Wedding Day Smile - Dental
Improving your smile in 1 year - Dental
The first thing you should do is make sure you’ve got the basics under control: use an electric toothbrush, brush twice a day, floss once a day, don’t smoke, and drink plenty of water. Then you can think about what it is you would like to change about your smile. Do you want to straighten your teeth or just improve their colour and appearance?
If you want straighter teeth then you will most likely need some sort of brace. Invisalign is a great way to straighten your teeth if you want braces that are clear and discrete, but these normally require over a year before treatment is completed. If you’d like a quicker solution to straighten your teeth, this can be achieved by using ‘train track’ like braces, which are available in tooth-coloured versions (such as Six Month Smiles) which are less ‘Ugly Betty.’ These systems can straighten teeth in 6–9 months.
Another way to have straighter teeth is with veneers. These are similar to artificial nails, with a layer of porcelain on the front of the teeth. These allow the teeth to have a better position (to an extent), shape and colour but either bulk the teeth forward or require removal of some tooth structure. Veneers can be a great way to improve the overall appearance of your mouth, but be aware that they are likely to need replacing over a lifetime.
Tooth whitening is another effective way to improve the appearance of a smile, and additionally does not cause any damage to the teeth. If whitening is something you are interested in, you should visit your dentist to get some advice before having the whitening carried out professionally. Be aware that whitening will not change the colour of any existing filings or crowns, so any prominent work may need replacing after. Another benefit of modern whitening systems, such as Enlighten, is that they do not require a ‘white diet’ (e.g. avoiding coffee, red wine etc.) and cause only minimal sensitivity. If whitening is not possible, even a scale and polish from a hygienist can often refresh a tired set of teeth.
If you have missing teeth which you would like to replace before your special day, you should seek advice early as replacing teeth can be a lengthy process. Usually the best way to replace a missing tooth is with an implant, although bridges can also be suitable to replace teeth in certain situations and even a denture can provide a way to fill gaps. Implants can take up to 6 months or more to complete so make sure to discuss this with your dentist as soon as you can to allow time for planning and treatment.
So that you are not in a rush with treatment, adding further stress in the run up to your special day, make sure you start planning your smile by talking to your dentist or another dental professional as soon as possible.