Non-Dental Considerations in Cosmetic Dentistry

At Bucks County Smiles, we know how important a beautiful smile is to boost your confidence. We also realize that the mix of dental procedures that make up what is considered “cosmetic dentistry” are a major component of improving your smile. Such procedures include teeth whitening, dental veneers, crowns, implants and bridges. Whether you have broken, missing, discolored or crooked teeth, one of these dental procedures can help restore your smile. That being said, there are also some non-dental factors that influence how your mouth, teeth and smile look, and we’ll review a few of these for you.

Your Facial Height and Width

If you have a long face, you have a greater chance of having a narrow jaw, and this can affect the amount of space for your upper teeth. The width of your jawbone will similarly affect how your smile looks. In the event that you have an overly narrow face, you may need palatal expansion in order to achieve a better facial balance and the exact look you’re going for.

Your Lips and Skin

Depending on whether your lips are predominantly full or thin, either more or less of your teeth will show when you smile. If you have thin lips, you may want to have them made more full with a cosmetic procedure before beginning with a dental cosmetic plan.

The appearance of color is often all about contrasts. For this reason, having tan skin or a darker shade of lipstick can affect how much whiter your teeth will look.

Your Age

As you get older, your lips and cheeks will tend to get tenser, and your bottom teeth show more when smiling. The height of your face will decrease as well, and your dentist will have to factor all of this in when contemplating cosmetic dentistry.

• Fillers and Dental Botox – If you have thin lips, as was mentioned earlier, you may want them made fuller and botox injections can accomplish this. You might also have other parts of your face that could benefit from fillers, so your improved smile is not detracted from by other facial issues.
• Tanning – Going to the beach, hitting a tanning bed or grabbing a can of spray tan at the local store will darken your skin, which will increase the color contrast with your teeth.
• Makeup and Lipstick Color – You may want to get the most you can out of the whiteness of your teeth by finding just the right shade of lipstick. A consultation with a makeup artist may help you with this.

Cosmetic Dentistry in Bucks County

Our experienced dentists at Bucks County Smiles take everything into consideration during a consultation for cosmetic dental work. We examine your mouth thoroughly and take a look at the impact of any proposed dental procedure on your smile and on your face overall.

Whether your teeth are looking dingy and could use some whitening or are crooked and need to be aligned, we have the services and expertise to get the desired result. Missing teeth is another common problem that negatively impacts your smile, so we are adept at implants and bridges to fill any gaps. Whatever your cosmetic or general dental needs, we will examine the dental and non-dental factors that will influence your appearance and give you options within your budget to address your situation.