Special occasions like class reunions and weddings where photos are going to be taken are important. You will want to look your best, especially when you look back on the photos in years to come. When you look in your mirror, are you noticing that your smile seems less than its best? Could your look use some refreshing?
As time passes, our smiles age. Whether you realize it or not, your teeth are discoloring a little bit every day. Discoloration can come from the food we consume, such as blueberries, beets, blackberries, balsamic vinegar or soy sauce. Drinking tea, red wine, coffee or dark soda can also affect the brightness of your smile. Smoking leaves teeth looking yellow and dingy.
As well as discoloring, our teeth slowly wear away. The outer, whiter layer of enamel will thin with age, revealing the yellower layer of dentin underneath. The length of a tooth is also reduced with age as teeth wear away with natural, everyday use. Short, discolored teeth send a signal of old age whether we intend them to or not.
Composite bonding, porcelain or composite resin veneers and dental crowns can help you achieve a brighter, whiter, more even smile. Veneers can even correct gaps and hide chipped or malformed teeth. Dental implants can be an excellent solution to a missing tooth. A smile that is badly misaligned might require braces or some other kind of orthodontia to achieve optimal results.
Your cosmetic dentist can work with you to determine what steps should be taken to address your particular smile concerns and rejuvenate your smile, making you look younger and more refreshed. You will begin to see the positive responses from people who will be able to see you at your youthful best, allowing you to be your most confident, most comfortable self. The changes you make now can change your smile for years to come.
If you live in the Meriden area contact us today
The desire for a better looking and better functioning smile has been around since ancient times. As early as 3000 BC, there is evidence that people used sticks to clean their teeth. Early toothbrushes were made of animal hair in the late 15th century.
The earliest forms of cosmetic dentistry are believed to be dentures made from ivory and bone by the Etruscans around 700 BCE. Other dentures were made from animal or even human teeth taken from corpses. Near 200 CE, the Etruscans had moved on to using gold to perform the functions of a dental crown or bridge.
Ancient Egyptians made a whitening toothpaste of vinegar and ground pumice stone, while the Romans utilized the ammonia from urine in their toothpastes, a practice that existed in some form into the 1700s.
Dental implants of human teeth were used in Europe in the 1700s for replacement teeth, but the practice was rejected due to repeated failures. Over the next hundred years, metal was used – and was also subsequently rejected.
The end of the 18th century and the entre 19th century showed great strides in cosmetic dentistry, particularly in the field of prosthetic dentistry, with the success of the porcelain denture. Molds were made of existing mouths with plaster, allowing dentists to provide the greatest denture fit and comfort available to patients thus far.
In the 1840s, the first rubberized material used as a base for dentures was invented, called Vulcanite. The first dental lab created specifically to produce prosthetic dental appliances was established in the 1850s. Porcelain dental crowns gave way to porcelain fused to metal crowns in the 1950s, and Vulcanite gave way to acrylic in the early 20th century, materials we still use today.
Your cosmetic dentist in Meriden is a skilled professional whose techniques have been practiced and refined by those dentists who came before for thousands of years. Today, we are at the pinnacle of the knowledge and expertise of trained cosmetic dentists and with the variety of successful methods and materials that will work for any cosmetic need.
If you live in the Meriden area contact us today
Although your oral health is of utmost importance, it’s not the only thing to consider about your smile. There is a specialized field of dentistry that focuses on giving you the most appealing smile possible for you. Cosmetic dentistry can turn a crooked, discolored, or otherwise unattractive smile into one that you will want to show off.
A relatively new area of dentistry, cosmetic dentists are becoming more and more popular. The goal is to transform your smile into a beautiful one that will last for a lifetime. It is usually not difficult to find a cosmetic dentist by asking friends and family, researching on the internet, or asking your general dentist for suggestions for this type of specialist.
Most cosmetic dentists use the most modern technologies in their offices to provide the most advanced treatment options. Some of the most popular procedures that you can expect a cosmetic dentist to perform include:
- Teeth whitening – brightening the color of your teeth and minimizing stains
- Veneers – attaching porcelain shells to the fronts of your teeth to hide imperfections
- Implants and crowns – restoring missing teeth to improve mouth appearance and function
- Bonding – using composite resin material to repair chips and fill gaps
- Contouring – reshaping the tooth to create a more appealing look
- Braces – straightening your teeth and correcting jaw misalignment
In additional to improving smiles, you can usually expect a comfortable experience at your cosmetic dentist. A number of the common procedures are not painful, but those that do cause discomfort may be aided with sedation techniques. Sedation dentistry is also an option to relax patients who experience anxiety or fear about visiting the dentist. If you are unhappy with your smile, schedule an appointment with a cosmetic dentist to learn about ways to change your look.
Schedule a consultation today to learn more our Cosmetic Dentistry options at our Meriden dental office.
Have you always disliked your smile? Did childhood school pictures find you smiling closed-lipped and tense? Did you spend your teens fearful of making personal connections? As you aged, did you find yourself facing more and more mounting oral difficulties? Dental problems are difficult enough to deal with when it’s just one or two cavities or a problem remembering to floss, but when you’re dealing with a lifetime of bad oral health, it can become so much more.
Often, those who need the most professional oral care are those who avoid it completely. Many have had negative experiences in the dental chair as children, or are fearful of the pain or process that is necessary to makeover a smile that’s been unattractive and unhealthy for most of the patient’s life. These patients sometimes avoid professional care because of shame and embarrassment, fearful that the dentist is going to judge them.
Smiles go bad for many, many reasons, some of which are completely out of the patient’s control. Poor nutrition growing up because of a lack of money or parental education can be a large factor. Some medicines, if taken during childhood, can cause adult teeth to degrade, and there are many genetic factors that can be passed on to a child that leads to extremely poor quality teeth. If this sounds like you, don’t let shame in your situation keep you from getting the smile you always wanted.
Find a skilled cosmetic dentist in Meriden and schedule a consultation. Nothing has to be done at this first meeting, it’s just talking to the dentist. If that dentist isn’t helpful and supportive, get up and walk out and find yourself another dentist. The majority of cosmetic dentists understand the backgrounds that can lead to poor oral care. It can have nothing to do with how much you brush or floss, but everything to do with your history.
You deserve to have the smile you’ve dreamed of all your life. Don’t let fear or shame hold you back. Work with your cosmetic dentist to make a plan, and take the first steps you need to completely makeover your smile!
Regardless of what aspect you dislike about your smile, there are cosmetic dentistry procedures to treat them. Smile makeovers are possible to give you the look you’ve been wanting. Not only do they enhance your smile, but they also boost your confidence. You may not know all the options and the problems they address. So here’s a list that can help you decide which of them is relevant to you.
Tooth discoloration
Teeth can easily become discolored from poor hygiene due to consuming foods and drinks such as coffee, red wine, berries, and tea. Smoking is a big culprit for tooth discoloration. Teeth whitening is the most common way to brighten your smile, and various methods are available either at home or professionally.
Misalignment
Teeth that are crowded or malaligned are not only unappealing; they can also make oral hygiene management more difficult and cause added stress on your jaw. Traditional braces, clear methods like Invisalign, crowns, and porcelain veneers are various ways misalignment might be treated. Discuss with your dentist that of those options is best for you.
Gaps
Spaces between your teeth can be embarrassing socially, as well as detrimental to the function of your teeth. Braces or Invisalign are excellent ways to correct gaps. Veneers are another option depending on how large your gaps are. Those are alternatives to cater for your budget.
Gummy smile
Excessive amounts of your gums show when you smile can create what is known as a gummy smile. Treatments may include gum sculpting, veneers, crowns, braces, or surgery.
Missing teeth
Smile restoration can be done with dental implants, bridges, or dentures. Each of these solutions has their good and bad aspects. Therefore, consult your dentist for advice before deciding on it.
Worn-down teeth
If untreated, worn teeth can cause tooth loss or dental health problems. Teeth that are damaged can often be restored with either veneers or crowns.
We treat patients from Meriden and the surrounding area
The first impression you make on the world often starts with your smile. Dingy, dull, crooked or chipped teeth create the appearance of an “old” smile, making you look older than your actual years. Restoring your smile’s youthful look is an easy way to subtract years from the image you portray to the world. Thanks to advances in modern cosmetic dentistry, your smile can appear as young as you feel.
As tooth enamel thins with age, teeth lose their shine and appear darker. Thin enamel also causes teeth to weaken, making them easier to chip and causing wear and shifting. Cosmetic dentistry offers many procedures and treatments to address these problems and help return your smile to a younger, more vibrant state. Just a few options you may want to consider include:
- Professional teeth whitening to improve the color of teeth that have been darkened by stains or discolored from age.
- Porcelain veneers and bonding to correct gaps, chips, and teeth with uneven lengths. Veneers can also reshape teeth, restoring the youthful appearance created by longer teeth. Veneers can also be used to build up your back teeth to support the cheekbones, replacing the fullness lost with aging and giving your face the appearance of a “lift”.
- Orthodontia with either clear or traditional braces corrects the misalignment caused by teeth that shift as you age.
If your desire is to look as youthful as you feel, cosmetic dentistry may be a perfect solution to address the problems of an aging smile. Many procedures can be completed in as little as one office visit, with little to no recovery time. Consult with a qualified cosmetic dentist to find out how you can achieve a younger, more perfect smile.
If you need a dentist in Meriden contact us today
