The saying may state that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but over time, scientists have identified some more universal features of attractiveness. From facial symmetry to skin smoothness, there are ways to gauge beauty in someone’s face. When it comes to just your smile, a whole new set of traits come into play. Keep reading to learn what makes a smile beautiful and how to achieve one for yourself with cosmetic dentistry!
Brilliantly White Teeth
With the first glance, nothing shows how clean and fresh your smile is faster than the color of your teeth. Sparkly whiteness makes your teeth look more youthful, better maintained, and just plain prettier.
Although fading and yellowing occur naturally over time because of staining foods and beverages, these surface stains can be bleached out with professional whitening kits. Like products you can buy at the store, these kits are used every day at home for about two weeks, but the professional-grade solution is powerful enough to make up to 10 shades of improvement!
Uniform, Flawless Teeth
Little chips and cosmetic cracks in your teeth can add the wrong kind of personality to your smile. Other imperfections, such as especially small teeth and stubborn discoloration that doesn’t respond to whitening, can also draw unwanted attention, distracting others from seeing your overall beauty.
Fortunately, various flaws can be corrected through several cosmetic treatments. For example, a chipped or small tooth may be covered with a porcelain veneer, which looks exactly like enamel and is stain resistant. Using the same material as tooth-colored fillings, your dentist can apply bonding to your tooth and sculpt into the desired shape. In other cases, an entire metal-free crown may be necessary to give the tooth the look and function it needs within your smile.
Balance Between Gums and Teeth
You may not think much about your gums when you envision a beautiful smile, but they play an important role. For some people, their gum tissue seems to overwhelm their teeth, making their dentition look noticeably too small. In other words, they may have a gummy smile.
In the past, correcting this aesthetic imperfection entailed cutting away gums with a scalpel, but nowadays it is adjusted with a procedure called gum recontouring, in which a dental laser precisely removes excess gum tissue. Without any sutures or downtime, your dentist can lengthen the size of teeth and restore a more appealing proportion within your mouth.
Even if you don’t naturally have a beautiful smile, you can still obtain one for yourself. Through cosmetic dentistry, you can gain traits that give you confidence in your appearance.
About the Author
Dr. Craig Harder at Moses Lake Family Dentistry has multiple decades of experience treating patients. After earning his dental degree from Creighton University, he has continued to learn and refine his skills through hundreds of hours of advanced training, mostly in cosmetic dentistry. In addition to serving patients in the Moses Lake area, he regularly contributes to Dental Economics, the dental field’s leading practice management journal. If you would like to meet with Dr. Harder in a consultation, contact our office online here or call us at 509-765-4351.