When most people smile, you generally see their upper six to eight teeth. The lower lip usually hides the bottom teeth from view. Dentists call the upper portion of your smile the smile zone. In terms of aesthetics, this is the most important area of your smile. One discolored or broken tooth in this area can negatively affect your smile no matter how beautiful the rest of your teeth are.
If you think your smile needs improvement, the smile zone is a good place to start. Cosmetic dentistry can beautify your smile zone in various ways.
1. Change the Shape of Your Teeth With Enameloplasty
Teeth are not always uniform in shape and appearance. For instance, sometimes one central incisor may be slightly bigger than the other central incisor or differently shaped. And in some cases, patients don't like their canine teeth because those teeth are too pointed or too large. Enameloplasty or recontouring is ideal for these issues.
To change the shape of a tooth with enameloplasty, a dentist shaves away some of the tooth structure. Once they have shaved enough of a tooth away, they then polish the area to achieve the desired shape and appearance. But since enamel is only about
2.58 millimeters thick
on average, a dentist can only remove so much enamel.
And if the tooth in question already has thin enamel, then porcelain veneers or composite bonding will be a safer and more effective treatment compared to enameloplasty.
2. Cover Wear and Tear With Composite Bonding
If one or more teeth in your smile zone look a little worse for wear, composite bonding is a good way to give them a temporary makeover. Composite bonding uses a white paste similar to that used for white fillings. To repair chipped or slightly damaged teeth, a dentist mixes the composite resin to a shade that matches your teeth. They then apply the resin to the areas of your teeth that need repair.
Once hardened and polished, composite resin is indistinguishable from your natural enamel. But composite bonding is weaker than enamel, so you will need to take good care of it. On average, composite bonding lasts
about ten years.
3. Replace Unsightly Teeth With Dental Crowns
Badly broken teeth can ruin your smile zone if you leave them untreated. But you don't have to remove them if enough of the tooth structure remains to support a dental crown. Instead, you can use dental crowns, which can conceal badly damaged or stained teeth by covering them completely. And because crowns are porcelain, they look just like your natural teeth.
But do bear in mind that your dentist will need to remove some of the remaining tooth structure from your broken tooth to make room for the dental crown.
4. Cure Spacing Issues With Porcelain Veneers
Like many of the treatments on this list, veneers can treat many cosmetic issues. One common issue in the smile zone is spacing. Sometimes, the two central incisors are too far apart, for instance. And this gap can draw unwanted attention. Veneers can fix this issue.
Two to four veneers placed over your central and lateral incisors will cover the gap and give you a more pleasing smile. Veneers are porcelain, which means they can last over a decade if you care for them. But you will need to sacrifice some of the enamel on the teeth you choose to treat. This is to make room for the veneers, and so your teeth don't appear bulky once the veneers are placed.
If your smile zone needs a little work, Advanced Dental Care can help. Call us today to discuss how we can transform your smile with
cosmetic dentistry.
