Smile Design
San Luis Obispo, CA
Smile design does what the name suggests, helping patients design and enhance their smiles the way they see fit. It involves a systematic approach toward evaluating, diagnosing, and resolving aesthetic dental issues. Dr. Sayre-Carstairs is a periodontist with the tools and skills to help you achieve the smile you desire. Our team will customize the treatment process for each patient’s unique needs and preferences.
Along with enhancing the appearance of a smile, we can also help promote the overall health of it. We will take the time to ensure that the patient can continue to maintain their oral health at home after the procedure. This way, you can have a healthy set of teeth and smile.
Call us at 805-952-1147 to schedule an appointment and learn more about smile design today.
Benefits of Smile Design
The goal of the process is to enhance the appearance of the patient's smile while allowing joints, skeletal tissues, muscles, tissues, and teeth to function in harmony. People who have their smiles designed to match their desires get to enjoy benefits like:
- Improved confidence: Having a healthy smile makes people more confident during interactions. They no longer find themselves worried about what others might think about them when mingling with others.
- Improved oral health: Many of the treatments performed during smile design help to keep the patient’s teeth and gums healthy. For example, pocket reduction surgery can help to prevent periodontal disease from advancing.
- Improved aesthetics: One of the primary goals of smile design is to improve the way the patient’s smile looks. Treatments like crown lengthening can be used to create a more amazing smile.
The Smile Design Process
This process begins with a consultation with our team. During this appointment, we will evaluate the patient's facial features and teeth, looking for areas that can be enhanced. The dentist will also talk to the patient about their concerns and their goals.
The patient's medical and dental history will be evaluated to determine which treatments they can receive. We will determine the most effective treatment for our patients, which can include:
Periodontal Maintenance Procedures
These treatments prevent periodontal disease from advancing. The frequency of these treatments varies based on the severity of the infection. It involves treatments like deep teeth cleanings, helping to prevent further damage to teeth, and the structures that hold them in place.
Bite Adjustments
These treatments address minor issues that might be preventing teeth from coming together as they should. The condition is known as a malocclusion and can result from a variety of things like poor teeth development, wear, tear, and injuries. Bite adjustments will help correct these issues and provide a more uniform smile.
Crown Lengthening
This process is used to address gummy smiles. It involves a periodontist removing excess gum tissues from the gums to make the patient's teeth appear longer. The procedure can also reveal cavities beneath the gums, expose damaged areas or reveal more of a tooth so we can fit it with a crown.
Ridge Augmentation
This procedure creates a natural appearance to the jaw or gums following procedures such as a bone graft or extraction. It is most common after extractions.
Pocket Reduction Surgery
Pocket surgery is a series of surgical treatments to access and clean teeth roots and gum pockets. The treatment helps to prevent teeth supporting structures from being damaged by the infection. This procedure also reduces bone tissue loss and improves the appearance of the patient's smile.
Gum Grafting
This procedure involves covering up exposed teeth roots with gum tissues. It uses tissue from the roof of the patient's mouth or gum tissues next to the exposed root. It helps to prevent the breakdown of structures that hold teeth in place.
Bone Grafting
Dental bone grafting can bolster bone tissues in a patient's mouth. It is mostly done when a patient wants certain dental devices but lacks the bone tissue needed to keep the artificial root in place. A bone graft can thicken the patient's jawbone so it can hold it in place.
Pinhole Surgical Technique
This is a minimally invasive way to treat receding gums. The technique involves creating pinholes into receding gum tissues and using a device to move the gums into a more suitable position. Collagen strips are then inserted into the pinhole. The process promotes the creation of new gum tissues that help to keep the patient's gum in their new position.
Start Designing Your Smile Today
Our periodontist can get you the smile of your dreams. Call us at 805-952-1147 to get the process started and learn more about smile design today.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the smile design process last?
It comes down to how many issues the patient is experiencing. The goal of the process is to tackle all these issues and create the smile the patient wants.
Are the treatments used during smile design covered by insurance?
That depends on a variety of things like the type of insurance policy the patient has and the particular treatment in question. Insurance providers typically pay for therapeutic dental treatments but not cosmetic ones.
Can smile design improve the alignment of my teeth?
Yes. Treatments that improve the alignment of a patient's teeth like the use of clear aligners can also be administered during a smile makeover.
Are the procedures used during smile design painful?
Local anesthetics are used during dental treatments that can cause pain, so all patients feel is the dentist working on their mouths. Patients might experience some soreness after certain treatments like bone grafts.
Do I get to add my input during the smile design process?
Absolutely. Patients are heavily involved in the design process. The dentist's understanding of dental structures and the patient's desires are factored in when crafting a treatment plan.