You’re not alone if you’re feeling self-conscious about dental flaws or are worried others might judge you for your appearance. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people spend billions of dollars on cosmetic dental procedures to improve their looks and boost their confidence.
Some older adults worry that they’ve waited too long to try to upgrade their grins, or that there’s nothing their dentist can do to help combat the visual effects of an aging smile. Thankfully, that’s not necessarily true! Continue reading to learn about 3 ways your provider can help you build and maintain a more youthful visage!
Enhancement #1: Brighten Your Enamel
One of the first things others notice about you is the color of your teeth, and if yours look more yellow or brown than pearly white, you’re less likely to make a positive impression. But even if you brush and floss twice daily, you can still develop dental discoloration for reasons other than poor oral hygiene.
For example, daily biting and chewing eventually wear down your enamel over the years, allowing more of the underlying layer of dentin, which has a yellow hue, to show through. Frequent or prolonged exposure to darkly tinted foods and drinks, like coffee, tea, tomatoes, berries, or wine, can also tint your teeth. But many dentists offer professional-strength in-office whitening treatments that can remove years’ worth of stubborn stains to brighten your grin by several shades in a single appointment.
Enhancement #2: Repair Chips & Cracks
Daily wear and tear can also affect your teeth over the years, and thinning enamel from aging increases the risk of developing chips, cracks, or other damage that can detract from your appearance.
If you’re frustrated by one or more of these imperfections, you might be a good candidate for porcelain veneers. This involves cementing thin ceramic shells, which are customized to match or improve the size, shape, and shade of your enamel, over the fronts of your teeth to mask imperfections. This can be used to address a variety of concerns, including age-related injuries or discoloration, to give you back a younger-looking grin.
Enhancement #3: Straighten Your Smile
Even those who’ve had an evenly spaced smile for most of their lives may notice their teeth drifting out of alignment later on as the pressures of daily biting and chewing push them out of their ideal positions.
Fortunately, there’s no real age limit on straightening your smile. Although traditional braces are a tried-and-true option, many seniors prefer a more comfortable, discreet solution, such as Invisalign. This treatment uses a series of custom-fitted, transparent plastic trays that fit snugly over your arches and shift your teeth into their ideal positions, instead of bulky metal brackets and wires.
If you want to look younger but aren’t sure which cosmetic procedures are right for you, your dentist can create a customized treatment plan to help you achieve your goals!
Meet the Author
Dr. Douglas Baldwin is passionate about providing patients with a comprehensive menu of 5-star services to help improve your dental health and enhance your appearance. He studied at the University of Texas colleges in Arlington and San Antonio, and today, he enjoys combining his passion for helping others with state-of-the-art technology to deliver comfortable, beautiful results meant to last. If you want a younger-looking smile, you can request an appointment on the website or call (817) 478-4300.