When you are ready to pursue a NYC smile makeover, there are several steps to follow to make this journey positive and effective. Your Manhattan cosmetic dentist will guide you from start to finish through every procedure and upgrade, but your mental and emotional state also needs TLC. Here is how to have a smooth makeover process.
1. Prioritize Oral Health Care
Before any major changes can occur with the appearance of your smile, you need strong, healthy teeth and gums for a solid foundation. Any signs of gingivitis or advanced gum disease must be cleaned and fully healed before cosmetic dentistry can begin.
- Any other infections or decay or deterioration needs to be addressed with tooth-colored fillings, root canal therapy, or dental crowns.
- Remember, cosmetic dentistry is about appearance – elements like prepless veneers will make your teeth stronger but they do not correct oral health problems that threaten the overall wellness of teeth and gums.
- Smile makeovers begin with dental care corrections and work up to cosmetic transformations.
2. Do Your Research
If you’re like most people who dream of a personalized smile makeover, you notice teeth everywhere you go, online and offline.
- Save photos.
- Reference celebrities whose smiles you admire.
- Take all the information you’ve gathered to your consultation with your cosmetic dentist so you can be clear about the kind of smile upgrade you want.
- Your research and evidence will make your vision clear – then you can learn from your dentist what’s possible for your own teeth.
3. Temper Your Expectations
It takes time to complete a smile makeover. Patience is key for all cosmetic dentistry patients.
- Plan a customized new smile with the help of your Manhattan cosmetic dentist.
- Prepare the teeth for upgrades and, as needed, the placement of temporary crowns or veneers.
- Wait for the dental lab to create the finished product.
- Return to your dentist for the final placement of cosmetic enhancements.
One or two treatments could take a few months to complete. If you need a filling or other repairs first, add more time. Patients who have missing teeth and require dental implants need even more time to heal.
4. Gauge Your Anxiety
For many people, dental anxiety is a very real experience, no matter how eager someone is to transform their teeth. Getting a NYC smile makeover requires multiple engagements with your dentist, so the more appointments there are the more stressful the journey can be.
- Be honest with yourself about how you’re feeling about your dental work.
- Talk to your NYC cosmetic dentist about how you’re feeling at all stages of your smile makeover.
- Some procedures are easier for patients to tolerate because they are minimally invasive. If this is your preference, find out what’s possible for your smile makeover.
- Restorative dentistry usually requires rebuilding, drilling, and numbing agents – all elements that can make anxiety build. Your dentist will work with you to develop an efficient plan that makes you comfortable and delivers maximum perfection with minimal distress.
Contact Dr. Michael J. Wei to schedule a consultation or request a Smile Virtual consultation online to learn everything you need to know about preparing for your personalized NYC smile makeover.