About 70% of Americans admit feeling self-conscious about their teeth. In fact, 57% cover their mouths when they laugh due to their insecurities. Over 60% want to change something about their teeth.
Main concerns include crookedness, discoloration, spacing, and receding gum lines.
If you’re concerned about the appearance of your teeth, visit a cosmetic dentist. Your cosmetic dentist can fix a range of dental issues.
Not sure if you’re ready for an appointment? Here are six signs it’s time to schedule a cosmetic dental appointment today!
1. You’re Reluctant to Smile
Common dental issues can impact the appearance of your smile, which can also impact your self-confidence. For example, you might note your teeth are:
- Crooked
- Missing
- Misshaped
- Discolored
If these problems sound familiar, you might have started to avoid showing off your smile. You might feel more uncomfortable in social settings than normal, too.
You don’t have to continue hiding your smile behind closed lips, though. Instead, visit a cosmetic dentist for a consultation appointment. They can help you discover the different cosmetic dental procedures that can help.
Your cosmetic dentist will develop a customized treatment plan based on your needs and goals. Their solutions can restore your smile and your self-confidence. For example, they might recommend:
- Fillings
- Onlays
- Inlays
- Bridges
- Teeth whitening
- Veneers
- Crowns
- Implants
- Braces or Invisalign
Perhaps you avoid showing off your smile due to discoloration. Medications, poor dental hygiene, and certain foods can impact your pearly whites. Even too much fluoride in the dental products you use or the water you drink can impact your smile.
Talk to your cosmetic dentist. They can remove the stains with a teeth whitening treatment.
Your dentist will also help you determine the cause of the stains, enabling you to avoid staining in the future. If the staining is too severe, they might recommend bonding or veneers instead.
Perhaps you’re concerned about malformed teeth. Malformed teeth can occur due to hereditary diseases. If your teeth appear malformed or misshapen, consider dental crowns or other cosmetic treatments.
Don’t hesitate to fix a pegged tooth, too. Otherwise, the abnormal shape of the tooth can impact your bite and appearance.
If your teeth become crooked, damaged, or irregular, visit your cosmetic dentist right away. With treatment, you can improve the appearance of your smile. Then, you can start showing off your stunning, straight, pearly whites!
2. Your Face Has Changed Shape
Issues with your teeth could alter the shape and appearance of your face, too. For example, issues might impact the appearance of your jawbone. Your jawbone could become less sturdy as a result.
If you start looking older than you are, schedule a cosmetic dental appointment. You might need to visit a cosmetic dentist for misalignment issues.
You could develop malocclusion due to prolonged use of a pacifier or feeding bottle beyond the age of three years old. Children who sucked their thumb can also develop a misalignment. For some patients, a misalignment can occur due to congenital disabilities (like the cleft palate).
An alignment issue can cause oral crowding. If these common central issues sound familiar, talk to your cosmetic dentist right away.
Your cosmetic dentist will prescribe the best treatment based on the issue you’re experiencing. For example, they might recommend Invisalign treatment. You can wear clear, plastic aligners to bring your teeth back into the proper alignment.
Improving your bite can help you avoid other oral health issues down the road.
3. Digestive Issues and Headaches
Let your dentist know if you’ve started experiencing digestive issues. When your teeth aren’t properly aligned, it can become more difficult for you to chew certain foods. Failing to chew thoroughly can cause indigestion.
Your general health could begin to decline if you begin experiencing digestive issues.
Your cosmetic dentist can fix your unaligned teeth, which could put an end to your digestive issues. Treatment can benefit your appearance, too.
4. Headaches
You might begin developing headaches due to misalignment as well. For example, you might develop temporomandibular disorder (TMD) if you have misaligned or crooked teeth.
Make sure to act as soon as possible if you’re experiencing headaches. Otherwise, you might begin grinding your teeth (bruxism). Bruxism can wear down your protective tooth enamel, leaving your teeth vulnerable to decay.
5. Dental Damage
Pay attention to the appearance of your teeth over time. You could sustain dental damage over the years. When left untreated, these problems can contribute to larger oral health problems.
For example, your teeth could get chipped due to an accident.
If you have visual dental damage, visit a cosmetic dentist. They might recommend veneers, which can repair your chipped, broken, or crumbling teeth.
There are new advancements in modern technology each year, allowing cosmetic dentists to offer new services. Your dentist will help you determine the best course of treatment. If you’re unhappy with your smile due to damage, they can fix the problem to ensure a stunning smile.
6. Missing Teeth
If you injured your teeth, mouth, or oral cavity, you’ve sustained oro-dental trauma. About 20% of people worldwide experience trauma to their teeth at some point in their lives. You might experience oro-dental trauma due to:
- Risk-taking behavior
- Road accidents
- Violence
- Unsafe playgrounds
If you neglect treatment, you could experience tooth loss. If you have a missing tooth, it can impact your appearance, smile, and self-confidence.
The remaining teeth that surround the missing tooth will begin to lean toward the gap, too. You could develop a misalignment issue as a result. Before that happens, schedule a cosmetic dental appointment.
Your cosmetic dentist might recommend treatment with a dental implant. They’ll start by placing an abutment to fill the gap. After the area heals, they can place an implant over the abutment to fill in your smile.
Improve Your Smile: Visit a Cosmetic Dentist Today
Do these common dental issues sound familiar? Don’t hesitate to visit a cosmetic dentist! With treatment, you can improve the appearance of your smile and your oral health.
Visit your local cosmetic dentist to improve your smile and self-confidence today!
Eager to get started? We can’t wait to see you.
Contact us now to schedule your next appointment.