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Last Updated on 16th February 2022
Our appearance is a common source of our confidence or lack thereof, and one major consideration when it comes to how we feel about our looks is our smile. Social anxiety caused by a dental problem such as stains, overlaps, or missing teeth can severely impact our confidence but there are many remedies to these problems. We’re going to be shining a light on the most popular cosmetic dental treatments that are used to ensure a healthy-looking smile.
Teeth Whitening And Abrasion
Most people will have heard of teeth whitening by now, as it’s probably the most common form of cosmetic improvement you can have. There are plenty of products out there that claim to be good for giving your teeth a whiter appearance, but the best way to do this is to visit a dentist for a proper whitening treatment.
There are a few different ways in which this can be done, from bleaching the teeth, to abrasing the enamel to remove tough stains caused by smoking or drinking wine, for example.
Straightening And Realignment
Crooked or overlapping teeth can be very hard to deal with, especially as a young person. This is a very common cause of reduced self-esteem but sometimes the treatments themselves can be off-putting too. Visible braces can be used to realign teeth but there are some much more subtle solutions such as Invisalign treatments that can used, even by children.
You’ll need to visit a specialist orthodontist, such as the Lancashire-based Smyli Orthodontics, for this treatment as there is a fair bit of prep-work that must be done. A mould of your teeth must be taken using a combination of digital scans, photographs, x-rays, and even sometimes a physical putty mould, to help build your aligner. After a period of time wearing your aligner, your teeth should straighten out, leaving you with a smile to be confident with.
Implants
When a tooth is missing, especially a visible one such as an incisor or canine, it can feel quite embarrassing when you’re talking to someone. After all, our eyes are drawn to someone’s mouth when having a conversation as we instinctively read people’s lips as they talk. To rectify a lost tooth, either caused by a physical accident or tooth decay, there is an option to have a false tooth implanted into the gap. This dental implant is fitted into the jawbone with a titanium screw and can be very long-lasting.
Veneers And Enamel Bonding
Building up chipped, damaged, or stained teeth using enamel bonding is very popular. Your dentist can shape your tooth using the same material used in fillings to make your tooth appear complete again or whiter. This unfortunately doesn’t last as long a more permanent solutions such as veneers. This is where a row of false teeth is created using porcelain and are fitted over filed-down teeth. They’re often chosen by people with overly stained or worn teeth and can completely revitalise the appearance of your smile.
Dental Crowns
A crown is a custom-made cover that fits over the whole tooth when it has been prepared by the cosmetic dentist. The material is usually acrylic or porcelain fused to metal and they are used to withstand biting pressure. Crowns can be used in cosmetic dentistry when teeth need treatment, which consists of shaping poorly shaped teeth, filling badly decayed ones, repairing chipped ones and covering spaces between them all in order to improve the appearance.
Teeth Shaping
This process of reshaping the tooth is typically done by filing or removing some of the enamel. This process is normally a pain-free procedure and can provide instant improvements to the appearance of your smile. For example, a chipped tooth from an accident will be given a smoother surface to even the edge and give it a more appealing appearance.
