I have been looking into Snap-on Smile to improve the look of my smile. I decided to do some research and some patients have said it looks fake. I’m thinking that is because it looks too white. If I have the dentist make the color the exact same as my natural teeth, that should take care of the problem, right? Plus, I was thinking if I went to a more expert cosmetic dentist than most that would give it a greater chance of looking better as well. Is there anything else you’d recommend?

Caroline

Dear Caroline,

My suggestion, in all honesty, is that you don’t get Snap-on Smile. It’s not going to turn out the way you want. I see your thought process about the color. However, you can have really white teeth that look completely natural. The problem with it looking fake is when the color is uniform. Our teeth are not uniform. Parts of our teeth are more translucent than others. The color depth varies throughout the tooth.

As for whether or not an expert cosmetic dentist will make a difference, they are limited by the material as well as the lab which Snap-on Smile requires the dentist to use.

Even the most beautifully done Snap-on Smile will result in mediocre smile results. It’s best used for something like a photoshoot where people won’t get too close up a look at your smile.

Instead, a skilled and artistic cosmetic dentist will steer you toward a different procedure to remake your smile. If you’re looking for a gorgeous smile makeover, your best material is to get porcelain veneers.

Getting a Truly Beautiful Smile

Porcelain veneers are the go-to procedure for a smile makeover. In fact, it is what celebrities use to obtain their Hollywood smiles. While Snap-on Smile is made from an acrylic resin, porcelain veneers are (as their name implies) made from porcelain. This more completely mimics your natural tooth structure, reflecting light to give it that beautiful shine.

The other benefit to porcelain veneers is the dentist can choose their own ceramist and lab. With Snap-on Smile, which is produced by the DenMat Company, they require dentists to use their lab. It is not known for its beautiful results.

One tip is to make sure the dentist you use is an artist. One way to do this is to take a peek at their smile gallery. This is a brag book of sorts that shows some of their cases. It gives you an idea of what the smile looked like before and after the dentist did the work.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.