If you find yourself grappling with the various physical changes that accompany aging, rest assured, you’re not the only one. It’s perfectly normal to feel disheartened by aesthetic changes that seem to have taken over without your consent. The process affects your body in numerous ways, and your teeth are no exception. Even if you diligently adhere to your dental hygiene routine and visit your dentist regularly, your smile will eventually start to bear the marks of the years it has weathered.
Thankfully, your provider can provide one or several cosmetic services to address your concerns and turn back the clock. Continue reading to learn more about 3 ways that aging impacts your grin and how your dentist can help!
Procedure #1: Teeth Whitening
You may have enjoyed a naturally sparkling smile in your youth. Ideally, brushing and flossing twice daily throughout your life would keep it looking just as pristine later on, but unfortunately, that’s usually not the case. Years of being exposed to pigmented ingredients in darker foods and drinks like coffee, tea, wine, and berries can leave your teeth tinted yellow or brown.
If you’ve tried over-the-counter whitening kits that didn’t get the results you were hoping for, you’re in luck! Your dentist can provide a take-home kit that uses professional-grade gels like Opalescence, which isn’t typically available in stores. They’ll also include trays that are customized to fit your teeth like a glove for an optimal outcome. It’s the ideal way to lighten your grin from the comfort of your own home.
Procedure #2: Porcelain Veneers
Did you know that your teeth are not naturally pure white? The outermost layer of enamel has a bluish-white hue that gives them their pearly presence, but the underlying layer of dentin is more yellow. As you get older, your enamel starts to thin, so the underlying shade shines through. This can give your grin a tinted tone that’s less than appealing.
Whitening services won’t rebuild this protective outer layer, but you can mask such natural discoloration with porcelain veneers. These thin yet durable ceramic shells are customized to match your teeth and then bonded to the front surface. By hiding aesthetic imperfections, your dentist can give you a younger-looking smile.
Procedure #3: Invisalign
We tend to think of our teeth as immovable structures in our mouths, but the truth is that they are held in place by connective tissues with a natural capacity for movement. Even those lucky individuals who never had to worry about overcrowding when they were younger may notice that their teeth have shifted out of alignment over time.
You probably don’t want to deal with bulky metal brackets (or the associated dietary restrictions) in your golden years. Fortunately, your dentist can shift them into their ideal placements more discretely with Invisalign. This alternative orthodontic treatment relies on clear plastic trays that fit snuggly over your teeth to gently reposition them. They’re less visibly intrusive but can still give you the evenly spaced grin you remember.
About the Practice
At Premier Dental Care, you and your family benefit from two highly skilled dentists who are committed to improving smiles in Herndon and the surrounding Virginia communities. They have decades of combined experience and offer a full array of services, including cosmetics, all under one roof. With state-of-the-art equipment, they can enhance your comfort as well as increase the accuracy of treatment results. If you’re interested in upgrading your grin and would like a consultation, you can request an appointment on the website or call (703) 860-8860.