Consider this: Your smile, or lack thereof, is one of the first things that many notice about you.

If your smile is gorgeous, people will ascribe many positive traits to you — ie, friendly, outgoing, smart, beautiful – and the list goes on. Smart, attractive people  make money more, have more friends and are in general more successful than those who don’t possess these traits.

Following are four ways cosmetic dentistry can give you that gorgeous smile, and perhaps get you on the golden road to riches.

3 Common Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures that Improve Your Smile Tremendously

Teeth Whitening: Teeth whitening and bleaching have been around for a while. Since it was first introduced, it has become a favorite cosmetic dentistry procedure for movie stars and common, everyday folk alike.

Practically everything you put in your mouth on a daily basis impacts the color of your teeth. Coffee, wine, tea, smoking, soft drinks and yes, even age, all dull the luster of your smile’s whiteness.

Professional teeth whitening and bleaching is perhaps the most common cosmetic dentistry procedure because we all eat, drink and age. This procedure is painless, affordable and can be completed quickly. The result in your smile will speak for itself.

Replacing Fillings: Many who have fillings have silver or even gold fillings, for they weren’t always white. Years ago, dentists used meta-based products for fillings, which accounts for the color.

And, when you smile, these can be readily evident, taking away from what a perfectly beautiful smile should be. Cosmetic dentistry can fix this. By simply replacing your old, metallic fillings with newer ones that are tooth-colored, no one will ever know you have fillings!

Veneers: Veneers are a cosmetic dentistry procedure that can fix such unattractive problems as chipped teeth, or gaps between teeth. They look as natural as your teeth, and last for years.

Veneers can subtract years from your smile, making you appear more youthful. Your friends may not immediately know what you did, but they’ll know that you did something because, “You look great!”And, with cosmetic dentistry, you don’t have to go “under the knife” or spend thousands to accomplish it.

When one thinks of a traditional dentist, he or she usually thinks of oral hygiene, or the treatment and prevention of oral diseases. By contrast, cosmetic dentistry deals with the appearance: making the mouth, teeth, and smile of the patient look its best. The two can overlap at times, especially in the case of tooth fillings and the variety of options when repairing or replacing a decaying tooth.

Cosmetic dentistry is a blend of both science, employing new medical technologies, and art, attempting to return beauty to a person’s smile.

A cosmetic dentist is able to address many various aesthetic needs of a patient, employing safe and effective procedures:

·         Dental Veneers – Veneers are a form of tooth repair. Bonding a veneer to a tooth can improve its color as well as fill in chips or cracks. Very worn teeth are treated with veneers, as well as severely discolored teeth that teeth whitening has been ineffective in treating.

·         Teeth Whitening – By and large the most common procedure employed by cosmetic dentists, teeth whitening can repair discolorations of teeth due to poor oral hygiene, food, drink, or smoking-related stains. While bleaching your teeth is something handled by a professional, many home teeth whitening products are currently on the market as well.

·         Dental Fillings – As mentioned above, dental fillings fall into the category of cosmetic dentistry when a porcelain tooth or one made of composite materials is used to create the appearance of a full tooth.

·         Dental Implants – When a tooth is lost, it is possible to have a prosthetic tooth implanted to compensate and fill out the smile. This can result in an improved, more youthful appearance – combating the collapse of the face as a result of the missing teeth.

·         Bonding – Using a composite material, the surface of a chipped or cracked tooth is remolded to simulate the proper shape of the tooth.

In the past, severely damaged teeth were pulled and replaced with a set of dentures. While this is still an option for those with extensive damage, new technologies are employed today to broaden the options available to the general public – especially those with only one or two damaged teeth. It is now possible to repair a smile that has been ruined by damaged teeth, and return a beautiful, white, youthful smile to someone looking to enhance their appearance.

The first step in the process is to have a consultation with a reputable cosmetic dentist. He or she will be able to give you all the details necessary for you to make a decision, including the operation itself, how often visits will need to be repeated, the cost, and what results to expect. The dentist will also be able to inform you on how to make to most out of the longevity of the procedure, and the care of your new smile.