Picture Perfect

Created on 31st July 2008

Olivia Young investigates how important it is to ensure you have the perfect smile for the perfect day

Getting married is a very big deal. The pressure is immense for the day to be faultless. Presentation is absolutely everything and that is never more true than for the bride and groom. People are now prepared to go to quite some lengths to ensure they look the very best they can for their special day.

As we've seen from the makeover programmes of the past few years, the most dramatic - and probably least invasive - way of improving your appearance is to change your smile. It doesn't matter what other major surgery the candidates we've watched have had, it's always their new smile that blows them away.

Claire Fahy was a woman with a very important day looming - a very big wedding at Woburn Abbey. All the preparations were going really well, but there was just one cloud looming over the day for Claire... her smile. From her late teens, Claire had always been really self-conscious about her teeth. So she decided that this was the time to do something about it.

Claire went to see Dr David Bloom at Senova Dental Studios, to get a professional opinion about her situation. He identified some aspects of her smile that were less than ideal and advised that they could be rectified with ten veneers on her top teeth. She had a crossbite, which had become noticeable from her late teens and she was very self conscious about it. The treatment of veneers across the top and some minor gum recontouring would create the nice, white, even smile you see in the pictures.

Veneers are ultra thin, yet incredibly strong, shells of porcelain that are bonded to the teeth. They are particularly effective at closing gaps, covering discoloured teeth and evening out irregularities. Claire was thrilled that this would give her the nice, bright, even smile she'd always wanted.

But she was also very appreciative that Dr Bloom counselled her to first to think long and hard about whether she really needed the treatment, as it was quite an investment in terms of both time and money, and her teeth weren't bad in the overall context of her mouth.

Once the consultation has taken place and the patient has decided to go ahead a short appointment is necessary to take an impression of your existing smile. This is sent to the laboratory and used to make a template from which your dentist creates your new smile.

Approximately seven to ten days after the impression is taken your teeth are lightly buffed and contoured to allow for the small added thickness of the veneers. Temporary veneers are fitted; these are plastic but, in every other respect, are identical to the finished result giving the patient a chance to preview the final smile. A few days later the patient returns to discuss how they have found the temporary veneers and any adjustments can be made at this time. Once the patient is completely happy the permanent porcelain veneers are fitted. The whole process usually takes four to six weeks.

A thorough home care regime of brushing and inter-dental cleaning is necessary to ensure the longevity of your veneers but this is no more onerous than that necessary to preserve the health of natural teeth and veneers are highly resistant to permanent staining.

Claire decided to go ahead with the treatment and was absolutely delighted with the results. Not only did she have a fabulous smile for those treasured wedding photos - which she was absolutely dreading - but she also had a couple of job promotions too. Claire's work involves presenting to quite large groups of people and previously she'd been very wary about smiling because of the insecurities about her teeth. Post treatment, though, she was getting so many positive comments about her sensational smile that she found she had the confidence to apply for jobs she wouldn't have felt comfortable in before. Her career's now soaring.

Claire says: "This dental treatment has made such a difference to my life; you just can't put a price on it. I take really good care of my mouth now, as I would never want to feel differently about my teeth."

Dr Bloom concludes, "I was delighted to be able to provide Claire with the smile she had always dreamed of and especially happy to be able to provide this in time for her big day. She has told us since what a boost it has given to her confidence both on her big day and since."
CSMUK