Improving your smile for senior pictures may also help you improve your dental health. This may lead to feelings of increased self-confidence and improved overall dental health. When it comes to preparing for senior pictures, it is best to start far in advance.
Solutions to improve your smile for senior pictures are available at Oak Tree Dental in Poway and the surrounding area. Enhancing your appearance can also help improve your dental health. Call us today at (858) 748-2101 to schedule an appointment and learn more.
Benefits beyond the aesthetics
Although many cosmetic and restorative treatments focus on aesthetic goals, their benefits go far beyond an improved smile. As dental treatments become more common and accessible, many young adults are seeking long-term solutions that can also enhance their overall oral health. Bioesthetic dentistry refers to the theory and practice of observing both the oral cavity and facial structures in treatments to improve oral function and aesthetics.
For each type of treatment, there are at least a few advantages and benefits to the patient. Depending on the treatment, these advantages can include:
- Decreased risk of gum disease
- Decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, heart disease, diabetes, and pneumonia
- Less tooth, gum, and jaw pain
- Lower chance of acquiring jaw-related conditions
- Enhanced smell of breath
- Increased self-esteem and confidence
Since the smile is one of the first physical features we see and is often a sign of joy, patients who limit smiling and laughing may be seen as shy or unhappy. Many patients are also unaware of the systemic conditions affected by poor oral health. We will go over all advantages of treatment during all consultation appointments.
“As dental treatments become more common and accessible, many young adults are seeking solutions that can also enhance their overall oral health long-term.”
Clear aligners
One of the most common treatments done in preparation for senior pictures is teeth alignment. To forego the bulky brace-face look, many teens and adults are opting for clear aligners. Clear aligners are a discreet way to straighten the teeth by using clear plastic trays that gradually shift the teeth into proper alignment. This treatment can be done far in advance with the comfort of being discreet and removable.
Clear aligners are available through a variety of different brands. Generally, these devices can treat various orthodontic issues, such as overcrowding, spacing, improper bite, and diastema. Teeth alignment using clear aligners can often reduce the total treatment time, while some patients require only six months of treatment. An evaluation for clear aligner treatment will relay the patient's case, severity, and total treatment duration.
“Generally, these devices can treat various orthodontic issues, such as overcrowding, spacing, improper bite, and diastema.”
Dental veneers
Dental veneers are long-lasting tooth-colored coatings that bond to the teeth, creating a straight, bright, healthy-looking smile. Veneers are commonly used to treat aesthetic issues as well as enhance the smile and overall oral health of a patient. Aesthetic issues that are treatable with veneers include chipped, cracked, broken, discolored, or irregular-sized teeth.
Dental veneers are custom-made to fit each patient's mouth, tracing their unique gumline and matching the size and shape of their natural teeth. During the placement procedure, the veneers are bonded to the teeth using a dental cementing material. They are then secured to the teeth with a special ultraviolet light. Patients can leave the office with their brand new smile in one visit.
“Aesthetic issues that can be treated with veneers include chipped, cracked, broken, discolored, or irregular-sized teeth.”
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Dental bonding, often referred to as tooth bonding, involves restoring a tooth using tooth-colored composite material. This bonding treatment can greatly enhance a patient's smile by improving or restoring decayed, cracked, broken, chipped, discolored, spaced-out, or irregularly-shaped teeth. It is also commonly done to elongate the teeth or change their size or shape. Many fillings today are done with bonded composite material as opposed to traditional silver amalgam.
The entire procedure takes about 30 minutes to an hour to complete. The length of time depends on the number of teeth being treated and the severity of symptoms. The teeth are slightly filed, then a liquid conditioner is used to help bond the composite material to the tooth. Once the material is applied, it is smoothed and molded to create the desired shape and mimic the surrounding natural teeth. A special blue light initiates the bonding process and sets the teeth.
“Dental bonding, often referred to as tooth bonding, involves restoring a tooth using tooth-colored composite material.”
Questions answered on this page
Q. What are the benefits of dental treatment besides aesthetics?
Q. What is a composite filling?
People also ask
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Q. What are some of the types of cosmetic dental treatments?
Composite fillings
Composite fillings are relatively new and commonly used in place of traditional silver amalgam fillings. Tooth-colored composite resin can both save a tooth from further decay and damage and appear to be a healthy natural tooth. This material primarily serves patients with mild to moderate decay as drilling or removing extensive decay can lead to further complications in the tooth and surrounding area.
Composite filling treatments are done in the same way as traditional amalgam fillings. The patient will be given a local anesthetic to numb the area. Once numbing is in effect, we will remove the decay and place the composite material. A special light bonds the material to the remaining tooth structure and hardens it into one singular piece. Although fillings are generally done to "fill" a decayed tooth, composite is also used to repair broken or damaged teeth.
“Tooth-colored composite resin can both save a tooth from further decay and damage and appear to be a healthy natural tooth.”
Frequently asked questions
Young patients should begin seeking treatment as early as possible. Some treatments, such as teeth-straightening, may take up to one or two years to complete. Patients may also need more than one treatment to achieve their desired results. Furthermore, cosmetic treatments are often performed after completing all necessary dental procedures that affect oral health, which may prolong total treatment time.
The cost of treatment depends on the patient's case, procedure type, severity, and age. Crest offers a list of common cosmetic treatments and their average costs. We recommend speaking with your insurance provider to determine what your plan covers and discuss possible co-pays.
In most cases, patients seeking cosmetic treatment are unsatisfied with their smile. In other cases, their dentist may recommend treatment or inform them of their options. In either case, a general or cosmetic dentist will likely perform a smile assessment and physical examination to determine the right treatments for them. From then, they will discuss their treatment options, duration, benefits, and cost.
Cosmetic treatments are generally safe unless a patient is going through with it against a dentist's recommendations. Some patients may not be qualified for a certain treatment or procedure, such as with composite fillings: decay cannot be extensive or close to the nerve. Safety, risk factors, and complications are all discussed during the initial consultation.
Any cosmetic treatment that can be performed in one or two visits is the quickest way to achieve a new and improved smile. These include dental veneers, bonding, and composite fillings, although there is a plethora of other same-day treatments. Communicate your desired results and timeframe during the consultation, and we can help narrow down options that fall within them.
Cosmetic dentistry terminology
Bleachorexia is when people continue to abuse teeth whitening solutions without consulting professionals, causing significant damage to their enamel and gums in the process.
Cosmetic dentistry is generally used to refer to any dental work that improves the appearance (though not necessarily the function) of a person’s teeth, gums and/or bite.
Deeper teeth stains are stains that require professional oral health services and can result from certain foods, beverages or improper oral hygiene.
Dentin hypersensitivity is when the enamel wears down on the tooth enough that the dentin faces exposure and will cause great levels of pain when a person applies pressure to the tooth or drinks hot/cold beverages.
A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity.
Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound in teeth whitening solutions that patients use to whiten the shade of their teeth.
Relief ACP stands for amorphous calcium phosphate, which helps to relieve the pain in sensitive teeth in a gel form.
Stained dentin can result from certain foods and beverages with a lack of proper brushing. Dental professionals can provide whitening treatments to brighten the teeth.
The surface enamel is the hard outer shell that protects the dentin and pulp of the teeth. The enamel is the surface that people see when one smiles.
Learn more today
Improving your smile for senior pictures may leave you with feelings of self-confidence and overall enhanced dental health that outlast high school. We at Oak Tree Dental may be able to help. Call us today at (858) 748-2101 to schedule an appointment and learn more.
Individual results vary. How long a treatment lasts, and how it looks and feels, depends on each patient.