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At Volterra Dental, Richard Blackburn, DMD, MA, and his team know that having a beautiful smile isn’t just about appearance: When your smile looks its absolute best, you feel more confident, too, in every area of your life.
The good news: Today, there are plenty of ways to improve your smile, no matter what your concerns may be. Here, learn about simple things you can do to make your smile stay healthy and look its best and brightest.
1. Banish yellowing
Yellowing and dinginess are common problems for most of us, and while they’re usually not associated with more serious underlying problems, they can definitely make your smile look older, more worn, and poorly cared for. Foods and drinks with deep pigments are common causes, and smoking and poor oral hygiene can contribute, too.
Fortunately, professional teeth whitening can help. Whitening uses special agents to lift away stains and discoloration, lightening teeth by several shades in as little as an hour. Dr. Blackburn also offers take-home kits featuring custom-fit, tooth-hugging trays and professional-strength whiteners for results that far surpass over-the-counter bleaching kits.
2. Address deep stains (and other imperfections)
Teeth whitening is great for most stains, but tooth darkening due to trauma, medication use, or other “internal” causes may not respond as well to whitening. For that type of deep staining, dental veneers are a great solution.
Dental veneers are thin, custom-made shells crafted from porcelain or composite resin that are bonded to the front surface of your teeth. Veneers can hide deep discoloration and correct other flaws, too, like chipped teeth, teeth that are worn or uneven, or teeth that look too small. They can also help correct the appearance of minor misalignment so that teeth look straighter.
3. Restore weakened teeth
Large fillings and root canal treatments remove a lot of the tooth’s internal material that helps keep a tooth strong and healthy, leaving the tooth looking dark or gray compared to its neighbors. Dental crowns restore teeth by surrounding the entire tooth with a hard, tooth-colored shell, improving the tooth’s appearance as well as its strength.
Crowns are routinely applied to teeth treated by root canal therapy, but they can also restore the appearance of a tooth that’s chipped, broken, or misshapen. They’re also ideal for improving the look and durability of teeth with very large or extensive fillings, helping your smile look healthy and flawless.
4. Replace missing teeth
Even a single missing tooth can have a dramatic effect on the way your smile looks, and it can increase your risk of future tooth loss, too. Dentures are one time-tested way of replacing one or more missing teeth, restoring your smile and your bite function, as well as your confidence.
Today, many people opt for an alternative solution: dental implants designed to look, feel, and work like their natural teeth. Implants are titanium posts that are surgically placed into the jawbone, acting as artificial tooth roots. Once the implant has fused with the bone, a crown is attached to provide a natural-looking replacement tooth.
Dental bridges are a third option for replacing missing teeth. A bridge fills the gap left by missing teeth, restoring your smile and the ability to chew and speak normally. All three options help maintain your normal face shape by preventing the “sunken in” appearance often associated with missing teeth.
5. Straighten crooked teeth
Most of us would love to have straight teeth, but the hassle of metal braces isn’t always appealing. That’s where Invisalign® comes in. This popular, clear aligner system replaces metal wires and brackets with a series of custom-made removable trays that gradually shift your teeth into place.
Like its name implies, Invisalign aligner trays are virtually invisible, and because they’re removable, you can eat whatever foods you like. Plus, treatment times are shorter, with some treatments completed in just six months.
In addition to enhancing your smile, Invisalign can improve your oral health, too, by aligning teeth so it’s easier to clean them with brushing and flossing.
6. Optimize your oral hygiene routine
While dental treatments can definitely make a big impact, a proper oral hygiene routine is essential, too. That includes twice-daily brushing and daily flossing, alongside twice-yearly dental checkups and cleanings to monitor for issues and keep your teeth looking bright and polished.
During your visit, we’ll provide personalized recommendations to help you maintain your smile based on your unique needs. And of course, we can suggest other treatments to help you achieve your goals so you can enjoy the smile of your dreams.
If it’s time for your next checkup or if you'd like to learn about any of the other treatments we offer, request an appointment online or over the phone with Dr. Blackburn and the team at Volterra Dental in Los Alamitos, California, today.