Regardless of their age, everyone wants a bright and beautiful smile. While getting into practicing proper oral hygiene early in life is the best way to make sure your smile looks great for the longest time, the years will have their effect on your teeth as they undergo more wear and the bones and muscles change with age. Here’s a brief overview of how aging can affect your smile as well as a few ways that cosmetic dentistry can help preserve your youthful appearance.
How Does Aging Affect My Teeth?
Your teeth can expect to chew through a lot of material over the decades, and the foods they tear and grind can leave their mark over time. Years of use can make their whitish enamel layer thin out, making the yellowish dentin layer underneath more visible. This diminishing of the enamel can also leave the teeth more sensitive to shifts between hot and cold temperatures. The teeth wearing down can also lead to changes in their alignment, which can cause headaches, neck pain, or TMJ issues.
How Can Cosmetic Dentistry Help Me Look Younger?
Luckily, advances in dental science have yielded a range of cosmetic dental treatments that can help you achieve beautiful teeth after decades of use. A few of these include:
Veneers
If you’ve ever wondered why so many movie stars and media personalities seem to have perfect smiles, the answer is probably veneers. These thin porcelain sheaths are designed to fit over teeth with flaws like cracks, chips, stains, and gaps. This can cover up these defects and transform your smile into a beautiful new state over only two appointments.
Teeth Whitening
Many people enjoy foods and beverages that are high in pigments or dyes such as coffee, tea, red wine, berries, and colorful candies. Over time, the chemicals that give these items their color can leave stains or discoloration in your teeth. Luckily, professional teeth whitening treatments from your dentist can leave your smile up to eight shades whiter. You can have your teeth whitened in about an hour during an in-office procedure or over two weeks with a take-home kit.
Cosmetic Dental Bonding
If you have a troublesome dental defect like a chip, crack, or stain, cosmetic dental bonding may be able to affordably address it in minutes during a routine dental appointment. Your dentist will fill in or cover up a flaw with a tiny amount of tooth-colored composite resin. They will then smooth the putty-like substance so it becomes flush with your natural tooth structure so nobody will be able to tell it is there.
You don’t have to let the years get the best of your smile. Consulting with your dentist can determine if any of these cosmetic dental treatments can be appropriate for you.
About the Author
Dr. Ramona Rivera earned her dental degree from NYU School of Dentistry in 2010 and also completed the Loma Linda University Maxi Dental Implant program. She is a proud member of the California Dental Association, the American Academy of Cosmetic and Aesthetic Dentistry, and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. Her office in Fair Oaks, CA offers general, restorative, emergency, and cosmetic dentistry such as veneers, teeth whitening, and cosmetic dental bonding. To book a cosmetic dental consultation, contact her online or dial (916) 967-2217.