Age can affect your body in many ways, and unfortunately, your smile is no exception. Years of daily wear-and-tear can eventually take their toll and leave your teeth looking darker, damaged, or out of place.
If you’re eager to enhance your appearance but are unsure where to get started, continue reading to learn about 3 ways aging can change your teeth and the various cosmetic services your dentist offers that can help you preserve a younger-looking grin!
Change #1: Dental Discoloration
Did you know that even perfectly healthy teeth are more ivory than snowy white? This is because the outermost layer, or enamel, is a blue-white hue, but it’s somewhat translucent and allows the lower layer of dentin, which is a deeper golden yellow, to shine through.
But over time, repeated or frequent exposure to darkly tinted foods and drinks, such as coffee, tea, berries, tomatoes, or wine, can cause extrinsic stains that can be hard to brush away. Not only that, but years of daily biting and chewing can eventually erode your enamel, allowing the dentin to show through more easily, which can also deepen the shade of your smile. Thankfully, your dentist can provide professional teeth whitening services or other treatments, like veneers or dental bonding, to brighten your grin and boost your confidence.
Change #2: Worn-Down Enamel
Daily biting and chewing can not only tint your enamel, but it can also wear it down, leaving some teeth looking stunted or overly-short when compared to their healthier neighbors. Not only might you feel self-conscious about their shape, but if they’re too small, you might develop wider gaps between teeth, which can contribute to a bite misalignment to TMJ (temporomandibular joint) aches.
Minor chips, cracks, and spacing problems can sometimes be adjusted with cosmetic services, like dental bonding or veneers. But more severe damage and decay might require a customized dental crown, which is a tooth-shaped cap that’s cemented over injured teeth to improve their appearance and function.
Change #3: Shifting Teeth
Even those who had perfectly straight smiles for most of their lives might eventually notice their teeth drifting out of place. The pressure of daily biting and chewing, or other habits, like teeth grinding, can gradually push them out of their ideal positions. That means you’re not not alone if you’re feeling self-conscious about gaps, overcrowding, or other spacing concerns later in life.
But thankfully, it’s not too late to treat your concerns! Cosmetic options, like veneers and dental bonding, can be applied in such a way that they mask misalignments. However, many dentists also offer orthodontic treatments, such as Invisalign, that can be used to straighten your smile more comfortably and discreetly than traditional braces.
If you’re unsure of which procedures can help you maintain a more youthful smile, you can learn more by scheduling a cosmetic consultation with your provider!
About the Practice
Patients at Westbury Dental Spa benefit from three dentists passionate about helping them build beautiful, healthy teeth and gums for life. Dr. Oza-Chughtai, Dr. Maksumova, and Dr. Awan collaborate to deliver a complete menu of services, including various cosmetic procedures, to meet your unique needs under one roof. Their caring approach is paired with advanced technology to deliver more accurate results meant to last. If you would like a consultation, you can request an appointment on the website or call (516) 282-5100.