What do you mean by Smile Makeover?
It is the process, as the name suggests, where the smile of a patient is given a makeover using cosmetic dentistry procedures. Some of the procedures that are performed include:
- Dental Veneers
- Composite Bonding
- Tooth Implants
- Teeth Whitening
The dentist would look into the following factors before deciding on the smile makeover:
- Facial Appearance
- Skin Tone
- Gum Tissue
- Lips
- Teeth colour, width, length, shape & tooth display
Improvements Performed in Smile Makeover
The different improvements that are usually suggested for the following factors of a smile are:
- Tooth Colour:
The colour of the tooth and its shading are important considerations that is taken into before performing dental procedures to improve the smile. The tooth colour, if dark or discoloured, makes it look like an aged teeth., while bright, white teeth provides a young appearance. The dentist will suggest the following for makeover related to the tooth colour:
- The dental fillings made of silver or amalgams are usually replaced with natural tooth colour composite restorations.
- Teeth whitening to improve the colour of stained or dull teeth.
- Alignment & Spacing:The issues that come with this is crooked teeth, overlapping and gaps between teeth. They can be rectified straightening or aligning the teeth through orthodontics, Invisalign and veneers.
- Missing Teeth:The presence of missing teeth can actually give a negative feeling about the smile and also they can affect the bite of the patient and can be risk for tooth decay. They are replaced by suing dental implants, bridges and partial dentures.
- Uneven, Chipped and Cracked Teeth:These conditions can be bonded cosmetically to get a better aesthetic sense. Even a ‘gummy’ smile can be improved by re-contouring.
- Rejuvenation:An aging or unshapely face can be rejuvenated or improved by performing procedures using orthodontics and oral-maxillofacial surgeries.
The dentist will decide on the right procedure for treatment depending on the condition and requirement.
Aesthetic Factors for a Smile Makeover
The different factors that make up a Smile Makeover possible are:
- Length of the Tooth
Longer teeth provide a youthful appearance to the smile. As you age, the teeth will grow shorter due to wear and tear. A gummy smile can also give the same effect. The dentist will try to treat shorter teeth by reshaping and lengthening the two front and central teeth either using porcelain veneers or composite bonding. Lengthening the teeth can help bring a change to the facial appearance.
- Line Of Smile
This is a standard point of reference to determine the length of the new teeth. It is an imaginary line following the edges of the upper teeth from side to side, ideally the same as the curve of the lower lip in a smile.
- Proportions Of the Tooth
The dentist will examine the patient’s teeth to check if they all are in proportion to one another. The right proportion for a pleasing smile is two dominant central, front teeth with a width to length ratio of 4:5. This proportion will help the smile line look balanced.
- Texture And Characterization of the Tooth
The dentist can give an artistic touch to the patient’s teeth by characterizing the crowns or veneers depending on the patient’s requirement matching the feel and look of the patient’s natural teeth.
Authored By Dr Sanjay N - Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Bangalore
