Improving The Look Of Your Smile

Read the following post by Jeffrey Laubmeier in The Lakewood Observer:

In today’s society, your appearance can have a dramatic effect on how you are perceived by others. In fact, it may be more important and meaningful to others than most realize. Studies have shown that your appearance influences how others perceive your health and vitality as well as your level of success. This includes the look of your smile, one of the most prominent features of your face. Cosmetic dentistry plays a large part in helping people improve their appearance, and recent advances in materials and techniques have made it easier and more affordable. Bondings, veneers, whitening, and braces are examples of dental treatments for improving your smile.

Composite bondings and porcelain veneers can alter the shape and color of teeth to help cover permanently stained, poorly shaped, or slightly crooked teeth. Bondings are typically completed in one appointment, whereas porcelain veneers usually require multiple appointments spread out over a couple of weeks. Recent advances in dental materials often make it possible for these treatments to be completed with little or no preparation of the tooth prior to their application.

If you are simply dissatisfied with the color of your teeth, then whitening may be the best option for you. Teeth can become discolored for many reasons such as age, tooth trauma, certain medications, and exposure to certain food, drinks, and tobacco. Whitening can be accomplished through several different methods: at home with over-the-counter (OTC) products, at home with dentist-dispensed products, and professionally applied in-office whitening. OTC products include whitening toothpastes that can help remove surface stains and bleaching products that may come in the form of trays, gels, or strips. Since these products are OTC there is a limit to how strong the bleaching agent can be and results may take longer to achieve. Products dispensed by a dentist are stronger than OTC products and therefore can usually achieve better results in a shorter time period. Also, when purchasing professional tooth whitening, the dentist will fabricate custom dental trays, molded from your mouth, which help to enhance the results by holding the bleaching agent tight against the tooth. Professionally applied in-office whitening utilizes the most powerful products and usually can achieve results in as little as an hour. With all whitening products, the most common side effect is tooth sensitivity. Sensitivity is usually short term, but can typically be avoided if the procedure is done under the supervision of a dentist.

Braces can reposition your teeth to correct crowded, tilted, and rotated teeth, or to close gaps between teeth. With improvements in materials and techniques the time needed to move teeth has shortened. And now, in some cases, one may even wear clear retainers instead of metal brackets so that no one will know you are undergoing orthodontic treatment.

One or a combination of the treatments mentioned above can dramatically improve the appearance of your smile. A whiter, brighter, more radiant smile can boost your confidence and improve how you feel about yourself. Talk with your dentist to see if any of these treatments are clinically appropriate for you. And always make sure to use American Dental Association accepted products.