The Wedding Edition: When should I get my teeth done?

There are a lot of things to organise and plan when it comes to your big day. I, myself, only recently became a “Bride to be” and it’s genuinely hard work (especially when you’re on a tight budget).

There are so many things to think about and arrange, particularly if you’re doing it without the aid of a wedding planner. Despite this, what they don’t help you arrange, is your smile. You don’t want to be a few weeks out from your wedding day, trialling your make up with your makeup artist and noticing that you hate your smile with that plum lipstick.

Like with everything, dental treatment takes time – especially in this day and age thanks to all the delays and disruptions caused by COVID-19.

To help you future Mrs and Mr’s, here are some tips on my rough dental treatment guideline.

Clean or fillings

If you’ve been told that you needed a clean or maybe a few fillings – best to do this as soon as possible. Fillings should definitely be done when needed (that way, depending on the filling, you won’t need to worry about it for another 5+ years) and cleans should be done every 6 months. If you want nice and fresh teeth before the wedding, I would say get the clean done at a minimum of two days before your wedding. This is in case you have severe build up that requires an extensive deep clean which can sometimes cause bleeding or sensitive gums.

Root Canal Therapy (RCT)

For everyone who’s ever had root canal therapy, you will notice that it is done in a few stages, over a couple of months. Depending on how many you need, why not get your RCT completed months before your wedding? Not only will you have one less thing to worry about, but any dental aches or pains will be relieved.

Take-Home Whitening

A take home whitening kit is best used consecutively, over a period of time for the best results. It is recommended that you whiten daily for 5-7 days or until you’re happy with the colour. The sooner you start, the quicker you can get your teeth to an optimal shade. I would suggest whitening at home as much as possible a few months before the wedding. As you get closer, continue your whitening until 1 week before your big day. This will allow your teeth settle into the shade and prevent any sensitivity you have on your wedding day. Whitening is also not recommended with ‘staining’ foods so this will allow you to have a cheeky wine or two after speeches.

In-Chair Whitening

In-chair whitening results can be seen immediately after your appointment. Some people can even go up to 8 shades lighter in the one sitting. This all just depends on how your teeth absorb the product. I would suggest getting your teeth whitened even as soon as you are proposed to. That way, you can manage your expectations on what you can anticipate when you do it closer to the wedding. If you’re not too happy with the results, you’ll then have the time to look at other options without panicking that your wedding is only a week away. If you’re happy with the results and love what you see then rebook at least 1-2 weeks before your wedding.

After your in chair whitening appointment, you will experience some sensitivity that shouldn’t last longer than a day and you would be advised to strictly stay on a white food diet for 24-48 hours to prolong the results.

If you have been thinking about, or you’re interested in Invisalign or braces to re-align your smile, see a dentist for a consultation right away. The timeline for every person will vary. Some patients may need to go on treatment for 3 years, others may only need 3 months. The sooner you go in for a consultation, the quicker you’ll know and the easier it will be to plan the upcoming months or years.

Composite Veneers are a quicker and more affordable option to porcelain veneers. If you’ve seen a dentist and you’re suitable for composite veneers, I would recommend getting them done at least 1-2 weeks before the wedding. Whilst you’re there, you should organise a splint to take on your honeymoon to help prevent any unexpected damage such as night time grinding to occur whilst you’re away. Though composite veneers are a great short term solution, they can be prone to chipping, breaking and staining.

If you’ve been thinking about getting porcelain veneers and you’ve been told you’re suitable for the treatment, there are two things to think about. The first and most obvious, are the financials. How will you pay for it and can you afford to have it in conjunction with the other wedding costs? This would be a conversation for you to have with your partner. Secondly, what are your expectations of your smile when you think about staring into each other’s eyes are you walk down the aisle? Think about how many veneers you want to have, whether you want a natural or Hollywood smile, what teeth shapes you like and what colours you want. Most importantly, do your research on where you choose to go. Investigate on who you want to design the smile of your dreams. I would recommend getting your veneers done at least 1 month before your wedding. That way, you can get used to your new smile, bite and make sure your lower teeth match up in colour too (if not, see whitening tips above).

Implants are a whole other league. If you’re suitable for and need one, get started right away is what I would suggest. If you’re told you can get it done, get it done whilst your gums are still healthy, before they shrink and lose their volume.

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Hope this helps! Happy Briding!