Don't like your teeth? A smile makeover combines whitening, veneers and aligners to give you a smile you are happy to show. Here are five great reasons to consider one. At Southern York Smile Care in Shrewsbury, PA, Dr. Steven Haywood plans each makeover around your face, your goals and your oral health.
Do you love your smile? If the honest answer is "not really," you are far from alone. Many people hide their teeth in photos, cover their mouth when they laugh or avoid smiling at work. The good news is that modern cosmetic dentistry can change a smile more gently and predictably than most people expect. Here are five reasons a smile makeover may be worth it, followed by what the process looks like.
What is a smile makeover?
A smile makeover is a planned combination of cosmetic and restorative treatments designed to improve the whole smile, not just one tooth. Depending on your needs, it might include:
- Teeth whitening to brighten the overall color
- Porcelain or prepless veneers to change the shape, size and color of front teeth
- Invisalign clear aligners to straighten crowded or gapped teeth
- Cosmetic bonding to repair chips and small gaps
- All-porcelain crowns to rebuild worn or broken teeth
- A cosmetic gum lift to even out a gummy smile
- Dental implants to replace missing teeth
Some makeovers use one or two of these. Others combine several over a planned sequence. You can read more on our complete smile makeover page.
Reason 1: Even one treatment can change your look
You may not need a long list of procedures. Some of the most popular cosmetic treatments are simple yet make a striking difference. Professional whitening can brighten a dull smile in a single visit. Replacing dark old silver fillings with tooth-colored white fillings makes your teeth look clean and natural when you laugh. Bonding a chipped front tooth is often done in a single visit.
Dr. Haywood often starts by asking what bothers you most. Sometimes fixing that one thing is all you want. Sometimes it is the first step toward a larger plan.
Reason 2: It may be more affordable than you think
Many people assume a smile makeover is out of reach. In reality, the cost depends entirely on what you choose, and plans can be staged over time so you are not doing everything at once. Whitening and bonding are among the more modest options. Veneers and implants are larger investments that last for many years with good care.
Kelley Fisher, the Patient Care and Treatment Coordinator, will walk you through each part of your plan and your payment options. Southern York Smile Care offers CareCredit and Cherry payment plans, and Invisalign can be paid monthly after a down payment. The office is out of network with every insurer: you pay at the visit and the team files the claim so your insurance can reimburse you for any covered care. See our financing page.
Reason 3: It doesn't have to be uncomfortable
Worry about pain keeps many people from improving their smile. Most cosmetic treatments are gentle. Whitening, bonding and aligners need no numbing at all. Veneers and crowns use local anesthetic, so you feel pressure rather than pain.
For patients who feel anxious, the office offers oral sedation, whether you are having white fillings, veneers, implants or a complete makeover. Prepless veneers can often be placed with little or no enamel removal. Our sedation dentistry page explains your options.
Reason 4: You may look and feel younger
Teeth change with age. They darken, the edges wear shorter and they can shift. Missing teeth let the lips and cheeks sink in. A makeover can restore the length, brightness and fullness of a younger smile. Bright, even teeth with natural-looking edges can make a real difference to how your whole face looks.
Just as important is how you feel. People who like their smile tend to smile more, and that confidence shows up in photos, at work and with friends.
Reason 5: Most dental problems can be fixed
Many people believe they simply have to live with stained, chipped, cracked, crooked or missing teeth. With today's tools, that is rarely true. Here is how common problems are often treated:
- Stains: professional whitening, or veneers for deep stains that whitening cannot lift
- Chips and cracks: bonding for small chips, veneers or crowns for larger damage
- Crooked or gapped teeth: Invisalign clear aligners or instant orthodontics with veneers
- Worn or short teeth: veneers or crowns, often with a night guard to protect them
- Missing teeth: dental implants, implant bridges or dentures
- A gummy smile: a cosmetic gum lift
Learn more on our porcelain veneers and Invisalign clear aligners pages.
What the makeover process looks like
A consultation and exam
Every makeover begins with a careful look at your teeth, gums and bite. Healthy gums and a stable bite are the foundation for any cosmetic work, so gum disease, decay and grinding are treated first. The iTero Element 3D scanner captures your teeth digitally, with no goopy impression trays.
A preview of your new smile
Cosmetic imaging lets you see a preview of your new smile before treatment begins. You and Dr. Haywood can adjust shape, length and color until it feels like you. See our cosmetic imaging page.
Treatment in a planned order
Many makeovers follow a logical sequence: straighten first, then whiten, then place veneers or crowns to match the new shade. Dr. Haywood will explain the order and timeline before you start.
Why experience matters
A smile makeover is as much an art as a science. Dr. Haywood earned a DDS cum laude, completed an advanced residency with the US Air Force and trained in cosmetic dentistry through the NYU Aesthetic Continuum. With more than 35 years in practice, Dr. Haywood was also seen on ABC's Extreme Makeover. You can see real results in our smile gallery and learn more on the meet the doctor page.
Caring for your new smile
A makeover lasts longest with good daily care. Brush twice a day with a soft brush, clean between your teeth every day and keep your regular cleanings, which are a full 60 minutes at the office. If you grind your teeth, a custom night guard protects veneers and crowns while you sleep. Porcelain resists stains well, but whitened natural teeth may need an occasional touch-up.
Start with a consultation
If you don't like your teeth, a conversation is the easiest first step. Call Southern York Smile Care at (717) 235-3871 or request an appointment for a smile makeover consultation. The office is at 4 S. Main St in Shrewsbury, PA, and welcomes patients from Shrewsbury, York, southern York County and northern Baltimore County, MD.
DDS cum laude 1987, US Air Force residency, NYU cosmetic training and Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, with 35+ years in practice.
Meet Dr. Haywood →
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