Search

Have you ever been talking to someone and you’re making eye contact but then notice their eyes shift downward? I think we all have. Did you know what they were looking at? Nine times out of ten, they were looking at your teeth!

How embarrassing! They’re looking at your teeth for one of two reasons: because you have something on them or because the overall appearance of your teeth is just distracting to them. Both of those reasons are why a lot of people don’t smile. Luckily, there have been so many advancements in the world of dentistry to help people with their dental dilemmas.

Teeth Fetish?

Forbes states that people have taken more of an interest and focus on the appearance of their teeth. Shape and color being the main focus. You see a lot of celebrities taking selfies and posting videos flashing their pearly whites. Some celebs even post videos of them visiting their dentist.

In seeing celebrities taking extra care of their teeth, it has inspired a lot of consumers to do the same. You see more and more people getting teeth whitening services and fixing their crooked smiles. Whether this increase in dental care is coming from a cosmetic desire to be like their favorite celebrity or not, it ’s certainly making people be more attentive to their dental health.

The Evolution of Teeth: Braces

There was a point in time where if you wanted a pretty smile, you had to wear braces. Braces were the absolute worst for kids in school 30-40 years ago. Phrases like “brace face” and “metal mouth” would torment kids for the entire time they wore braces and were really hurtful but with all the teasing and ridicule, the finished product was a gorgeous smile.

Now, these gorgeous smiles do come at a pretty price. According to oralb.com, traditional braces can run you anywhere from $3,000-$7,000. Ceramic braces can range from $4,000-$8,000 and Lingual braces can cost you a whopping $8,000-$10,000! The new form of braces are called Invisalign and they can run you $4,000-$7,400.

How Braces Work

Essentially, when braces are applied, it is a process of applied pressure moving your teeth in a certain direction. As your teeth move, your bone changes shape. This process is the same for traditional braces and Invisalign braces. The actual process of applying braces can be a little scary so you want to make sure you find the right dentist to meet your dental hygiene needs.

Million Dollar Smile: Cosmetic Dentistry

Most of us really want to have that “million dollar” smile but don’t want to pay the million dollar money that comes with that smile. What a lot of people don’t realize is that there are procedures that can enhance your smile without emptying out your bank account.

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry states that the number of cosmetic dental procedures has had a 12% increase in the last three to five years. That just goes to show you just how much people have taken an interest in their oral hygiene.

Now, cosmetic dentistry costs do vary and can be dependent upon your location but on average, this is a good ballpark range of what you can expect to pay for some of the common and popular services.

Porcelain Veneers: $900-$4,000 per tooth

Porcelain veneers are great for cosmetic flaws. They can hide damages to teeth from injuries and they can improve any dental issues involving spacing and alignment. This procedure requires a lot of artistry to create a smile unique to you, that’s why this particular procedure can be the most expensive.

Teeth Whitening: $250-$500

Teeth whitening is a great way to give your teeth a full makeover in brightness. If your teeth don’t have any alignment issues, regularly getting them whitened is a quick and easy way for your smile to light up any room.

Dental Bonding: $500-$700 per tooth

This is a procedure for minor dental flaws. Dental bonding is great for covering stains, gaps, and cracked/chipped teeth. This is a procedure that is definitely more affordable for patients.

The Perfect Smile

There’s really no formula for what makes the perfect smile… it truly depends on your preference and what you feel will look natural on you and make you smile the most. Traditionally, to be considered as having a beautiful smile, it was all about how white your teeth were and how symmetrical they were.

This perfect smile used to be described as “a mouth full of chiclets.” When it comes to going to the dentist, whether you’re going to get braces or have some type of cosmetic work done, you need to get the idea of “perfect” out of your mind and replace it “perfect for you.”

About 

Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.

15 Responses

  15. dental tips

    I need to be more grateful of the perfect set of teeth in my mouth, and respect those who need to wear braces 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.