In the Western world, a smile holds immense significance as a social cue. In this article, we discuss how to boost your smile confidence and explore the preventive and cosmetic dentistry procedures that can help.
How to Boost Your Smile Confidence
Often, the beauty and confidence of a smile stem from its health. In fact, preventive dentistry procedures, improved daily oral hygiene routine, and an orthodontic treatment (if needed) can go a long way in enhancing the appearance of your smile. The reason for this is that preventive dentistry and orthodontics not just mask the issues, but also help treat them.
Thus, we recommend exploring these options before opting for any cosmetic dental procedures:
Professional Dental Cleanings and Fluoride Treatments
During a professional dental cleaning, your doctor removes plaque and tartar buildup from your teeth. This reduces bacteria in the mouth and prevents tooth decay and gum disease (the leading causes of bad breath). Additionally, professional cleanings can remove some surface stains from the teeth, which may be caused by plaque and tartar buildup.
Professional fluoride treatments help remineralize the enamel of your teeth, making them more resilient to bacteria and reducing the risk of tooth decay.
Orthodontic Treatments
In some cases, crooked teeth can be masked with such quick procedures as dental veneers. However, we recommend opting for an orthodontic treatment instead, even though it takes much longer.
Crowded teeth are challenging to clean properly on a daily basis, and as a result, they are prone to plaque buildup and tooth decay, including cavities. Thus, proper teeth alignment will not only improve the appearance of your smile but will also be hugely beneficial for your oral health and overall confidence.
Improved Oral Hygiene
Improving your daily oral hygiene will help preserve the results of professional cleanings and maintain the health of your smile for years to come.
Cosmetic Dental Procedures
Some issues cannot be remedied with preventive dentistry and orthodontic treatments (however, these procedures should still be considered first). Examples of such issues include severe discoloration and deep staining, as well as cracks and chips on the teeth. In these cases, one of the following cosmetic procedures might be beneficial for you:
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening utilizes a bleaching agent (for example, hydrogen peroxide) that temporarily makes the enamel of your teeth more porous, penetrates its deeper levels, and destroys the darkly pigmented particles.
Professional teeth whitening can be done in a dental office or at home, using whitening trays provided by your dentist.
Dental Bonding
During a dental bonding procedure, your dentist uses a resin composite to mask cracks and chips on your teeth or stains that do not respond to whitening treatments. It can also be used to elongate the teeth or slightly alter their size (for example, for closing gaps between the teeth).
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are thin shells typically made of porcelain or resin composite. This procedure can address similar issues to dental bonding. The primary difference between the two procedures lies in their respective application processes. Thus, a veneer covers the entire front side of the tooth, while bonding is typically applied only to the part of the tooth that requires alteration.
Additionally, unlike bonding, dental veneers are an irreversible procedure, as more of the tooth’s enamel must be removed to ensure a comfortable fit for the veneer.
Make an Appointment at Baseline Dental
If you want to enhance the health and appearance of your smile, do not hesitate to make an appointment with an experienced dentist at Baseline Dental today. Our specialists will examine your issues and consider your goals and needs to offer you an optimal course of action.
