Can I Custsomize My Smile?

I’m about to be in a very visible position which requires public trust. I need to improve my smile, but I’m afraid if it is too “perfect” I won’t seem trustworthy. I want a pretty smile, but not a Hollywood smile, if that makes any sense. Is it possible to customize a smile this way?

Felicia D.

Dear Felicia,

This is exactly what porcelain veneers are designed to do. With the right cosmetic dentist, you can completely customize your smile to anything you desire. It can be stunningly perfect. It can have some imperfections. The character of the smile has more to do with the shape of the teeth. Sightly boxier teeth command strength. Longer teeth conveys youthfulness. And there are many variations between. The key is the right dentist.

Two dentists can work with the exact same smile, with the same materials and end up with completely different results. There have been many smile makeover disasters. So, how are patients supposed to know whether they’ll get the gorgeous smile or the disappointment?

One way is looking at the smile galleries of dentists to see what type of results they get. But, of course, they’ll only place their best cases on the smile gallery. Another option is the mynewsmile.com website. You can search for expert, cosmetic dentists by area. They are vetted and cannot purchase their way onto the site.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. David Newkirk.