By Thanksgiving and Hanukkah
While the time frame is tight for getting cosmetic dentistry done by Thanksgiving and this year’s remarkably early Hanukkah, it’s still possible. You just need to pick the right procedures. Here are a few that can give you results in the next couple of weeks.
Teeth Whitening: Teeth whitening breaks down the stains on your teeth, giving you a brighter, more beautiful smile. This can help your smile look younger, healthier, and more attractive. Teeth whitening can also be fast. We can do in-office whitening with Zoom! that will brighten your smile dramatically in under an hour. At-home whitening takes longer, taking about two weeks to achieve results, but it can achieve a brighter smile and help you maintain your results. You can even combine the two to make sure you get the results you’re looking for in the time frame you need.
Dental Bonding: Dental bonding uses a composite material similar to tooth-colored fillings to reshape and/or repair teeth. It’s quick, inexpensive, and versatile. You can repair a chipped tooth, reshape an unattractive tooth, or close a gap between your teeth. The only disadvantage of dental bonding is that it is not long-lasting. You’ll enjoy the results this year and next most likely, but after that only the Ghost of Christmas Future could tell you.
CEREC Crowns, Veneers, and Fillings: With CEREC, we can give you same-day dental restorations. These can repair and beautify damaged teeth to help your smile look whole and healthy. And it only takes one visit. We usually use this technology for dental crowns, but there are many restorations that you can get with CEREC. While this procedure is fast, the results can be long-lasting. You might enjoy the results for decades!
By Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s
If you have a little more time before seeing people, you not only enjoy more flexibility with the above procedures, but you can get more extensive procedures that might take longer to complete.
Lab-Made Veneers, Crowns, and Fillings: Although CEREC restorations are as good as those made in a lab, there are some situations where having lab restorations is a better choice. If, for example, you’re looking for a full set of porcelain veneers, it’s usually better to work with a lab. This can add 1-2 weeks to the time required to get your results. This is extremely difficult, though not impossible, to achieve by Thanksgiving. So we recommend a timetable that counts on getting a smile makeover with these procedures completed by the later holidays, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s.
Timing Dental Implants
Deciding when to get your dental implants can be tricky. Sometimes, you can get results quickly. Other times it takes longer.
Dental Implants (best case with temporary restorations): In the past, most people had to wait months before dental implants would replace their teeth. These days, most people will get an attractive temporary restoration on their implant the same day it’s placed, even if you’re getting hybrid implant dentures. This means that if you get your dental implant procedure before Thanksgiving, you’ll likely have your new smile by Thanksgiving. The only caveat is that you’ll have some eating restrictions for a few days after your procedure, so it might be better to wait until after for implants. However, your current teeth or dentures might already impose worse restrictions on you, so this might not be a factor.
Dental Implants (worst case): However, in some cases, when we place your dental implants, we realize they’re not stable enough to support a temporary crown or bridge. In that case, you’ll have to wait for your implants to bond with your bone before getting restorations placed. This takes about three months. In the meantime, you’ll wear some sort of removable cosmetic temporary replacement. These don’t look as good or function as well as temporary restorations. Unstable implants are relatively rare, but it’s an important consideration.
Act Now to Get Cosmetic Dentistry in Anchorage
If you’re looking to have your new, beautiful smile by the holidays, we need to schedule your appointment as soon as possible. Appointments are filling up fast, so we encourage you to schedule an appointment with Anchorage cosmetic dentist Dr. Richard Crosby today. Please call (907) 931-7999 or use our online form to contact us today for an appointment.
