Every day, the people you meet are judging your age. They can’t help it; it’s subconscious, just part of the way that people assess those around them. You are doing it, too, although you may not be aware of it. We draw on many clues to make our conclusion: the wrinkles at the corners of the eyes, skin tone, and, of course, your smile. Our smiles share a lot of information about our age.
If you want to get a truly youthful appearance, don’t neglect your smile, and pay attention to these characteristics of a youthful smile and learn how you can restore your youthful smile and maintain it for life.
Color and Luster
Of course, youthful smiles are whiter than aged smiles, and the color of your smile is going to be a tip-off to your age. Teeth whitening can help with this, of course, but it has limitations. Teeth whitening can remove stains, but it doesn’t address other reasons why your teeth lose their youthful appearance.
As we age, our teeth lose enamel. The enamel is worn away by eating, acid from bacteria, and even by brushing. This thinner enamel is not only less white–it shows more of the yellowy dentin beneath–it’s less smooth, so it doesn’t have the same luster that a more youthful smile does. To help you achieve a more youthful smile, we can provide you with teeth whitening or porcelain veneers to boost the color and luster of your teeth.
Youthful Proportion
Youthful smiles tend to have a very marked difference in the size and shape of the central incisors when compared to the other teeth. Not only are these teeth wider than the other teeth, but they also tend to be taller.
As we age, our central incisors tend to wear down to become the same height as our other teeth. This can happen at a fairly young age if you didn’t have a pronounced difference, to begin with, or you have bite problems. To resolve your tooth proportions, our cosmetic dentists can give you a youthful smile with porcelain veneers, bonding, or dental crowns. These treatments can help restore your youthful proportions and enhance your smile. Nothing says youthful tooth like the right proportions.
Showy
Another characteristic of the youthful smile is that it shows off a lot of teeth. When we are 25, we show, on average, about an inch and a half of tooth and gums. By age 45, that has disappeared, and people tend not to show any tooth when they smile.
This is partly because we tend to smile less broadly when we’re older, but it’s also because we have less tooth to show, due to wear. Porcelain veneers, dental crowns, and bonding can help restore the structure of your tooth to give you a youthful smile.
Restoring Your Youthful Smile
If you are looking to recapture all the characteristics of a youthful smile, porcelain veneers are your best option. Because porcelain veneers completely replace the front surface of the tooth, they can restore color even when your natural enamel has thinned. They can also give your smile the smooth lustrous surface your natural teeth may no longer have. Porcelain veneers can also be used to reshape your teeth, building them up to restore the youthful height of your central incisors.
We also encourage our patients to take preventive dentistry seriously to maintain a youthful smile for life. This includes brushing and flossing regularly, visiting us for regular dental cleanings, not smoking, avoiding acidic or staining foods and drinks, and opting for natural-looking restorations instead of amalgam ones.
With a smile they can be proud of, people tend to smile more broadly, revealing more teeth, which completes the transformation to a more youthful smile.
If you are looking to rejuvenate your smile, please contact the Hilton Head dentists today.
