What is the importance of a beautiful smile?
Our smile is one of the best assets that help us in making a positive impression in social situations. It boosts our confidence and self-esteem and compliments our overall personality.
What is the importance of cosmetic dentistry in improving our smile?
Earlier it was a notion that we need to go to a dentist only when we have a toothache or when we are in pain due to an oral problem. A beautiful smile was a god gifted asset that just some lucky people possessed. Discoloured teeth, protruding teeth, malocclusion, empty spaces between teeth and other such conditions spoil the beauty of our smile and make the people conscious and reluctant to smile.
But advancement in the field of cosmetic dentistry has changed this completely. Cosmetic dentistry can now change the color, shape, size, and alignment of teeth to improve the smile of the people.
What are the common problems that spoil the beauty of a person’s smile and their solutions?
Discolored or yellow teeth
Everyone desires a set of pearly white teeth but very few have it. Intake of an excessive amount of tea, coffee or smoking makes the teeth discolored. Some medical issues and medicines or health supplements are also responsible for the discoloration of teeth.
Solution: Cosmetic dentistry provides the option of teeth whitening or tooth bleaching. It is a common procedure and helps the patient achieve the desired tooth color. The dentist can suggest the use of over the counter tooth whitening products which can be used at home or provide the tooth whitening treatment in his office which is a safer option. The dentist can also suggest laser treatment for teeth whitening. In this procedure, the gums are covered with rubber, and the teeth are covered with a bleaching agent, then a beam of argon laser is focussed on the teeth to activate the bleaching agent and bring maximum whitening.
Undesirable tooth size
Sometimes the size of the tooth is long or big which looks quite odd. Sometimes parts of the enamel are chipped which gives an unsatisfactory look at the tooth.
Solution: The tooth can be reshaped with the help of cosmetic procedures like Contouring, Enameloplasty, Odontoplasty, and Stripping.
Severely chipped, cracked, eroded or broken tooth
Due to daily wear and tear, biting hard food or abrasion, the enamel of the tooth can get harmed, and the look and functions of the teeth are hampered.
Solution: This problem can be solved with the help of cosmetic procedures like bonding, veneers, and crowns. Bonding is the process in which a composite resin is applied to the tooth surface, and the tooth is reshaped and polished. Though the bonding material used on the tooth looks like the tooth enamel, it is not very hardy, and the person has to be careful and not bite hard foods as it can destroy the composite bonding. Another solution for repairing chipped broken or eroded enamel is the use of veneers. Veneers are porcelain laminates that are used to cover the destroyed enamel. Veneers are ultra-thin and made to order. It enhances the shape and covers the chipped or discolored tooth enamel. It is also used instead of teeth whitening to improve the color of the tooth.
Gaps between the teeth
Sometimes the teeth are too small for the jawbone, and this leads to the creation of gaps between the teeth. It happens mostly in between the two upper front teeth. It becomes noticeable and spoils the look and smile of the person, making him self-conscious.
Solution: The dentists can solve this problem by either bonding the teeth or by using dental veneers or dental crowns.He can also close gaps by advising the patient to wear braces or Invisalign to close the gaps. If the gap is as wide as a single tooth, then the dentist may also fix it with the help of dental implants which are surgically implanted tooth roots that are crowned later to look and function like a natural tooth.
Small decay and cracks
Sometimes the teeth have little decay and cracks that slowly become large and spoil the look of the tooth. Dental fillings are too small, and crowns are too big to repair these damages.
Solution: These small damages can be repaired with the help of Inlays and Onlays.
Missing tooth or teeth
Nothing ruins the smile of a person more than a missing front tooth or teeth.
Solution: It can be solved either with the help of dental implants or dental bridges which can replace more than three teeth in total.
Our healthy teeth can have imperfections that hamper the beauty of our smile. According to Dr. George Smith, a Plano Dentist, cosmetic dental treatments not only alters the aesthetics of your teeth but brings a positive change in the health and natural appearance of your teeth and overall personality.
Related Article: Cosmetic Dentistry A Savior
References:
- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmetic_dentistry
- http://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/ways-to-improve-smile
- http://georgesmithdds.com/cosmetic-dentistry/