Treatments / Cosmetic & smile design
Smile Design & Makeover
A smile makeover combines whatever the case needs, which may be veneers, crowns, alignment, gum contouring or whitening, planned together rather than added one at a time. The plan is worked out and shown to you before any tooth is touched.
Who this is for
- Chipped, worn, discoloured or uneven front teeth
- Gaps or a gummy smile
- Anyone who has had work done piecemeal and wants it to look coherent
What actually happens
- Photographs, scans and a discussion of what you actually want changed
- A digital design and, where useful, a mock-up you can see in your own mouth
- Treatment in a planned order
The order it is usually done in
Most smile plans follow the same rough order, even when they skip some steps. Health comes first. Decay, gum inflammation or a tooth that needs a root canal is treated before anything cosmetic. Inflamed gums also shrink back a little as they heal, so a veneer edge matched to swollen gum can show later.
Straightening comes next, if it is needed. Moving teeth into a better position first can mean less tooth has to be shaped for veneers, or fewer teeth need covering at all. Any reshaping of the gum line follows once the teeth are where they will stay.
Whitening is done before veneers or crowns, because a veneer or crown keeps the colour it was made in. There is usually a short wait after whitening for the shade to settle. Then the veneers or crowns are made to match the new colour of your natural teeth.
How long the whole plan takes
The biggest single factor is whether your teeth need straightening. Without it, a plan of whitening and veneers is often completed over a few weeks, across several visits. With it, the plan runs into months, because teeth move slowly and the ceramic work waits until they have stopped moving.
Gum treatment at the start adds healing time, and so does a root canal or any surgical step. Ask for a rough timeline along with the plan, and treat it as an estimate. Healing and tooth movement do not always keep to a calendar.
If there is a wedding or another date you are working towards, say so at the first appointment. The plan can work back from it, and if the date is too close for everything you want, it is better to know early and decide what to do first.
Who is involved
A smile plan often needs more than one specialty. The specialists attend the clinic, so you are not sent to a different practice for each stage.
Any veneers or crowns in the plan are done by Dr. Shourya. Where straightening is part of the plan, that stage is handled by Dr. Jahnavi Rachamadugu, our orthodontist. Where the gums need surgical treatment, a periodontist who attends the clinic does that part. Fillings and cleaning are done by Dr. Manasa Bandi, the clinic's own dentist.
Before you agree to a plan, it is fair to ask who will do each stage of it.
Before you book, what happens at the first smile design appointment explains what you will see and what you should leave knowing.
Smile design is done by Dr. Bhargav Kuchu and Dr. Shourya, our prosthodontist.
The planning appointment is the long one, and it is worth coming in unhurried. We are in Rai Durg on the Old Mumbai Highway; there is a page for patients travelling in from Gachibowli and nearby with the address and timings in one place.
Questions people ask
How long does a smile makeover take?
It depends mostly on whether your teeth need straightening first. Without straightening, a plan is often finished over a few weeks; with it, the plan runs into months. Ask for a rough timeline with your plan and treat it as an estimate.
Why is whitening done before veneers or crowns?
Because a veneer or crown keeps the colour it was made in. Your natural teeth are whitened first, and the veneers or crowns are then matched to the new shade.
Can a smile makeover be planned around a wedding?
Often, if you start early enough. Tell the clinic the date at the first appointment. If straightening is involved you may need several months, and a near date may mean doing the simpler steps first.
Do I have to do the whole plan at once?
No. A plan can be carried out in stages, as long as the order is kept. Spreading it out takes longer, but it does not change what has to come first.
What affects the cost of a smile makeover?
Which treatments the plan combines, how many teeth are involved and the materials chosen. The clinic examines you first and gives you the cost in writing before anything starts, with no obligation to go ahead.
