Missing and damaged teeth can lead to infection and further tooth and jaw damage. The sooner the problem is addressed, the better it is for the patient’s overall health.
  • Prevents further damage. If a broken tooth is left untreated for too long there is a high risk of further damage. A partial break can turn into a full break, meaning the whole tooth has to be removed, or a missing tooth that isn’t replaced can lead to shifting of teeth which can affect the health of the remaining teeth as well as the overall look of the mouth and can alter the appearance of the patient’s remaining teeth.
  • Increased Self-Confidence. Patients with missing or damaged teeth may feel self-conscious about their smile. Undergoing a smile makeover can make a patient feel better about their teeth and their smile which can lead to an increase in self-confidence.

Everybody deserves to feel good about their teeth and a smile makeover can help with that. A smile makeover can address health issues while at the same time improving the appearance of the patient’s teeth and helping them feel more confident about their smile.

Undergoing a Smile Makeover

Patients in the Burke, Virginia area who are unhappy with how their teeth look and think they would benefit from a smile makeover should make an appointment with the team at Burke Dental. At the initial consult, Dr. Ghanavati and his team will examine the patient’s teeth so that they can recommend the right course of action. At Burke Dental we know that every patient is different and needs to be treated as an individual, which is why we work so hard to come up with a treatment plan that is just right for you.

If it is a smile makeover that the patient needs, and not a smile enhancement which involves less invasive procedures, then someone on the team will sit down with the patient and discuss the next step. Smile enhancement procedures may involve oral surgery and have varied procedure lengths and recovery time. Someone from the Burke Dental team will walk the patient through their specific procedure and what they should expect and then a follow-up appointment will be booked.

Cosmetic dentistry is generally recommended for patients who are generally in good health. The condition of the patient’s jawbone, gums and remaining teeth can also impact whether they are a candidate for a smile makeover, depending on the specific procedure that is being recommended. For example, there needs to be a certain amount of healthy jawbone for a dental implant to be inserted and crown lengthening may not be recommended for a patient who is suffering from gum disease. Whether a patient is a good candidate for a particular procedure will depend on the patient’s general health and which procedure is being considered.

A smile makeover may involve oral surgery and recovery time will depend on the exact procedure, though some procedures may require sutures and will require 10-14 days for the sutures to dissolve and the wound to heal. The patient will be advised on the specifics at the time of the procedure.

Book A Consultation With Burke Dental

Patients in the Burke, Virginia area who think they could benefit from a smile makeover should schedule a consultation with the team at Burke Dental. This is the best way to learn about the specific procedures and get a professional recommendation. Book an appointment online or by calling our office at (703) 940-9410.