How Cosmetic Dentistry Can Give You A Younger-Looking Smile

If you're determined to fight the aging process by staying in shape and undergoing cosmetic procedures, you don't want to forget about your teeth. Your teeth show signs of aging just like your skin. Fortunately, your cosmetic dentist has various treatments that help your teeth and your smile look much younger. Here's how cosmetic dentistry can restore your youthful smile. 

Whitening Yellow Teeth

Teeth tend to become more yellow or gray as you age. This is partly due to stains from food, drinks, and smoking. It's also due in part to thinning enamel that makes it difficult to whiten teeth with home kits. If appropriate, your dentist can whiten your teeth during an office procedure that gives immediate results.

Whitening your teeth a few shades can make you look much younger since younger teeth tend to be whiter. In some instances, teeth whitening procedures may not work. If that's the case, your dentist may whiten your teeth by placing veneers on them. When you get veneers, you can choose the exact shade you want since the veneers cover your natural teeth.

Adjusting The Length Of Your Teeth

Two processes might happen as you get older. Your gums could pull back from your teeth and make them look longer. While you may not be consciously aware of it, you probably associate longer teeth with older people. Your dentist might be able to correct this problem with gum surgery that covers the upper portion of your teeth so they appear shorter and more youthful.

Another problem that can happen is the gradual grinding away of your teeth. This is even more accelerated if you happen to grind your teeth. This makes your teeth shorter and it can cause them to shift and create gaps. This affects your appearance and makes you look older because your lips and the skin around your mouth sinks in a little, which can also cause wrinkles.

Your cosmetic dentist might treat this problem by giving you a smile lift. This involves placing veneers over your teeth. The veneers can make your teeth longer if necessary. They also close gaps and give your teeth some width. The result is slightly plumper lips and skin that makes you look younger. The veneers can also slightly increase the distance between your nose and your chin by making your teeth a little longer. This has the effect of making your look younger since this distance usually decreases as you age and your teeth wear down.

If you invest in facial procedures to get rid of wrinkles and keep your skin supple and young-looking, you don't want to ruin the effect with yellow or old-looking teeth. Talk to a cosmetic dentist about the best way to restore your youthful smile.