The holiday season is chock full of special events, family gatherings, parties, and celebrations, and it’s just natural to look your best. Having a beautiful smile is one of the best ways to look great and feel great, too — and fortunately, lots of treatments can help.
As a leading cosmetic dentist, Minal Patel, DDS, helps patients at Park Place Smiles dramatically improve their smile aesthetics and self-confidence. Here are five ways Dr. Patel and her team can transform your smile to help you look and feel your best for the holidays and all year round.
Few cosmetic treatments offer as much “bang for your buck” as professional teeth whitening. While over-the-counter whitening products may offer minor improvements, they take time — usually weeks — to see their effects. With professional whitening, all it takes is a single treatment to lift away stubborn stains, eliminate yellowing, and help your smile look healthier, more youthful, and more attractive.
The results of professional whitening are more consistent, too, and because they’re overseen by Dr. Patel and her team, you won’t have to worry about significant gum irritation or tooth sensitivity for weeks afterward.
Best of all, there’s no downtime — you can have a whitening treatment in the morning or afternoon and be ready for an event that same day.
If deep discoloration, chips, gaps between teeth, or worn or uneven teeth are taking a toll on your confidence, porcelain veneers offer a long-lasting solution. These thin porcelain shells bond to the front surfaces of your teeth, instantly correcting imperfections and creating a naturally beautiful appearance.
Veneers are custom-made for each patient, and they typically take two visits: one to prepare your teeth and create a mold for your veneers, and one to apply the veneers once they’re created in a special dental lab.
Afterward, you simply care for your veneers like your natural teeth, with regular brushing, flossing, and dental visits to keep them in top shape for years to come. Even better: you can have one veneer or multiple, depending on your goals, making them a truly custom solution.
Dental crowns are designed to completely surround a damaged tooth, improving not only the tooth’s aesthetics, but its strength and function, too. Like veneers, dental crown application typically takes two visits.
Each dental crown is custom-made to follow the natural contours of your tooth for a perfect fit. And, like veneers, crowns are designed of super-durable porcelain that’s custom-tinted to blend in beautifully with your natural smile.
In addition to restoring teeth marred by cracks, chips, and deep stains, crowns are also ideal for covering large, dark fillings that make your smile look worn. With proper care — regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups — your crown can last for years, improving your smile and overall oral health.
Cosmetic bonding is a quicker, less costly alternative to porcelain veneers, used to address many of the same concerns as veneers, including deep discoloration, uneven or worn surfaces, and gaps between teeth. During a bonding visit, Dr. Patel applies a durable, tooth-colored resin to the surface of your tooth, then gently shapes it and polishes it so it looks beautiful and fits comfortably.
Dental bonding is noninvasive, and in most cases, that means your treatment can be completed in a single visit. Bonding doesn’t last as long as a veneer, but it can definitely yield a marked improvement in your smile aesthetics and your confidence, too.
Sometimes, all your smile needs is a little TLC to help it look whiter and brighter. Schedule a dental cleaning to help remove stubborn deposits of plaque and tartar that can leave a gray or yellowish cast to your teeth.
In addition to improving the way your smile looks, this simple but essential treatment improves your oral health, too, reducing your risks of cavities and gum disease.
Combined with a checkup, a professional dental cleaning is an easy way to refresh your appearance, with benefits that can last all year long. (Plus, since most insurance plans include two professional cleanings per year, be sure to get the most of your benefits before they expire at year’s end.)
Knowing your smile looks great can do great things for your self-confidence and self-esteem — not just during the holidays, but for months and years to come. To learn how we can help you achieve your goals and improve your smile aesthetics, request an appointment with Park Place Smiles in Glendora, California, today.
