What to Expect During Your Smile Rejuvenation Journey
1. Initial Consultation
Every smile rejuvenation begins with a conversation.
This appointment is an opportunity for us to get to know you, understand your concerns, and learn what inspires you to pursue treatment. Whether you're hoping for subtle enhancements or a complete transformation, your goals will guide the planning process.
2. Smile Design Discussion
We will discuss the features of your smile that you love, as well as the areas you'd like to improve.
Topics may include:
- Tooth shape and proportions
- Color and brightness
- Worn or chipped teeth
- Previous dental work
- Smile symmetry
- Overall facial harmony
Our goal is not to create someone else's smile—it's to design a smile that feels naturally and authentically yours.
3. Comprehensive Oral Examination
Before any cosmetic treatment is considered, we perform a thorough evaluation of your oral health.
This includes assessing:
- Teeth and existing restorations
- Gum health
- Bite function
- Tooth wear patterns
- Structural integrity of the teeth
A healthy foundation is essential for creating beautiful, long-lasting results.
4. Personalized Rejuvenation Plan
Following your examination, Dr. Alderman will develop a customized treatment plan tailored to your needs and goals.
This plan may include:
- Custom porcelain veneers
- Laboratory-crafted crowns
- Whitening
- Bite rehabilitation
- Replacement of aging dental work
We'll review all recommendations, answer questions, and ensure you have a clear understanding of the process before moving forward.
5. Digital Smile Design & Intraoral Scanning
Once you decide to proceed, we will capture a highly detailed digital scan of your teeth using advanced intraoral scanning technology.
These digital models allow us to:
- Precisely analyze your smile
- Communicate with our master dental laboratory
- Design the ideal shape, contour, and proportions of your future smile
- Create a preview model of your proposed smile design
This collaborative planning process helps ensure that your final restorations are designed specifically for your facial features, function, and aesthetic goals.
6. Previewing Your New Smile
Using your digital records and laboratory-created models, we'll present a visualization of your proposed smile transformation before treatment begins.
This step allows for refinement and feedback, ensuring that your new smile reflects your vision while maintaining a natural, timeless appearance.
7. Smile Preparation & Temporary Veneers
Once your smile design has been approved, the next step is preparing your teeth for their custom restorations.
Using the approved design as a blueprint, Dr. Alderman will carefully prepare the teeth while preserving as much healthy tooth structure as possible. Every preparation is completed with the final aesthetic and functional outcome in mind.
Following preparation, a set of custom temporary veneers or crowns will be fabricated directly from your approved smile design.
These are not generic temporaries. They are designed to closely replicate the shape, length, proportions, and overall appearance of your planned final restorations, allowing you to preview your new smile in everyday life before the definitive restorations are delivered.
During this phase, you'll have the opportunity to:
- Experience your new smile design firsthand
- Evaluate speech and comfort
- Assess tooth shape and length
- Provide feedback regarding aesthetics
- Ensure confidence in the final result
For many patients, this is one of the most exciting parts of the process, as they begin to see their transformation come to life.
8. Custom Cosmetic Laboratory Fabrication
While you are wearing your temporary restorations, your case is meticulously crafted by our cosmetic dental laboratory.
Using your digital scans, photographs, approved smile design, and detailed clinical records, skilled laboratory artisans individually fabricate each veneer or crown by hand.
This process involves:
- Custom layering and characterization of porcelain
- Personalized shade development
- Natural translucency and texture creation
- Detailed contouring and finishing
- Functional refinement for long-term durability
Rather than creating restorations that appear overly bright or artificial, our laboratory focuses on achieving the subtle characteristics found in naturally beautiful teeth.
The result is a smile that reflects light naturally, complements your facial features, and blends artistry with precision.
9. Delivery of Your Final Veneers
After your custom veneers have been meticulously handcrafted by our cosmetic laboratory, you will return to our office for the final delivery appointment.
This visit is the culmination of months of planning, design, and craftsmanship.
Before permanently placing the veneers, Dr. Alderman will carefully evaluate every detail, including:
- Fit and adaptation
- Shape and proportions
- Color and translucency
- Smile symmetry
- Bite and function
- Overall harmony with your facial features
Each veneer is individually tried in and assessed to ensure it meets the goals established during your smile design process.