There are a couple of ways to have perfect pictures for your wedding day. The first way is “Photoshop”. The second way is visit your dentist. While the first way may be simpler and somewhat cheaper, the effect is not good in the long run because all your anniversary, birthday party, and family reunion photos will all have to be Photoshopped as well! You could just make up a cardboard smile on your home computer and hold it up in front of your face for each picture, but what do you do at your next job interview? Ok, all joking aside, we all know you want to look your best for one of the most important days of your life and there are some simple things you can do to have that picture perfect smile on the big day and for the rest of your life.
Step 1) Look in the mirror. You expected me to say “Visit your dentist” didn’t you? Well that IS an important step but first you need to be very clear on what exactly it is you want to have your smile look like. The main things you want to look for in an attractive smile are color, shape and position.
I list these in the order that are easiest to correct.
Color: Almost everyone, from age 12-120, wants white teeth. White teeth are a sign of health and vitality! As we age, our teeth pick up stains and the white part of the teeth get worn down so that the softer, yellow part of our teeth shows through more. Teeth whitening (bleaching) is a simple way to correct this problem. Remember fillings and crowns you already have will not whiten and may need replacement. Whitening can cost from $30 to $350 or more depending on the method used. Cheap ways include department store products like the Crest Whitening Strips® which do work, but not as well or as long term as dentist whitening. The most expensive is often the Zoom® (or similar) whitening that starts in the dentist’s office for a couple of hours, and ends after two weeks of at home whitening with special trays. The results are fast (partly because teeth appear whiter when dehydrated by the light and would go back to almost normal after several hours) but the result fades fast and must be followed up with additional treatment. In my opinion, the most cost effective, time efficient, and therefore the hands down favorite is the dentist supervised, at home bleaching systems. The dentist makes special trays that will fit ONLY your mouth and fit snugly against your teeth. Each day you put the gel that you get from the dentist into the trays and place them in your mouth (after brushing and flossing). The trays and gel remain in your mouth for about 2 hours or longer (some wear the trays while sleeping). This process is repeated once per day for 14 days. The majority of people who are able to wear the trays and gel reach the desired result in 14 days although some require more time. The cool thing is that there is no evidence that I have seen, that indicates that bleaching weakens the tooth or damages it in any way. The only side effect is the short term, and usually mild, sensitivity to temperatures (and there are solutions to that). A short visit with a dentist (most will give you a free consultation) will give you the best method for your teeth.
Shape: Sometimes teeth have minor chips or problems that can be corrected with a simple re-shaping of the teeth. Sometimes the corners need a bit of rounding or one tooth needs a tiny shortening to help it match it’s partner next to it. These minor corrections rarely need the dreaded shot and often cost next-to-nothing to do. If a tooth is too badly broken to just re-shape, perhaps a filling or veneer will be required.
Position: I leave this one to last because it is usually the most expensive thing to fix and takes the longest. Most brides don’t want the metal of braces showing in their wedding pictures and will do almost anything to avoid it. So if the position of many teeth is the concern the problem needs to be addressed several years before pictures (lets hope the future hubby is understanding). If time is extremely important and money is no object, then extreme measures like veneers and crowns can be considered. Temporary bonding of fillings can sometimes be used also with a similar result but for less cost. A lot of advertising has popularized veneers like “Lumineers®” and TV shows like “Extreme Makeover” have created somewhat unrealistic expectations in suggesting that it only takes minutes to deliver a dramatic result. They leave out talking about how long the results are likely to last. Don’t get me wrong, veneers are marvelous but they must be done carefully and correctly and will probably need replaced in your lifetime. One-visit crowns and veneers have some significant disadvantages and the only advantage is speed so be very careful when the fast-fix is suggested to you.
For most young women, bleaching and some minor re-shaping will work wonders for your smile. But what about the other half of the picture – the Groom? Don’t forget to listen to his concerns. I recently completed several fillings on front teeth for a groom-to-be who wanted to look good for his wedding. Fortunately, we were able to complete his smile-makeover in just a couple of visits because he had planned ahead and we were able to get it all taken care of before the big day.
Step 2) Visit a Dentist (and then another one) weeks (not days) before the big day.
I highly recommend second opinions. Very often a dentist will invest in a machine that can make veneers and crowns very quickly, or buy a special light that is supposed to help speed up bleaching and once invested he or she must use those machines a lot to earn back the money. There are many tried and true methods that work just as well (or better) than fancy gadgets and don’t have the associated costs and disadvantages of going too fast. Just like choosing your new spouse, speed may not be your friend :). So visit with a couple of dentists to find out about the different options. Starting early will save you a lot of money (then your Dad will have more money to spend on the dress ;). Park West Dental Care gives you free second opinions (208-524-0870).
Step 3) Get a good photographer- I am no expert, but I certainly like pictures taken by professionals rather than cousin Louie and his Polaroid.
So there you have it. The dentist’s guide to a picture perfect wedding day! Of course you may have questions and the dentist’s at Park West Dental Care are here to answer your questions. You may call us @ 524-0870 or send us an email @ info@parkwestdental.com. You can also find us on Facebook! Mention this article on our Facebook page and you will receive your choice of $20 off Teeth Whitening or FREE Teeth Whitening with a purchase of a cleaning and exam! This offer will be for a limited time only. http://www.parkwestdentalcare.com/
