Are you getting married, are you a part of a wedding, or are you planning another big life event? These events are filled with photo taking opportunities and you’ll want the captured memories to feature your very best smile. To get started, build out your event smile and dental plan. All too often patients visit our office looking for cosmetic dental work for their big day—but their big day just happens to be weeks away! While procedures like teeth whitening and Botox can be performed in a single visit and just prior to your event, dental veneers, cosmetic bonding, dental implants, and other smile makeover procedures may require a few visits to complete. In other words, it’s a good idea to start early. Here’s a timeline to keep in mind if you’re considering cosmetic dentistry before a special event.
Consultation: 6 Months to 1 Year Before Event
First things first: you’ll need to schedule a consultation with Dr. Donald Miller to know exactly what kind of dental work you need and when you will need it. The timeline in this blog post gives you a rough estimate of what to expect at each milestone. When you visit our office for a consultation, we’ll be able to give you a more precise timeline and an estimate of the costs involved.
During the consultation, we’ll discuss what you dislike (and like!) about your smile, what your ideal smile would look like, and your budget. Dr. Miller will give you his expert opinion as well, then together, we can develop the treatment goals and your personalized smile and dental timeline.
Invisalign: 1 Year Before Event
Do you want straighter teeth before your big event? It’s going to take some time, so we recommend starting Invisalign a year before your special occasion. With Dr. Miller’s experience and knowledge, our Invisalign patients typically achieve their desired results in under a year. The good news is that even if you don’t make it to our office a year in advance, you can remove your aligners for your big day. As an added bonus, straighter teeth can also alleviate jaw misalignment which can trigger TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint), especially during a stressful time, such as planning a wedding.
Smile Makeover: 1 Year Before Event
A smile makeover is a comprehensive dental treatment plan that usually includes a combination of two or more restorative and/or cosmetic dental procedures. This may include a combination of veneers, cosmetic bonding, implants, and the replacement of crowns or fillings. Some components of a smile makeover can be completed in a matter of weeks. However, if you require multi-step procedures or procedures that need healing time between treatments, it can take several months. Having your personalized smile and dental plan established early will help you achieve your ideal smile as early as possible.
Veneers: 3 Months Before Event
Porcelain veneers are a great way to transform and update your smile before a special occasion. If you aren’t happy with the size, shape or presentation of your teeth, veneers can provide a lasting appearance change. It is a good idea to plan for veneers at least 3 months prior to your event since it does take a little time to design them in our on-site dental laboratory. You will also want to make sure you are happy with the feel of your veneers in case any adjustments are required, so best to plan accordingly.
Dental Cleaning: 2 Months Before Event
Maintaining good oral health is always very important. Be sure to have your teeth cleaned about a month before your event. A good dental cleaning will lift surface stains and clear away plaque and tartar deposits. A clean smile always sparkles too, especially in photos.
Teeth Whitening: 1 Month Before Event
Teeth whitening should also be scheduled about a month out and following a recent dental cleaning. While in-office teeth whitening only requires a single office visit to complete, the whitening process leaves your teeth dehydrated. By getting the whitening completed ahead of time, you’ll give the whitened color time to settle and even out. A clean and a whitened smile is the perfect combination for a confident, bright smile.
Schedule a Cosmetic Dentistry Consultation
If you have a special life event coming up and you are considering cosmetic dentistry, please schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Donald Miller of Cosmetic & Reconstructive Dentistry in Fairfield, CT today. Please call 203-255-6878 or visit www.fairfieldcosmeticdentistry.com to schedule an appointment.