Dentists: 5 Ways to Improve Your Smile

While there are plenty of good reasons to visit local dentists, aside from a medical emergency such as a severe toothache, going to a dental care provider to improve your smile is probably the most enticing and superficial. However, let’s face it, considering the alternative isn’t really a smart option in this day and age, an age in which appearance trumps any other attribute one can possibly have. Moreover, if you aren’t confident in the appearance of your smile, you probably think about it frequently. Sure the road to the perfect smile will probably require a considerable amount of money and time, but looking on the bright side, improving your smile can significantly boost your confidence and subsequent quality of life. A dentist specializing in cosmetic dentistry can help. 

According to aboutcosmeticdentistry.com, five of the most popular dental services used for cosmetic purposes include: teeth whitening, crowns, dental implants, tooth contouring and reshaping and accelerated orthodontics. The first procedure, and arguably the most popular of all cosmetic dental procedures, is teeth whitening. Teeth whitening is a bleaching process performed to enhance the brightness of your smile. Although some may experience side effects such as gum sensitivity and/or a reaction to the chemical solution used in the bleaching process, teeth whitening is nearly 80 percent effective in most patients. While teeth whitening may be more inspired by vanity, crowns on the other hand, may become necessary as a result of age and wear and tear on the teeth, i.e. grinding. In doing so, crowns generally enhance the strength of the weakened teeth upon which they are placed. It is important to note that depending on the type of crown used (i.e. gold, porcelain, porcelain fused-to-metal), the disadvantages will vary. Third, and perhaps the most invasive procedure discussed in this article, is dental implants. Dental implants are a typically recommended for individuals who are missing teeth. Due to the nature of the this surgically intensive process, that is requiring screws to be inserted in one’s jaw bone, there are a great deal of cons to consider including monetary investment (i.e. tens of thousands of dollars), pain and discomfort post surgery as well as additional work down the road to replace the crown that is placed on top of the implant. The fourth procedure, tooth contouring and reshaping, is certainly the quickest procedure as it can be performed instantly. Moreover, tooth contouring can be used to correct teeth abnormalities such as length and shape without the use of braces, in some cases. Lastly, accelerated orthodontics is a new and improved version of the traditional braces. While the biggest advantage to accelerated orthodontics is the significant reduction in time (i.e. three to eight months as opposed to one to three years), the biggest challenge will be finding a cosmetic dentist who is trained to perform this very new procedure. 

With the help of qualified dentists, improving your smile can be one of the most rewarding things you can do to enhance your esteem and confidence. Unfortunately, nothing worth having comes easy, and so the time and money invested should not be met with anxiety or even worse, a complete turn off. Instead, choose to focus on the short term and long term benefits of improving your smile and the immeasurable benefits it can provide.