Aging happens to everyone. But that doesn’t mean you have to accept the effects of getting older on your appearance — including your smile. Signs of aging such as yellowing teeth, gaps or chips, and misalignment can be transformed into a healthy-looking, more youthful smile. How? Cosmetic dentistry. At Shoreline Dental Studio, we offer expert cosmetic dental treatments that help you look — and feel — younger.
How Does Your Smile Change As You Get Older?
But before we talk about cosmetic dental treatments that can help give you a more youthful appearance, let’s first talk about what actually happens to our teeth as we age and why these issues happen.
Worn Tooth Enamel and Stains – Your teeth have worked hard for you over the years, and effects like enamel wear, discoloration and misalignment are common. Decades of eating, biting, and chewing can slowly wear down tooth enamel, sometimes causing teeth to feel more sensitive and show more of the yellowish dentin underneath.
Gum Recession – Years of aggressive tooth brushing, gum disease, or genetics can play a part in receding gums. You might notice that your teeth look longer — and less aesthetically pleasing — because more of your teeth’s surface area is showing.
Missing Teeth – Tooth trauma, cavities, and gum disease can make your smile look less-than-stellar. Accidents can knock teeth out, while cavities, tooth decay, or gum disease can result in teeth that fall out or need surgical removal. The remaining gaps in your smile might inhibit how well you can chew. And for many, missing teeth can be a source of insecurity.
Shifting Teeth – With aging also comes teeth that start to shift and crowd. As we age, bone loss and decreased bone density in our jaws are natural. The result? Decreased bone density in your jaw means your teeth are less secure in your gums, promoting movement. And a shrinking jawbone leaves less room for your teeth, making them crowd closer together.
Cosmetic Dentistry Options For A More Youthful Smile
Do any of the above signs of aging in your teeth apply to you? Without further ado, here are 5 cosmetic dental treatments we offer at Shoreline Dental Studio and the dental issues they help address:
1. Teeth Whitening
How to look younger, fast? Teeth whitening. It’s an anti-aging solution that many turn to — it’s easy, affordable, and results happen immediately. At Shoreline Dental Studio, we offer professional-grade, take-home teeth whitening, which removes years of stains safely — and with long-lasting results.
Teeth Whitening With Shoreline Dental
So what does teeth whitening look like with us? First, we take the time to chat with you about your whitening goals. Then we create a safe, customized plan that includes custom trays that fit only your teeth, and syringes of whitening gel based on your sensitivity level. You’ll take home your custom whitening kit and proceed with your whitening plan in the comfort and convenience of your own space. Your results? Brighter, whiter, yet natural-looking teeth that effectively fulfill your smile goals and complement your features.
And how long will your teeth stay white from your at-home whitening kit? Typically one year, but your oral care, lifestyle, and eating habits play a big part in helping your teeth stay white for as long as possible.
Now, we should mention that teeth whitening isn’t effective against all stains. In those cases, a cosmetic dentistry option like dental veneers will cover up stains and bring out the youthful smile you’re looking for.
2. Dental Veneers
In addition to addressing stained teeth, dental veneers also can address a variety of other aesthetic teeth issues related to aging. Dental veneers hide teeth with chips or cracks, deeply discolored teeth, or even twisted teeth. Porcelain veneers can also change the overall proportions of your smile because they can be shaped to alter the visible length or size of your teeth.
But what exactly are dental veneers? Simply put, dental veneers are thin shells of porcelain placed over the teeth. Each tooth has its own veneer covering it completely, giving it a brand-new appearance. Teeth affected by age can look pristine and perfect once again.
In the hands of an experienced cosmetic dentist like Dr. Ritzau, veneers are a beautiful result of balancing dental art and science. As with all our services, we listen carefully to your smile concerns and hopes, incorporating them into your smile plan. We then design your veneers to suit your facial features, as well as improve your teeth’s functioning. Our goal with veneers is always a refreshed, confidence-boosting smile that looks natural for you.
The Process of Getting Dental Veneers
Once your case is finalized, it typically takes only two visits to put them in. At the first visit, your teeth are prepared for the veneers. This includes gently filing the teeth to make room for the thin porcelain veneers. Then you’ll wear temporary veneers made of acrylic that mimic the design of your real veneers.
For about three weeks, you get to preview what your new smile will look like and have the opportunity to provide feedback about the look of your teeth before moving on to affixing your permanent porcelain veneers. Your real dental veneers are handmade by a master technician at a specialized lab, and you’ll return to Shoreline Dental Studio for a second appointment to have your veneers applied. Your Shoreline dentist places each veneer on individually to confirm it’s perfect before permanently bonding each one to its tooth.
A final bite adjustment and polish and you’re ready to show the world a smile that can take years off your appearance.
3. Gum Contouring
Sometimes, young-looking smiles are not just about whiter, well-shaped teeth but the harmony between your teeth and gums. Think of the relationship of gums to teeth like a picture frame to a painting. An evenly scalloped gumline, gums with a healthy color, and a more attractive thickness or texture show off teeth the best.
Gum contouring evens out the gumline if it’s sitting too high against certain teeth. Or thins and shapes your gums if they’re thicker and protrude too much. Some of our patients opt for gum contouring on its own, while others pair it with other treatments like veneers or teeth whitening for a full-scale transformation. If you’re an Orange County resident concerned about the look of your gums, consider talking to us at Shoreline Dental about gum contouring.
How does it work? Of course, your Shoreline dentist first examines your teeth and gums and notes any issues. We’ll chat with you about your options and what we’d recommend. Once you’re ready, gum contouring is a quick and painless process: laser technology removes your gum tissue, and you’ll enjoy results a few days after the procedure.
4. Crowns, Dental Implants, and Bridges
As an older adult, you’ve likely heard of cosmetic dentistry treatments like crowns and bridges that can restore function and aesthetics to your smile. At Shoreline, we want the best for our patients, so we use Zirconia crowns, the highest quality porcelain crown.
Crowns restore just one tooth, many teeth, or designed in conjunction with dental implants or bridges. They can help restore an aging smile to optimal functioning and aesthetics. As an anti-aging solution, these types of cosmetic and restorative dental treatments allow you to enjoy your teeth with much more freedom — much like you did in earlier years.
5. Bonding
Another cosmetic dental treatment we offer at Shoreline Dental is bonding. Typically recommended for small repairs to teeth, cosmetic dentists use bonding to fill in missing tooth structure caused by chips, cracks or minor areas of decay, and to cover small spots of discoloration or fill in small gaps.
With bonding, your Mission Viejo or San Clemente dentist uses a tiny amount of tooth-colored composite resin to fix the damage. This liquid material bonds to your enamel and is cured with a special light. Successive layers are painted on and cured until the damage is resolved. Then the dentist shapes and polishes the resin to blend completely with your teeth. It’s a painless process that can refresh your look.
Take Your Youthful Smile For A Test Drive With Digital Smile Design
At Shoreline Dental, we want our patients to feel confident about their treatment every step of the way. So we offer Digital Smile Design — an innovative preview system that allows patients to see and physically feel their new smile before giving final approval on the look of their new teeth. Whether you’ve decided on dental veneers, dental implants, crowns or bridges, Digital Smile Design helps our patients participate more fully in the design and approval of their new, younger smiles.
Digital Smile Design starts with a fully digital capture of your teeth and mouth, as well as digital x-rays, video, and a bite analysis so we can examine your dental anatomy in detail. Next, your Shoreline dentist designs your new smile on a 3D rendering, keeping natural-looking harmony in your face, teeth, lips and gums in mind.
The really fun part? We print your design with our in-house 3D printer so you can come in for a smile test drive! You get to try on your new smile to actually see and feel what it will look like — in real life. Your feedback is welcome before you give your final approval.
Get A Youthful Smile With Your Orange County Cosmetic Dentists
Interested in learning more about getting a smile makeover that helps you look younger? Your highly-skilled Orange County cosmetic dentists are here to help you achieve a more youthful look with their comprehensive and compassionate approach.
Reach out to us today about cosmetic dental treatments that can help turn back the clock and reveal a more youthful you.
