4 Steps to a Cosmetic Smile Makeover – Chicago Style Smiles
Today on the blog we are featuring a cosmetic smile makeover that improved both the aesthetic and functional aspects of our patient’s smile. Here at Chicago Style Smiles we take a few extra steps in our cosmetic dentistry process to ensure 100% satisfaction from our patients.
1.Listen to the patient
It seems simple, but it’s an extremely important step in the process: listen to what the patient wants and don’t assume you know what they prefer. Ask about what they want in their cosmetic smile makeover.
Our patient came to Dr. Dow with significant wear and acid erosion of the anterior front six teeth. Due to a medical complication, acid had removed and eroded the enamel on the front teeth, making them appear short and thin in nature. The patient asked to have longer, more full appearing teeth, strengthened teeth and to have a more natural looking smile.
2. Preparation is key
The key to ensure 100% satisfaction with our patients is to prepare for the procedure as much as possible. Preparation for a cosmetic smile makeover happens in a few ways.
First, in this specific case, after a comprehensive plan was developed, we determined full coverage crowns were the best long-term solution to achieve the perfect cosmetic smile makeover.
Second, before starting the crown process we give the patient the option to bleach or whiten their teeth so that the new crown color and shade can be as white and bright as possible. In this case, the patient was satisfied with her current shade. At our office, we offer a two-step bleaching plan which includes an in-office professional whitening treatment following by at-home tray whitening, or a take home only kit.
The final step included preparing the teeth for the crowns and performing a slight gum surgery to enhance the smile shape once completed. Temporary crowns were placed for two weeks while the gum healing was completed and the new crowns were created.
3.Utilize custom solutions
At Chicago Style Smiles, we always take the extra step to ensure our makeovers are perfect – how are we different? Instead of holding up a sample tooth shade to the existing teeth and hope they match, we work directly with a professional lab (in this case we used Artistic Dental Lab) using custom shade solutions to make sure the shade matches exactly. We work together to develop a crown that fits the vision of the plan that was developed.
4. Adjust until 100% satisfaction is reached
We never stop working with our patients until they are 100% satisfied. In this example, we think the final results speak for themselves!
The final step in the process involved the patient coming into the office for her final crowns, where we removed the temporary crowns and did an “aesthetic try-on.” Because of our relationship with Artistic Dental Lab, any custom shading or aesthetic changes can be made the same day, which is a rare benefit in the dental world. Small final changes were completed, and we cemented the crowns. After a short healing phase, the patient was all smiles!
*NOTE: all photos used in this blog post were approved by the patient
If you or anyone you know is interested in a cosmetic smile makeover or cosmetic dentistry, make an appointment. We are happy to discuss your individual case and needs.
Keep smiling Chicago.
Kevin Dow DDS
