We are here this week to talk about a dental topic that has been increasing in popularity in recent years—how to obtain the perfect smile. Many patients visit our dental office with the common goal of attaining that “Hollywood Smile.” Perfect teeth can mean drastically different things to different people, however, and our goal is to help our patients achieve their individual goals when it comes to getting the look that they desire. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Americans place an extremely high value on the smile. Over 99% of surveyed adults believe that a nice smile is an important social aspect and a slightly smaller percentage believe that an attractive smile can make a person appear more attractive to members of the opposite sex. We want to help you achieve the smile of your dreams so that you can appear more attractive, youthful, successful and confident.
Patient education is one of the foundations of our practice here at Ponte Vedra Complete Dentistry. One of the ways that we present new information to our patients is with our blog. We hope that, by reading this article, you learn about some of the changes that are possible with the dental technology that exists today. We offer many services related to cosmetic dentistry. Please feel free to contact us at any time electronically or call (904)285-7711 if you would like to schedule a consultation.
What is a Smile Makeover?
At Ponte Vedra Complete Dentistry, we are committed to doing whatever it takes to help our patients achieve their esthetic goals. The ultimate smile makeover will be a collaborative effort between you and your dentist. It is important for you to be patient with you dentist throughout the time period and understand that you both have the same goal in mind—a perfect smile for you! Your dentist will work with you to come up with a problem list and treatment objectives to obtain the look that you desire. Your dentist will also explain to you why your smile looks the way that it does and what changes should be implemented to change it to appear more esthetically pleasing. There are many reasons that you may be unhappy with your smile and multiple underlying causes for its appearance. Because of this, your dentist may present to you multiple treatment options. Together, you and your dental team will decide on the best treatment approach. The following article contains a list of some of the most common esthetic problems that our patients present with and some of the ways that we have achieved excellent results in the past. This is not a comprehensive list but we hope that it provides you with a small glimpse into the possibilities that exist. There may be things that you want to change about your smile that you never even knew were possible!
What Are Some Common Esthetic Problems and How Can We Fix Them?
Color or Stains
One of the most common complaints that patients present with is that their teeth are not white enough or are severely stained. Staining can come from either the inside of the tooth or the outside of the tooth. The time of staining that is present determines the type of treatment that is best for your teeth. Mild or Moderately stained teeth can be whitened successfully in the dental office with whitening (sometimes called bleaching) treatment. Severely stained teeth may need to have veneers or crowns placed on them to completely hide the discoloration.
Misshapen Teeth or Fractured and Broken Teeth
Some people are born with very small or very large teeth that may appear misshapen. If the teeth are large, your dentist can esthetically recontour them with dental polishing burs. If your teeth are small, your dentist can treat the teeth with esthetic bonding or veneers or crowns to make the shape appear more natural. If your teeth are fractured or broken down, they can be repaired with bonding or veneers. However, your underlying habits of grinding or clenching must also be treated at this time in order to obtain optimum results. Please watch the following video for more information on cosmetic bonding.
Gaps between Teeth
Your dentist can use esthetic bonding, crowns, or veneer techniques to close gaps between teeth. Adult braces or invisalign treatment may also be used to fix those gaps.
Misaligned teeth
Adult braces and Invisalign treatment can be used to realign the teeth if they are severely rotated or misaligned. Depending on the severity of the misalignment, also known as malocclusion, orthognathic surgery may be necessary to obtain optimal results.
Gums That Appear Too Big or Are Receding
Sometimes, the teeth may actually be cosmetically pleasing but the gums are misshapen. This can cause the smile to appear unsightly. Your dentist can perform gingival contouring and various types of gum grafts to improve the appearance of your gums and smile as a whole.
As you can see, there are many different options when it comes to cosmetic dentistry and your ultimate smile makeover treatment plan will be unique and individualized based on your needs and conditions. Your dentist will inform you which technique will work best in your situation. Many of our patients in the Ponte Vedra Beach area have been satisfied with their ultimate smile makeovers! If you have any further questions or would like to set up a consultation, please contact us at any time electronically or call (904)285-7711.