10 Ways to Improve or Maintain Your Smile

Last updated on January 14th, 2022

Smile improvement has a positive impact on people’s self-esteem and how others see them. Also, the value of a nice smile goes beyond appearance, and a lack of a nice smile might mean dental problems at the same time. A nice smile can even affect a person’s possibility of finding a job. Recent studies show that a lack of a nice smile is considered a barrier to find a job by many people. In fact, other corresponding studies are showing that people trust another person having a nice smile more than a person with a nice car or outfit. But how to smile better?

Basically, smile improvement is achieved when you improve teeth appearance.Teeth improvement is also performed in two ways; improving the shape and improving the color of the teeth. Numerous ways can give you the better smile that you wish for. Although some of them are simple practices that you can do at home as part of your daily routine, some of them require you to get professional help.

Thanks to the developing technology, those seeking smile improvement are increasingly turning to cosmetic dentistry nowadays. Many people are getting their teeth brightened, reshaped, or straightened to have a better smile as part of cosmetic dentistry.

Let’s take a look at the 10 ways to improve or maintain your smile.

1. Tooth-Brushing Twice a Day

Tooth-brushing is probably the most common and well-known way of smile improvement. Brushing is a highly effective and simple color solution for those wishing to have a better smile. As we eat food, a transparent layer of bacteria coats our teeth. This coat is called plaque, and it leads to tooth decay and cavities. By brushing your teeth, you brush off this plaque, and therefore you prevent your teeth from decay and cavities. Also, your gums are stimulated while you are brushing your teeth. These regular stimulations help them stay healthy and clean, which prevents gum diseases. So, brushing your teeth twice a day is a simple but very effective way to keep your teeth white and gums healthy, which are the X factors of smile improvement.

2. Home Whitening Kits

There are many ways of smile improvement, and whitening kits are one of those brilliant ones. If you are looking for a further way to take care of the color of your teeth, home whitening kits may be a good option for you. Teeth whitening kits typically contain hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to whiten your teeth. These two active ingredients can penetrate the porous enamel and break down the stains there, which lighten the color of the dentin. Regular toothpaste cannot do this alone; therefore, home whitening kits can be regarded as a more advanced coloring option comparing to tooth-brushing. However, it doesn’t provide long-lasting whitening, and you need to repeat the application throughout the year, depending on the type of kit you use.

Bleaching

3. In-office Bleaching

Although home whitening kits are basically for home use, there are also professional whitening kits used as an in-office bleaching option. Professional in-office bleaching, also called power bleaching, refers to the treatment of discolored dentition using a high concentration agent like hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. The treatment is given by a dentist in one session or a few more, depending on the expectations of the patient and the materials used. The chemicals used by professionals for in-office bleaching are safe and effective. Also, patients usually feel more comfortable since the treatment is given under the supervision of a dental professional. However, bear in mind that the effects of in-office whitening are not much long-lasting, which means you need to visit your dentist periodically to preserve your smile improvement in the long term.

4. Porcelain Veneers

Smile improvement is not only about the color of the teeth. Sometimes, the shape or alignment of the teeth might be the problem in addition to the color. If you have dental problems with the color and the shape, you might be interested in porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers have some robust advantages; for example, they do not require invasive procedures, and they need only a thin layer of your teeth to be removed. The veneers also cover chips, cracks, and small gaps while solving discoloration problems with your teeth. Besides being one single solution to various dental problems, the veneers also offer high durability (around 15 years). 

dentist treating female patient with assistant

In addition, compared to tooth enamel, a porcelain veneer can show more resistance to future stains and cavities since it is non-porous. Although the maintenance of veneers is relatively easier, you are still advised to brush your teeth twice a day and floss them daily to maintain your oral health. You can enjoy a nice healthy smile with your pearly white or natural-looking teeth as long as you keep this simple maintenance routine.

Before After Photos

5. Composite Bonding

Composite bonding is another modern way to restore teeth in terms of shape and color. You can enjoy your smile improvement while looking so natural. The other people around cannot realize that you have bonding on your teeth as long as you specifically show them. Being a non-invasive treatment, the dentist doesn’t need to drill or cause permanent damage to your natural teeth. The procedure is not much complicated indeed. The idea is that a composite material that is exactly in the same color as your tooth is bonded to your problematic tooth to fill the lost structure there. 

The whole procedure could be completed in one session by a professional. Being a less expensive alternative to a porcelain veneer, composite bonding is usually less durable. Furthermore, composite bonding is vulnerable to discoloration compared to porcelain veneer option. Under normal conditions, composite bonding doesn’t pose any major risk for your health.

6. Regular Visits to The Dentist

A real smile improvement is only possible with healthy teeth and gums. Dentists perform most of the dental diagnosis, treatment, or improvement that you can achieve about your teeth. Therefore, you should schedule visits to your dentist at least every 6 months. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you will have an application like veneers, bonding etc., whenever you sit on the dentist’s chair. Your regular checkup is still crucial since your dental health and smile are dependent upon the health of your teeth and gums. One common mistake done by the patients is focusing on solely the teeth but not the gums. However, gum health is fundamental for teeth health and a great smile. Regular dental checkups can detect gum problems and take preventive measures. A typical dental checkup involves checking your overall oral health and removing the plaque and tartar on your teeth.

7. Nightguard

Sometimes, people have underlying problems before smile improvement. For example, there are a lot of people having tooth grinding problems. Naturally, grinding and clenching happen during sleep, so you can’t have control over that. If not treated, grinding or clenching can wear down the teeth over the course of years. Thus, people don’t feel confident when it comes to smiling. In such cases, dentists issue a nightguard to reduce the damage caused by grinding or clenching, which is also called bruxism. A night guard is typically a plastic or acrylic covering fitted over the upper teeth. Although it is a good preventive measure against a potentially serious problem, be aware that grinding during sleep is the reason and a result of another problem(s); stress and/or sleep apnea. In other words, grinding or clenching might be only the tip of the iceberg. Therefore, it is better for you to get a sleep study before visiting a dentist if you have bruxism. If you overcome your underlying problems, smile improvement will not be a great deal for you. In addition to using a night guard at night and mitigating the causes of bruxism, you can also get a botox treatment to your jaw to relax your muscles, causing teeth grinding. However, it is an expensive option, and you need to repeat the procedure nearly every 6 months.

braces

8. Braces

Braces are also popular devices to overcome biting problems, gaps between teeth, misaligned and crooked teeth, and various other flaws of the jaw and teeth. “What’s the best age to have braces?” is a frequently asked question. The professionals say that preteen and early teen ages are the best for it. Since younger teens’ teeth are almost ready to adult ages, and repositioning their softer jawbone tissue is still possible, the ages of 10-14 is the perfect time to get better and faster results from braces. However, there is not any certain age limit to get braces. Today, many adults are wearing braces and getting significant smile improvement. Regarding the braces, there are several drawbacks. First, you need to wear the braces over a long period (up to 3 years). Second, you need to wear a retainer after the treatment for the rest of your life. 

Moreover, braces can solve the bite issues, align the teeth, but braces cannot do anything regarding the color and shape of the teeth. If you have concerns about the shape and color, you might need to consider other alternatives mentioned in this article.

9. Implants

A dental implant can be regarded as a surgery rather than a simple application or preventive measure. Basically, it is the replacement of a damaged or missing tooth. This is surely a remarkable step towards smile improvement. A titanium screw-like post is placed on your jawbone with an artificial tooth (a dental crown) attached to it in this operation. This tooth looks and functions like your natural tooth. In some cases, it is possible to do dental bridges instead of dental implants, but a dental implant is a highly durable alternative to reach a functional and perfect smile.

Before After Photos

10. Floss

Traditional tooth-brushing is not enough to clean between teeth. At this point, floss is an important means of taking care of your teeth and gums. Flossing between your teeth removes tartar and plaque. Once you remove them between your teeth, decent tooth-brushing moves the plaque away from your teeth easily. This helps you avoid cavities or gum disease. Remember that having clean teeth is halfway towards smile improvement.

As you see, there are numerous ways to achieve smile improvement today. Some of them can be performed at home, while some others need professional hands. If you want to learn more about any of them, you can contact us.

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