Congratulations! You’re planning one of the biggest events of your entire life: your wedding! There are literally thousands of things that you have to plan out, perfect and remember, which can make this very difficult and sometimes stressful. Affiliated Dentists, though, can help check perfecting your smile off of your list!

A Perfect Smile For Your Perfect Day

Cosmetic dental work is a great way to improve your smile for any big occasion, whitening and straightening your teeth so they look their best in photos and every time you smile. Affiliated Dentists has multiple dentists that can perfect yours instantly and over time.

Ways to Improve Your Smile

There are a few different ways to change the appearance of your teeth. Schedule a consultation appointment with your dentist to discuss your options.

Teeth Whitening

One of the most commonly sought after cosmetic procedure, whitening can be done a couple of ways at Affiliated Dentists.

Custom Made Whitening Trays

This option is much cheaper than the in office type of whitening. It consists of two very short appointments. At the first visit an impression of your upper and lower arch will be taken. Once this is done, our staff will pour up a hardened mold of your arches and will create an upper and lower tray fitted just to your teeth. This can take a few days to do, so your second appointment will be scheduled to give our staff enough time to make your trays by hand.

At your second visit, the dental assistant will have you try in both trays to make sure they both fit and that nothing is poking or rubbing you in an uncomfortable way. If such spots are found they are fixed right there while you are in the chair. Once perfected, they will also show how you to use the trays, give you a two week supply of whitening gel with instructions, and show you how to properly store them and keep them clean.

This whitening option is best for those who have planned ahead to whiten their smile weeks before their wedding and given themselves enough time for their teeth to whiten gradually, which often helps greatly with sensitivity issues. However, if you waited until the last minute, ask your dentist about in office whitening.

In Office Whitening

This type of whitening is a two to three hour procedure that is done entirely in one appointment. it tends to cost twice as much as the custom take home whitening trays. It can cause extreme sensitivity, so it is not recommended the week before your wedding, as you could experience pain when drinking and eating afterwards.

At your appointment, a shade will be taken of your teeth and recorded so we can compare how much your teeth lightened during the whitening process. You will be sent home with custom fitted whitening trays, included in the cost of this whitening procedure, so impressions of your upper and lower arch are taken before we get started. Then the dental assistant will place a barrier along your gums right below your teeth so the whitening substance doesn’t bleach your gums. After that, the bleach is applied with a small brush to all of your teeth (mainly those that show when you smile, so very back molars won’t need to be bleached) while a plastic device that is inserted into your mouth holds your gums back and keeps your teeth dry. The application sits on your teeth for up to 8 minutes, and in the time allotted, we can do up to three applications. After the final session, the plastic appliance is removed and your teeth rinsed. A final shade is taken and we compare the beginning color of your teeth taken from before. After instructions are given and you are sent home with your custom fitted trays and bleach for touch ups when needed.

Home Care After Whitening

As stated before, we will always give you after care instructions regardless of the whitening option you choose. The most important thing to remember is that this is not permanent. Your eating habits can and will darken your teeth, depending on what you consume. Remember: what will stain a white t-shirt will stain your teeth. Common foods and drinks to avoid are:

• red wine
• dark soda
• red spaghetti sauce
• curry
• coffee and tea

Of course, smoking will also darken your teeth quickly. For your health and the brightness of your smile, quitting smoking is the best option.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Whitening?

No, the majority of dental insurances find teeth whitening of all kinds to be cosmetic only, and will not offer any coverage for the procedures.

Veneers

Dental veneers are great alternatives to dental crowns or even braces, depending on your teeth. Schedule a cosmetic consultation with your dentist at Affiliated Dentists to find out if veneers will be right for you to improve your smile before your wedding day.

The Low Down on Veneers

Used on front teeth, dental veneers can completely reshape your teeth. To look the best, we will treatment plan all teeth at once that are in need of veneers, whether it is because they are slightly crooked, chipped or stained to the point that whitening will not help. Veneers are thin layers of porcelain that are permanently cemented over your teeth. As impressions are taken before the teeth are prepped, the lab is able to work with your dentist to come up with a before and after look for your smile. The veneers are hand crafted in a dental lab and shipped back to us at Affiliated Dentists, where we cement them to your teeth two weeks after your prep appointment. It is recommended to get these prepped and cemented a month or more before your wedding date, in case any tweaks need to be done to the veneers, or they need to be shipped back to the dental lab for refining before they can be cemented.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Veneers?

The majority of dental insurances only see veneers as pure cosmetic dental work, and do not offer any coverage for them. It is important to plan your finances properly if you are going to move forward with this type of procedure, as they ideally need to be done all at once. Veneers cost about the same as dental crowns – about $1,000 a tooth – and if you are in need of reshaping multiple teeth in your smile, the best results come when they are done all at once.

Invisalign

If you are someone who prepares months in advance, and knows you want to straighten crooked teeth or get rid of gaps between them, Invisalign may be a good option for you.

The Alternative to Metal Braces

You probably have heard of clear braces by now, as it’s been the alternative to traditional metal braces for years now. If your dentist thinks you are a good candidate for Invisalign at your cosmetic consultation, we will take impressions, photos and x-rays to send to Invisalign so they can create your case. Once this is done, you will meet with your dentist to go over before and after images, how long your case will take to complete, and the costs. Depending on your case, treatment can last between 6 and 24 months, so plan accordingly.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Invisalign?

Unlike other cosmetic procedures, many dental insurance plans do offer a separate orthodontic benefit that might include coverage for Invisalign. It is important for you to call your insurance before you schedule your orthodontic consultation so you know what type of coverage you will have, which is something that can be worked into the final cost workup at your appointment.

Let Affiliated Dentists Help You

Our professional dental team is here to help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted before your wedding. Call and schedule your free cosmetic consultation with one of our dentists today to see your options and costs well in advance so the work can be done perfectly and you can show off your beautiful new smile during your big day!