Put Your Best Smile Forward

You know the expression “Put your best foot forward”? It means appearing and acting in a way that makes the most positive impression. Perhaps it really should be putting “your best smile forward.” Smiling is the best way to make a positive first impression, and an attractive, pearly white smile can be a real asset in both social and business relationships. Conversely, a smile that reveals damaged, discolored, or noticeably misaligned teeth can send the wrong message about you and your capabilities. You may already have observed this, and there's oodles of research to back this up.

If you weren't blessed with great teeth (or you neglected them), all is not lost. There are plenty of techniques for improving your dental esthetics — for example:

Professional Cleaning. You'd be surprised what just a good cleaning can do. We are able to remove unsightly hardened plaque (calculus) that home brushing and flossing can't dislodge. Superficial tooth stains often disappear as well.

Whitening/Bleaching. This is something you can do at home using an off-the-shelf whitening product available at most drugstores. For faster results, our office offers professional whitening.

Bonding. Chipped or cracked teeth or those with areas of decay can be restored to look good as new through bonding. This involves the application of a composite resin material that can be shaped and colored to match your natural teeth. It can also alter tooth shape (which can fill small gaps between teeth) with minimal impact on your existing tooth.

Facades. Custom-made veneers can be affixed to the front of your teeth to enhance their shape, whiten and brighten their color, and fill or minimize gaps between them. Crowns achieve similar improvements but they cover the entire tooth and thus are the best option for heavily damaged teeth.

Missing teeth can be replaced using implants, misaligned teeth can be repositioned through various orthodontic approaches, and there's a periodontal technique for improving the look of the gingival (gum) line around your teeth. So you see… you have something to smile about after all!

If you would like more information about smile enhancement, please contact Dr. Nick Pournaras by calling (803) 794-5430 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Beautiful Smiles by Design.”