If you’re planning a smile makeover at Sachem Dental Group, one of the things you’ll probably discover is that it’s rare to only get one specific type of aesthetic procedure. Rather, our dentists may recommend different approaches for each individual tooth and combining various treatments for best overall results. In fact, combining cosmetic treatments can also provide a more cost-effective solution for our patients’ needs.
What are some of the most common cosmetic treatments used to complement one another? Here are just a few classic examples:
Combining Whitening + Porcelain Crowns
Any time you’re getting a fixed restoration that covers an entire tooth (such as a crown or even a veneer) you want it to blend in with the teeth next to it. Otherwise, it will stand out and look unnatural. Although we can at any time match the porcelain to your natural tooth color, you might decide later on that you want your overall smile to look whiter. And when that happens, it’s not physically possible to bleach your crown into a lighter shade. So, for the best results we recommend bleaching your teeth first — until you get the white shade you’re looking for — and then matching the new crown to the brighter color of your smile.
Tooth Recontouring + Bonding
If you have tooth enamel that’s uneven or misshaped, it may be possible to smooth it out! Does it need to be filled over or filled out? Then bonding could be key!
Tooth recontouring involves smoothing out uneven enamel to give it a smoother, consistently shaped teeth that blend in with their neighbors. That way no atypical edges or points that distract from the curve of your bite.
On the other hand, bonding builds over and covers areas that are lacking adequate enamel: such as chips or gaps. So instead of smoothing them out, you’re smoothing them over with an extra layer of tooth-colored material.
Best of all, both procedures are quick and affordable. Numbing typically isn’t even necessary because of how minimally invasive the process actually is. You can usually complete all of it — no matter the number of teeth involved — in just one appointment.
Gum Contouring + Veneers
What about if instead of your teeth being uneven, it’s your gums? Irregular gumlines or “gummy” smiles can make your teeth look shorter than what they actually are. Instead of adding onto the length of your tooth, we can slightly adjust the gum margin to recontour their overall shape (revealing fuller teeth and uniformity in your smile.)
Contouring is sometimes paired with dental veneers, since the veneer itself covers the full front surface of each tooth. You’ll want the gums to be up high enough that the full anatomical crown of your tooth is visible.
Invisalign + Whitening
What could be better than having whiter teeth? Teeth that are white and straight!
Invisalign makes it easy to enhance naturally beautiful teeth by straightening them into a desired alignment. By correcting positioning issues such as crowding, rotation, and gaps, you can help your healthy teeth look even healthier! Plus, straighter teeth are less likely to develop cavities and gum disease than teeth that are misaligned.
Bonus: you can whiten your teeth during Invisalign therapy. The aligners can double as whitening trays, allowing you to safely lift deep stains from your smile as you straighten it. Our Long Island cosmetic dentists can recommend the best professional strength gel, giving you brighter results than with products you’ll find over the counter or in stores.
Porcelain Crowns + Veneers
Getting veneers is a great way to “go big or go home” when it comes to transforming your smile. But veneers are only ideal if your tooth is healthy and structurally sound. If there are large fractures or decay, it’s impossible to put a veneer on your tooth. What other options do you have? Combining a full coverage dental crown alongside of your veneers. When they’re all made at the same time, in the same lab, by the same ceramist, the end result allows for optimal shade matching and color consistency. As a result you can repair the broken/worn tooth while also addressing aesthetic concerns on the adjacent ones.
If you’ve ever been told that veneers aren’t an option — or you don’t qualify for them — ask our Long Island dentists if it’s possible to crown the damaged teeth but have veneers made at the same time for your other ones. This type of process is one that’s best done consecutively to give you optimal aesthetic appeal.
Combining Whitening + Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is one of those extremely conservative treatments that makes a huge impact on what your smile looks like. Simply covering up a tiny chip or gap in one or two teeth can immediately change the overall appearance of your entire smile (because no eyes are drawn to that tiny flaw.) But like dental crowns, the bonding is matched to blend in with your teeth. We’ll want to select the exact hue and color that makes it seem as if your tooth never had work done on it at all!
When you combine bonding with whitening, you have one of the most affordable smile makeover equations available. Combining whitening significantly erases deep stains and discoloration and when you combine it with correcting surface flaws in teeth, it’s like getting an entirely new smile.
Your Options Are (Almost) Limitless
These are just a sample of some of the different ways cosmetic treatments can be combined or exchanged with other services for a great-looking smile. At Sachem Dental Group, our multi-specialty general dentistry team will work with you to discover the best solution for your smile’s needs. From your budget and lifestyle to your timeline and desired expectations, a variety of choices are available!
Are you ready for a gorgeous new smile? Call our Long Island practice to reserve an exam and consultation. We have over 35 years of experience in creating beautiful teeth in Suffolk County.