Your smile can change over time. Even with diligent preventative dental care, your teeth can shift or become stained due to factors beyond your control, like aging. If you are unhappy with the way that your teeth look, you can talk to your dentist to find a treatment that will enhance the appearance of your smile.
You can schedule a consultation to get personalized solutions to boost the look of your smile. Read on to get a feel for what happens when you visit your dentist for a cosmetic dentistry consultation.
What Occurs During a Cosmetic Dental Consult?
Oral Health Examination
Though you have called your dentist to discuss cosmetic dental solutions for your smile, your dentist will first want to evaluate your oral health. They will examine your teeth and gums to ascertain their structure. They also use this time to spot signs of dental concerns like gum disease or cavities.
If they see any problems, they will provide prompt treatment before pursuing cosmetic dentistry options. You will experience better results from aesthetic enhancement if your teeth and gums can provide a solid, stable, and healthy foundation for this treatment.
Smile Design Strategy
Once your smile is healthy, you and your dentist can go over your goals for how you want your smile to look at the end of your treatment. Every smile is unique, so your dentist will pursue a customized approach to planning your cosmetic treatment.
The dentist will factor in your desired results, your current dental structure, and your medical history to determine the ideal treatment strategy for your smile. They will make sure you can achieve a beautiful, natural-looking smile. The dentist will also take measures so that the treatment will not compromise your dental health or your oral function.
They will maintain open communication with you during each step of your treatment to keep you informed. If you have questions about your expected results or what the procedures entail, do not hesitate to ask your dentist.
Cosmetic Dental Treatment Scheduling
With a smile design strategy set in stone, you can work with the staff to schedule any necessary dental procedures. Your dentist will let you know ahead of time how long these appointments last and how many sessions you need.
With some treatments, you will only need to schedule one appointment to get the smile of your dreams. Teeth bonding will take one session to sculpt the composite resin and enhance the appearance of your teeth.
Patients seeking porcelain veneers will need to plan for at least two appointments. Dentists will first need to prepare the surface of the teeth. In this same visit, they take impressions of patients’ smiles that will be used to craft custom veneers. Then the patients return to the dentist to have the veneers attached to the front of their teeth.
In-office teeth whitening treatments can give patients a brighter smile within one appointment, though it may take a few days for results to show. The dentist can also offer take-home options that will gradually whiten a patient’s smile.