How long does cosmetic dentistry treatment actually take..?

 

    At The Perfect Smile we offer many different types of cosmetic dentistry to suit every patient’s needs, desires and financial budgets.

    We can help you to refresh your smile – whether your issue is yellow or greying teeth, wonky teeth, chipped or even missing teeth – we have solutions to help you! 

    There are multiple cosmetic dentistry treatments that can help restore your smile and leave you feeling better about yourself. 

    These include but are not limited to:

    1. Veneers
    2. Teeth whitening treatments
    3. Multiple braces options
    4. Dental implants

    Please remember that our dentists are not solely trained in cosmetic dentistry, and we have fully-trained dentists and orthodontists who are able to help you with more general dental issues too. 

    The time for each treatment varies, but usually the patient journey will follow a pattern like this:

    1. FREE Consultation meeting and mouth analysis
    2. Dentist will cover potential solutions for patient
    3. Patient chooses solution from the options available
    4. Costs discussed and a payment plan devised if necessary
    5. Treatment begins
    6. Follow-up treatments carried out where necessary
    7. Review of treatment

    This is a rough idea of the typical trajectory from the moment you have your first consultation to the time you have achieved your final results. The time for each stage is specific, but one thing that is true for all treatment types is communication.

    Our dentists and consultants ensure that patients have a consistent, transparent overview of the full treatment procedure, we keep you in the loop and give you multiple chances to discuss your specific needs prior to treatment and also throughout the procedure e.g. with the ‘trial smile’ option.

    Although the time period of the actual procedure varies dependent on what you are having done, we have compiled an overview of the time period for a few specific procedure:

    Teeth whitening

    As we know, its normal for teeth to become discoloured over time. No one wants to give up the vices of coffee, red wine, tea and smoking that have been proven to contribute to staining of teeth… so teeth whitening is one option to combat this staining. 

    Dependent on your budget you can opt for simple procedures to more complex treatments plans to whiten your smile. During a consultation meeting we will be able to answer any of your questions and let you know the pros and cons of each procedure.

    There are many systems available to help with this. We will advise as to the most suitable for you. Most of our teeth whitening procedures are carried out at our Herefordshire practice.

    Many people opt for home whitening. We construct customised trays, which are filled with the whitening gels and applied to your teeth for about 30 -45 minutes to produce the final result. This can take a week or more to achieve lighten the teeth by 5-8 shades.

    Once you have your consultation meeting we can go over different whitening options and the specific time-frame for each procedure.

    Veneers

    Veneers are thin porcelain covers placed over the teeth for patients who are looking for a sparkling, beautiful smile.

    Generally, the entire treatment process can take a minimum of 3 appointments, including your assessment.

    We will first carry out a full comprehensive evaluation.

    This involves a dental and periodontal (gum) assessment. X-ray photographs and a soft tissue evaluation will also be done.

    We will also take a “face bow record” to mount study models so that an occlusion (bite) assessment can be done.

    Finally, we will carry out a complete cosmetic Smile Analysis.

    Our digital smile design software will show you a preview of your smile makeover so you can see what the finished result will look like.

    Find out more about the veneer treatment process here.

    Replacing old crowns

    The treatment for new porcelain crowns usually only takes two appointments – one to prepare the tooth and another to fit the crown.

    The time in between the two appointments is used to construct the customised crown to your specifications.

    As usual the process begins with a free discovery consultation, where you will be given more information about the procedure including costs, pros and cos and timeframe.

    Braces

    At The Perfect Smile we offer multiple different braces treatments. The treatment time is highly specific based on the type of braces you choose to have.

    For example, Invisalign usually takes around 12 months, but it dependent on the person and the treatment needed prior to Invisalign.

    Alternatively, you have Six Month Smiles which takes (as evident by the name) only 6 months – a quicker option for those who want changes to their teeth fast.

     

    So, where do I get started?

    To conclude, the time needed for cosmetic dentistry treatments is highly dependent on the person, their teeth and mouth, and the treatment they choose, so it is hard to give a set time period generally.

    The best thing to do is book a free consultation meeting here at The Perfect Smile where one of our specialists can advise you on the best possible treatment for you.