Sometimes, life leaves little marks on our smiles like a chipped tooth from childhood or uneven edges that make you hide your grin in photos. For one of our young patients here at Lake Baldwin Dental, that story began in her adolescence, when an accident left her with chipped front teeth.

Over the years, she had her smile touched up with dental bonding. While bonding is a great way to fix chips quickly and conservatively, it doesn’t always last forever. After six years of touch-ups and re-bonding, she was ready for something more durable and more beautiful.

As she entered adulthood, it was time for a long-term solution that would help her smile with confidence for years to come. That’s when our team recommended custom porcelain veneers to restore balance, proportion, and brightness to her smile.

Her Smile Story: From Chipped Teeth to Total Confidence

Adolescence can be especially hard on our teeth. It’s very common for kids to chip or crack a tooth while playing, and many youngsters grind their teeth in their sleep, which can wear them down and cause chips as well.

For these younger patients, cosmetic dental bonding is often the best solution. It’s a simple, affordable, and effective way to rebuild damaged enamel and restore the smile’s appearance.

For this patient, we used bonding to make small repairs and color adjustments for several years. But bonding can wear down over time, especially on front teeth that see a lot of use. As she matured, she wanted her smile to look as polished and confident as she felt.

She also wanted a longer-lasting result that wouldn’t need frequent touch-ups. Her main goals were clear: she wanted her front teeth to look natural, proportional, and bright so she could enjoy a smile that truly reflected her personality. As a young adult, she was ready to graduate to porcelain veneers!

Smile Goals: Natural, Balanced, and Beautiful

Like treatment at Lake Baldwin Dental, we took a completely personalized approach to our patient’s smile makeover in Orlando, FL. To do that, we started with a consultation so she could tell us her aesthetic concerns and her goals for her new smile.

In addition to chipped and uneven edges, our patient had peg laterals, which is when the teeth next to the middle two teeth look too thin or small. Her central incisors (middle two teeth) were also a little slender. Together, these issues made her smile appear slightly narrow and uneven.

Our goal was to gently enhance these proportions without making her teeth look too large or artificial. Using advanced 3D digital impressions, we created a computer replica of her teeth and gums. From there, we used cutting-edge technology to design each veneer tooth with the right size, shape, and proportions for a soft, symmetrical appearance that complimented her facial features.

The Smile Makeover Process: From Whitening to Veneers in Just One Month

We designed a simple yet transformative plan to create her perfect smile, all completed within just one month, from whitening to final veneer placement.

1. Whitening for a Brighter Foundation

Our patient began her smile transformation at home with KöR whitening trays. This professional-grade whitening system gently lightened her natural enamel several shades, giving us a fresh, bright base. This allowed us to match her restorations to her smile’s brightest natural shade while preventing darker enamel from showing through the veneers and affecting their color.

2. Preparing the Teeth for Porcelain Veneers

We want veneer teeth to fit seamlessly without making the teeth look bulky or larger than they should. We do that by buffing away a very thin layer of enamel to make space for the veneers. We then took updated scans of her prepared teeth and attached lightweight temporary veneers so our patient could smile with confidence until her final veneers were ready.

3. Celebrating a Beautiful New Smile

Our team includes expert dental laboratory technicians who specialize in creating cosmetic restorations like veneers and crowns that look completely natural. Our completely digital process ensures a precision fit by eliminating errors that can happen with traditional impressions and models.

This process also cuts down on the wait time for custom-crafted restorations, ensuring a convenient process with exceptional results.

When her final veneers were ready, our patient returned so we could try them in, make any final adjustments, and attach her new smile with strong, durable dental adhesive designed to last many years.

Our patient was overjoyed with the outcome. These subtle enhancements gave her a dream smile that’s authentically hers and built to last.

Protecting Her Restored Smile

Our team is committed to delivering the highest quality treatments and ensuring they last as long as possible. Because our patient has a history of chipping and wearing down her enamel, her treatment plan included a night guard. This is a simple, cost-effective way to prevent damage from nighttime grinding.

We’ll continue to monitor the health of her new veneers, gums, and general oral health with regular check-ups and dental cleanings. Her ongoing trust means the world to us, so we’ll stick with her for the long haul!

Ready for a Smile Transformation You’ll Love?

Your smile tells your story, and at Lake Baldwin Dental, we’re here to help you make it your best one yet. Whether you’ve been living with chipped bonding, uneven teeth, or discoloration, our team can design a custom treatment plan that fits your goals and timeline.

Just like this patient’s journey, many smile makeovers can be completed in a matter of weeks, not months. From professional whitening and veneers to conservative cosmetic treatments, we’ll guide you every step of the way with care, expertise, and attention to detail.

We’re proud to be known as the best dentist in Baldwin Park for cosmetic dentistry that looks naturally beautiful. If you’ve been thinking about refreshing your smile, now’s the perfect time to start, Orlando!