Though you might not notice, we frequently smile. Statistics show that more than 30% of people worldwide smile at least 20 times daily. However, children approximately smile 400 times daily.
The fact that smiling has a more than 30 million-year evolutionary history may surprise you more if you find the statistics excessive.
It is normal. Additionally, it is a universal sign of happiness and means of communication, crossing cultures and evoking the same meaning in different societies.
In a TED talk titled The Hidden Power of Smiling, speaker, and author Ron Gutman presented numerous studies that proved the benefits of smiling in helping us live longer, healthier, happier lives.
However, some Americans cannot use these abilities due to poor dental health. Twenty-five percent of Americans avoid smiling in general. Twenty percent of people even suffer anxiety due to their dental health. Furthermore, 25% of Americans find the state of their teeth embarrassing.
More than one million people in North America receive orthodontic treatment due to wanting the perfect smile, which is still a common desire. Over the past 20 years, there were twice as many American teenagers receiving orthodontic treatment in 2015. Eighty percent of teenagers need orthodontic treatment, whether braces or another.
Cosmetic dentistry was in second place for the largest nonsurgical beauty market in 2015 after the makeup and personal care sectors due to the desire to have the perfect smile. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, cosmetic dental operations cost 2.75 billion US dollars yearly.
What Is Cosmetic Dentistry?
Cosmetic dentistry involves dental treatments and elective procedures that improve the aesthetics and appearance of the teeth.
What Are Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures?
Procedures under cosmetic dentistry include teeth whitening, veneers, dental bridges, dental implants, tooth reshaping, and Invisalign, among others.
Teeth Whitening
Our teeth frequently deteriorate as we age. Our lifestyle choices and eating habits can also discolor our teeth, removing them from their natural color and giving them an unpleasant appearance.
However, tooth discoloration is now treatable with teeth whitening. You have a few options under this dental process to enhance and lighten the color of your teeth.
You might choose a professional in-office teeth whitening procedure. With one visit to Hawaii Family Dental, our dentists may assist you in getting whiter teeth in an hour. Without subjecting them to prolonged chemical exposure, your teeth will look better with this quick, efficient technique.
You can also decide to whiten your teeth at home using a teeth-whitening solution that your dentist can suggest. The system includes a custom mouthpiece tray that contains the whitening solution. Using a custom-fit tray, you can ensure that the correct amount of solution reaches the teeth. However, compared to in-office teeth whitening, at-home teeth whitening takes longer to show results. This will depend on the strength of the peroxide used and the current shade of your teeth.
Limiting your intake of items that can discolor your teeth will increase the effectiveness of a teeth-whitening process. Combining good oral hygiene practices, such as brushing, flossing, and mouthwash, with teeth whitening is ideal.
Dental Veneers
A dental veneer is a very thin covering for a tooth. These can help improve the appearance of discolored, chipped, misaligned, worn down, uneven, gapped, or irregularly-shaped teeth.
A dental veneer also protects the tooth’s natural appearance and is stain-resistant. Dental veneers are available in two types: composite and porcelain. Dental veneers made of porcelain are more durable, realistic-looking, and stain-resistant than dental veneers made of composite material. However, composite veneers are more affordable and easier to repair and process.
One-Day CEREC Veneer Smile Makeover
CEREC System is a form of dental practice where a patient can visit the dentist and have a new false tooth designed and fitted in just a few hours.
This revolutionary system enables the dentist to fabricate, design, and fit a new veneer, crown, inlay, or onlay in a single dental clinic visit. This is a procedure that would typically take at least two weeks or more.
The benefits of the CEREC system:
There are numerous advantages to using this technology over traditional and laboratory-made restorations. Some of these include:
- Since the process takes an hour or less, only one set of local anesthetic injections is necessary.
- One dental visit is enough to complete everything. This implies that you only need to visit the clinic once, making a single day sufficient to do the entire operation.
- The dentist has complete control over the outcome partly because they make the veneer or crown from scratch rather than creating it in a lab.
Dental Bridge
A dental bridge, also known as a fixed partial denture or a permanent partial prosthesis, fills up gaps left by missing teeth. You can restore your smile using dental bridges. In particular, these can keep the shape of your face and enhance your teeth function while you chew and speak.
A dental bridge typically consists of two or more crowns. Dental bridges come in three main varieties: conventional, cantilever, and Maryland-bonded. Each type of dental bridge has a different fabrication method and anchoring technique.
A dental bridge installation technique requires two visits. The first visit involves preparing the area for the bridge installation. The second visit will be for fitting the dental bridge and making necessary adjustments to achieve the most accurate fit before finally cementing it.
Dental Implants
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root fused with the bone to serve as a strong foundation for a dental crown.
Endosteal and subperiosteal are the two types available. An endosteal dental implant is surgically implanted directly into the jawbone. However, a subperiosteal is placed above the jaw, with the metal framework posts protruding through the gum.
Tooth Reshaping
Odontoplasty, often known as tooth contouring, is a simple and painless procedure. It involves the removal of small amounts of the enamel to change the tooth’s length, shape, or surface. Thus, this can improve the appearance of the tooth.
The procedure is often necessary for altering a small chip or irregular tooth shape. An initial visit will involve the dentist checking for the size and location of the tooth’s pulp. The dentist will also examine the enamel’s sufficiency and distance from the pulp surface of the tooth.
Orthodontic Treatment
Orthodontic procedures go beyond simply straightening teeth, even though this is how they are most well known to benefit teeth.
Why Do I Need An Orthodontic Treatment?
If you have malocclusions, orthodontic treatment may be necessary. This might include an overbite, underbite, crossbite, open bite, or misplaced midline, spacing, and crowding problems.
It is necessary to correct malocclusion as it can cause strains to the jaw and affect speaking and chewing. Moreover, crooked teeth make cleaning difficult and increase the risk of dental problems, including tooth decay and gum disease.
