A healthy diet, plenty of rest, a good skincare routine, and exercise all play an important part in staying vibrant and youthful. A big secret that is often overlooked in the fight to stay young, however, lies in a person’s teeth. A smile is one of the first things people notice about one another. In fact, in a poll conducted by Harris Interactive, 94% of those asked said that they are likely to see a person’s smile when they meet them for the first time.
With age, our teeth can become yellowed or discolored. Our teeth chip, crack and begin to show wear as time goes on. Along with this, we start to see faces shorten, chins move, marionette lines in the corners of the mouth, wrinkles, and loss of volume in the cheeks. These changes occur due to the aging process each person goes through and can make you seem older than you are or feel. The good news is that many of these factors improve in part through dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry and reconstructive dentistry plays a significant role in overall health and can aid in the process of looking and feeling younger.
How Can Dentistry Help My Facial Reconstruction?
When people tell me they are thinking of cosmetic procedures such as face-lifts or fillers, I always ask them to consider evaluating their teeth first. In some cases doing simple dental procedures can make a person look years younger immediately upon completion. In other situations, more reconstructive dental work may need to be done to restore a person to a more youthful version of their former selves. The best part about investing in dentistry is that it does not wear off after three months, like Botox. It provides structural support and has other benefits such as better oral health and aids in better chewing to promote healthy digestion. It is an overall excellent investment and should be the first thing to consider when thinking about cosmetic procedures.
So what can be done to improve your smile? Below is a list of some of the simple changes a person can do for their teeth to some of the more complex dental work.
Whiten teeth
Let’s face it; teeth go through a lot within a person’s lifetime. Beverages like tea, coffee, and wine may bring joy to your day but they don’t do anything to help with the coloring of your teeth. Also, habits like smoking and just straight out neglect can discolor and age the appearance of teeth. Teeth whiteners can be used to restore teeth to a more vibrant and lighter color. Teeth whitening can be done by a professional or you can buy strips and other tools over the counter to do yourself. There are also many DIY teeth whitening strips that can be found online but I caution using those unless you consult a dentist to make sure they are safe for your teeth.
Veneers
Veneers, when done by the right dentist and a knowledgeable laboratory such as Opus One Laboratories in Agoura Hills, CA, can be one of the most conservative restorative procedures. Veneers offer a more long term solution to whitening teeth, but they also help to aid in correcting imperfections, alignment, closing spaces, providing length and symmetry. In some cases, they can also contribute to providing support to the lips. This gives your mouth a fuller effect and overall leaves you looking and feeling more youthful.
Implants
If you have missing teeth, this plays a big part in aging your face. The roots of your teeth stimulate the bone in your jaw. If teeth are missing, the stimulation is gone, and bone loss occurs. As a result, cheeks begin to sink in, making you seem older than you are. Also, the loss of a tooth causes other teeth to move, which can create more damage as the mouth becomes increasingly dysfunctional. The longer someone goes without taking care of missing teeth, the more expensive the situation can become. Front teeth restoration is one of the procedures that can better fix these problems and give you a well rounded facial appearance. Dental implants are an excellent way to combat tooth loss.
Restoring the Mouth
In some cases, a more comprehensive approach may need consideration. In cases where the answers might not be so straightforward, more types of procedures may need to be incorporated to bring about the best results. These procedures might include a combination of options such as veneers, crowns, and implants. This type of work, when done with the right dental team, can help bring back the mouth to not only a youthful appearance but also can contribute to providing some of the structural support that we lose as we age.
Determining where to start maybe a daunting idea. Have your mouth evaluated by a knowledgeable dental team and see what options are available to you. These procedures can be life-changing and give you the confidence you didn’t know you would ever get back. When considering cosmetic procedures, your smile is one of the best investments toward looking and feeling younger.
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