What Is a Smile Makeover?

A smile makeover is a custom combination of cosmetic dentistry procedures that your Houston cosmetic dentist will design specifically for you. It can correct numerous concerns you may have about your smile’s appearance, including:

  • Discolored teeth
  • Worn teeth
  • Small or unattractively shaped teeth
  • Chipped or cracked teeth
  • Crowded or crooked teeth
  • Gaps between your teeth
  • Old or unattractive restorations
  • Missing teeth
  • Discolored teeth
  • Worn teeth
  • Small or unattractively shaped teeth
  • Chipped or cracked teeth
  • Crowded or crooked teeth
  • Gaps between your teeth
  • Old or unattractive restorations
  • Missing teeth

You might have just one or two things you want to change, or perhaps you’re looking for a whole new smile–in some cases, literally! No matter the extent of changes you want, we can talk about them.

Your Smile Makeover Consultation

The first step in your smile makeover is a consultation with one of our Houston cosmetic dentists. They will start by listening to your cosmetic concerns and what you hope to achieve. It’s a good idea to bring in pictures to help you communicate. If you want to restore the smile of your youth, bring in pictures from when you were happy with your smile. If you are looking to achieve the smile of your dreams, bring in pictures that convey what you think a beautiful smile looks like. However, be aware that you might not want to get the exact same smile as a celebrity. What looks attractive for them might not be attractive for you.

Then we will perform a comprehensive evaluation of your smile. We’ll ask you about your oral and overall health and perform a basic checkup. We’ll likely take some images of your smile, which might include x-rays as well as pictures and visual scans. In some cases, we might also want to evaluate your bite. Common cosmetic problems like worn teeth, chipped teeth, and cracked teeth may be symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders (called TMJ or TMD).

The Best Smile Makeover Is a Balancing Act

Modern cosmetic dentistry offers us a dizzying array of options to achieve your goals. This typically gives us multiple ways to perform your smile makeover. The decision of what is best for you will depend on several factors, including:

  • Quality of results desired
  • How long you want results to last
  • How long you have to achieve results
  • Your smile makeover budget
  • Quality of results desired
  • How long you want results to last
  • How long you have to achieve results
  • Your smile makeover budget

Often, we can prioritize two or even three of these factors, but it might mean compromising on the others. For example, with porcelain veneers we can deliver high-quality results that last for a decade or more in a month or less. However, this can increase the cost of the procedure. If you are concerned about the cost, dental bonding offers a more affordable option, and it’s also fast. However, the quality of results is not as good, and they will not last as long as with veneers.

During your consultation, we will talk through multiple options so you can find the perfect balance for you. We will also talk through our financing options. Sometimes financing the best procedure today can save you money in the long run.

Mock-Ups Can Help You Make Decisions

The process of smile design for your makeover depends on letting you see what your results might look like. To help you visualize your possible results, we’ll give you mock-ups to look like. This might include physical models and digital mock-ups, depending on what’s appropriate for your smile design.

man with smile makeover achieved in Houston

Procedures in Your Smile Makeover

When we design your smile makeover, we will choose from a variety of procedures to achieve your cosmetic goals, including:

  • Teeth whitening
  • Porcelain veneers
  • Dental bonding
  • Dental crowns
  • Invisalign
  • Dental bridges
  • Dental implants
  • Teeth whitening
  • Porcelain veneers
  • Dental bonding
  • Dental crowns
  • Invisalign
  • Dental bridges
  • Dental implants

Each of these procedures will achieve certain effects. Each offers benefits but has limitations.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is a quick and inexpensive way to deal with discolored teeth. However, the whiteness of your teeth will be limited by your natural enamel. Results are short-lived, but you can renew them often to maintain a bright smile.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are a powerful cosmetic dentistry procedure. With veneers, you can brighten your teeth, reshape them, repair them, even correct minor tooth gaps and crooked teeth. They deliver beautiful results, and let you achieve a smile as white as you want. Plus, the results are long-lasting. You’ll enjoy your results for a decade or more. The only limitation is the cost.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is a less expensive alternative to porcelain veneers. The results are not as attractive or as long-lasting, but they cost much less. Some people use dental bonding as a try-out for veneers. It lets them get a smile makeover at a fraction of the cost, then when bonding fails they can upgrade to veneers.

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns can do all the same things as veneers, but they also protect and support your tooth. Your Houston cosmetic dentist will recommend crowns when a tooth needs the additional strength offered by crowns. Crowns can be more expensive than veneers, but insurance will cover at least part of the cost if the crown improves oral health as well as cosmetic concerns.

Invisalign

Invisalign is an alternative to traditional orthodontics. You will be able to close gaps in your smile, relieve crowding, and straighten your teeth with no need for metal brackets and wires.

Dental Bridges

If you have a missing tooth surrounded by two healthy teeth, a dental bridge can be an attractive way to replace what you’ve lost. We’ll also want to evaluate your bite to make sure the dental bridge won’t be under too much stress.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are the best tooth replacement option. They look like natural teeth and function like them, too. With the All-on-4 dental implant system, we can replace an entire arch of teeth with just four dental implants. You will literally be getting an entirely new smile, which will be beautiful as well as functional. With All-on-4, most people get a new smile on the day of their procedure, though their final results might have to wait up to six months.

Choose Expert Cosmetic Dentists in Houston

A smile makeover is a complicated process, and it depends on your dentist having extensive training, expertise, and, especially, experience. At Stephens & Gatewood Dentistry, our Houston cosmetic dentists have a combined experience of nearly 100 years. That combined experience matters, too, as they will confer about complicated cases to help you achieve the best possible results.

But you don’t have to take our word for it. Check out the numerous reviews and testimonials from our patients. Plus, you can see our results for yourself in our before and after gallery.

When you’re ready for your smile makeover, please call (281) 320-2000 or use our online form to request an appointment at Stephens & Gatewood Dentistry, serving the Houston area from our two locations in Spring, TX.