How Can Cosmetic Dentistry Enhance Your Smile?
Whether you deal with the public at work, or just enjoy socializing with friends, it is imperative for self-confidence that your teeth not be crooked or discolored or, heaven forbid, you have missing teeth. You will become self- conscious and, if you are a sales person, it might adversely affect your sales record. Socially, you’ll tend to be aware of your teeth too, smiling with your mouth tightly clamped shut.
Natural aging, accidents in which teeth are lost, and staining from things like wine, coffee or tobacco will affect the appearance of your teeth. Restoring your teeth to something like their former glory will help you to shed years off your appearance.
There are many cosmetic procedures that can be used by a cosmetic dentist to enhance the appearance of your teeth, from simple teeth whitening to surgical implants and braces. Each procedure is used in different situations and, although there are home versions available for some of these procedures, it is always advisable to have the procedure performed by a trained professional.
Teeth Whitening
There are a variety of teeth whitening bleaches available in the market. The most popular uses peroxide to bleach the teeth. This is one of the procedures that would be safe to perform at home, but again, you would certainly achieve a quicker, whiter and longer lasting result if you had the procedure performed by your dentist or oral hygienist. If you choose home tooth whitening, ask your dentist for recommendations. Some commercial tooth whiteners either don’t work, or damage teeth.
Crowns
Crowns are an excellent way to achieve long lasting cosmetic changes to your mouth. In this procedure the upper, visible part of the tooth is replaced by a better looking crown, which can be attached to your existing tooth, or attached to a titanium post that is first implanted into your original root. Crowns can be used to strengthen your teeth, serve as a support for a bridge, or replace a tooth that is missing or broken.
Veneers
Veneers are made from a special porcelain that looks remarkably like real tooth enamel, and when attached to your teeth, they form an outer shell to improve the appearance of your original teeth. The venners have to be specially made for you, so you will need to visit the dentist at least twice to get them. To bond veneers to tooth surfaces, the enamel is roughened and then the veneer is attached to the tooth surface.
Bonding
Unlike veneers, bonding or composite veneers are fused to the teeth. The composite is the same tooth coloured material that is used for fillings, but in this case, it is applied solely to improve your appearance. Bonding creates an extremely hard semi-permanent layer over your original teeth and can go a long way towards enhancing your appearance. It’s cheaper than porcelain veneers, but it’s also not quite as durable.
Tooth Straightening
Although it is best to use braces when still young, there is no reason why adults cannot also use braces to straighten their teeth; it just takes longer to get the results. Braces don’t have to be of the old-fashioned metal type. Nowadays braces can be quite discreet and you can even get nearly invisible, removable aligners or invisible braces.
Ongoing Dental Care
Throughout all of these cosmetic changes, you should not lose sight of the fact that it is important to continue normal oral hygiene habits, such as brushing and flossing, to minimize the need to continually return to the dentist for more cosmetic procedures.
You can also take better care of your teeth and limit staining if you quit smoking and cut down on coffee and red wine. Take care of your teeth, and with your dentist’s help, you’ll be able to maintain that star-quality smile for a lifetime.