Over the last decade the products used for cosmetic dentistry solutions have vastly improved. Accent Dental’s Matt Sumner gives his top five techniques for achieving a traffic-stopping grin.
Whitening – the easiest and cheapest method for improving the colour of your teeth. But making sure all the tooth and gum structures are healthy is an important first step. It is also imperative to ensure a reputable whiting product is used. Many ‘off the shelf’ products are too aggressive and can be destructive. The results of whitening treatments will differ person to person and heavily coloured food and drinks will also impact how long this process lasts.
Braces – are great for repositioning whole healthy tooth structures, but will not improve or change individual tooth shape. This process does require dedication as it can take two-three years.
Plastic fillings – can be purely additive avoiding any tooth structure removal, however they will discolour as they slowly absorb water and any colouring in that water (i.e. coffee/red wine). They are also UV sensitive, therefore the harsh NZ sun will gradually affect them.
Veneers, Crowns and Implants – will give more permanent results as the ceramics involved are very durable. However, their construction can be time consuming and the good ones are individually customised by highly skilled ceramic dental technicians, and therefore expensive. These procedures also involve removal of tooth structure in most situations, so only appropriate in some cases where tooth structure is comprised.
Removal of gum tissue – can assist people with a ‘gummy-smile’. A laser is a great way to manage this process and is often much less traumatic than it sounds and can dramatically improve a ‘look.’
The celebrity smile everybody wants: Julia Roberts still has the smile many aspire to. This is mostly because she shows a lot of teeth, which are framed very well by her lips. However, her smile will only suit certain face shapes.
If the teeth are the actors in a smile, then the lips and gums are the curtains and stage. If one of these is too prominent in relation to the others the overall performance is impacted.
Accent Dental is located at 332 Ponsonby Road, Auckland. Phone: 09 376 4374.
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Article | Matt Sumner & Oliver Hall.
Photo | Evan Donnelly.
