You’re excited to transform your smile with cosmetic dentistry, but it’s hard to count down the days when you’re not sure how long your treatment will take! Though everyone’s experience with cosmetic dentistry is a little different, your dentist will be able to tell you what to expect based on your treatment of choice and the condition of your teeth.
If you can’t wait for your consultation and are eager to learn more, keep reading.
Average Cosmetic Dentistry Timelines
As you might expect, different cosmetic dentistry treatments have different expected timelines. It’s good to have an idea of how long yours typically takes on average before diving into more details, so here’s a basic overview:
- Porcelain veneers: Two appointments or two weeks
- Metal-free crowns: Two weeks
- Dental bonding: One appointment
- In-office teeth whitening: One appointment
- Take-home teeth whitening: Two weeks
- Clear aligner orthodontics: 12 to 18 months
As you can see, most cosmetic dentistry treatments are minimal enough that they can be completed within a matter of weeks.
The Exception: Smile Makeovers
Smile makeovers are a notable exception to this because they involve more than one procedure. Your cosmetic dentist will streamline the process by scheduling multiple procedures for one appointment whenever possible, but it’s not uncommon for these treatments to take a couple of months.
Factors That Can Affect Your Schedule
Ultimately, your cosmetic dentistry timeline will depend on three things: the severity of your situation, what you’re wanting to accomplish, and how well you follow aftercare instructions. Here are some specific factors you should keep in mind:
- If you have deep dental stains, you might need more than one round of teeth whitening to achieve your desired results.
- Modern clear aligners can fix the vast majority of dental misalignments, but may take longer to do so if your teeth or jaw are severely out of place.
- People heal at different rates, so it may take longer than anticipated for your mouth to make a full recovery.
- Getting more touch-ups means sitting in the patient’s chair for longer. Placing multiple veneers, for example, will take longer than placing one.
- Failing to follow aftercare instructions can result in complications that prolong your timeline.
Consulting with Your Cosmetic Dentist is Essential!
Figuring out exactly how long your cosmetic dentistry treatment will take can be difficult to do on your own. Fortunately, you’re not on your own! During your consultation, your cosmetic dentist will go over timeline expectations with you in detail. After examining your mouth and getting a good sense of your treatment goals, they’ll be able to “do the math” for you and tell you what to expect.
About the Practice
Your dedicated dentists here at Columbus Dental Arts are ready to answer your questions about cosmetic dentistry treatments! Whether you’re interested in lightning-fast teeth whitening or porcelain veneers, our team will be sure to communicate clearly about your expected timeline and other crucial details. To start your smile transformation today, contact our office at 609-324-9500.