How Cosmetic Dentistry Can Make You Look Younger

Age brings many changes to our physical bodies that can impact how we feel about ourselves and present ourselves to the world. Our teeth are no exception! Years of use wear and tear can lead to misaligned teeth, discoloration, and decay that can leave you feeling self-conscious about your smile. Cosmetic dentistry can whiten, replace, or restore your natural teeth so that you can enjoy the bright, healthy smile you remember. Continue reading to learn how!

Hide And Repair Imperfections

You likely have had your teeth your entire adult life, and all those years of eating and drinking can lead to tooth stains, cracks, or crooked teeth. Cosmetic dentistry can address these signs of aging in several ways, including:

• Teeth whitening procedures that can remove years’ worth of surface stains to create a more youthful smile.
• Veneers that coat teeth with a durable porcelain cover to hide imperfections, protect you from additional damage, and conceal minor gaps or crookedness.
• Direct bonding to fill cracks or fractures with a tooth-colored resin that is cured into place.

Support Facial Structure

You may not usually consider dental implants to be a cosmetic solution, but gaps in your smile left untreated can lead to sagging or hollow-looking cheeks. Our teeth provide stimulation through chewing and biting which maintains the strength of the jawbone and muscles. Gaps in your mouth from missing teeth lead to deterioration as the body reabsorbs the surrounding bone mass. This can alter the shape of your face.

Implants fill in any gaps in your smile to provide much needed support and stimulation. This preserves the structure of your face to recapture a more youthful appearance.

Recontour Gums

As we get older we grow more susceptible to gum disease, often resulting in gum recession. This means that your gums pull back and away from your teeth exposing more of the tooth. Not only does this result in a toothier grin, but also increases the risk of decay and infection. Your dentist can improve the health of your gums by using a soft tissue laser to maneuver your gum line.

Invisible Repairs

No one enjoys the look and feel of metal hardware on their teeth, but in the past there may not have been other options! There are updated solutions to make corrections that are much less obvious, including:

• Metal-free crowns. Crowns are used to cover broken or decayed teeth and protect them from further damage. However, a large stainless-steel cap can catch the sunlight and draw attention to imperfections. Metal-free crowns are made of a durable porcelain material that matches your natural teeth and won’t be as eye-grabbing as the alternative.
• Invisalign clear braces. These clear plastic aligners can straighten crooked teeth without needing bulky metal braces.

Though we may be unable to travel back in time, cosmetic dentistry can provide solutions that protect and strengthen your smile as well as restore a more youthful, healthy appearance.

About the Author

Dr. Alan R. DeAngelo earned his Bachelor of Science in Dentistry and his Doctor of Dental Surgery at the University of Illinois College of Dentistry. He has a wealth of experience from decades of practice and takes special pride in using cosmetic dentistry to help his patients revitalize their pearly whites. If you are feeling self-conscious about the state of your smile after a lifetime of use, feel free to schedule an appointment on the website, or by calling (708) 854-5912.