An estimated 99.7% of Americans believe that a great smile is one of the most important assets in social situations. We smile at others when we greet them for the first time, when we see our loved ones, and when we are happy. But if we’re unhappy with our teeth, then we may not be smiling as much as we’d like to.
If you hide your teeth from others because they are crooked, discolored, damaged, or missing, you have plenty of options to remedy these issues. Visiting a dentist for cosmetic dental treatments will give you a good idea of where your teeth can be improved, and you won’t feel like you have to hide that smile.
Wondering which cosmetic dental treatments may be right for you? Talk to your dentist or one of the cosmetic dentists in your area about these procedures if you notice any of the following issues.
If your teeth are…
- Crooked or crowded: You may need to get braces. There are plenty of adults who have braces these days, so don’t think that orthodontic treatments are only for teens. In addition to traditional metal braces, there are also invisible plastic braces from brands such as Invisalign. Using these treatments can rearrange teeth over time, sometimes in as little as a year, to reduce crowding, straighten crooked teeth, and give teeth a neater appearance overall.
- Discolored: Then you may want to consider getting your teeth whitened. Teeth whitening is the most popular of all cosmetic dental procedures. Although there are plenty of at-home kits that you can use, you can get better results from a dentist, who can whiten your teeth up to ten shades in just one visit. You’ll also receive a prescription whitening kit as part of your treatment.
- Damaged: There are plenty of cosmetic dental treatments that can fix broken or chipped teeth. In some cases, all you’ll need is a crown or cap placed on the tooth. For cavities, tooth colored fillings (known as composite fillings) can make damage invisible to the naked eye. Finally, if you would like your teeth to be whiter and more evenly shaped, you can choose porcelain veneers, which are a thin layer of dental porcelain that sits on the fronts of your teeth. These can give teeth a whiter appearance and make them appear more uniform, too.
- Missing: You might benefit from one of many replacements for tooth loss. For the more than 30 million Americans missing teeth, dentures used to be the only option for most people, but today we also have dental implants, which can replace one tooth, some teeth, or all teeth. From dental implants to mini dental implants, there are a variety of cosmetic dentistry procedures that can replace teeth and restore your smile.
Have more questions about cosmetic dentistry? Be sure to find a cosmetic dentist in your area who can address your concerns and consult you about which treatments are right for you. Doing so will have you showing off your newly improved smile in no time! You can also leave a comment below with any general inquiries. Good references here.