As Torrance, CA’s leading dental implant center, PermaDent has the tools to completely restore and transform your smile through a smile makeover. We have witnessed time and again the incredible power of this procedure to give our patients not just a brand-new smile but a brand-new life. We also know that people often hesitate to get a smile makeover because they don’t know what to expect from the procedure. 

That’s why we’re helping you understand what you can expect from a smile makeover. Once you see what it can do for you, we know you will want to experience these results yourself.

What a Smile Makeover Can Do for You

At PermaDent, we bring more skills and procedures to the smile makeover process than most dental offices. When you get a smile makeover at PermaDent, you can expect to see excellent results, including:

  • Beautifully repaired teeth
  • Natural and attractive-looking replacement teeth
  • Healthy, attractive gums
  • Restored facial proportions

For many dental practices, a “smile makeover” just refers to improving the appearance of your teeth. While teeth are central to your smile, they’re not the only feature of an attractive smile. While we can repair damaged teeth and replace lost or failing teeth, we go beyond that. 

Your gums are the essential frame for your teeth. If you don’t have attractive and healthy gums, your smile won’t look as attractive, and your results won’t last as long as they could. At PermaDent, our periodontal specialists can use periodontal plastic surgery to ensure your gums are healthy and attractively frame your teeth. 

But we don’t stop with your gums, either. Under your gums are your bones, which can shrink naturally over time or because of gum disease, injury, or tooth loss. This not only means there’s less bone to support dental implants, but it can also give your face a shrunken appearance, making you look older and unhealthy. Our periodontal specialists know how to regenerate bone to support dental implants and restore healthy facial proportions.

The Smile Makeover Process

Although the smile makeover is a customized process, it generally goes through a few basic steps. Here are the steps you can expect in your smile makeover. 

Smile Makeover Consultation

The first step in your smile makeover is a consultation with one of our dentists. We often see people by referral, but you don’t need a referral to schedule a consultation. We’ll start by listening to your goals and perhaps asking questions to ensure we understand what you’re looking for. We encourage you to bring pictures to help convey the results you hope to achieve with your smile makeover. For example, if you’re trying to restore your youthful smile, bring in pictures of your smile when you were happy with it. 

After listening to your goals, we will examine your teeth. We’ll also review any supporting information you brought from your regular dentist. We may want to perform some additional imaging to fully understand the current condition of your mouth. This may include a dental CT scan since this is the best way to examine your bone and tooth structure. 

Once we have all the information we need, we will compile it and make recommendations for how to achieve the results you’re looking for. We’ll explain our recommendations so you can understand how your smile makeover will proceed. If there are multiple options to achieve your results, we’ll explain them all so you can understand the benefits and limitations of each. 

You’ll also receive a comprehensive estimate for your smile makeover. Then, you can decide if you want to proceed and which smile makeover option you choose. 

Preparing Your Mouth for Dental Implants

Sometimes, your mouth isn’t ready for dental implants immediately. There are typically two main issues that prevent you from getting implants right away: 

  • Gum disease
  • Insufficient bone structure

If you have active gum disease, it can lead to dental implant failure. To protect your implants, we will want to treat gum disease before implant placement. 

Once your gums are healthy, we can address your bone structure. If you don’t have enough bone to support dental implants or achieve your desired facial appearance, we can use bone regeneration to rebuild your facial structure. 

Dental Implant Placement

With gum disease healed and bone regeneration completed, it’s time to place dental implants. 

At PermaDent, our experienced implant dentists have the skill and tools to perform this procedure quickly. It generally takes less than an hour per dental implant to complete. 

Healing Caps or Provisional Restorations?

At the time of surgery, your dentist will evaluate the stability of your dental implants. If your implants are stable enough, you may get provisional restorations right away. These attractive and functional dental crowns, bridges, or dentures will let you bite and chew normally while your implants heal but aren’t as durable as your final restorations. 

If your implants aren’t stable enough for provisional restorations, we might place healing caps on your implants. These small structures attach to the implants and save space for your final restorations, but they don’t function like natural teeth. 

In rare cases, we might have to bury your implants under the gums to protect them while they heal.

Definitive Restoration Placement

Over the next few months, your bones will regrow around and attach to the dental implants, a process known as osseointegration. When this process is complete, it’s time to get your final restoration, also known as a definitive restoration. 

When your definitive restoration is ready, we’ll consider whether you will benefit from periodontal plastic surgery to achieve your most attractive gum line around your implants.

How Much Does a Smile Makeover Cost?

A smile makeover is a custom procedure, and the cost will vary depending on what procedures you choose. The cost is influenced by:

  • Whether you need gum disease treatment or bone regeneration
  • The number of dental implants placed
  • The size and quality of your dental restorations
  • Whether you had a provisional restoration or not

While we can’t tell you now how much your smile makeover will cost, you will get a comprehensive estimate before you agree to the procedure.

How Long Will Smile Makeover Results Last?

The good news about a smile makeover at PermaDent is that your smile makeover results will likely be long-lasting. Dental implants can last for life; some are documented as lasting over 50 years!

The restorations on your dental implants might not last as long. These typically last 10-15 years, but some high-quality restorations can last over 30 years.

Are You Ready to Get a Smile Makeover at PermaDent

Are you unhappy with your smile? Is it keeping you from smiling and making it harder to enjoy your life? Don’t keep living with an unattractive smile, especially if missing or badly damaged teeth affect your ability to bite, chew, or speak effectively. 

Please call (310) 325-9969 or use our online form today to request an appointment at PermaDent, Torrance, CA’s leading dental implant practice.