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Dr. Hall,
I saw on TV that I can upload a picture of myself and see what I’ll look like with better teeth. How can I do that?
I am seriously interested in doing something to fix my smile because I hate it.
– Amy from Kentucky
Amy,
Yes, for many years there has been software available to give you what is called a digital smile makeover–to take a photograph of you and have it altered so it shows you with a new smile. I got one of the early systems back in the late 1980s – it’s much simpler now to do these digital smile makeovers.
I don’t believe any of the companies that do this offer it directly to the patient. You need to visit a dentist who offers this service, and they will use it to show you what can be done with your smile. Without a dentist who has the capability of translating the image into reality, the digital smile makeover isn’t much more than a game. But if a dentist has this software and has the capability of creating a beautiful smile, often they will offer to provide this service for free.
We used to do that in my office for free, and most of the people who got the digital smile makeover went ahead and did the actual procedure. If you do this, realize that you will probably end up wanting the work done–it’s a pretty powerful way of convincing you to get it done.
Some cosmetic dentists who don’t offer digital smile makeovers will do what is called a provisional smile makeover, which is one step better than altering a photograph but it’s more work and may not be offered for free. They will create a new smile in plastic that you can actually snap over your teeth and try out the new smile to see if you like it.
Just remember not to expect your family dentist to be able to actually create the smile makeover. My estimate is that maybe 2% of dentists care enough about appearance-related dentistry to pursue the education they need to be able to create beautiful smiles.
I see that you’re in northern Kentucky, and the closest major city is Cincinnati. One of our mynewsmile.com recommended dentists is Dr. Tara Hardin in Cincinnati, and she offers this digital smile makeover service. I would check with her as she may well offer this for free.
– Dr. Hall
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About David A. Hall
Dr. David A. Hall was one of the first 40 accredited cosmetic dentists in the world. He practiced cosmetic dentistry in Iowa, and in 1990 earned his accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is now president of Infinity Dental Web, a company in Mesa, Arizona that does advanced internet marketing for dentists.
That sounds like a great service for cosmetic dentists to offer! One of my greatest fears of a smile makeover is that I wouldn’t look natural or like myself afterwards. I think a digital smile makeover would really help give me the reassurance and confidence to move forward.
Very nice post and easy to understand things about smile makeover. Veneers, bonding, braces etc. are all different activities but they are used to improve the smile of a person and making him/her more confident. Thanks for providing this post here. It is very helpful!
– Alicia Dental in Laguna Hills, California