How to Improve Your Smile

Some things never go out of style, like a confident smile. If you feel self-conscious about your smile, facing the day with confidence can be challenging. You may even feel self-conscious when you speak, socialize, laugh, or eat. If that feels familiar, you may wonder how to improve your smile.

The good news is there are things you can do to improve or maintain the health and look of your smile. And if that’s not enough, a smile makeover can give you the radiant smile you wish for. Before we get into the details, please remember this article isn’t a substitute for personalized dental care. Your smile is as unique as you are and requires the attention of a dentist.

Ways to Improve or Maintain Your Smile at Home

Good oral hygiene can improve your smile over time, and it is essential for your overall health and well-being. The fundamentals of your at-home oral hygiene program include:

• Brush your teeth twice daily using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.
• Floss daily
• Stay well hydrated, sipping plain still water during the day.
• Quit smoking if you do, and avoid smoking or tobacco use.
• Limit acidic foods and beverages like coffee, wine, and soda to confined periods of time where you can rinse your mouth and brush your teeth about 20 minutes afterward.
• See your dentist twice a year for an examination and a professional cleaning.
• If you grind your teeth, consider wearing a mouthguard at night to reduce the risk of additional damage to your teeth.
• Your dentist may have other recommendations specific to your needs, such as remineralizing rinses, mouthwash, or water flossers.

If you feel your teeth are not bright and white enough, talk with your dentist about the possibility of a custom home whitening kit. Grocery store whitening strips and TikTok hacks can permanently damage your tooth enamel and are often ineffective. Your best bet is to involve a dentist who can first assess whether your enamel is strong enough, advise you on how to use it correctly, and even make custom whitening trays that fit your teeth perfectly.

While there is only so much you can do to improve the look of your smile at home, your home care is the foundation for a lifetime of a healthy smile, good breath, and health.

A Smile Makeover May Be the Solution if That Isn’t Enough

Of course, there are some issues you can’t address at home, like crooked teeth or existing cracks. Cosmetic dentistry offers a range of treatments to improve the look of your teeth and smile.

A cosmetic dentist can also put together a “smile makeover,” which is a custom package of cosmetic dentistry treatments to address your aesthetic goals.

A smile makeover may include two or more of the following:

• Invisalign invisible aligners to discreetly and conveniently correct the alignment of your teeth over time
• Veneers to improve the look of disproportionately sized teeth, stains, cracks, or even gaps
• Bonding tooth-colored resin to smooth out fractures, chips, or visible cracks
• Tooth whitening treatments
• Replacing conspicuous dark-colored or silver fillings with tooth-colored fillings
• Crowns to cosmetically cover and protect a broken or worn-down tooth
• Implants or bridges to replace missing teeth for both function and looks
• Any other dental treatment that also improves some aspect of how your teeth and smile look
• Some cosmetic dentists also offer Botox and fillers, so lip filler, Botox to correct a “gummy smile,” or even a lip flip may be included in a smile makeover.

Of course, some people may not need a full smile makeover and may be happy with one specific treatment that addresses that one cosmetic issue that makes them feel self-conscious. A skilled cosmetic dentist will help you identify this treatment. It can be surprising to see how one well-chosen treatment can make such a big difference.

Whether you opt for a single cosmetic treatment or a full smile makeover, no one can deny the power of a confident smile. Our satisfied patients smile bigger and brighter without even thinking about it. Imagine the confidence that comes from improving something that once made you feel self-conscious or even embarrassed. Of course, people who never felt that way still benefit from a little boost every day that comes from liking how you look.

Your Next Step to a Confident Smile

If you want to learn more about smile makeovers, contact a dentist specializing in cosmetic dentistry. Not only does a cosmetic dentist consider your oral health, but they can help you decide which treatments are the best investment for your personal goals.

When you meet with a cosmetic dentist, be sure to talk openly and frankly about what you like and don’t like about your smile. The best smile makeover addresses the things you want to change. So let your dentist know:

• Your goals? What would you like to change? How do you want to look?
• Your concerns
• Your budget constraints, though payment plans may make treatments more affordable than you realize
• Your medical and dental history as your dentist will prioritize your safety and health.
• Any questions you have
• Is there a timeframe or deadline? For example, do you have a big event coming up over the next year that you want to look your best for?

As new technologies and trends emerge, it is hard to know which treatments best suit your needs outside the dental care field. Your dentist should be able to suggest the treatments best suited to your needs and show you examples so you can see what kind of results others have seen. With modern imaging technology, your dentist may even be able to model what those results might look like on you.

Southview Dentistry proudly serves the Charlotte, NC, area; if you live in or near Charlotte and want to improve your smile, feel free to give us a call. We love to see our patients enjoy their infectious, radiant smiles.

Schedule your consultation today for a brighter smile tomorrow.