How's Your Smile?

By Sunee Salpetch, DDS

Would you like whiter teeth? Would you like straighter teeth? Would you like to close the spaces between your teeth? Would a more attractive smile improve your self-esteem, personal relationships, or career success? Is it time to stop taking care of everyone else and treat yourself to a beautiful smile?

With 80 million “baby boomers” trying to stay healthy and look youthful, cosmetic dentistry is growing. Patients, who have longed for prettier, straighter, whiter teeth, now have many options to choose from to enhance their smiles. Contestants from shows like “The Extreme Makeover” and “The Swan” taught us that smile makeovers are not just for Hollywood stars, they are available to us all.

Studies have shown that when meeting someone for the first time a first impression is formed within the first four seconds. The person first looks to your eyes to see if your eyes look friendly and if you make good eye contact, then they look to your smile to see if you look confident and happy. If you study your smile in the mirror, what type of first impression would you create?

According to a survey bythe American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry

90% of people surveyed believe an attractive smile is an important social asset

70% believe an un-attractive smile hurts career success

Yet only 50% of those surveyed were satisfied with their own smile

If you are among the 50% not happy with your smile, you can stop smiling, cover your mouth when you smile or laugh, learn not to show your teeth when you smile, grow a mustache if youre male, or, you can have a smile makeover. Thanks to advancements in modern cosmetic dental care, you can have a beautiful smile easier than ever before.

Procedures such as teeth whitening, veneers, natural tooth colored fillings, invisible braces, and dental implants can give you the smile you have always dreamed of.

If your teeth and smile are not an asset, your dentist can work with you to design a beautiful new smile that can straighten crooked teeth without braces, close spaces, repair chips and worn edges, eliminate a “gummy” smile, lengthen short or worn teeth, replace black mercury silver fillings with white ones, and possibly eliminate jaw, neck, and back pain.

If you are in any way dissatisfied with your smile or the way your teeth look, you are a candidate for cosmetic dentistry. After determining what you dont like about your smile, its a good idea to start by collecting photographs of smiles you like. You can then schedule a time to discuss your concerns and desires with your dentist. He or she will evaluate your current situation, let you know if your goals for improving your smile are attainable, and, if so, what procedures will be involved to reach those goals.

Give yourself the gift that will impact your outlook on life, and the way people perceive you.