What are Smile Aesthetics? Shaping Teeth and Self-Esteem

Dentistry has improved and developed immensely over the past few decades and once seemingly insurmountable dental issues are now easily and successfully treated. Most people would agree that having a healthy and beautiful smile works wonders for a person’s self-esteem. 

In the not too distant past any major dental problems were solved by having teeth extracted and replaced with dentures or false teeth. This is no longer the case as patients and dentists now prefer to save original teeth whenever possible and to use various procedures (surgical and cosmetic) to preserve and enhance a natural look to teeth and promote a healthy smile through smile aesthetics.

Modern Methods

This is the age of smile aesthetics and modern dentistry has a range of options available to preserve, correct and improve the appearance of teeth. Achieving a nice smile with dental procedures is commonplace and some of the most common approaches include the use of:

• Porcelain crowns
• Dental braces
• Veneers
• Teeth whitening

Smile Aesthetics Explained

These (and other) dental interventions all fall under the umbrella of smile aesthetics, where the goal is to achieve as natural a look as possible while, at the same time, saving natural teeth. Preserving the shape, size and colour of the teeth (by whatever means) is not just about looking good, it is also about feeling good about oneself and the self-confidence that comes with a natural smile.

Smiling and Self-Confidence

A smile is not just a simple expression of pleasure or happiness. The act of smiling releases a chemical called serotonin which has a significant impact on mood. Serotonin carries signals from the brain to the rest of the body and affects functions including:

• Mood
• Digestion
• Sleep
• Nausea
• Bone health
• Blood clotting
• Sexual desire

A smile also releases dopamine which plays a vital role in memory, concentration and learning as well as giving feelings of satisfaction, pleasure and motivation. The end result of smiling regularly and easily is a physiological lift and improved emotional well-being for the individual as well as a more positive perception of the person by others.

Health Before Aesthetics

Before addressing smile aesthetics, overall dental health must first be taken into account. A reluctance to smile will, most likely, be due to the appearance of the teeth and the causes of any imperfections or issues must be investigated.

Teeth may be simply discoloured by age or through the use of tobacco products. Staining can also be the result of drinking tea or coffee over a prolonged period. More often, however, there is some damage to the teeth and the root cause of such issues must be uncovered and corrected.

Among the long list of possible dental issues affecting smile aesthetics are:

• Discolouration or staining
• Gum disease
• Tooth decay
• Cracked, chipped or broken teeth
• Misaligned teeth
• Crooked tooth or teeth
• Overbite or under bite

Each of these issues will require professional diagnosis and have its own method of treatment.

Dental Treatments

Once the underlying problem has been determined, the dentist (in consultation with the patient) will decide on the best form of treatment to restore the teeth’s natural function and appearance. In some cases, such as discolouration, a professional cleaning may be all that is required while for others the treatment may be more complex and even involve some dental surgery.

Solutions are varied and can include:

• Teeth whitening
• Dental implants
• Dental bridges
• Dentures
• Bonding
• Veneers
• White fillings

Thanks to modern technological advances, dental appliances such as dentures, bridges, false teeth, implants and veneers can now be colour matched to a patient’s existing tooth colour. This means any new dental fittings are an exact colour match to the original teeth and unnoticeable to other people.

Prevention is Better

A reluctance to smile because of dental issues can have damaging consequences not just to self-confidence but also to mental well-being. Avoiding dental issues in the first place is the first and best course of action. This requires a simple and straightforward approach to dental care.

Most serious dental problems can be avoided by following a simple regimen:

• Brush the teeth (correctly) twice daily: hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gum line and brush the front, back, and chewing surface of teeth, as well as the tongue
• Only use a soft-bristled toothbrush
• Floss once a day
• Use an approved mouthwash regularly
• Rinse the mouth with water after snacks or meals

Probably the most important part of a good dental health regimen is visiting the dentist on a regular, scheduled basis and reporting any issues that may arise as quickly as possible.

As the old adage states “prevention is better than cure” and this is particularly true in matters of dental health. Smiling should come naturally to express pleasure, success or happiness and a reluctance to smile can only have a negative impact on life.

This negative outcome can largely be avoided by taking preventive measures and a common-sense approach to basic dental care. Despite best efforts, however, there may come a time when a dentist’s intervention becomes necessary and this is the time that the world of smile aesthetics may need to be explored in order to restore a nice smile by dental means.