A same-day smile is a type of cosmetic dental treatment that offers a clue in the name. It actually encompasses a combination of different treatments that are all performed in one visit to help you achieve the aesthetic result you desire. You can walk into a dental practice in the morning with nervousness and concerns about your smile, and walk out in the afternoon with a beaming smile to be proud of!
Modern tooth whitening and composite bonding techniques allow the team here at Dental Excellence to make these aesthetic improvements to your teeth with ease. There is no need for any complex preparation of your tooth, like drilling, before treatment takes place and there are no needles either. The procedure is totally pain-free and non-invasive, so there are no risks to be aware of and even nervous patients have nothing to worry about. A same-day smile makeover may include some composite bonding to repair broken or misaligned teeth, as well as some teeth whitening to brighten your smile.
There are a few different treatments and techniques that we can incorporate into your same-day smile treatment, depending on your needs and goals:
A composite veneer can form part of a same day smile makeover. Here, a coloured resin material (matched to the natural shade of your tooth) is applied to the surface of your tooth in layers. It is then sculpted, shaped and sized appropriately by your dentist within your mouth to achieve the desired aesthetic appearance. Next, a high-intensity light is used to harden the resin before it is polished to provide the image of natural enamel. Composite veneers are worth thinking about if you have a chipped or broken tooth, or squint teeth that would benefit from being realigned.
Composite veneers do not whiten teeth. Indeed, these veneers do not change the colour of your teeth at all! Composite veneers will cover up and/or correct many aesthetic defects or damages, like misshapen or chipped teeth, but they will not alter the shade of your smile. If you want to whiten your teeth, you should do so before having a dental veneer, so that your dentist can appropriately match the colour of your veneer with your existing tooth/teeth.
You should not whiten your veneers either, as composite resin does not respond well to whitening. If your composite veneers start to look yellow or brown, avoid using an over-the-counter tooth whitening treatment. Instead, talk to your dentist before you whiten your teeth and see what advice they have to give first.
You may not be able to whiten composite veneers, but that doesn't mean you can't improve their appearance. Your dentist may be able to conduct a professional clean that will help to remove some surface stains and discolouration. If not, they may advise that you have your veneers repaired or replaced.
Composite bonding is another term used for the process that happens when you have a set of composite veneers fitted. The term ‘bonding’ means ‘fitting’ in this sense, where composite bonding is the action of fitting composite resin material onto or around your teeth, where it will be hardened and polished to fix squint teeth or give the appearance of a wider, fuller smile.
The advantages of composite restorations are:
To start your smile makeover journey, we need to assess your current smile, which can be done by completing our online consultation or visiting our consultation sessions. We offer consultations to patients all over the country, including our hometown of Liverpool, but also to patients from Manchester, London and Dublin.
If you choose an online consultation, you will need to upload a photo of your teeth closed together, and then one with them slightly apart, both taken from the front. Biting on your back teeth, you also need to take a photo from below and upload that too. Lastly, record a short video of yourself smiling and talking and upload that too. This allows us so to get a good look at your teeth and jaw movement. The instructions throughout the process are really simple and easy to follow, meaning you can finish your part of the consultation within a matter of minutes. We will then look at your photos and your video footage to assess any potential areas that require improvement.
After your initial online or in-person consultation, we’ll invite you in for a full consultation with our experienced dental team.
Next, you’ll meet your assigned dental team to discuss your desired outcome and find out how to fix squint teeth within your mouth. You will then have an idea of a cost estimate and the treatment plan created for you by the dental team.
Now the plan is in place and the consultation is complete, we can deliver the required treatments on the very same day. You can sit back, relax and listen to your own choice of music or watch a film whilst we work on giving you the perfect smile.
Teeth whitening treatment is the most popular and common form of cosmetic dentistry, and for good reason! It’s simple and painless, and the results really do speak for themselves. Tooth staining and discolouration are very common and completely normal, however, to get that bright, dazzling mile, many people look to teeth whitening for an extra confidence boost! There are many different types of teeth whitening treatment, from UV lights to whitening pens and whitening strips, but the safest option is always to go with a professional for your teeth whitening treatment.
It is important to note, however, that teeth whitening will not make your teeth a perfect, brilliant white - it can simply lighten the colour of your teeth by several shades. If you’re looking for a more significant change, a treatment like porcelain veneers might be more suitable. Your dentist will be able to advise you on this throughout the consultation period to make sure you’re getting the results you want in a treatment process that is safe and appropriate for you.
Teeth whitening can be carried out using a few different methods, but there are a few commonalities that you can expect. Before starting, your dentist will record the current shade of your teeth and polish your teeth to geet rd of any plaque or tartar. Then, you’ll get a “barrier” over your gums, lips and tongue to make sure none of the whitening solution gets on the soft tissues in your mouth. At this point, your dentist will carefully apply the whitening solution to your teeth. Many whitening formulas also require a curing light to get the best possible results. Teeth whitening in the clinic is usually carried out in around an hour or less, after which time the bleaching solution I rinsed off and you’ll be given a fluoride booster to help with tooth sensitivity, which is very common for a few days after teeth whitening treatments.
After teeth whitening treatment, you should avoid food and drink like coffee, tea, coloured sweets, red wine and smoking for at least 24 hours, to prevent any staining. As the same-day smile treatment is completely bespoke to you and your needs, the aftercare process will be slightly different for everyone, and this is something your dentist will take you through on the day of your treatment.
If you’re also getting composite veneer treatment, teeth whitening beforehand can give you a whiter, brighter smile, as the veneer can be matched to your shiny new teeth, rather than the colour of your tooth before whitening. This ensures a consistent smile and gives you natural-looking, beautiful results at the end of the day. For this reason, teeth whitening is usually done before the rest of your treatments as part of the same day smile. Alternatively, if you use an at-home whitening kit provided by your dentist, we’ll help you time it so that your teeth and shining bright on the day of your treatment, but are still looking strong and healthy to ensure your teeth aren’t damaged by any of the treatments we offer. We are proud of our commitment to your dental health, and will never recommend additional treatments like teeth whitening if our dentists think that it is unnecessary or might cause damage to your teeth in the long run. A part of a same-day smile treatment, teeth whitening can have amazing results and give you a beautiful, natural-looking smile!
To find out more about the same-day options available for a one-day smile makeover, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at Dental Excellence, or book a consultation to get the ball rolling.