Is cosmetic dentistry for you? The honest answer depends less on what your teeth look like than on how you live. A daily coffee drinker, a night-time grinder, someone who dreads the drill and someone with a wedding in three weeks may all want a better smile, but the right starting point is different for each. This post looks at eight real-life situations and the cosmetic treatments at the Timonium office of Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS that tend to fit them, so you can see where you might begin.

Find the situations that sound like you. If several apply, that is normal, and it is exactly what a consultation sorts out.

Situation 1: You drink coffee, tea or red wine every day

Stains build up gradually, and they are one of the most common reasons people start thinking about cosmetic dentistry.

  • A good fit: In-office laser power whitening, which activates the whitening agent to dissolve stains, as part of a plan customized to your teeth. See teeth whitening in Timonium.
  • Worth knowing: Porcelain veneers resist stains better than natural teeth or composite. Composite bonding can pick up stains, so rinse with water after coffee, tea, cola or red wine.
  • Keeping it up: Limiting staining foods and whitening routinely help a brighter smile last. Read how to keep a whiter smile after whitening.

Situation 2: You grind or clench your teeth

Grinding slowly wears down and cracks enamel, often without you noticing, and it can shorten front teeth and chip cosmetic work.

  • A good fit: A bite evaluation first. A clear, comfortable bite guard custom-made for you helps protect your teeth from further wear.
  • Worth knowing: Worn teeth can be rebuilt with veneers or crowns once the bite is addressed. Bite protection is recommended for any cosmetic treatment. Read veneers for worn teeth.
  • Also consider: Jaw tenderness and frequent headaches can point to a TMJ disorder, which is evaluated before treatment. See TMD and TMJ disorder.

Situation 3: You don’t want your teeth drilled

Many people are open to cosmetic dentistry but not to losing healthy tooth structure.

  • A good fit: Dental bonding sculpts tooth-colored composite resin onto the tooth, often in a single visit and typically with no anesthesia.
  • Also a good fit: Prepless veneers need little or no drilling and preserve most, if not all, of your natural enamel.
  • Worth knowing: Not everyone qualifies for prepless veneers. Teeth with damage or older dental work often need traditional veneers to strengthen them.

Situation 4: You had braces once, and your teeth have shifted

Teeth that were straightened years ago can drift, and a small change can bother you every time you smile.

  • A good fit: Invisalign Express, a thrifty way to achieve minor tooth movements when a full course of treatment is more than your smile needs. See Invisalign in Timonium.
  • Also consider: Instant orthodontics uses veneers, bonding, crowns and tooth and gum reshaping to transform crooked or gapped teeth in as little as one or two visits.

Situation 5: You get nervous in the dental chair

Anxiety keeps a lot of people from ever asking about cosmetic treatment.

  • A good fit: Starting with gentle treatments such as whitening or bonding, which is simple and comfortable.
  • Comfort options: Laughing gas is complimentary, oral conscious sedation is available, and IV sedation can be used for longer or more complex work. Learn about sedation dentistry.
  • Worth knowing: The office is spa-like, with paraffin wax hand treatments and aromatherapy, and every step is explained before it happens.

Situation 6: Your budget is limited

Cosmetic dentistry does not have to mean a complete makeover all at once.

  • A good fit: Bonding is one of the most affordable cosmetic procedures in dentistry today, and it is often a first step in a larger makeover.
  • Pacing: A plan can be staged, and staging treatment can help if you use a flex spending account.
  • Paying over time: Financing through CareCredit and Cherry can spread the cost. For small, affordable changes, read want to perk up your smile? start small.

Situation 7: You have a date on the calendar

A wedding, a new job or a big event can make a smile feel urgent.

Situation 8: You see more gum than teeth when you smile

A gummy smile can make healthy, normal-sized teeth look short.

  • A good fit: A gum lift, which moves the gum line upward on the upper teeth with a dental laser or radiosurgery for better proportions.
  • For bigger changes: The Haywood surgical smile makeover combines gum surgery with same-day custom veneers, so you can walk out with a new gum line and smile.

When cosmetic dentistry isn’t the first step

Sometimes the right answer to “is cosmetic dentistry for you?” is “yes, after something else.”

  • Gum infection is treated first, so new work sits on healthy gums. Bleeding or receding gums and bad breath are signs worth an exam.
  • Decay and failing fillings are repaired so cosmetic work is placed on sound teeth.
  • Teeth that need to move may be shifted with Invisalign before veneers.
  • Very dark teeth may not whiten enough on their own; Dr. Haywood explains the options, such as veneers or bonding, before you begin.

How to find out for sure

Reading about situations can point you in a direction, but only an exam and a preview can confirm it. At a cosmetic consultation, Dr. Haywood starts with a thorough oral exam and a conversation about your goals. A before-and-after demonstration is part of every cosmetic evaluation: your digital photographs are changed on the imaging computer so you can see the possibilities and plan them together. With veneers, you also evaluate a “test drive” set before the final veneers are made. Treatment starts only when you approve. Learn about cosmetic imaging.

Dr. Haywood is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, trained in cosmetic dentistry at New York University’s Aesthetic Continuum, and insists on a natural, never-fake look.

Cost, insurance and financing

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. Many plans limit purely cosmetic treatment, though work that also repairs a damaged tooth may be treated differently. HSA and flex plans are welcome, and financing is available through CareCredit, with no-interest options for up to 12 months, and Cherry, with plans from 3 to 24 months.

Frequently asked questions

Is cosmetic dentistry only about looks?

Not always. Bonding repairs chips and fractures, veneers can strengthen chipped teeth, and crowns protect damaged teeth while improving their shape. For more, read five reasons to choose cosmetic dentistry.

What if more than one situation sounds like me?

That is common. Your consultation brings everything together into one plan, which may use a single treatment or combine several in a sensible order.

Can I start small and add treatments later?

Yes. Bonding and whitening are frequent starting points, and plans can be staged. If you plan to whiten, it usually comes before new tooth-colored work, since whitening does not lighten porcelain or composite.

Will my results look natural?

That is the goal. Ultra-thin porcelain stays translucent like natural enamel, and the smile preview and test-drive set let you confirm the look before anything is final.

Find out if cosmetic dentistry is for you

If one of these situations sounds familiar, the next step is a conversation about your smile. See every option on the cosmetic dentistry in Timonium page, then 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, serving Timonium, Towson, Pikesville and Baltimore.

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