Are you happy with the appearance of your smile when you look in the mirror? If the answer is no, there are various cosmetic solutions available to help you achieve your smile goals. If there are multiple restorative and aesthetic aspects that you want to change, you may be a good candidate for a smile makeover. Here are some of the components that make up this type of treatment.
Tooth Color
Tooth color is one of the most obvious things that patients think about when they are considering an attractive smile. Discoloration is a natural part of getting older, and there are multiple things that can contribute to this. If you like to enjoy dark-colored beverages, like coffee and red wine, or use tobacco products, staining is sure to come with time. The good news is that tooth color is something that can be addressed with your treatment plan. Professional teeth whitening can help to lift surface stains. For more severe staining, veneers or crowns can be used to give patients whiter smiles.
Tooth Length
Aging procedure wear and tear that causes teeth to become shorter. Extra gum tissue can also make the teeth appear shorter. To give patients a proportionate smile, reshaping and lengthening the front teeth with dental bonding or veneers is sometimes necessary. If your teeth appear shorter because of overgrown gum tissue, your dentist can address this with cosmetic gum reshaping, sometimes called gum recontouring. Using a soft-tissue laser, your dentist cuts away excess gum tissue, leaving you with an uneven, well-balanced gumline.
Smile Line
The smile line is the imaginary line that follows the edges of your upper teeth from side to side, which ideally should be the same as the curve of your lower teeth from side to side, which ideally should be the same as the curve of the lower lip. This standard point of reference may be used to help determine how long your teeth should be.
Dental Midline
When it comes to achieving an aesthetically pleasing grin, symmetry is key. The midline of your smile should be about the same as your face. The midline is located between the two dental incisors. If this doesn’t mine up with the center of your face, it is something that your dentist will take into consideration during your smile makeover.
There are various aspects of your smile that contribute to how attractive it looks, so your dentist will keep these in mind as they plan your treatment. During your consultation, you can discuss your smile goals so your plan can be customized just for you.
About the Author
Dr. Annie Yu earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry. Since then, she has studied and trained with some of the nation’s leading dental practitioners, like Dr. Peter Dawson of the Dawson Academy and clinicians from the Pankey Institute. Currently she is a proud member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Academy of General Dentistry, Maryland State Dental Association, and more! To learn more about smile makeovers, or to schedule an appointment, visit her website or call (240) 743-4421.