Cosmetic Dentistry - Jewel Fixed Her Teeth!

Jewel finally fixed her teeth. She hasn’t told us if it’s permanent or if it’s just for her new movie. If the picture didn’t have a caption, I would not have known it was her. There is a good lesson in this. Teeth play a big part in how we recognize each other. Sometimes the pursuit of “ideal” teeth just makes us less unique. There are times when I am reluctant to perform elective cosmetic services, because I feel that the result will not really be an improvement, it will just make their teeth more like their friend’s.

My personal philosophy is that elective cosmetic dentistry is appropriate when you are distracted by the look of your teeth, or when you have difficulty smiling confidently. When I examine a patient, I do not perform a smile analysis unless the patient first tells me that they are concerned with the appearance of their teeth. Otherwise the patient may leave my office feeling worse about their teeth then when they came in.

Extreme makeover shows give the impression that anyone can have a complete smile makeover that will last forever in less than a week, and everyone needs veneers on all their teeth, and it will only require that you take out a second mortgage. There are many different options for improving the look of your teeth. Some are relatively simple, non-invasive, and inexpensive. Some treatments are very invasive and may require significant time, work, and money. There are 2 questions that will determine the best treatment for your individual case, and these are the questions that you should first answer in consultation with your dentist. What do you want to accomplish? What treatments will maintain or improve the health of your teeth? This will determine what is ideal for your case. Reasonable alternatives to the ideal treatment will allow you to come close to ideal within a time frame and budget that works for you.

Some aspects of ideal treatment that are often overlooked in the race to veneers are whitening, orthodontic treatment, and periodontal treatment. Whitening is simple, non-invasive, and relatively inexpensive. It is usually best to begin any cosmetic treatment with whitening. This may be all the treatment that you need and it will increase the success of any other treatment that you have. Orthodontic treatment (braces) is time consuming but it can be critical to the success of other treatments. Neglecting orthodontic treatment increases the likelihood that you will need root canals, get cavities, and have bone loss on the restored teeth. The teeth are framed in gum tissues and periodontal treatment if often necessary to improve the health and the looks of your teeth. You don’t want to frame your beautiful new teeth in an ugly broken down frame.

Now don’t race to a mirror and pick your smile apart. Don’t pick your friends and family apart either. Try to smile as confidently as you did before you read this post (or more confidently). But if you are distracted by your smile or already have difficulty smiling confidently, talk to your dentist. With patience you can agree on a plan that will improve your smile, keep your teeth healthy, and keep some money in your wallet.