What a Smile Makeover Includes

A smile makeover is a treatment plan that puts two or more cosmetic steps together. The goal is to change how your whole smile looks, instead of fixing one tooth at a time.

There is no set menu. Your plan depends on what bothers you about your smile and what your teeth and gums need first.

What can a smile makeover include?

Most plans pull from the same short list of treatments. Few people need all of them, and many need two or three.

• Teeth whitening. Lifts stains from coffee, tea and time.
• Dental bonding. Tooth colored resin that fixes chips and closes small gaps in one visit.
• Porcelain veneers. Thin shells that change the shape and color of front teeth.
• Crowns. A cap over a tooth that is broken, worn down or heavily filled.
• Invisalign. Clear aligners that move crooked or crowded teeth into place.

A makeover can be as small as whitening and two bonded corners, or as big as new shapes on all your front teeth.

How is the plan made?

It starts with a cosmetic consult. You tell us what you like about your smile and what you want to change. Bring any photos you have saved of a look you like.

Then we do a full exam with digital X-rays. We take clear photos of your teeth so you can see them the way we do.

Health comes before looks. A cavity, a cracked tooth or sore gums gets treated first, because veneers or bonding on an unhealthy tooth will not last.

What order do the steps go in?

Order makes a big difference to the final result. Most plans follow a path like this one.

1. Treat any cavities, cracks or gum problems.
2. Move teeth with Invisalign, if they need to move.
3. Whiten the natural teeth.
4. Place bonding, veneers or crowns, matched to the new shade.

Whitening comes before bonding and veneers for a simple reason. Whitening gel does not change the color of resin or porcelain. So we match those to your teeth once they are as white as you want.

Straightening first can also mean less shaping later. A tooth moved into a better spot often needs a thinner veneer, or bonding in place of a veneer.

How long does a smile makeover take?

A plan with whitening and bonding can be done in a few visits. Add veneers and you need a visit to prepare the teeth and a second visit to place the shells.

Invisalign adds the most time, since teeth move a little at a time over months. If you have a wedding or a big event coming up, tell us the date at your first visit.

Does a smile makeover hurt?

Most of it does not. Whitening can make teeth sensitive to cold for a day or two, and that fades on its own.

Bonding often needs no numbing at all. For veneers and crowns, we numb the teeth before we shape them, so you feel pressure and no sharp pain.

If the dentist makes you nervous, tell us at the start. We go at your pace and explain each step before we do it.

Veneers, bonding or both?

This is the choice most makeover plans come down to. Veneers last longer and resist stains better, and bonding costs less and saves more of your tooth.

Many plans use both, such as veneers on the most visible teeth and bonding on smaller fixes. We compare the two in veneers or bonding, which one fits.

Who is a good fit for a smile makeover?

A makeover works out well on healthy gums and on teeth that are free of decay. If you grind at night, plan on a night guard to protect the new work.

It also helps to know what you want. Saved photos, a smile you like on a friend, or a list of what bothers you all give us a place to start.

Planning your makeover in Bucktown

Our office is at 1908 N Western Ave in Bucktown, near the Western Blue Line stop. Wicker Park, Logan Square and Ukrainian Village are all close by.

We use dental photography and our microscope to show you what we see on each tooth. You see the plan before anything starts, and you choose what goes in it.

Our page on smile makeover in Chicago walks through the consult and the treatments we offer.

Come see us

Bring your saved photos and your questions to a cosmetic consult. Call our front desk or tap Book Now at the top of this page to set one up.