Perfect Smile: With & Without Cosmetic Dentistry

Last updated on August 16th, 2023

There are some widely accepted tips for a better smile such as:

• Broader smiles look better.
• The teeth should be as white as the white part of your eyes.
• The smile should accentuate the central upper teeth .
• Showing less gum is better.
• Don’t imitate someone else’s smile.

These points sound OK, but is that all? Can we really define the perfect smile, and work on it? How much can we do ourselves, and how can cosmetic dentistry help us with that? Further questions may pop into people’s heads since the term “perfect smile” is somewhat vague. 

In this post, first, we will try to make you rethink  the term perfect smile. Then, you will find out what the problems are on the way to getting a perfect smile. Finally, you will understand the impact of cosmetic dentistry on beautifying a person’s smiles. Enjoy!

Rethinking The “Perfect Smile”

Defining the “perfect smile” is not easy. First of all, the concept is hard to deal with objectively. Everyone has their own idea of the “perfect smile”. However, the subjective nature of the phenomenon doesn’t stop some scientists from researching the perfect smile by referring to data collected from dentists and the general population.

The results of a JADA article, in 2008, revealed that different smile characteristics and the range of their acceptability can be identified using the right tools. Also, when  ordinary people were asked, the acceptable range of smiles was much larger than dentists expected. It can lead us to think that the perfect Hollywood smile being promoted might be too limited to fit the acceptability range suggested.

Things That Prevent The Perfect Smile

Making a good impression is crucial for one’s social life, and an attractive smile is one of the best ways to impress others. Unfortunately, certain dental problems can stop people from smiling confidently. Here are some of the most common problems:

Stained Or Yellow Teeth

Having yellow teeth is probably the top reason why some people don’t feel comfortable when smiling. Tooth enamel can lose its white color due to certain extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Extrinsic factors include but are not limited to tobacco, and alcoholic and acidic foods and drinks. Intrinsic factors are usually specific medications, especially used in childhood, chemotherapy, or some dental treatments such as silver fillings.

Missing Teeth

When we want to give a perfect smile, teeth are supposed to appear in good shape, size, and color. What if one or more teeth are not there to be exposed? In fact, even one missing tooth can create a big problem when it comes to smiling. Tooth decay, gum diseases, or certain injuries can result in a missing tooth or teeth. 

Problematic Gums

Gums can spoil your smile if they are exposed too much. Excessive gum tissue causes a disproportionate look when you smile. Another problem with the gums can be uneven gum lines. It might make you avoid grinning at all. Various gum diseases, hard brushing, or misaligned teeth can cause problematic gums.

Crooked Teeth

Crooked, twisted, or overlapping teeth are one of the hardest problems to deal with. People suffering from one of these problems may not want to smile in public. The problem is often orthognathic, which means it is about jaw structure. If one or more of the following problems exist, then the teeth get crooked:

– the lower and upper jaws are not of the same size 

– the jaws are malformed

– the mouth is too small for the teeth to form in good order

Buck Teeth

When the upper front teeth are too far forward, the problem is called “buck teeth”. It is usually caused by genetic inheritance, crowded teeth, or thumb-sucking during childhood. Some people (i.e. Freddie Mercury) can live with it without problems. However, it can be a great challenge for many others desiring to have perfect smiles. 

How To Have A Perfect Smile With Cosmetic Dentistry?

Fortunately, you don’t have to endure an imperfect smile forever. There are effective and safe dental treatments offered by cosmetic dentistry.  Here are some of the most prominent ones:

Veneers

Veneers are thin layers attached to the tooth’s surface to cover imperfections. For many people, cosmetic dentistry is mostly about perfect smile veneers as they can cover up various problems in a very short time. Some problems that veneers can hide are yellow or stained teeth, small and uneven teeth, and chipped or cracked teeth.

Implants

Getting dental implants is a perfect way to restore missing teeth, and get perfect teeth. You can have the desired function and aesthetic look through implant treatment.

Gum Contouring Or Gum Lift

Gum contouring treatment is recommended for patients with gum problems such as gummy smiles or uneven gum lines. The procedure is minimally invasive but highly effective. At the end of the treatment, the gum line is reshaped by reducing the excessive gum tissue, and the patient gets a smooth gum line.

Braces

Orthodontics is a specialty area in dentistry dealing with teeth misalignment and jaw problems. Orthodontists often prescribe braces for people with crooked or misaligned teeth. If you want to have a perfect smile, braces are great tools of cosmetic dentistry that help patients’ restore their teeth alignment. 

Whitening

Whitening or bleaching is one of the quickest ways to get a perfect smile unless you don’t have any other problems with your teeth. Most dental professionals offer teeth whitening sessions in their offices. You can also consider at-home whitening products to save money.

Non-Cosmetic Ways For A Perfect Smile 

Tips for getting a perfect smile are not limited to the confines of cosmetic dentistry. There are some effective home remedies that you can consider if you want to ensure that your smile is beautiful.

Sticking to your daily dental care routine is the best trick of all. As you might already guess, tooth brushing and flossing are of great importance to get and maintain a perfect smile. Brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes and flossing once a day can make a big difference. Don’t forget to change your toothbrush as it gets worn out.

Lifestyle, particularly your diet, is another huge factor for your smile. Cutting down on sweets, sugar, and acidic foods and drinks can help a lot. You should also avoid tobacco and alcohol to ensure healthy teeth. 

Finally, see your dentist regularly and use dental products that are approved by the proper authorities.

Perfect Smile Photos Before And After

Here are some amazing cosmetic dentistry transformations for you to look through. Check out the photos and see how far a beautiful smile can change a person’s entire face.

SOURCES

Ker AJ, Chan R, Fields HW, Beck M, Rosenstiel S. Esthetics and smile characteristics from the layperson’s perspective: a computer-based survey study. J Am Dent Assoc. 2008 Oct;139(10):1318-27. doi: 10.14219/jada.archive.2008.0043. PMID: 18832267.