Smile, and the holidays will here before you know it, but if smiling is the last thing on your mind, schedule an appointment with your dentist for a smile makeover.

If holiday parties, family gatherings and even a day spent shopping for gifts make you cringe, it may have something to do with your teeth and gums, but thankfully, you can do something about it with restorative and cosmetic dentistry in Pasadena.

Talk to your dentist about dental veneers, bonding, or tooth whitening. You can even improve the appearance of your smile by replacing your silver amalgam fillings or gold dental crowns.

During your smile makeover appointment, your dentist will discuss what it is that you dislike about your grin, whether it is teeth that appear too short, a gummy smile or a snaggle tooth that affects how you look. If you have lost a tooth or teeth, your dentist may be able to help with a procedure known as Ridge Augmentation or a dental implant.

Ridge Augmentation is a cosmetic dental technique that helps restore the natural contours of your jaw and gum line. Problems occur when an indentation appears in your jawbone and gums where your tooth used to reside. The missing tooth causes the jawbone to recede leaving an indentation that does not look natural. After Ridge Augmentation, your dentist can create a new and natural looking tooth that will compliment the rest of your smile.

Other cosmetic restorative procedures that your dentist may consider include dental implants, crowns and bridges or a gum lift if you have excessive or uneven gums. Another popular procedure, known as a soft tissue graft, is often recommended to correct gum abnormalities or to treat periodontal disease.

During a graft, your dentist will take gum tissue from your palate or another part of your mouth to restore and even the gum line. This procedure also helps to reduce sensitivity. Although gum recession caused by tooth recession may not be painful, it may make one of your teeth look longer than the other. Once your dentist controls the contributing factors, a soft tissue graft will be performed in order to repair the gums and prevent additional bone loss and recession.

Contact your dentist for a no obligation smile design consultation and give yourself the gift of a beautiful smile before the holidays.