All About Smile Makeover Aftercare

A smile makeover doesn’t end when you leave the chair. The first days, the daily routine and the habits you keep afterward decide how good your new smile looks a year from now and well beyond. With veneers, the way you care for your smile is the best predictor of how long it lasts. This is everything you need to know about smile makeover aftercare: what to expect right after treatment, how to care for each type of work, how to protect it, and when to call.

It comes from the Timonium office of Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS, where every cosmetic patient leaves with care instructions to help protect a new smile. Your own instructions always come first; this guide explains the reasons behind them.

Why aftercare depends on what your makeover included

A smile makeover combines treatments, so no two aftercare plans are identical. Yours might include porcelain or prepless veneers, dental bonding, whitening, porcelain crowns, a gum lift, dental implants or teeth straightened with Invisalign. Each material behaves differently. Porcelain resists stains; composite resin picks them up. Whitened teeth can drift darker; crowns and veneers don’t change color at all. Knowing what is in your mouth tells you how to look after it. For an overview of the treatments themselves, see ultimate smile makeovers.

The first days after treatment

Getting used to a new shape

Your tongue and lips are very sensitive to change. Teeth that are a little longer, fuller or smoother can feel unfamiliar at first, and some words may sound slightly different while you adjust. This usually settles as you get used to your new smile. Talking, reading aloud and simply going about your day help.

Sensitivity

Sensitivity to cold after whitening is common and fades. Teeth that have been prepared for veneers or crowns can also be sensitive to hot, cold or pressure while you wear temporaries. If sensitivity is severe or doesn’t settle, call the office.

Your bite

If you feel like you are biting first or harder on a new crown, veneer or bonded tooth, call for an adjustment. A bite that is slightly high can make a tooth sore, and a simple adjustment fixes it.

Gums

Gums can be tender after treatment near the gum line. Warm salt water rinses help gums heal after crown and bridge work. After a gum lift, follow the specific instructions you are given.

Caring for each part of your makeover

Porcelain veneers

• Brush and floss daily, and keep up with professional cleanings. Healthy gums matter: if gums recede, the edge of a veneer and the tooth underneath can show.
• Avoid chewing very hard foods such as hard candy and ice on veneered teeth, because porcelain can break under extreme force.
• Never use your teeth to open objects or cut things.
• Porcelain resists stains better than natural teeth or composite, but the natural teeth beside your veneers can still stain.

If a veneer is damaged accidentally, it can typically be corrected easily, and veneers are warrantied for one full year, no questions asked. See how to care for porcelain veneers.

Dental bonding

• Composite resin can stain, so brush or at least rinse well with water after cola, coffee, tea or red wine.
• Resin is not as strong as enamel. Avoid biting hard objects and opening cans or bottles with your teeth.

Whitened teeth

• Right after whitening, avoid anything that colors teeth, such as red wine, dark colas, coffee, tea, red sauces, soy sauce and smoking.
• Some rebound toward your earlier shade is normal over time. The practice’s post-treatment guidance manages it with careful choices about staining foods, meticulous oral hygiene, a whitening toothpaste, home bleaching trays and periodic repeat in-office whitening.
• Remember that whitening won’t change the color of veneers, crowns or bonding, so keeping natural teeth bright keeps everything matched.

Read how to keep a whiter smile after whitening.

Porcelain crowns and bridges

• While you wear a temporary crown, avoid sticky foods such as caramel and chewing gum, and pull floss out the side rather than popping it up through the contact.
• If a temporary comes off, put a little Fixodent inside, place it back on and call the office during business hours. Don’t leave it off, even if the tooth feels fine.
• Once your permanent crown is in, brush and floss it like a natural tooth. A bridge needs a floss threader or similar aid to clean under the replacement tooth.

Dental implants

Implants don’t decay, but the gums and bone around them still need care. Brush and clean around implants daily and have them checked at your regular visits. See how to care for dental implants.

Protect your investment from grinding

Bite protection is recommended for any cosmetic treatment. Grinding and clenching place excessive force on teeth and dental work, and they often happen during sleep without you noticing. Uncontrolled grinding destroys comfort, health and appearance as we age. Every style of guard at the practice is comfortable, clear and custom-made for you, and wearing it is one of the simplest ways to protect veneers, crowns and bonding.

Habits that keep a new smile looking new

• Tools, not teeth. Keep scissors and a bottle opener handy instead of using your teeth.
• No ice or pen chewing. Both chip enamel and dental work. See style habits that chip and crack teeth.
• Rinse after staining drinks. A drink of water after coffee, tea or red wine helps.
• Limit staining foods and whiten routinely. This keeps natural teeth in step with your cosmetic work.
• Don’t smoke. Smoking stains teeth and harms the gums that frame your smile.

Your daily home care routine

Brush gently but thoroughly with a soft-bristled brush, clean between your teeth every day, and make brushing the last thing you do at night. A water flosser can help around bridges and implants. Xylitol mints, which the practice offers, help reduce decay risk between meals. The practice avoids fluoride and offers calcium rebuilding treatments to help strengthen enamel for patients of all ages.

Checkups and cleanings after a makeover

A professional cleaning every six months is recommended, and regular visits are where small issues with cosmetic work are caught early: a rough edge, a margin collecting stain, a gum line starting to recede or signs of grinding. Cleaning appointments at the practice are unhurried, so there is time to check your restorations as well as your teeth and gums. Ask at your visit how your whitening shade is holding up. See preventative maintenance for your smile.

When to call the office

• A veneer, crown or temporary comes off, chips or feels loose.
• Your bite feels high or uneven.
• Sensitivity or pain gets worse instead of better.
• Heavy bleeding, severe pain, or swelling that won’t settle after treatment.
• Gums around your new work bleed, swell or pull back.

Call as early in the day as you can. Dr. Haywood is available for true dental emergencies for existing patients.

Paying for maintenance and repairs

The practice is out of network with insurance companies: you pay at the time of your visit, and the office files the claim so your plan can reimburse you for anything it covers. HSA and flex plans are welcome, and financing is available through CareCredit, with no-interest options for up to 12 months, and Cherry, with plans from 3 to 24 months.

Frequently asked questions

Can I whiten my veneers or bonding?

No. Whitening changes natural tooth color only. Keep natural teeth bright with good habits and routine whitening so they continue to match your cosmetic work.

What should I do if a veneer chips?

Call the office. Accidental damage to a veneer can typically be corrected easily, and veneers carry a one-year warranty.

Do I need a bite guard after a smile makeover?

Bite protection is recommended for any cosmetic treatment, and it is especially important if you grind or clench. A custom, clear guard helps protect your investment.

Can I eat normally with veneers?

Yes, for everyday foods. Avoid chewing very hard things such as ice and hard candy on veneered teeth, and don’t use your teeth as tools.

Keep your new smile at its best in Timonium

Good aftercare protects everything you invested in. Request an appointment or call (410) 453-9399. The office of Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS is at 108 W Timonium Rd, Ste 200, Timonium, MD 21093, serving Timonium, Towson, Hunt Valley, Pikesville and Baltimore. Explore all cosmetic dentistry in Timonium.