You've been thinking about your smile for a while. Maybe it's a chipped front tooth, teeth that look yellow no matter what, or old crowns that don't match anymore. But booking an appointment feels like a big step when you're not even sure what's possible, or whether you'd like the result. You'd rather start from your couch. That's what the free Smile First virtual consult is for, and you probably want to know exactly what happens when you use it before you upload anything.

The short answer

The free Smile First virtual consult takes three steps, all from home. You upload a photo of your smile. You see a preview of what a smile makeover could look like on your own face. Then I send you a personalized video with a custom treatment plan, explaining what treatment could involve for your teeth. It costs nothing and commits you to nothing. The preview is a possibility, not a promise. When you're ready, a free in-person consultation at Redefine Dental Aesthetic and Wellness Center is where I check your gums, bite and teeth and turn the possibility into a real plan.

How the virtual consult works, step by step

I'm Darya Timin, DDS, FAGD. I built my practice around planning smiles carefully, and the virtual consult is the first, lowest-pressure piece of that planning.

1. You upload a photo of your smile. You do it from home, on your own time, without booking anything first.

2. You see a preview of a possible new smile. The app shows you what a smile makeover could look like, on your own face rather than a stock model. For a lot of people, this is the first time they've seen their teeth any other way, and it's often what answers the quiet question: would I even like it?

3. I send you a personalized video. I look at your photo myself and walk you through a custom treatment plan in the video, explaining what treatment could involve for your smile. That might mean porcelain veneers, cosmetic bonding, whitening, straightening, or a combination. I'll tell you what I'd look at first and why.

That's it. You watch the video when it suits you, and you decide what to do next.

What the smile preview can and can't tell you

The preview is good at answering one kind of question: what could my smile look like? You can see how a change in tooth color, length or shape might sit with your lips and your face. That's useful, and it's the same instinct behind the smile preview software I use in the chair.

What a photo can't show is just as important. It can't show how your upper and lower teeth meet, whether you grind at night, how much healthy enamel each tooth has, or whether there's decay under an old filling. Those things decide which treatment actually fits, and they're why I always call the image a preview, not a promise.

There's also a look I want to steer you away from. If the word makeover makes you picture bright white, identical, oversized teeth, that's not what I design. A smile that looks natural keeps small differences between teeth, a tooth color that suits your skin and eyes, and porcelain thin enough that light passes through it the way it does through enamel. Nobody should be able to tell you've had work done.

Why I still want to see you in person

A virtual consult starts the conversation. It can't finish it, and here's the reason I care about that.

Before any cosmetic work, problems like decay or gum disease have to be treated first. That's standard advice, and you'll find it in what to know before getting veneers too. For me it goes further. Bleeding gums are not "just gums." Gum disease is associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, and the bacteria and inflammation in sore gums can get into the bloodstream. I'm not willing to put beautiful porcelain over gums that are inflamed. It wouldn't last, and it wouldn't be good for you.

The same goes for dental work you already have. If your teeth look yellow because of old crowns or fillings, whitening won't change the color of crowns, veneers or fillings. A photo might suggest whitening would do it. An exam tells us whether it will.

So the in-person consultation is where I take my own photos, run them through the smile design software so you see a preview of your potential new smile on screen, check your gums and bite, and build the real plan. For veneers, you'd also wear temporary veneers before the final porcelain is made, so you can live with the look before anything is permanent. You approve the design on screen and then in your own mouth.

A few tips for a good smile photo

The better the photo, the more I can see. A few things help:

• Use daylight. Face a window rather than standing under a yellow ceiling light.
• Smile the way you really smile. Not a forced grin, the one you'd give a friend.
• Look straight at the camera, holding it at eye level.
• Let your teeth show. If you usually smile with your lips closed, that's worth telling me too.

If you have older photos of yourself where you liked your smile, keep them handy for the in-person visit. They show what your teeth looked like before wear or darkening set in, and I explain why they help in using old photos of yourself to plan veneer cases.

What happens after your personalized video

There's no pressure and no deadline. Some people book right away. Others watch the video a few times, talk it over at home, and come in later. Both are fine. A second opinion is healthy before any cosmetic work you can't undo, and the video gives you something concrete to compare.

When you're ready, your in-office consultation is free as well. Costs depend on what you choose and how many teeth are involved. Porcelain veneers are $3,135 per tooth, because each one is custom-made in a lab for that tooth. Bonding is $600 to $1,485 per tooth, depending on how much of the tooth is being rebuilt. A full smile makeover typically runs $62,700 to $75,240, since it combines several treatments across many teeth.

We file the claim with your insurance for you, so if your plan has out-of-network benefits, you can use them. HSA and FSA cards work, and you can split treatment into monthly payments through Cherry. If you don't have dental insurance, the Smile Wellness Membership includes wellness visits and 10% off other treatment, with some exclusions.

Start with the free virtual consult, from home

If you've been wondering what's possible for your smile, the simplest first step is a photo. Try the free virtual consult: upload a photo of your smile, see a preview of what a makeover could look like, and I'll send you a personalized video with a plan made for your teeth.

If you'd rather sit down together from the start, book a consultation or call (214) 295-9270. Either way, you'll leave with a clear answer about what's possible and a smile plan that still looks like you.