What you see and what you don't: a great smile shows off the final result, while much of the most important work stays hidden from view. At Southern York Smile Care in Shrewsbury, PA, Dr. Steven Haywood uses treatments designed to blend in, so people notice your smile and not your dental work.
If you have had fillings, teeth straightening or a complete smile makeover, you want people to notice one thing: your great smile. But a lot goes on behind the scenes to get there. This article looks at three key parts of many smile makeovers that are not obvious when you smile, yet are often what makes the result a success. It also covers the tools that let your dentist see what you cannot.
Invisible braces: straightening that keeps your secret
Not everyone wants to flash a mouth full of metal while their teeth are being straightened. Clear aligners keep your secret, because they are very hard to see while you wear them.
Southern York Smile Care does not offer metal braces. Instead, teeth are straightened with Invisalign clear aligners: a series of thin, clear, removable trays, each one shifting your teeth a little at a time. Dr. Haywood is an Elite Invisalign Provider. Invisalign Teen and Invisalign Express are also available.
What makes aligners easy to live with
- They are hard to notice, even up close.
- You take them out to eat, so there are no food rules.
- You brush and floss normally, which helps keep your gums healthy.
- Your treatment is planned digitally, starting with a 3D scan from the iTero Element scanner instead of messy putty.
For some adults who want front teeth to look straight sooner, instant orthodontics with veneers is another option. Invisalign can be paid monthly after a down payment.
White fillings: making the metal disappear
If you have old metal fillings, you may notice dark gray spots in your back teeth when you laugh. Tooth-colored fillings match the teeth around them, so they blend right in.
You cannot undo old decay, but you can make the metal disappear. Southern York Smile Care is a mercury-free office. It never places silver (amalgam) fillings, which contain mercury. Cavities are filled with tooth-colored, BPA-free white fillings that bond to the tooth. If you have old silver fillings, they can be replaced following holistic best practices. Learn more on the mercury-free dentistry page.
Why white fillings make sense
- They match your natural tooth color.
- They bond to the tooth, which helps support what is left of it.
- Most are done in a single appointment.
- Small cavities found early can sometimes be treated with air abrasion, with little or no drilling.
Dental implants: a new root you never see
A dental implant is a small post, usually made of titanium, placed in the jawbone to replace the root of a missing tooth. A crown, the part you see, is then securely and permanently attached on top. Titanium is very strong and well tolerated by bone, which grows tightly around it.
Once the final crown is in place, your new tooth looks just like the teeth around it. Nobody sees the implant itself. They just see a complete smile.
Why implants are often the best choice
Compared with a bridge or a removable denture, implants have several important advantages:
- They stand on their own, so healthy neighboring teeth do not need to be shaped for crowns.
- They help keep the jawbone from shrinking after a tooth is lost.
- They do not slip, click or need adhesive.
- They let you bite and chew with confidence.
Dr. Haywood is a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. A Green CT 3D cone beam scan helps plan each implant precisely, and guided implant surgery helps place it exactly where it was planned. Learn more on the dental implants page.
The tools that see what you can't
Much of good dentistry depends on what is hidden below the surface. Modern tools help Dr. Haywood find problems early, often before you can feel them:
- Digital X-rays show decay between teeth and problems below the gumline, with up to 90% less radiation than older film X-rays.
- DIAGNOdent, a laser pen, helps find early decay hiding in the grooves of teeth.
- An intraoral camera shows you close-up pictures of your own teeth, so you see what your dentist sees.
- Green CT 3D cone beam scans show bone, roots and nerves in three dimensions.
- Oral cancer screening with ViziLite, a blue dye rinse and the OralCDX brush test helps spot changes in soft tissue early.
You can learn more on the dental technology page. Finding problems early usually means smaller, simpler and more comfortable treatment.
What happens below the gumline
Some of the most important parts of your smile are the ones nobody ever sees: your gums and the bone that holds your teeth. Gum disease often starts without pain. Gums may bleed a little when you brush, or look slightly puffy, while bacteria slowly work below the gumline. Left alone, this can damage the bone and loosen teeth.
That is why every dental cleaning at Southern York Smile Care is a full 60 minutes, with time to clean below the gumline and check your gum health. If needed, an oral DNA test can show which bacteria are present, so treatment can be targeted. Healthy gums frame your teeth, protect your implants and fillings, and keep every other part of your smile on solid ground.
Putting it all together
A smile makeover often combines hidden work like this with the cosmetic touches people do notice, such as teeth whitening and porcelain veneers. The hidden work gives the smile a healthy, lasting foundation. The visible work makes it shine. Together, they create a complete smile makeover that looks natural.
Dr. Haywood has more than 35 years in practice and completed cosmetic training through the NYU Aesthetic Continuum. If you feel nervous about treatment, oral sedation is available.
The office is out of network with every insurer. You pay at the visit, and the office files the claim so your insurance company can reimburse you. CareCredit and Cherry payment plans are available; see the financing page.
See what your smile could be
Southern York Smile Care is at 4 S. Main St in Shrewsbury, PA, and welcomes patients from Shrewsbury, York, southern York County and northern Baltimore County. Ask about Invisalign, white fillings, implants, veneers, teeth whitening and sedation dentistry. Call (717) 235-3871 or request an appointment. The team looks forward to meeting you and showing you what is possible for your smile.
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.
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