Natural-Looking Smile: Everyone knows how important oral health is, but did you know that oral health has an impact on overall health? This is just one of many reasons why it’s important to brush and floss regularly. The other reasons are to avoid oral health problems specifically, keep bad breath away, and whiten your teeth.
Whitening teeth is just one step in getting closer to the perfect smile for some people. Others deal with missing teeth, gapped teeth, crooked teeth, chipped teeth, or broken teeth. The good news is that there are ways to correct these problems as well. Here are four ways to achieve the smile that you desire.
Table of Contents
#1: Ways to Whiten Your Teeth
One of the main things that everyone wants when it comes to their teeth is for them to look whiter and brighter. There are many whitening toothpaste brands on the market, but certain foods and drinks (that aren’t necessarily bad for your health) can discolor and stain the teeth. These include:
● Black tea
● Coffee
● Red wine
This is where other teeth whitening products and hacks come into play. If you’re trying to whiten your teeth and regular brushing, flossing, and mouthwash aren’t working, instead of visiting an orthodontist for an expensive whitening treatment you can try using whitening gels, pastes, or strips. Brushing with baking soda and oil pulling are two home remedies that can also help whiten teeth.
#2: Ways to Fix Chipped, Cracked, and Broken Teeth
Dental Bonding
Composite bonding is one of the most common ways that chipped or broken teeth are repaired. A composite resin is filled into the gap or the crack tooth or where the tooth has been broken or where tooth decay has occurred. With broken teeth, the resin is sculpted into the shape of a tooth.
Inlays and Onlays
This procedure is also known as indirect filling. Inlays are placed directly on damaged teeth, whereas onlays cover the entirety of the tooth. Both inlays and onlays are made of either porcelain or ceramic material.
#3: Ways to Replace Missing Teeth
Bridges
Like its name suggests, a fixed bridge bridges the gap between one or more teeth. A resin-retained bridge is similar to a fixed bridge, except that they are less durable than fixed bridges. This is a good option for missing front teeth. Like other fake teeth options, both types of bridges are created to look just like natural teeth.
Crown Implants
Implants are one of the most invasive types of ways to replace missing teeth. With this procedure, a small titanium screw is surgically placed into the gums where the missing tooth is. After a while, the tissue and bone fuse to the implant and it becomes permanent.
Dentures
Dentures aren’t as bulky and as uncomfortable as they once were. In fact, it’s possible to receive partial dentures for a small section of missing teeth, or even a full set to replace most or all of your teeth. However, both types of dentures aren’t as durable as the other options for missing teeth, but they’re much more affordable than bridges or implants.
#4: Ways to Correct Crooked Teeth
For several decades, metal braces have been the only way to correct crooked teeth. When they were first created, metal braces were big, chunky, uncomfortable, and took a long time to install. Today, they’re much smaller, much more comfortable, and are quicker and easier to install. Still young children and teens especially prefer an alternative to metal braces.
Some of the most alternatives to metal braces include:
● Ceramic braces work like metal braces, but look like natural teeth
● Clear aligners are clear, plastic, removable trays that straighten teeth
● Lingual braces are metal braces installed behind the teeth
● Self-ligating braces use clips instead of elastic ties
Some options are more affordable than others, and not all of these options may be covered by insurance. For example, lingual braces require specialized training to install, and not many orthodontists have this experience. They also cost more than other types of braces.
No matter which route you take to get your desired smile, remember that nothing can replace good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, and floss at least once a day as recommended by the American Dental Association. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet— they’re beneficial to both oral and physical health— and limit the amount of junk food you eat to avoid cavities. Finally, if you’re a smoker, try to quit because it will also benefit both oral and overall health.