A smile makeover is a single plan that combines several cosmetic and restorative treatments to change how your smile looks as a whole. Redondo Beach Dental Group plans smile makeovers on Artesia Boulevard, a short drive from Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Torrance.
Wanting to change your smile is common. In a 2015 national survey by the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute, about one in four U.S. adults said they avoid smiling because of the condition of their mouth and teeth. Call (310) 542-6988 to talk through what you would like to change.
What a Smile Makeover Includes
There is no standard package. A makeover is built from the parts of cosmetic dentistry and restorative care that your teeth need, and nothing more. Depending on your goals and the health of your teeth, a plan may include:
- Teeth whitening to lighten the natural color of your teeth
- Dental bonding to repair chips, small gaps and uneven edges with tooth-colored resin
- Porcelain veneers to change the color, shape or spacing of several front teeth at once
- Invisalign® clear aligners to straighten crowded or gapped teeth
- Crowns, including same-day dental crowns, to cover teeth that are cracked, worn or heavily filled
- Tooth-colored fillings to replace old fillings that no longer match
- Dental implants, bridges or dentures to replace missing teeth
One Treatment or a Full Makeover?
A makeover is not always the right starting point. One concern usually needs one treatment, which costs less and changes less of your tooth. Yellowing alone, for example, is often a whitening question, and a single chipped edge is often a bonding question.
A combined plan makes sense when your concerns affect each other:
- Stained, chipped and uneven front teeth together, where fixing one at a time would leave them mismatched
- Crooked teeth plus worn or discolored ones, where straightening first can mean less tooth has to be reshaped later
- A missing or failing tooth next to teeth you also want to change, because the replacement has to match the final shade and shape
If most of your teeth are damaged, worn or missing, full-mouth reconstruction, which rebuilds how the mouth works, may describe your case better than a makeover. Your dentist can tell you which fits.
The Order of Treatment, Step by Step
The order matters because crowns, veneers, bonding and fillings keep the color they are made in, while whitening gel only lightens natural enamel. A typical sequence looks like this, though your dentist sets the exact order for your teeth:
- Consultation and exam. You describe what you would like to change, and your dentist checks your teeth, gums and bite.
- Health first. Decay, gum disease and failing fillings are usually treated before cosmetic work, because veneers, bonding or crowns placed over a problem can fail and cost more to redo.
- The plan and the estimate. Ask for the treatments listed in order, with the cost of each, before you agree to anything.
- Straightening, if needed. Aligners move the teeth gradually, so this is usually the longest step. Doing it first means veneers or bonding can be shaped for the final position.
- Whitening. Natural teeth are whitened next and given time for the shade to settle, so restorations can be matched to it.
- Replacing missing teeth. An implant needs healing time before its crown is placed, so it is usually started early.
- Bonding, veneers and crowns. These are made or shaped to match the new shade and the final tooth position.
- Final bite check and upkeep. Your bite is checked so the new surfaces meet comfortably. If you grind your teeth, ask about a custom night guard to protect the work.
Risks and Limits to Know Before You Start
- Some changes cannot be undone. Veneers usually require removing a thin layer of enamel, and crowns require shaping the whole tooth. Enamel does not grow back, so those teeth will need a restoration for the long term.
- Restorations wear and need replacing. Bonding can chip or stain, and porcelain can chip too. Veneers, crowns and fillings may need repair or replacement over time, so a makeover is not a one-time cost.
- Colors do not change after the fact. If your natural teeth darken later, veneers, crowns and bonding will not darken with them, and a new match may be needed.
- Teeth can feel sensitive. Sensitivity to hot and cold is common for a few days after whitening or tooth preparation. Tell us if it lasts longer.
- Problems can hide under new work. Decay or gum disease around a veneer or crown can undo the result, so checkups and daily cleaning still matter.
- The result depends on your teeth. Your teeth, gums, lips and bite decide what is realistic, so no plan can promise a particular look. Ask what is and is not possible for you.
What a Smile Makeover Costs
There is no single price, because a makeover is the sum of its parts. The cost depends on how many treatments are in the plan, how many teeth each one covers, the materials, and whether other work such as a filling or gum treatment is needed first. At Redondo Beach Dental Group, a same-day crown typically costs $1,200 to $2,000 per tooth before insurance, and a dental implant typically costs $3,000 to $6,000 per implant, including the abutment and the crown. For every other treatment, ask for an estimate with each treatment priced separately.
Insurance often treats work done only for appearance as elective, while work that also repairs damage may be partly covered. We accept PPO plans, so ask us how your plan applies to each treatment. For the balance, we offer payment plans through Cherry, CareCredit and LendingClub, plus an in-office plan for patients without insurance. Ask whether your plan can be phased, starting with the treatments that matter most to you.
Who You Will See
Dr. Moshe Eizdi leads care at Redondo Beach Dental Group. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Southern California, where he graduated with honors, and his work covers cosmetic and restorative dentistry, including implant restorations. Cosmetic dentistry is not one of the dental specialties recognized through the American Dental Association’s specialty commission, so there is no separate cosmetic specialist license.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in a smile makeover?
A smile makeover includes whichever cosmetic and restorative treatments your teeth need, and the mix is different for every patient. Common parts are whitening, bonding, porcelain veneers, clear aligners, crowns, tooth-colored fillings and replacement of missing teeth. Few plans need all of them.
How much is the average smile makeover?
There is no meaningful average, because a smile makeover is a plan built from separate treatments and its cost is the sum of those pieces. At Redondo Beach Dental Group, a same-day crown typically costs $1,200 to $2,000 per tooth before insurance and a dental implant $3,000 to $6,000 per implant, including the abutment and crown. Ask for an estimate for the rest.
What is the least expensive smile makeover?
The least expensive smile makeover is usually the plan with the fewest and most conservative treatments, such as whitening plus bonding for a chip or small gap. Veneers and crowns cost more because each one is made for a single tooth. Payment plans can help spread the cost.
How long does a smile makeover take?
A smile makeover takes as long as the longest treatment in the plan. Whitening and bonding are much shorter than clear aligners, which move teeth gradually, or an implant, which needs healing time before its crown is placed. Ask for a timeline for each step when you receive your estimate.
How long does a smile makeover last?
A smile makeover lasts as long as its shortest-lived part, and no dental restoration lasts forever. Whitening fades with stain, bonding can chip or stain, and veneers, crowns and fillings may eventually need repair or replacement. Good daily cleaning, regular checkups and a night guard for grinders help the work last.
Does insurance cover a smile makeover?
Dental insurance usually does not cover treatment done only to improve appearance, such as whitening or veneers placed for looks. Parts of a makeover that also repair damage, like a crown on a cracked tooth, may be partly covered. Redondo Beach Dental Group accepts PPO plans, so ask us how your plan applies to each treatment.
Is a smile makeover the same as full-mouth reconstruction?
A smile makeover is not the same as full-mouth reconstruction. A makeover mainly changes the appearance of teeth that are largely healthy, while reconstruction restores how a mouth with many damaged, worn or missing teeth works. Your dentist can tell you which fits your situation after an exam.
Book a Smile Makeover Consultation in Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach Dental Group is at 2511 Artesia Blvd, Redondo Beach, CA 90278. We are open Monday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Wednesday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call (310) 542-6988 or request an appointment online and tell us what you would like to change.