Cosmetic dentistry smile makeovers:

Dental imaging pictures showing how cosmetic dentists create beautiful smiles and faces.

Cosmetic dentistry makeover simulations.

A review of cosmetic dentistry makeover techniques. Here's a review and some points of comparison between some of the types of cosmetic dentistry treatments we have illustrated in our makeover simulation pictures. These are common dental procedures that anyone's dentist could most likely provide.

Teeth whitening. One of the greatest benefits of the process of teeth whitening is that it can be one of the simplest and least expensive ways to make an improvement in a person's smile. Typically a dentist will make plastic trays that fit over their patient's teeth. Teeth whitening gel is then placed into these trays and the patient is instructed to wear them for up to a couple of hours per day, for a few weeks. We discuss this bleaching method in detail on the pages of our Teeth Whitening topic. While teeth whitening can usually be counted on to make some color change in the shade of a person's teeth one of its disadvantages is that it will not produce a lightening effect on any dental work that is present (fillings, crowns, etc...). Additionally, whatever teeth whitening effect is achieved will have a tendency to fade with time.

Dental bonding. The term "dental bonding" can refer to a number of related dental techniques. In general, after a tooth's surface has been properly prepared, a white colored dental filling material is bonded onto the tooth. Dental bonding might be utilized as a way to improve the appearance of a cosmetic defect found on the surface of a tooth, to replace tooth structure that has chipped away or broken, or to repair damage caused by tooth decay. At an extreme, this technique can be used to resurface the entire front side of a tooth so to improve its cosmetic appearance. As a benefit, when compared with the other cosmetic dentistry techniques reviewed on this page dental bonding can be relatively inexpensive and is usually a "completed in one visit" type dental procedure. As a disadvantage, dental bonding material has a tendency to stain as time passes and in general isn't as lasting or durable a treatment as other cosmetic dental procedures. However, and one more point in the plus column, if dental bonding does chip or break it can usually be easily patched or repaired.

Porcelain veneers. A porcelain veneer is a thin shell of porcelain that is bonded onto the front surface of a tooth so to improve its cosmetic appearance. We review the process of placing porcelain veneers in detail on the pages of our Porcelain Veneer topic. A porcelain veneer can be an ideal way to make a cosmetic change for a tooth. Compared to dental bonding, porcelain veneers usually look more life like and they have the added benefit of resisting staining well. As a disadvantage, porcelain veneers are typically fairly expensive and if used in the wrong application can be prone to breaking. Unlike dental bonding, if a porcelain veneer has broken typically the whole veneer must be replaced. It usually cannot be patched or repaired.

Dental crowns. Dental crowns can provide the same sort of major cosmetic changes that porcelain veneers can make. However, unlike porcelain veneers that only cover over the front sides of teeth, dental crowns cup over and encase the entire aspect of a tooth which lies above the gum line. The pages of our Dental Crowns topic discuss this type of dental treatment in detail. In comparison to porcelain veneers, dental crowns are stronger and more durable but because making one involves trimming away a significant amount of tooth structure they usually aren't the best choice for making a cosmetic change for a tooth, unless the tooth also requires the non-cosmetic benefits the crown can provide. Like porcelain veneers, there is typically a fair amount of cost involved when dental crowns are made.

Comparing the longevity of cosmetic dental work. We would like to mention that some of the cosmetic changes you might choose to make with your teeth could have very long lasting consequences. Please realize that no dental work will last forever. This is especially true when cosmetics are a primary consideration. While a disadvantage of any teeth whitening process is that its effects will fade with time, a benefit of whitening in general is that as a process it makes no structural changes to a tooth. At some point in the future you can decide to or decide not to under go the teeth whitening process again. Either choice is entirely optional and this leeway may make teeth whitening the best solution for your cosmetic needs. To the contrary, having porcelain veneers or dental crowns placed means that there will always need to be a porcelain veneer or dental crown on the tooth. So, if a crown or veneer comes off, breaks, or just deteriorates from a standpoint of its appearance, another crown or veneer will need to be made. (You will have to ask your dentist for details regarding your specific situation but in general this applies to dental bonding as well.) Everybody likes a nice shiny car but a prudent person will also take into account the maintenance that will be required, so to keep the car nice and shiny and running properly. Don't just be sold a bill of goods. Ask your dentist about the cosmetic changes they can offer but also ask about their expectations for the longevity of the treatment. Ask what solutions will be available to you at that point in time when original cosmetics of the dental work has deteriorated.

Send in your picture for a cosmetic dentistry makeover!

• All images submitted become the property of WMDS, Inc. (the owner of Animated-Teeth.com) who has the right to reproduce, modify, publish, resell, and otherwise use all submitted images. (Copyrighted images may not be submitted.)
  
  
• Animated-Teeth.com will select which images will be utilized for a cosmetic dentistry makeover simulation. Not all images received will be used. We receive far more images than we can edit, as a result we have become more and more selective about the ones we do choose. For all practical purposes the picture you submit needs to be of similar size (or larger) and of similar image quality as the "before" image shown above. If it doesn't meet this standard it seems most unlikely we will choose your picture.
  
  The usual reasons we decide not to utilize a submitted image:
  
  
  1. The image is out of focus. Not all cameras are intended for close up work. Have a few pictures of yourself taken at varying distances and then send us the one that shows your teeth as best as possible and is also in focus. Many of the pictures found on our site were originally full-face photos. We have no desire to embarrass anyone. All images that we use for a cosmetic dentistry makeover simulation will be cropped down to a size that just shows the person's teeth and smile.
     
     
  2. The image is out of focus. We've listed this reason twice because so many people just don't seem to pay attention to it.
     
     
  3. The image is too small. When you view the picture you plan to send to us in your web browser the size of your teeth and smile need to be similar in size (or larger) as to those shown in the makeover simulation pictures you see posted on our site. While we can usually shrink an image to an appropriate size we can never enlarge a small picture to a larger size. It simply becomes too grainy.
     
     
  4. We typically will not edit the pictures of individuals who would require extensive orthodontic treatment as a part of their cosmetic dentistry treatment plan (meaning several teeth would need to be repositioned). Our primary interest is to illustrate the types of cosmetic changes the typical general dentist would be able to provide by way of the placement of dental crowns, porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, etc....
     
     
  5. We find that images that emphasize red and yellow tones are easier for us to edit than those rich in blues and grays, and thus are more likely to be chosen.
     
     
  6. The image did not arrive with the email the person has sent. We suggest that you practice sending email with an attached picture to your own email address, then send a copy to us when you have all of the kinks figured out.
     
     
  7. All images considered for a cosmetic dentistry makeover simulation must be in either ".jpg", ".jpeg", or ".gif" format.
  
  
• You must be over the age of 18 to submit an image.
  
  
• Images should be sent as an email attachment to:
  
      info2 [at] animated-teeth [dot] com
  
  
• Please, only one image per email.