For many of us, age sneaks up uncomfortably fast, and sometimes your smile ages even faster than the rest of your appearance. It can sometimes make you look older than you are, and certainly make you look older than you feel.
Cosmetic dentistry can help eliminate these common smile problems to help restore your youthful smile.
Discolored Teeth
As we get older, our teeth naturally pick up stains from the foods and drinks we consume. While we may accelerate the pace of staining by consuming foods like coffee or red wine, essentially any foods we eat will contain stains. Even foods like potatoes and white wine can contribute to staining. So it is no wonder that discolored teeth are associated with an older appearance.
There are many ways to address discolored teeth. The most straightforward is teeth whitening. Teeth whitening can remove accumulated food stains to help your smile look its brightest and most youthful.
Worn Teeth
If you look at the Smiles of young adults, you will notice that there is usually a variation in the lengths of the teeth. The central incisors are longer than the ones on either side, called the lateral incisors. The canine teeth are typically a little longer than the laterals, especially in men.
Unfortunately, use can wear our teeth down, so that by the time we are older our teeth are now all the same length. It is not something you consciously think about, but it is something that people associate instinctively with an aged smile.
To address this problem, we will start by analyzing your bite to determine if there are dysfunctions that may be contributing to your worn teeth, such as bruxism or TMJ. If necessary, we will fix those dysfunctions, then proceed to restore your teeth to their youthful proportions using dental veneers and/or dental crowns. The advantage of this technique is that it can simultaneously whiten your teeth.
Old Restorations
Old restorations can make your smile look much older than you want. Some old restorations may have lost their luster. Modern, high quality restorations can look beautiful for 20 years or more if properly cared for, but older restorations were not always as durable.
They may be made of materials that betray their age. Metal fillings are dated, and few people receive them these days. When people see metal fillings in your mouth, they automatically age you.
Another problem with metal restorations is that they can cause your teeth to discolor from within. This type of discoloration does not respond to teeth whitening–veneers or crowns are required.
Replacing these with modern ones will dramatically rejuvenate your smile.
Dentures
Perhaps the worst type of old restoration is a worn traditional denture. Traditional dentures can age you dramatically in a relatively short time. Not only do these dentures stain easily, they can make your entire face look older. Traditional dentures do not properly support the structure of your face. This can increase the appearance of wrinkles around the mouth, thin lips, turkey neck, jowls, and other signs of facial aging.
The Denture Fountain of Youth ® (FOY ® Dentures) can restore your face to its youthful proportions. This will give you a beautiful, youthful smile, and help rejuvenate your facial appearance. You will also enjoy improved function of your dentures at the same time, allowing you to eat more foods, especially if you have them made as implant dentures.
Smile as Young as You Feel
If you are unhappy with the way your smile is making you look older, we can help. Even if you are unsure why your smile makes you look older, we will give you our opinion and help you understand the best approaches to looking younger.
Please call (314) 678-7876 (Downtown St. Louis) or (314) 678-7876 (Clayton) today for an appointment with St. Louis cosmetic dentist Dr. Chris Hill at City Smiles.
