Smile Makeover Consultation Questions, Answered

Plenty of people with healthy teeth still want to change their smile. Brushing and flossing keep teeth clean, but they will not reshape an uneven gum line, repair a cracked edge or brighten teeth that have darkened with age. A cavity-free mouth can still have stained or slightly crooked teeth. That is where a smile makeover consultation comes in, and knowing the questions it answers helps you get the most from it.

This guide covers the six questions a consultation with Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS in Timonium is built to answer, how to prepare, and what you leave with.

What Dr. Steven Haywood covers at a smile makeover consultation

An ultimate smile makeover is a comprehensive smile restoration that combines multiple cosmetic procedures, tailored to your goals. Because every plan is different, the consultation is where it takes shape. It begins with a thorough evaluation and a conversation that helps Dr. Haywood get to know you, your cosmetic concerns and your goals for your overall appearance. From there, six questions shape the plan:

1. Is your mouth healthy enough to start?
2. Will your bite support the new smile?
3. What will the result look like?
4. How comfortable will treatment be?
5. What will it cost, and how can you pay?
6. How long will it take?

Question 1: Is my mouth healthy enough to start?

Cosmetic work sits on top of your teeth and gums, so health comes before beauty. Your visit includes a thorough oral exam. If it finds tooth decay, an infected tooth or signs of gum infection, such as bleeding or receding gums, bad breath or deep pockets, that becomes part of the conversation and the plan, because a new smile lasts best on a healthy foundation.

The good news is that most of this care happens in the same office. Treatment for gum disease is non-surgical and removes the bacteria causing the infection. Fillings are tooth-colored and mercury-free. Read more about gum disease treatment, or, if you are unsure where your teeth stand, see who is a good candidate for a smile makeover.

Question 2: Will my bite support the new smile?

Proper function comes first. A makeover should maintain or improve your ability to talk, eat and smile comfortably. How your teeth meet matters as much as how they look: grinding slowly wears down and cracks enamel, often without you noticing, and a smile designed without the bite in mind can chip or wear early.

Dr. Haywood has ongoing advanced TMJ and reconstructive training from the Peter Dawson Institute, and looks at your bite as part of planning. In some cases a plan treats just a few teeth; in others, all of the teeth are addressed to produce the most appropriate bite and overall beauty. Bite protection is recommended for any cosmetic treatment to protect your investment.

Question 3: What will my new smile look like?

This is probably the reason you booked. At the consultation, you talk about what bothers you and what you find beautiful, and Dr. Haywood describes the improvements you can expect and the technical details of each procedure.

• A preview on screen. Before-and-after imaging is part of every cosmetic evaluation. Your digital photos are changed on the imaging computer, so you see a sneak peek of your new smile. Learn how cosmetic imaging works.
• A natural, never-fake look. Dr. Haywood blends artistry with precise technique so results look beautiful and natural.
• A test drive. With porcelain veneers, you evaluate a trial set before the final set is made, so the shape, color and look meet your expectations.
• Real results. The smile gallery shows before-and-after photos of actual patients.

If you are still deciding how much change feels right, read about smile makeovers that express your personality.

Question 4: How comfortable will treatment be?

If your makeover involves longer appointments, or dental visits make you anxious, ask about sedation. The office is spa-like and built to be anxiety-free, and the practice keeps you comfortable throughout treatment.

• Laughing gas is offered as a complimentary service. It eases anxious feelings within seconds, and you should feel fully alert afterward and able to drive yourself home.
• Oral conscious sedation is a pill taken about an hour before your appointment. You stay conscious but calm, and you need a ride because it lasts several hours.

Your sedation options, and any costs, are explained at the consultation before anything begins. See sedation dentistry for details.

Question 5: What will it cost, and how can I pay?

Every smile makeover is unique, so the price depends on the procedures in your plan. You get a clear estimate up front, before treatment begins. One patient summed up the approach in a review: “Always detailed the work to be done and the cost.”

The practice is out of network with insurance companies. You pay at the time of service, and the office files the claim on your behalf so your plan can reimburse you for anything it covers. Health savings and flex plans are welcome, and staging treatment over time can help if you use a flex spending account. For veneer treatment, payment options and pre-payment discounts are available. Financing is offered through CareCredit, with no-interest options for up to 12 months, and Cherry, with plans from 3 to 24 months.

Question 6: How long will it take?

Your timeline is mapped out at the consultation and depends on the treatments involved:

• A customized ultimate smile makeover can be completed in as few as two visits.
• If you have a deadline, a same-day smile makeover can be completed in a single day.
• A prepless veneer smile can be finished in as little as 1–2 weeks.
• If teeth need to move first, Invisalign clear aligners shift them before veneer work begins, which adds time but gives a better result.

Meet Dr. Haywood, the dentist behind your plan

Dr. Haywood especially enjoys performing extreme makeovers and restored a patient’s smile and appearance on an Extreme Makeover special for ABC. Dr. Haywood graduated with distinction from the University of Detroit dental school in 1987, trained in cosmetic dentistry at New York University’s Aesthetic Continuum, is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and has been featured in the Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Magazine and New Beauty Magazine. Before you choose any cosmetic dentist, our guide on how to choose a cosmetic dentist in Timonium lists the questions worth asking.

How to prepare for your consultation

• Write down what you would change. A chipped tooth, a gap, yellowing, too much gum or years of patched dental work. Jotting it down beforehand means nothing gets missed. Our smile self-evaluation checklist can help.
• Bring your health history and medications. Your first appointment includes a conversation about your dental concerns, health history and medications.
• Say if you are nervous. The team plans around it.
• Know your deadline. A wedding, a new job or a big event changes which treatments make sense.
• Fill in forms ahead of time. New patient forms can be completed online before your visit.

What you leave with

You leave with a plan built around your goals. It may be a single procedure or a combination. Each step is explained and your questions answered, and treatment starts only when you approve. The consultation is relaxed and no-pressure; there is nothing to decide on the spot.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to commit at the consultation?

No. Treatment starts only when you approve the plan, so you can take your estimate home, compare financing and decide in your own time.

Can I stage my makeover over time?

Often, yes. Staging treatment can help with budgeting and with flex spending accounts. Ask Dr. Haywood which parts of your plan can be phased without affecting the result.

What if I have gum disease or a cavity?

Those problems are addressed as part of your plan, because cosmetic work lasts best on healthy teeth and gums. Non-surgical gum care and tooth-colored fillings are available in the same office.

Will I see my new smile before treatment?

Yes. Before-and-after imaging is part of every cosmetic evaluation, and with veneers you also try a test-drive set before the final veneers are made.

Schedule your smile makeover consultation

Bring your list and your questions. 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, Pikesville and Baltimore. Explore all cosmetic dentistry in Timonium before your visit, or read celebrity smile myths vs. reality.