Smile Makeovers in Maryland: Express Your Personality

The best smile makeover is not the whitest or the most dramatic. It is the one that looks like you. A makeover is a set of choices: how much you want to change, how bright your teeth should be, which teeth are treated, whether they are reshaped or moved, and how quickly you want to get there. Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS designs each smile at the Timonium office, but the direction comes from you, and patients travel from across Maryland for that kind of personal planning.

This guide walks through the decisions you will make in a smile makeover, how your personality and lifestyle point toward certain treatments, and how to try your choices before they become permanent.

Start with who you are, not a template

A makeover built from a template tends to look like one. That is why your visit starts with a thorough oral exam and a conversation about your goals and what you find beautiful. It helps to jot down what you would like to change beforehand, and also what you like about your smile now, so nothing that matters to you gets lost. Every plan is customized; there is no one-size-fits-all treatment plan.

The choices that shape your makeover

A subtle refresh or a dramatic change

Some people want friends to notice they look rested, not that they had dental work. Others want a smile that is clearly transformed. Both are valid. Cosmetic treatment can deliver either a subtle improvement or a dramatic change, and an ultimate smile makeover may treat just a few teeth or all of them, depending on your goals and your bite.

How white is right for you

Brighter is not automatically better. A shade that suits one face can look artificial on another. Professional teeth whitening at the practice is customized to your teeth, and if your teeth are very dark, Dr. Haywood can explain your options before you start, since porcelain veneers and dental bonding can also correct discolored teeth. With veneers, the shade is chosen with you and confirmed on a trial set before the final veneers are made.

Shape and character

Teeth have character: softer or more defined edges, longer or shorter proportions, a slightly individual look rather than perfect uniformity. Veneers can reshape teeth, bonding can change the shape of a single tooth, and a gum lift can change how long the upper teeth appear. How those details are balanced against your face is explained in the artistry behind a natural-looking result.

How many teeth to treat

Dramatic results sometimes come from treating just a few teeth. In other cases, all of the teeth are addressed to produce the most appropriate bite and overall beauty. Your plan should treat what your goals and your oral health actually need, and nothing more.

Conservative or comprehensive

If keeping your natural tooth structure matters to you, say so. Dr. Haywood always chooses the thinnest veneer and the most conservative approach, and prepless veneers preserve most if not all of your natural enamel for patients who qualify. Dental bonding is sculpted directly on the tooth, often in a single visit. Teeth that are damaged or have older dental work may need traditional veneers or dental crowns to strengthen them.

Reshape the teeth or move them

Veneers can make teeth look straighter without braces. When teeth need to move into a better position first, Invisalign can shift them before any veneer work begins. If crooked or gapped teeth are your main concern, compare the options in crooked or gapped teeth: your options.

Your pace

Some people want everything done before a date on the calendar. A same-day smile makeover fits into one day, and an ultimate smile makeover can be completed in as few as two visits. Others prefer to stage treatment over time, which can help if you use a flex spending account.

Matching treatments to your lifestyle

• You drink coffee or tea every day. Composite resin can stain, while porcelain resists stains better than natural teeth or composite. That can tip the choice toward porcelain veneers for front teeth.
• You grind or clench. Grinding wears enamel and cracks teeth. Your bite is part of the plan, and bite protection is recommended for any cosmetic treatment.
• Your calendar is packed. A same-day makeover can be done on your day off: in as early as 7:30 and out before the 5 o’clock rush.
• You are nervous about dental work. The office is spa-like, and laughing gas, oral conscious sedation and IV sedation are available.
• You are missing a tooth. Dental implants replace missing teeth and can be part of a makeover alongside veneers, crowns and whitening.
• You want your smile to feel easy to maintain. Straight teeth are easier to keep clean, and regular professional cleanings help protect any cosmetic result.

Try your choices before they are permanent

Deciding on a look in the abstract is hard. Two steps make it concrete:

• Cosmetic imaging. Your digital photos are changed on the cosmetic imaging computer, so you see a before and after of your own smile. It is part of every cosmetic evaluation at the practice.
• A test drive. With porcelain veneers, you evaluate a trial set before the final set is made, confirming that the shape, color and look meet your expectations.

If something does not feel like you at either step, that is the time to change it.

The treatments a makeover can draw on

A customized treatment plan can combine any of these cosmetic procedures and dental services, all in the same Timonium office:

• teeth whitening, including in-office laser whitening
• dental bonding for chips, gaps and shape changes
• porcelain veneers and prepless veneers
• porcelain crowns for damaged teeth
• gum lifts for a gummy smile
• dental implants to replace missing teeth
• Invisalign clear aligners to straighten teeth

Why patients travel within Maryland

Patients come for smile makeovers from Timonium, Towson, Hunt Valley, Pikesville, Baltimore and Shrewsbury, PA. Dr. Haywood especially enjoys performing extreme makeovers and restored a patient’s smile on an Extreme Makeover special for ABC. Dr. Haywood is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, trained at NYU’s Aesthetic Continuum and the Peter Dawson Institute, and insists on a natural, never-fake look. See real results in the smile gallery, or read why a smile is one of your most important social assets.

What a smile makeover costs

Every smile is unique, so the cost depends on your plan, and you get a clear estimate up front. The practice is out of network with insurance companies: you pay at the time of service, and the office files the claim on your behalf so your plan can reimburse you for anything it covers. Health savings and flex plans are welcome. Financing is available through CareCredit, with no-interest options for up to 12 months, and Cherry, with plans from 3 to 24 months, and Invisalign can be paid monthly in the office after a down payment.

Frequently asked questions

Do all of my teeth need treatment?

Not always. Some makeovers treat just a few teeth; others address all of them for the best bite and overall look.

Can a smile makeover look subtle?

Yes. Your plan is built around your goals, and whether you want a subtle improvement or a dramatic change is one of the first things you decide together.

Can I keep something I like about my smile?

Tell the team at the start. The consultation is about your goals and what you find beautiful, and the imaging preview lets you check that the features you like are still there.

Will my new smile look natural?

That is the aim. Dr. Haywood blends artistry with precise technique so results look beautiful and natural, never fake.

Plan your smile makeover in Timonium, Maryland

Come with your ideas, your questions and a sense of how much change you want. Request an appointment or call (410) 453-9399. The office of Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS is at 108 W Timonium Rd, Ste 200, Timonium, MD 21093. Explore all cosmetic dentistry in Timonium.