If you’ve been putting off dental work, 2011 may be the year to make time for your mouth and schedule an appointment with the dentist.

Dr. April Zeigele is a cosmetic dentist who has operated her practice, Ziegele’s Smile Studio, on Sumner’s Main Street for 15 years.

What does it mean to be a cosmetic dentist?

“We do all of the same things as a general dentist, but we make sure that patients have pretty teeth to show for it,” she said.

Those cosmetic services include porcelain veneers, whitening, dental implants and treatment of temporomandibular joint disorder, or headaches and neck pain caused by painful jaw joints.

The practice has received a cosmetic upgrade of its own, with a $130,000 remodel of the lobby and waiting area. The most recent work completes a total remodeling of the business that began with the carpet and paint in the examination area three years ago.

“I bought this practice from another dentist when I started and with this work I finally feel like I’ve made it my own,” Zeigele said.

Her practice experienced a drop in business when the economy took its downturn in 2008, but has begun picking up again. Interesting, she said, it was the small procedures typically covered by insurance that evaporated from her schedule; more substantial procedures that might not be covered by insurance remained.

“People still want to make sure, if they’re looking for a job or whatever else is going on in their life, that they look their best,” she said. “A great smile is one of those things that allows people to boost their confidence.”

Zeigele’s Smile Studio is at 15324 Main St. in Sumner.