How much are you willing to pay for the perfect smile? The True Cost of the Hollywood Smile has been revealed!

In the age of beautifying filters, social media pressures to appear ‘perfect’ and constantly comparing ourselves to others, many people are turning to dental cosmetic surgery to feel confident in front of the camera.

Looking after our teeth can help build our confidence to show off our smile in front of people and in pictures. But, whilst we’d all love to have an award-winning smile, for some people brushing regularly and not forgetting to floss isn’t always good enough.

There are many cosmetic dental surgery options available for people who are looking to improve their smile, from veneers, to teeth whitening and even gum contouring. All of these options are costly endeavours, but what is the true cost of the Hollywood Smile?

Teeth Whitening

Anyone can find themselves with yellowed teeth, and it doesn’t have to be from a lack of brushing. Consuming food and drinks containing a substance called tannin can make your teeth much more likely to stain. 

Not having bright, sparkly white teeth can be a huge hit to people’s confidence, leading people to turn to teeth whitening products and treatments. But the trade off for white teeth isn’t always worth it.

Bleaching your teeth might damage proteins in the dentin layer of your tooth, causing sensitivity and discomfort. Sometimes, the whitening solution can reach your gums, turning your gums white and irritating all of the soft tissues in your mouth. 

All of these drawbacks might not even lead to beautiful white teeth, as the results of teeth whitening are not always as you might expect. If you have teeth with varying levels of discolouration, your teeth might not reach the same level of whiteness across your mouth! 

Veneers

Veneers are a popular choice amongst celebrities and public figures, as they are a great way to swap unsightly teeth for a stunning smile.

But aside from the steep costs that come alongside veneers, there are plenty of medical issues that can follow once they’ve been applied.

Thin, tooth colours shells that are permanently bonded to the front surface of the teeth, sometimes veneers require the original tooth to be shaved down to fit the veneer. This shaving of the tooth cannot be reversed, and oftentimes people lose perfectly healthy enamel for the benefit of having veneers fixed onto their teeth.

This may not seem like a huge issue at first, but as veneers do not last forever, replacements and restoration can cause unnecessary stress and discomfort on your original teeth, resulting in potentially needing a complete tooth replacement.

Also, the veneer is so thin, they are not a good option for people who grind their teeth, as the material can chip and crack. It also means that your natural tooth underneath can become more sensitive to hot and cold substances. So you may have a bright, neat smile, but you might have to say no to ice cream at the beach, and hot chocolate in the snow!

Composite Bonding

This is used to fix minor damage and gaps in teeth, but these don’t come without their own drawbacks!

Composite bonding uses a special type of plastic called composite resin, which is susceptible to staining, as it is much more porous than your enamel. 

It is also not as durable as your natural tooth enamel, as they can break down and leave your teeth feeling rough, jagged and uneven. 

In fact, composite bonding often has to be replaced every three to seven years.

Cosmetic Contouring 

Cosmetic contouring is a simple and inexpensive procedure that can make strong differences, using drills to gently remove some of the tooth’s enamel to change the shape and length.

However, the procedure comes with its faults, as it will never fix your dental health and it can only be completed on healthy teeth. You also run the risk of the procedure removing too much enamel which can weaken your tooth and increase sensitivity.

We all know the true Hollywood Smile as perfectly uniform teeth that are sparkly white. But what about your gums?

Gum Contouring and Grafts

Gums are susceptible to becoming irritated from a buildup of plaque, which can lead to infection and as a result, gum recession. Some people are also born with more gum tissue than others, leading to a ‘gummy smile’ which can really knock people’s confidence.

Gum contouring and grafts are a solution to these issues, to help you create a more ‘perfect’ smile, but at what cost? 

Changing the shape of your gums by either cutting away excessive gum tissue, or restoring gum tissue that has receded can be an expensive endeavour for a slightly lacking result.

The healing process for gum contouring and grafts can take up to a month, and can sometimes result in the gums becoming infected. Not only that, but once they’ve healed, there is a chance that the gums can actually grow back! 

There’s also a chance that your teeth can also become sensitive as the roots of your teeth can become exposed due to the lack of gum, leaving them vulnerable to plaque buildup.

All of these treatments and surgeries are sure to leave you with the perfect Hollywood Smile, but is shaving off healthy enamel, risking sensitive teeth and increasing your chances of infection really worth it? 

Here at Dental Art Implant Clinics, we believe that learning to love your smile is a great way to boost your confidence and feel comfortable showing off your smile! 

Of course, every minor defect or slight discoloration is what makes your smile yours, but with regular checkups, your dentist can spot any potential issues they may cause.

Ensuring that you attend your regular check ups at your dentist, is key to preserving your pearly whites and keeping healthy and strong.