Planning Your Wedding Day Smile

One tradition that has become universal in many cultures is photographing the event for the express purpose of recording forever the magic of a wedding day. Whether bride or groom, you'll want to look your best and in the midst of all the preparations and the stress involved, you'll want to consider planning to look your best as far ahead of time as possible.

Anything related to appearance and health, whether oral or general, might just require more time and planning than you think. Whether it be shedding a few extra pounds, quitting smoking or other life style changes, try to see them in the broader context of a long term health strategy. Make sure the changes you want to undergo to enhance yourself for the day, go into making your marriage a more healthy and fruitful long term venture in which you as a couple invest in yourselves and in each other. Envision how you see yourself and take the steps necessary to achieve realistic objectives.

The Plan

Your general dentist is a good place to start to consider the best overall approach to smile enhancement and healthy teeth. If you don't have one, find someone you are comfortable with. You can call specialists in your area and ask who they would recommend for cosmetic dentistry or speak to your friends and discuss their experiences. If you have a dentist, he can inform you of the variety of treatments, therapies and procedures to enhance your smile. Very often form follows function “if something looks right it probably is right, so if you're going to change one or more elements of your smile it needs to be planned. Part of planning is figuring out what needs to be changed, and part of that is assessing or diagnosing how you are now,” the starting point for change. Another thing to remember is that the bigger the change you want to make the longer it's likely to take.

Let's look at some of the most innovative and effective techniques available to make your wedding day pictures eternally memorable and the timing considerations involved.

Dental Cleanings

You can't get more basic than this! Get your teeth professionally cleaned for removal of unwanted stains and to freshen your breath so that all is spic and span for your wedding day spotlight pictures. Keep it that way with daily effective bacterial plaque control. Make sure you schedule an appointment with your dentist or dental hygienist well ahead of time so you're guaranteed an appointment for a dental cleaning.

• Length of Procedure — usually 45 to 60 minute appointments
• Number of Visits — 1 or more cleanings depending on how much stain and tartar there is and how long since your last cleaning
• Anesthesia — may need surface (topical) or local anesthesia (injection) if your teeth are sensitive or if a deeper cleaning is needed
• Duration of Results — you should have cleanings every 3 to 6 months depending on your individual situation
• Recovery time — none
• Risks — none

Teeth Whitening

Dentistry by Dr. Richard Whalen

Whiter, brighter, lighter..... If you like everything about your teeth except the color, whitening by bleaching may be the solution for you. A professional “in-office” dental procedure offers the advantage of being quicker and more predictable, while an “at-home” kit may brighten your smile by several shades, but requires more time. Both are safe, effective and reasonable!

• Length of Procedure — usually 60 minutes in-office while at-home whitening requires 30 min/day for several weeks until shade is achieved (2 weeks min.)
• Number of Visits — 1 or 2 depending on amount of whitening needed
• Anesthesia — none
• Duration of Results — depending on your individual situation regarding variables such as diet, tobacco use, wine consumption, and original tooth color
• Recovery time — none
• Risks — infrequent thermal sensitivity lasting 1 to 4 days