Spotlight Magazines Spotlight Magazine Mansfield South November 2015 | Page 6

Spotlight Magazine Smile With Confidence Could cosmetic dentistry help? Our smile is one of the first things that people notice about us, so a mouth full of stained, chipped or crooked teeth can really affect our confidence. Cosmetic dentistry ranges from small changes, such as crowning a chipped tooth, to whole-mouth makeovers. Common procedures include: Bleaching Teeth can be stained by smoking, some medications and certain food and drink. Most stains can be removed by regular scale and polish appointments, but others are harder to shift. Also, teeth naturally differ in colour, so some people will have naturally whiter teeth than others. Bleaching is usually done over the course of a few weeks, although laser bleaching can give you noticeable results, in less time. The bleaching product is painted onto your teeth, and activated by the laser. Teeth can sometimes feel a little more sensitive during treatment and gums can be a bit sore, but results can be pretty dramatic, with teeth up to six shades whiter. The effect can last for up to three years. Straightening Teeth-straightening is a gradual process and usually takes one to two years. The effect is pretty permanent, although teeth may move slightly as the years go by. Replacing missing teeth There are different ways to replace missing teeth. The best choice usually depends on how many teeth are missing, where the gap is, and what condition your other teeth are in. You could opt for a partial denture, which can be removed. Alternatively, a bridge can be fixed onto remaining teeth, or onto implants (artificial roots). Is it for you? Only you can decide whether you want to have work done and if so, how far to go. We’ve all seen the ‘Hollywood smiles’ – those too white, too straight, too perfect sets of teeth that just look a bit false. Sometimes it’s the minor imperfections that make us who we are. Would Claudia Schiffer have been as distinctive if she’d had her teeth ‘fixed’? For more information about cosmetic dentistry, visit www.dentalhealth.org or call the dental helpline on 01788 539780. By Kate Duggan Another common cosmetic procedure is straightening or moving teeth slightly. This is usually done with orthodontic braces. If you have an image of a spotty teen with metal train tracks, you might be surprised to find out that more and more adults are getting them, and many of today’s braces are a world away from the unsightly ones of a few years ago. ‘Invisible braces’, for example, are clear plastic moulds that fit over your teeth. They’re not very noticeable and can be taken out for eating and brushing. They do need changing every few weeks, to fit your changing bite, so can work out more expensive than traditional fixed braces. 6 www.spotlightlocal.co.uk • 01623 706570 • [email protected]