Most adults who are unhappy with how their teeth look can be good candidates for a smile makeover. What matters is not your age or how much you want to change. It is whether your teeth and gums are healthy enough to build on, whether your bite can support the result, and whether the treatments you are drawn to actually suit your teeth. A consultation with Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS in Timonium answers those questions for your own smile before any treatment begins.
This guide explains what makes someone a good candidate, the signs a makeover may help you, the situations that call for a different plan, and how the decision gets made with you rather than for you.
Smile makeovers in Timonium: what makes a good candidate
A smile makeover combines cosmetic treatments into one plan. At the Timonium office, an ultimate smile makeover is tailored to your goals, with the aim of optimal function and beauty together. Four things tend to make a patient a strong candidate.
You have specific things you would like to change
Good candidates can usually name what bothers them: a chipped front tooth, a gap, yellowed teeth, too much gum when they smile, or years of patched dental work. You do not need to know which treatment you want. Knowing what you would like to change is enough to start, and it helps to jot it down before your visit so nothing gets missed.
Your teeth and gums are healthy enough to build on
Cosmetic work sits on top of your natural teeth and gums, so their health matters. Your visit starts with a thorough oral exam. If it turns up decay, an infected tooth or signs of gum infection, that becomes part of the conversation, because a new smile lasts best on a healthy foundation. Non-surgical gum disease treatment and tooth-colored fillings are available in the same office.
Your bite can support the result
How your teeth meet matters as much as how they look. Grinding slowly wears down and cracks enamel, and a makeover that ignores the bite can wear or chip early. Dr. Haywood looks at your bite as part of the plan, and bite protection is recommended for any cosmetic treatment to protect your investment.
Your expectations match what dentistry can do
The goal at this practice is a natural, never-fake look. A good candidate wants their own smile at its best, not someone else’s. Cosmetic imaging helps here: your digital photos are changed on the imaging computer, so you see a realistic preview of your own smile rather than an idea of one.
Signs a smile makeover may suit you
You may be a candidate if any of these sound familiar:
- Stained, yellow or discolored teeth that brushing does not fix, or one tooth darker than the rest.
- Chips, cracks or worn edges that make teeth look uneven or short.
- Gaps between teeth that you notice every time you smile.
- Crooked teeth, especially if you would rather not wear braces as an adult.
- A gummy smile, where the upper teeth look short because too much gum tissue shows.
- Old dental work: broken, patched and filled teeth, dark fillings or crowns that no longer match.
- Missing teeth, which dental implants can replace as part of a larger plan.
- You hide your smile behind a hand or closed lips in conversations and photos.
If you are not sure how your smile really looks, start with our checklist on how to evaluate your smile objectively.
When a treatment needs a different plan
Being a candidate for a smile makeover does not mean being a candidate for every treatment. These are the most common situations where the plan changes.
Prepless veneers are not right for every tooth
Prepless veneers preserve most if not all of your natural enamel, but not everyone qualifies. Teeth with damage or older dental work often need traditional porcelain veneers to strengthen them. Your smile evaluation shows whether a minimal-preparation approach suits your teeth; read more about prepless veneers.
Very dark teeth may need more than whitening
Professional whitening is customized to your teeth, but if your teeth are very dark, Dr. Haywood will counsel you on your options before you start. Porcelain veneers and dental bonding can also correct discolored teeth, and a veneer may need to be thicker or more opaque where the tooth underneath is very dark.
Some teeth need to move first
Veneers can make teeth look straighter without braces, but when teeth need to move into a better position before they are touched, Invisalign clear aligners can shift them first. Invisalign is often combined with veneer makeovers at the practice. Compare approaches in crooked or gapped teeth: your options.
Extensive damage may call for a reconstruction
If many teeth are broken, worn or failing, a cosmetic makeover can become a larger restorative plan that rebuilds function first. Some cases treat just a few teeth; others treat every tooth for the best bite. See full mouth reconstruction in Timonium for how that differs.
Nervous patients are still candidates
Dental anxiety does not rule you out. The office is spa-like, laughing gas is complimentary on request, and oral conscious sedation is available. Learn about sedation dentistry.
Age is not the deciding factor
Cosmetic treatment is planned around the condition of your teeth and gums, not your birthday. Teeth wear and change throughout life, so the right plan for someone in their twenties may look different from the right plan decades later, but both can be good candidates. For teenagers, straightening with Invisalign Teen is an option, and the best time to consider orthodontics is once the permanent teeth have grown in.
How a cosmetic dentist in Timonium decides with you
At the practice, candidacy is decided together, in a clear order:
- Conversation and exam. You talk about your goals and what you find beautiful, and Dr. Haywood examines your teeth, gums and bite.
- A preview. Before-and-after imaging is part of every cosmetic evaluation, so you can see the potential result on screen.
- A plan you approve. Your plan may be a single procedure or a combination. Each step is explained, and treatment starts only when you approve.
- A test drive. With porcelain veneers, you evaluate a trial set before the final set is made.
Dr. Haywood is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, trained at NYU’s Aesthetic Continuum and the Peter Dawson Institute, and restored a patient’s smile on an Extreme Makeover special for ABC. You can see real results in the smile gallery and explore all cosmetic dentistry in Timonium.
What a smile makeover costs
Every smile is unique, so the cost depends on your plan, and you get a clear estimate up front. 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. Financing is available through CareCredit, with no-interest options for up to 12 months, and Cherry, with plans from 3 to 24 months. Staging treatment over time can also help if you use a flex spending account.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a smile makeover if I have gum problems?
Your gums are checked at your exam. If there are signs of gum infection, treating it is part of the conversation, because cosmetic work lasts best on healthy gums.
Do I need braces before a smile makeover?
Not always. Veneers can make crooked teeth look straighter without braces. When teeth need to move first, Invisalign can shift them before veneer work begins.
What if I only want to change one or two teeth?
That is common. In some cases, dramatic results come from treating just a few teeth, and your plan should treat only what your goals and oral health need.
How do I know if I qualify for prepless veneers?
Your customized smile evaluation shows it. Teeth that are damaged or have older dental work often need traditional veneers instead.
Find out if a smile makeover suits you in Timonium
Bring your list of what you would like to change and any 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, and patients come from Timonium, Towson, Hunt Valley, Pikesville and Baltimore. If you are still deciding how much change feels right, read smile makeovers that express your personality.
Ready to see your future smile?
Find out at a consultation in Timonium whether a smile makeover suits your teeth.
