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New Year, New Smile: 5 Ways to Invest in Your Confidence
Dental health is a global concern, with almost 3.5 billion people struggling with some form of oral disease. In the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 40% of adults deal with gum disease, and as many as 90% have had at least one cavity.
Dental conditions affect not just dental and overall health, but also how teeth look. If you resolve to do just one thing in the new year, make an effort to improve your oral health, and that can start with investing in your teeth's appearance. Let’s examine the oral challenges that affect teeth, the changes they cause, and what we can do to improve their looks.
Dr. Elena Davidson and the team at Davidson Dental Group assist residents of San Leandro, Castro Valley, Oakland, California, and surrounding areas with a range of treatments to improve the appearance of teeth and overall dental health.
Types of dental problems
A combination of bad oral hygiene, injuries, and inherited traits affects the health of teeth, leading to conditions like:
- Misalignments: Changes in the positions of teeth affect their appearance and function.
- Cavities: Acids and bacteria get under tooth enamel, destroying them from below the surface.
- Gum disease: From the red gums of gingivitis to the serious infections of periodontitis, gum disease harms teeth, gums, and bone and can eventually spread throughout the body.
- Tooth loss: Injury or disease can cause teeth to fall out or require removal.
- Chips and cracks: Fractures in teeth lead to pieces coming off.
- Bruxism: Grinding teeth causes wear and chipping.
Many of these problems have a range of symptoms, including halitosis (bad breath), toothaches, tooth sensitivity, bleeding or swollen gums, and loose teeth.
How they affect the look of your teeth
These and other oral problems can also alter your teeth’s appearance, including bite changes (gaps, direction, and positioning in the upper and lower jaws), discoloration, holes, and receding gums. Losing teeth leaves gaps, affects how you speak and eat, and can change your bite over time.
Discolored teeth, which can occur due to injury, can make people feel awkward about showing their teeth. In addition to injury, smoking, some foods and drinks, and age can cause teeth to change color, which varies from person to person depending on the amount of enamel covering the yellowish dentin beneath.
5 ways we can help
We have many options to help improve the look of your teeth:
1. Veneers
These thin, porcelain shells can be bonded to one or several teeth at a time. They help brighten your smile and, with proper care, last 10 years or more.
2. Teeth whitening
A combination of a bleaching solution and a special light helps make teeth look whiter.
3. Clear aligners
To straighten different types of misalignments (also called malocclusions), we offer Invisalign®, which uses a series of clear aligner trays to move teeth into alignment over several months. Other clear aligner systems we use include SureSmile® and ClearCorrect®.
4. Bonding
A composite resin that’s applied to the source of chipped or cracked teeth fills imperfections and improves their appearance.
5. Implants
To replace missing teeth, one or more implants can be placed using a metal rod fused to your jaw and an abutment with a crown attached. These act like real teeth, and you treat them the same way, with regular brushing, flossing, and checkups.
Many issues can change how teeth look, but with the right treatments, we can give you a smile you want to see and share with others. Call or contact us online today to make an appointment with our office in San Leandro, California, and start on the road to a smile you’ll love.