Written By Emma Sturgis / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

Just over half of people surveyed by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry said they believe that a smile creates a long-term impression after just one meeting. It points up the importance that a lovely smile can have in all aspects of life –- from impressing at a job interview to one’s interactions with friends, family and certainly that all-important “big first date.”

Dentists have more ways to improve a smile today thanks to breakthroughs in techniques, such as teeth whitening, bonding, bleaching, veneers and much more. The following are four options if you want to visually improve your smile.

Whitening

Whitening is one of the easiest ways to improve your smile. It doesn’t require any invasive dental work. This is something you can even try to do at home. You can purchase teeth whitening strips at most grocery stores. However, if you want the best and longest lasting results, you will want to visit your dentist to have this done.

Dental Bonding

This is done to fix chipped and/or decayed teeth. It can also alter the shape of teeth and close spaces that develop between individual teeth. Dental bonding involves applying a plastic resin directly to a tooth. Resins can be customized to match the natural coloring of an individual’s teeth.

Once applied, a special light is deployed to “cure” the strong plastic resin for a look that’s 100 percent natural.

Enamel Shaping

Dental professionals call this "enameloplasty." It is similar to dental bonding and is recommended to correct small chips or fix unevenly shaped teeth. It’s different from enamel, however, in that enamel shaping is permanent. That’s because the process involves shaving or stripping teeth to remove part of the enamel’s existing structure.

Dental Veneers

This also goes by the name of “porcelain veneers” and/or “dental laminates." It’s the most popular choice for people who want to correct misaligned, unevenly shaped, unevenly spaced or chipped teeth.

A veneer is an extremely thin custom-made shell crafted from resin or porcelain. They cover the front surface of a tooth. Dentists apply them with a bonding material while customizing them to match tooth color. Porcelain is the stronger of the two substances and better at resisting stains. Porcelain also presents a luster that looks more natural than resin.

So those might be called the “Big Four.” Whitening, bonding, enamel shaping, and veneers. Keep in mind that cosmetic dentistry has many more weapons in its arsenal for restoring that beautiful smile that we all want to present to the world. If you are interested in improving your smile, contact a dentist like Sacrey & Sacrey Dentistry near you.

Looking for a 100% all-natural liquid tooth oil and mouth rinse? Check out OraMD Original Strength and OraMD Extra Strength. Subscribe to our Trusted Health Club newsletter for more information about natural living tips, natural health, oral health and skincare. If you are looking for more health resources check out the Trusted Health Resources list. 

Written By:

Emma Sturgis is a freelance writer based out of Boston, Mass. She writes most often on health and education. When not writing, she enjoys reading and watching film noir. Say hi on Twitter @EmmaSturgis2

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com

Image by Anastasia Gepp from Pixabay