My upper lip has lowered over the years and now it is difficult to see my teeth when I smile, if you can see them at all. It really bothers me. I’ve done some research on having my lip lifted. It can be done, but it is challenging, not all cosmetic surgeons will even do the procedure, and there are scarring issues. I’m not sure I want to do that if there is a better option. I asked my dentist if I can approach this from the inside by having some type of cosmetic work to make the teeth longer so they show when I smile. He wasn’t sure because he doesn’t do cosmetic work. Is this do-able or do I need to go for the lip lift?
Celine
Dear Celine,
Porcelain veneer
I’m glad you wrote because this is very do-able. I’m going to suggest you have a smile makeover done with porcelain veneers. Not only can these make your teeth look longer, but they can completely remake your smile, including the shape, size, and color. Celebrities aren’t born with those perfect stunning smiles, they have this exact type of smile makeover done.
The picture above shows a single porcelain veneer. These are tiny wafers of porcelain which are designed to the shape and color which best flatters your face and smile, all while giving you the smile of your dreams. I’m sure you’ve already figured out that your dentist won’t be the best one to provide this procedure for you.
I’m sure he is a fine family dentist, but doing smile makeovers isn’t taught in dental school. It requires the dentist to invest in post-doctoral training to learn both the technical and artistic skills requisite to creating stunning smiles.
Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist
There isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry, therefore any dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist. This makes it tricky for the patients to know who has the real skills and who doesn’t. To help patients with that problem along with aiding dentists in getting the skills necessary, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry began an accreditation program.
Dentists who are AACD Accredited (which is different than just being a member) can provide you with a smile you’ll be proud of for the rest of your life.
One thing I’d like to suggest is you get your bottom teeth whitened so that they won’t look drastically different than your new smile on your top arch. You can do that gradually with at-home teeth whitening or in one appointment with Zoom Whitening.
This blog is brought to you by Grosse Pointe Woods Dentist Dr. Theodore Hadgis.