Do you suffer from a lack of confidence and vivaciousness? The culprits could be your teeth.
Teeth are the most important aspect of an individual's image. Studies show that people who meet for the first time always look at each other's teeth first. Teeth send a message about who you are to other people.
Our obsession with teeth may cause youth with unattractive teeth, or teeth that are not-up-to-par with the standards of their peers, to have lot self-confidence.
A cosmetic surgeon can help transform a self-conscious person by altering his smile. The personality transformation, after I correct a smile is unbelievable,
says Dr. Kenneth Hilsen, an experienced cosmetic dentist in Ridgewood, New Jersey. When you change someone's smile, he has a life altering experience. A good smile changes the way a person perceives himself.
There are several ways to change a smile. The most popular procedure teens request is bleaching. Bleaching is quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive. The most effective operation, called Bright Smile
or Zoom
uses bright light to activate gel that is placed on your enamel. The cost ranges between five hundred to seven hundred dollars. The range in price depends upon the extra products a dentist will use to enhance the endurance of the bleach. All bleach fades,
says Dr. Hilsen, But if you use special toothpaste, mouthwash, and/or trays with gel (that you use monthly after the operation), you bleach will last longer.
Dr. Hilsen does not encourage the use of over-the-counter home bleaching kits. It's always better to go to your dentist for bleaching. Over-the-counter bleaching kits are unpredictable and the effect will fade quicker that dentist-initiated bleaching.
If you prefer whitening strips, dentists usually have their own that are stronger and more effective than the drugstore brands.
White teeth are a fad launched into the teen arena by media starts and Hollywood icons. People want their teeth whiter than I've ever seen, and I have been a dentist for thirty-five years,
said Dr. Hilsen. I've put laminates on teeth I thought were really white, and they come back to me years later to have them bleached.
Bleaching will not always be the solution for everyone. Dr. Hilsen does reconstructive cosmetic dentistry, using veneers, laminates, and caps. Laminate, a piece of porcelain that is bonded to the front of a tooth like a fake fingernail, can fill in spaces between teeth and fix the appearance of chipped, broken, and crooked teeth. This process takes two weeks. It is instant gratification, instant beauty...it's instant orthodontics.
Laminates, veneers, and caps create an extreme smile makeover without pain and without braces.
But don't think you can escape a visit to your local orthodontist anytime soon. Many crooked smiles are caused by growth problems in the jaw or palate. In order to know what sort of procedure you need (orthodontic or cosmetic dentistry) you should set up a consultation with both an orthodontist and a cosmetic dentist.
Cosmetic dentistry also helps with restoring teeth that have been affected by eating disorders of drugs. The acid that accumulates in the mouth of someone with anorexia or bulimia can cause extreme tooth decay. I've seen some teeth dwindled down to little stubs,
said Dr. Hilsen.
Many individuals who had suffered from eating disorders fight to have a normal like back. Improving the appearance of their teeth helps them revert back to a normal lifestyle.
I had a beautiful nineteen year old girl come into my office with her parents,
said Dr. Hilsen. Her shoulders were slumped, she was shy, huddled, and she wouldn't look at me directly. She had overcome an eating disorder and her teeth needed to be restored with caps and laminates. Years after the procedure, I saw her as a happy, confident individual. Her smile gave her life back and transformed her personality.
In order for a cosmetic dentist procedure to be successful, the patient must have the illness under control. A patient who continues with an eating disorder problem will have no success with her new smile.
Unlike plastic surgery, cosmetic dentistry doesn't have a strict age adherence for many of the procedures. The standard age is when an individual has surpassed puberty and has adult teeth in place. However, Dr. Hilsen stresses that age shouldn't be an overriding factor. Cosmetic dentistry should be done when it matters. I have done dentistry on children who were nine or ten years old. Laminate or smile beautification should be done when a child or teen wants or needs it. A child's smile and the way he feels about his teeth can affect his entire personality. Yes, the procedure is expensive and yes, he will have to redo the procedure in ten years, but fixing his teeth at an early age will help the child's psyche and social development.
A new smile can create new possibilities. If you are feeling shy, ashamed, or embarrassed about your smile, consult a cosmetic dentist, and perhaps he can give you a smile that will elevate your personality and the way you perceive yourself.
Dr Kenneth Hilsen, Prosthodontist and Makeover Dentist - Providing services in cosmetic dentistry and dental implants to the areas of Ridgewood and Bergen County.
Bergen County cosmetic dentistry
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