Despite all of the gimmicks out there, studies show that your smile can do more to make you look younger than anything else! “Just as white, straight teeth convey youth, a smile with crooked, discolored, worn, or missing teeth is associated with an aged look,” says Edmond Hewlett, DDS, professor of restorative dentistry at UCLA's School of Dentistry.
“Bracelift” treatments can help you look younger and feel more confident about your appearance. Of course, most people want a nice smile with straight, white teeth, but properly aligned teeth can do much more than just improve a smile. By enhancing the alignment and widening the arch of the teeth, orthodontic treatment can create better facial balance and aesthetics, lending the appearance of fuller cheeks and lips, smoother and higher cheek contours, and broader smiles, as well as compensate for the inevitable loss of facial muscle over time.
We all know that healthy teeth are important to maintaining overall health, especially as we age and nutritional needs change. But we sometimes overlook the impact our teeth can have on our mental and emotional well-being. Poor alignment not only affects your speech and airway, contributing to sleep apnea, but also your self-confidence and poise. Orthodontic treatment can provide a life-long improvement to your overall appearance and self-confidence.
While the thought of braces may conjure up images of a metal-mouth teenager, modern technology is making treatment faster, more comfortable, and more discrete. These advancements are also helping Dr. Wazio achieve remarkable aesthetic results for patients.
3 Easy Steps to Take Years Off Your Appearance
Step 1: Oral Hygiene - The way to take years off your appearance is to practice good oral hygiene. Maintaining good oral health throughout your life doesn’t just preserve the appearance of your smile, but it can preserve your overall health too. Brushing twice a day and flossing regularly promotes healthy teeth and gums and keeps your smile looking and feeling clean.
Here are some things you can do to maintain a healthy mouth and strong teeth:
- Drink fluoridated water and brush with fluoride toothpaste.
- Practice good oral hygiene. Brush teeth thoroughly twice a day and floss daily between the teeth to remove dental plaque.
- Visit your dentist at least once a year.
Step 2: Whiten Your Teeth - Teeth naturally darken as we age. One reason is that your teeth absorb color from food and drinks. Even if you take fantastic care of your teeth, they will eventually yellow over time. Micro-fractures, thinning enamel, and built-up stains all make your teeth look duller and older. Ask our team about how you can whiten your teeth with custom whitening trays. Custom whitening trays are the best way to achieve a deep and thorough color change that can take years off your appearance.
Keep your teeth white by limiting staining foods and beverages:
- Coffee, red wine, soda, and dark berries are infamous for staining teeth…limit the amount of time these substances are in contact with your teeth.
- Drink beverages known to stain teeth out of a straw to prevent direct contact with your teeth.
- Avoid smoking and chewing tobacco, as both can cause tooth discoloration.
Step 3: Straighten Your Teeth - Even if you start out with perfectly straight teeth, something called mesial drift will cause them to shift over time. Crowded teeth are an instant giveaway of age and straightening your teeth can often take 10 to 15 years off your appearance. Crowded teeth also increase the risk of tooth decay, premature tooth loss, and gum recession, all of which guarantee looking older.
Orthodontic options that can help give you a straight, younger looking smile:
- Traditional Silver Braces - These are the most common type of braces. Made of nickel-free high-grade steel, they are much smaller and more comfortable than those in the past. We offer a variety of colored elastics which may be changed at most appointments.
- Ceramic Braces - Made of a translucent tooth colored material, these are the most popular among adult patients. They are difficult to see unless you are very near the patient's teeth. However, the brackets are more fragile, and the elastic ties can become discolored between appointments.
- Invisalign - The Invisalign System for adults is a series of clear, removable templates that fit over the teeth. Generated by computer simulation, they gradually move the teeth for the correction of some bite problems. Dr. Wazio is an Invisalign Certified Orthodontist.
Teeth provide the support structure for the soft tissue of the lower face, including lips and cheeks. By repositioning the teeth and jaw, skin can appear tighter, and lips can appear fuller. We can often achieve greater facial aesthetics without surgery or the extraction of teeth by creating a treatment plan utilizing appliances that can expand the jaw and reposition teeth and gums.
Beautifully straight, symmetrical glowing white teeth cannot only make you look younger, but they can dramatically improve your confidence. If you have any questions about how we can help give you a healthier, younger looking smile, give our orthodontic office a call to schedule an appointment with Wazio Orthodontics today.
And remember…One of the best ways to appear more youthful is to smile more!
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