When people are trying to look younger, they may overlook one of the most important and possibly easiest areas to improve: their teeth. Worn down, discoloured, misaligned teeth can happen naturally with time, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with a less than perfect smile. Today’s cosmetic dentistry treatments offer a variety of ways to restore that youthful, healthy glow to your smile and potentially turn back the clock on your appearance.
Teeth and ageing
As teeth wear down with age, it can make a face appear shorter while teeth look longer. Add that onto the way teeth naturally darken with age and it can age a person’s looks prematurely. Wear and breakdown of teeth can be a result of abrasion from hard brushing, gum tissue loss/recession, erosion from acid exposure, and flattening or fracturing due to teeth grinding or oral habits. Your teeth, bite and skeletal bones determine the shape and length of your face and teeth so when teeth wear down it can give the appearance of a shorter face. Worn down teeth can also lead to discomfort, pain, sensitivity, increased fractures, facial pain and headaches.
Cosmetic dentistry for a more youthful appearance
A cosmetic dentist, like Dr Chianese, can help reverse or repair the effects of ageing on your teeth and restore a more youthful appearance. For any cosmetic dentistry procedure to succeed, you need good oral hygiene and a healthy mouth. Any gum disease, loose teeth, gum recession, and poor oral habits require addressing before undergoing a cosmetic dentistry procedure. A dentist has to be careful when restoring proper tooth height to avoid the potential for TMJ and headache issues. When your mouth is healthy and you have great oral hygiene habits, you can start discussing cosmetic treatments with your dentist including:
- Dental crowns – Porcelain dental crowns can give you the smile you’ve always wanted and can help with your bite by providing stability and strength. Correct, professional, experienced placement of dental crowns gives a patient and immediate bite improvement and can improve the cosmetic appearance of their face by lifting the skin around the mouth and reducing the appearance of wrinkles.
- Veneers – Used in conjunction with porcelain crowns, porcelain veneers are a staple in cosmetic dentistry for restoring the length of front teeth. The advantage of veneers is that they’re less invasive than crowns and a viable option on teeth that don’t require the coverage of a crown. Porcelain veneers can reshape, lengthen and improve the color of your smile.
- Bonding – Dental bonding can restore teeth damaged by staining, wear or decay and give the treated teeth a natural appearance.
- Teeth whitening – It’s common for teeth to become darker, stained and discolored with age and an in-office teeth whitening is one of the simplest solutions for these issues. Other ways to whiten teeth with cosmetic procedures include bonding and porcelain restorations such as crowns or veneers.
Today’s cosmetic dentistry treatments can improve the function and appearance of your teeth and boost your confidence and overall well-being.
