The coronavirus pandemic has changed society. For the present and for the foreseeable future, many of our casual social encounters with strangers will be done while wearing masks. Since masks cover your smile, this might make some people question the value of cosmetic dentistry right now.
However, there is a lot to be said for cosmetic dentistry these days. It still offers many benefits, even if a lot fewer people get to see your smile.
Don’t Forget: You Still Show Your Smile Sometimes
First, though, let’s talk about the fact that you actually do still show your smile quite frequently. If you’re doing work meetings or interviews via Zoom or other video conferencing, for example, your smile is as front and center as ever–perhaps even more so.
And there are still the people closest to you–friends, family, and others–with whom you interact without a mask. These people will get to enjoy your more beautiful and healthy smile. So it isn’t as if you never get to show your smile.
Improved Confidence and Happiness
In fact, your loved ones will likely get to enjoy your smile much more if you get cosmetic dentistry. One thing we’ve seen in people who don’t like their smile is that they teach themselves not to smile very much. Instead of letting themselves grin when they’re happy, they suppress their smiles.
If this is you, then getting your smile fixed will help you feel more confident in sharing it more often. That confidence can bleed over into other areas of your life as well, helping you to carry yourself more confidently in many situations, even if your smile isn’t on display.
Plus, smiling more often is its own benefit. The more you smile, the happier you will be. That’s because there’s a positive feedback loop between feeling happy and smiling. We don’t just smile because we’re happy–we’re also happy because we smile.
Better Function
Speaking of dentistry done right, it’s important to note that many cosmetic procedures also improve the function of your teeth.
Straight teeth, for example, are more effective at biting and chewing. This can help you get more enjoyment out of many of your favorite foods.
Plus, straight teeth do a better job of sharing the load of biting, chewing, and other work. This helps reduce the wear on your teeth, which protects you from having chipped and cracked teeth.
And it’s especially important to replace one or more missing teeth to maintain the health and function of your smile. Dental implants are not just the most cosmetic approach to this, but also the most functional.
Better Health
It’s important to remember that in many cases, cosmetic dentistry is just dentistry done right. While we generally favor minimally invasive dentistry, sometimes we will advocate treatments that improve both the health and appearance of your teeth. These might be labeled cosmetic dentistry, but they’re also great for your health.
One example of this is straightening your teeth with Invisalign. Yes, this helps your smile to look more attractive, but straight teeth are also easier to clean. You’re less likely to get food stuck between teeth if they’re straight.This can improve the health of your mouth, fostering a healthy oral microbiome.
More Comfort
Uneven distribution of forces in your teeth can make them uncomfortable. You are more likely to have a toothache if one or a few teeth constantly take the brunt of biting and chewing. Repeated sensitivity and soreness can be corrected by straightening your teeth, either with orthodontics or with restorations that can reshape your teeth.
Sometimes discomfort goes beyond your teeth, resulting in a sore jaw, neck pain, and other symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ). We sometimes utilize cosmetic dentistry procedures in creating a remedy for this condition.
Get Cosmetic Dentistry in Rochester Even Now
While the current coronavirus pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives, it hasn’t changed the fact that cosmetic dentistry has always been about more than just having a pretty smile. That’s part of it, but the benefits are wide-ranging and make the choice worthwhile even now. Not to mention that one day we will all get back to normal, and long-lasting cosmetic dentistry will still give you a beautiful smile you can share with everyone on the street.
To learn more about the benefits of cosmetic dentistry, please call (585) 244-3337 today for an appointment with a Rochester, NY cosmetic dentist at Contemporary Dentistry.
