Our 'Cosmetic Dentistry on a Shoe-string Budget' digital smile makeovers.

If you've visited the Cosmetic Dentistry section here on Animated-Teeth.com, you've already seen some of our 'Cosmetic Dentistry on a Shoe-string Budget' digital smile makeovers.

These are before-and-after picture sets where website visitors have submitted their own photo. We've then taken the image they've emailed in and retouched it, so to show the type of changes that their own dentist should be able to make for their smile.

Our makeovers don't try to simulate perfection.

We're not trying to illustrate (or fake) the "perfect" smile in our "after" pictures. Our makeovers are more about suggesting cosmetic treatment plans that can deliver the most "bang for the buck."

That usually means simulating treatment just for those teeth that can make the biggest changes for a smile. And it also means illustrating those types of cosmetic procedures that any general dentist should be able to provide.

We've chosen this approach because we get annoyed with a lot of dental makeovers we see on the web. Ones that show cases where the patient has had to spend an amount equivalent to the cost of a car, or two, to fix up their teeth. Cases where every tooth has been tweaked just for the sake of a cosmetic improvement, without consideration for the long-term consequences for having done so. We don't think that this is the type of treatment that most people can afford, or should be subjected to.

(As an example of what we mean, read this page: What are the true costs of having porcelain veneers placed? Even though this information is just about veneers, it outlines the exact same issues that anyone should discuss with their dentist before having any type of elective dental work placed.)

So, that's why we call our digital makeovers "Cosmetic Dentistry on a Shoe-string Budget."

Now you know why we've titled our digital smile makeover series "Cosmetic Dentistry on a Shoe-string Budget." It's not about placing cheap dentistry (although we usually mention alternative procedures that might be considered) but instead placing the right type of restoration on the most critical teeth.

Yes, the end result for the smile is usually less than perfect. But, for a lot of people, 70 or 80% of perfect isn't much of a tradeoff. Especially if it substantially reduces costs, maintenance requirements over the years (both planned and unexpected), and poses less risk for their teeth and gums over the long term.

Here's how we hope our smile makeover simulations are used.

Our main goal with these makeovers is to create an "after" picture that the person can use as a way of communicating with their dentist. A picture where they can point out exactly what they like, or don't like, about the possible changes we've illustrated. And one where their dentist can explain to them exactly to what extent the changes we've shown may be possible.

Submit your own picture for a digital cosmetic dentistry smile makeover! - It's free!

Email a picture of your smile to us and, if we select it, we'll illustrate some of the types of cosmetic changes that your own dentist should be able to make. There's no cost involved, it's free!

Here's how you can improve your chances that we'll select your picture.

We've become fairly selective about which images we will consider for a makeover simulation. After all, if we don't start with a good picture, the simulation we create won't look very good either. Those pictures that we don't select typically have one or more of the problems listed below.

1) The image is out of focus. - Take several pictures of your face from slightly different distances. Then take a look at each one and send us the one that shows your teeth well, and is also in focus.

Don't worry that the picture shows your face (all of it or part of it). Many of the pictures shown on our site were originally full-face photos. And, in fact, all of the pictures we've used for makeovers have been cropped down at least somewhat. We have no desire to embarrass anyone. Any and all images that are selected will be cropped down to a size that just shows the person's teeth and smile.

2) The image is out of focus. - We've listed this reason twice because it's the main reason why an image gets rejected.

3) The image is too small. - When you view the picture you plan to send to us in your web browser, the size of the teeth and smile need to be similar in size (or larger, or even much larger) as the teeth and smile seen in the makeover picture below. While we can usually shrink an image down to an appropriate size, we can never enlarge a small picture to a larger size. It simply becomes too grainy to be suitable for our use.

4) The image is too small. - We've listed this reason twice because, except for a picture being out of focus, this is the main reason we reject submissions.

5) The image did not arrive with the email. - Make sure your picture gets to us. As confirmation, send a "carbon copy" of your email to yourself so you can check to see if your attached picture was actually sent as expected.

Here are some other conditions we must insist upon:

1) Any image considered for a makeover simulation will need to be in either ".jpg", ".jpeg", ".png" or ".gif" format.

2) You must be over the age of 18 to submit an image.

3) WMDS, Inc. (the owner of Animated-Teeth.com), at its discretion, will choose which submitted images will be utilized for a smile makeover simulation.

4) All pictures submitted become the property of WMDS, Inc. who has the right to reproduce, modify, publish, and otherwise utilize the images. Copyrighted images may not be submitted.

5) Any person whose picture has been selected for a smile makeover will be contacted via email (at the address they used to submit their picture) once it has been completed. There can be a lag time of several weeks between the time a picture has been submitted and that time at which the simulation work has been completed.

6) Images should be submitted as an email attachment. Our email address can be found on our Contact Us page.

7) And just a reminder, it's free!