They say you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. It has been statistically proven that the second thing a person notices about someone upon first meeting is his or her smile (the eyes are first). The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry did a poll and found that almost all Americans (99.7%) believe that a smile is an important social asset. Most agreed also that an attractive smile makes a person more appealing to the opposite sex, and three-quarters of those polled felt that an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for career success. The most important things about a person’s smile were “straightness, whiteness and color of teeth, sincerity of smile, missing teeth, and sparkle of the smile,” in that order. Discolored, yellow, and stained teeth ranked as the number one most unattractive feature.
Today, there is no reason for a less-than-beautiful smile to hinder someone’s success in the work force or the social scene. The first priority would be to restore obvious decay in the front teeth. With the wonderful esthetic composites available today, there is no reason for anyone to know a person has fillings in the front teeth. Secondly, any missing teeth in the front should be addressed with partials, bridges or implants. The most basic and effective way to brighten the teeth is to bleach them with a dental mouth tray and bleaching material. A tray is custom made for the patient, and he or she can bleach at home with convenience. Bleaching usually whitens the teeth several shades on almost everyone. Our office also offers in office Zoom whitening which is done in one appointment. Lastly, the straightness of the teeth should be addressed. Orthodontics is a good option for some people. If a person doesn’t want to wear braces or appliances, we can still “straighten” the teeth by re-contouring with crowns, bonding, or veneers.
Now that you are armed with information, go out into the public and really notice the smiles you see. Do you think most people could benefit from a “smile lift?” Have you noticed that virtually all of the people on the makeover TV shows have dental work done to improve their smile? If you feel like you could use a smile makeover, see your dentist. And put your best smile forward!
