You don’t need every cosmetic treatment. You need the right ones working together.
A smile makeover is a personalized plan for improving several things you notice about your smile — color, shape, spacing, alignment, damaged teeth or missing teeth — using the combination of cosmetic and restorative treatments that makes sense for you. Bethesda Dental Group currently describes smile makeovers as coordinated care that may include bonding, veneers, crowns, orthodontics, bridges and implants.
Start with what you want to change. We’ll work backward to the treatment.
A smile makeover starts with the details you keep noticing.
You don’t need to arrive knowing whether the answer is whitening, bonding, veneers or orthodontics. The first question is much simpler: what about your smile would you change if you could?
The color feels dull
Staining or discoloration may make an otherwise healthy smile feel older or less vibrant — but not every type of discoloration responds to whitening in the same way.
A few teeth look chipped or worn
Small fractures, worn edges or uneven contours can make individual teeth stand out even when the rest of the smile looks healthy.
The spacing catches your eye
Small gaps can sometimes be addressed cosmetically, while larger or more complex spacing may be better treated by actually moving the teeth.
The teeth don’t line up the way you want
Crowding, rotations and other alignment concerns may call for orthodontic movement rather than simply disguising tooth position. Clear aligners and braces can be used to reposition teeth gradually.
The proportions feel uneven
One tooth may look too short, too narrow or different from its neighbors. Sometimes the issue isn’t the whole smile — it’s the visual balance between a few teeth.
Some teeth need more than cosmetics
A cracked, heavily restored or missing tooth may need restorative treatment first, with the cosmetic plan built around returning both appearance and function. Crowns, bridges and implants can all play different roles in restoring compromised or missing teeth.
You bring the wish list. We’ll tell you which changes actually need treatment — and which ones don’t.
Smile Makeover = the treatment plan.
Whitening, bonding, veneers, Invisalign, crowns or implants = the tools we may use to build it.
“Smile makeover” isn’t one treatment. That’s exactly the point.
A smile makeover is the planning layer that connects several possible treatments. Bethesda Dental Group currently describes its makeover approach as a combination of cosmetic and restorative procedures that may include tooth-colored restorations, bonding, porcelain veneers, crowns, orthodontics, bridges and dental implants.
That means two patients who both ask for a “better smile” may leave the consultation with completely different plans. One may need nothing more than whitening and bonding. Another may benefit from orthodontic movement before any restorative work is considered. Someone with a damaged or missing tooth may need restorative treatment incorporated into the aesthetic plan.
The sequence matters too. For example, whitening only changes natural tooth structure — it does not lighten existing crowns, veneers or fillings — so shade decisions may need to happen before new visible restorations are made. Similarly, veneers alter the visible surface of teeth and are irreversible once enamel is prepared, so they deserve different consideration from treatments that move teeth orthodontically.
Your makeover may be simple, coordinated or restorative.
The number of treatments isn’t what makes a smile makeover successful. The goal is to use the least treatment necessary to solve the right problems in the right order.
Cosmetic Refresh
When your teeth are fundamentally healthy and you like their overall position and shape, the plan may focus primarily on color and a few small surface details.
- For patients whose main concerns are staining, a small chip, minor unevenness or another limited cosmetic detail.
- For patients with several different cosmetic concerns who need a coordinated plan rather than one procedure applied to every tooth.
Multi-Treatment Smile Design
When color, spacing, alignment and tooth proportions all contribute to what you’re seeing, several conservative treatments can be sequenced so each one solves the problem it is best suited to address. Bethesda Dental Group currently offers whitening, veneers, bonding and Invisalign among its cosmetic options.
Restorative Smile Makeover
If visible teeth are cracked, heavily restored or missing, the plan may combine aesthetic improvements with crowns, bridges or implant restorations designed to rebuild compromised teeth as well as the appearance of the smile. Bethesda Dental Group specifically includes these restorative treatments within its smile makeover offering.
- For patients whose cosmetic concerns are connected to structurally damaged or missing teeth rather than appearance alone.
Define the goal. Build the sequence. Change only what needs changing.
- Tell us what you see
We begin with your priorities — the teeth, photos, angles or smile details you like and the ones that keep catching your attention — then evaluate your teeth, gums, bite and existing dental work.
- Design the treatment sequence
We decide which concerns can be addressed conservatively, which need actual tooth movement or restorative treatment, and how color, shape and position should be coordinated before anything irreversible is started. Whitening does not affect existing veneers, crowns or fillings, while veneers themselves require permanent alteration of enamel, so sequencing can materially affect the plan.
- Complete it in planned stages
Your makeover may involve one procedure or several stages. We work through the agreed sequence so each treatment builds on the one before it rather than creating compromises that need to be corrected later.
200 reasons to choose us.
We don't ask you to trust us. We let our patients do the talking.
I hadn’t been to the dentist in longer than I wanted to admit, so I was expecting a lecture. Instead, the whole visit felt easy. My cleaning was gentle, everything was explained clearly, and I left knowing exactly what to keep an eye on and when to come back.
Melissa R.
Teeth Cleaning & Exam
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I had a small chip on my front tooth that bothered me in every photo. I expected a much bigger treatment, but bonding was enough. The shade matches beautifully and the tooth still looks completely natural.
Laura M.
Cosmetic Dental Bonding
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I drink coffee every day and felt like my teeth had gradually become much darker than they used to be. I wanted them brighter, but I definitely didn’t want that artificial super-white look. They helped me choose a shade that still looked like me, and the difference was exactly what I wanted. My smile looks fresher without looking “done.”
Emily S.
Professional Teeth Whitening
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I avoided the dentist for years because of a terrible experience when I was younger. By the time I finally booked, I was embarrassed about both my teeth and how anxious I was. Nobody made me feel judged. They talked through the sedation options with me beforehand, explained exactly what to expect and made the appointment feel completely manageable. It was the first time I left a dental office thinking, “I can actually do this again.”
Lauren D.
Sedation Dentistry
Kensington, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I used to think preventive dentistry just meant getting my teeth cleaned and coming back six months later. They actually took the time to explain why I kept getting cavities in the same areas and helped me change a few things at home. We also added extra protection to a couple of teeth that needed it. My visits feel much more proactive now instead of waiting for the next problem.
Nicole B.
Preventive Dentistry
Kensington, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I had been dealing with jaw soreness and painful clicking for months and wasn’t even sure whether I should see a dentist about it. The appointment was very thorough. They asked when the pain happened, checked how my jaw was moving and explained the difference between the joint and the surrounding muscles. I appreciated that the plan felt conservative and specific to what I was actually experiencing.
Sarah L.
TMJ Evaluation & Treatment
Chevy Chase, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I had already been diagnosed with sleep apnea but struggled with my CPAP enough that I wasn’t using it consistently. I talked with my sleep doctor about alternatives and then came to Bethesda Dental Group for an oral appliance. The fitting process was easy, the adjustments were explained clearly, and traveling is much simpler now. My wife is also very happy that the snoring has improved.
James R.
Sleep Apnea Oral Appliance Therapy
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I had a badly broken molar and kept putting the appointment off because I was nervous about having it removed. They showed me why the tooth couldn’t really be saved, talked me through everything before starting, and the actual extraction was much more manageable than I had built it up to be. I also appreciated that we talked about what to do with the space afterward instead of just stopping there.
Rachel P.
Tooth Extraction
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I went in with a toothache that had kept me up the night before and was honestly dreading hearing “root canal.” The team explained exactly what they were seeing and what would happen next. Once I was numb, the appointment was much easier than I expected, and the relief afterward made me wish I had come in sooner.
Michael T.
Root Canal Treatment
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
I chipped an old filling and was convinced it was going to turn into a much bigger procedure. Dr. Shawn showed me exactly what was happening, explained my options clearly, and repaired the tooth without making the visit stressful. My bite feels completely normal again, and the new filling blends in so well I can barely see it.
Daniel M
Composite Filling Replacement
Bethesda, MD
5.0 ★ · Over 200 reviews on Google · Read all reviews →
Your smile plan can have several stages. Your payment plan can too.
Because a smile makeover may combine cosmetic and restorative care, insurance benefits can vary significantly depending on which procedures are included and why they’re needed. Bethesda Dental Group accepts PPO insurance, and Cherry, Sunbit, Proceed and Care Credit financing is available for eligible treatment with no hard credit check · approval in seconds · and plans from 3 to 24 months.
Don’t choose the treatment before you’ve designed the smile.
If there are several things you’d change — color, spacing, alignment, shape or damaged teeth — we’ll help separate them, prioritize them and build a plan that changes what matters without treating what doesn’t.
