What is a Smile Makeover?
A smile makeover is a personalized cosmetic dentistry plan in Des Moines designed to enhance the appearance of your teeth while supporting long-term oral health. Rather than a single procedure, this comprehensive approach focuses on improving the color, shape, and alignment of your teeth to create a naturally balanced smile.
At our Urbandale dental practice, Dr. Jessica Lawson considers your facial features, skin tone, and lip line to design a smile that looks natural and vibrant. This process is highly collaborative, as we want to ensure the final result aligns with how you see yourself. We typically address several aesthetic concerns during a makeover, including:
- Gaps or spaces between the teeth that make you feel self-conscious.
- Stained or discolored enamel that does not respond to traditional whitening.
- Chipped, cracked, or unevenly worn tooth edges.
- Teeth that appear too small or out of proportion with your facial features.
- A gummy smile that reveals too much gum tissue when you laugh.
- Gaps or spaces between the teeth that make you feel self-conscious.
- Stained or discolored enamel that does not respond to traditional whitening.
- Chipped, cracked, or unevenly worn tooth edges.
- Teeth that appear too small or out of proportion with your facial features.
- A gummy smile that reveals too much gum tissue when you laugh.
Popular Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments
We offer a variety of services that can be combined to achieve your ideal results. Each treatment is selected based on your specific needs and the final look you wish to achieve.
During your consultation at our Urbandale dental practice, we evaluate your smile and listen to your concerns to recommend the best mix of procedures. Whether you are looking for a subtle enhancement or a dramatic change, our team has the experience to guide you through a variety of modern options.
Natural Tooth Coverings
These thin, custom-made shells are bonded to the front of your teeth to correct chips, gaps, or permanent stains. They provide a durable and lifelike transformation that can reshape your entire smile in just a few visits.
Veneers are a popular choice in Des Moines because they resist stains and mimic the light-reflecting properties of natural tooth enamel. Because each veneer is handcrafted to match your facial proportions, the result is a smile that feels like a better version of your own.
Brightening Your Teeth
Professional teeth whitening can brighten your smile by several shades through in-office treatment or convenient take-home kits, often serving as the finishing touch to a complete smile makeover. Supervised by our clinical team, professional whitening delivers even results with minimal sensitivity, helping you look refreshed, youthful, and confident.
Small Chips, Gaps & Edges
For minor imperfections like small chips or slight gaps, cosmetic bonding provides a conservative, cost-effective solution using tooth-colored resin to restore the tooth’s natural shape. The material is carefully matched to your surrounding teeth for a seamless appearance and typically requires little to no removal of natural tooth structure, making it a fast, comfortable option that can often be completed in a single visit.
Customized Dental Restorations
When teeth are damaged or missing, crowns and bridges restore strength and function while maintaining a natural, attractive appearance. Using high-quality materials designed to blend seamlessly with your surrounding teeth, crowns protect weakened teeth and bridges replace missing ones, both providing durable support for everyday chewing while enhancing the overall balance of your smile.
Clear Braces
When improved alignment is part of your smile makeover, clear aligners provide a discreet way to straighten teeth without traditional braces. These removable aligners allow for easy oral hygiene while guiding your teeth into optimal positions, creating a more balanced, symmetrical smile and a healthier bite that supports long-term results.
When a Smile Makeover Becomes a Full Mouth Reconstruction
Not every patient requires only surface-level cosmetic work to reach their goals. When underlying issues like significant tooth wear, broken teeth, or multiple missing teeth are present, a more comprehensive approach is necessary.
A full-mouth reconstruction integrates cosmetic design with restorative treatments such as dental implants and bite correction. We transition into this more extensive care when we identify specific clinical needs, such as:
- Widespread tooth decay that threatens the integrity of multiple teeth.
- Advanced wear caused by chronic teeth grinding or a misaligned bite.
- Missing teeth that have caused the surrounding teeth to shift or the jawbone to weaken.
- Persistent jaw pain or TMJ discomfort related to how the teeth fit together.
- Widespread tooth decay that threatens the integrity of multiple teeth.
- Advanced wear caused by chronic teeth grinding or a misaligned bite.
- Missing teeth that have caused the surrounding teeth to shift or the jawbone to weaken.
- Persistent jaw pain or TMJ discomfort related to how the teeth fit together.
This ensures that your results not only look beautiful in photos but also feel natural and comfortable when you eat and speak. We focus on rebuilding the structure of your mouth to support both your appearance and your clinical health.
Our Approach to Trial Smile Design
We believe you should be able to visualize your results before committing to a full treatment plan. Our Trial Smile Design process uses digital tools and physical models to give you a preview of your new look.
During your consultation, we take detailed photos and use digital design software to illustrate potential changes. This collaborative approach allows us to adjust the color, symmetry, and shape of your new teeth until you are completely satisfied with the proposed plan. This stage takes the guesswork out of cosmetic dentistry and gives you peace of mind before the permanent work begins.
The Connection Between Cosmetic Dentistry and Jaw Health
An attractive smile must also be a functional one to ensure your results last for years to come. Evaluating your jaw alignment and bite balance is a critical part of our cosmetic planning process.
By ensuring your bite is aligned, we prevent unnecessary stress on your new veneers or crowns. This focus on physiologic harmony helps prevent future discomfort, such as TMJ issues or jaw pain, ensuring your smile feels as good as it looks. A balanced bite is key to preventing chips and cracks in your new dental work and protecting your investment for the long term.
Why Choose Lawson Dentistry for Cosmetic Dentistry in Des Moines
Our practice combines artistic skill with the latest dental technology to create results that look and feel like natural teeth. We take pride in our ability to manage both simple cosmetic enhancements and complex reconstructions in one convenient location.
Dr. Lawson is dedicated to providing minimally invasive methods that preserve as much of your natural tooth structure as possible. Patients throughout Des Moines trust our team for our attention to detail and our commitment to personalized, high-quality care. We use advanced shade-matching technology and digital imaging to ensure your results meet our high standards for excellence.
Frequently Asked Questions About Smile Makeovers
We want you to feel fully informed about your options before moving forward with cosmetic care. These answers address common questions our patients have when considering a smile makeover.
Clear communication is the foundation of our patient relationships. If you have more specific questions during your visit, we are happy to take the time to explain every detail of your proposed care.
Start Your Smile Makeover Consultation Today
If you are ready to discover the potential of your smile, our team is here to guide you through every step of the journey. We are passionate about helping our Des Moines patients achieve the radiant, healthy smiles they deserve.
At Lawson Dentistry, we combine technical precision with a warm, patient-focused environment. We encourage you to explore our full range of dental services to see how we can support your long-term health. Call our office today at (515) 278-4366 to get started on your transformation.
