Keeping Your Teeth Smile-Ready: Advice from Mountain View Dentist Dr Patrick McEvoy

First impressions are important, and looks play a big role in most people’s self-image, but it’s hard to feel attractive and confident if you’re worried about yellow, discolored teeth.  Good dental hygiene helps, but tea, coffee, red wine, food spices, energy drinks, tobacco and many more factors take their toll on our pearly whites, and it’s almost impossible to maintain a shining smile without a little help from your dentist. In a Men’s Health article dated March 12, 2014, writer Gigi Engle discusses the benefits of having a great, shining smile:

Kelton Research, an independent research firm, found that your smile might also contribute to securing a dream job. Results have shown applicants are 58 percent more likely to get a job offer and 53 percent more likely to be offered an increased salary if their teeth are white. The takeaway? A sparkling smile can make you stand out among a sea of applicants. “Having a whiter smile highlights personal self-image and leaves a memorable mark on the interview,” says Dr. Glosman.

Unfortunately, this works the other way around, too. Missing, crooked or discolored teeth can strike a blow to anyone’s self-esteem and, as the survey shows, can put a barrier between you and your dream job. However, skilled dental techniques and procedures available from experts like Mountain View general and cosmetic specialist Dr. McEvoy can correct these problems easily and painlessly.

Teeth Whitening 

One of the simplest cosmetic procedures for teeth is to use whitening get them back to their original, pristine white state.  Commonly called “teeth bleaching,” whitening can be done at the dental clinic or at home.   It is advisable, however, to have your dentist oversee the procedure to ensure everything goes well, as whitening can cause sensitivity and in some cases – if the teeth are not mature, for example - can cause damage. The process itself is easy: a mouthpiece filled with the whitening agent is attached to your teeth for an hour or so. Depending on how stained your teeth are, you may have to come back multiple times.  There are alternatives, though:  your dentist may also be able to treat your teeth with the light-activated Sinsational Smile procedure, a 20-minute, painless treatment that uses an LED light to increase the efficacy of a whitening gel.  This also comes with a take-home maintenance pen to extend the life of your brighter smile.

Veneers

Veneers are thin shells of porcelain that are applied onto the existing teeth in order to reshape crooked, chipped or damaged teeth. A dentist will usually have to buff the tooth over which the veneer is placed in order to make space in your mouth for the additional material. The veneer is cemented on, then hardened by light bonding. Little or no anesthesia is needed because the procedure doesn’t hurt at all.  Care must be taken to ensure that the color looks fresh but natural – a blindingly white set of teeth is almost as bad as discolored teeth.  Mountain View cosmetic dentist Dr. McEvoy says, “An experienced dentist with understanding of the aesthetics of veneers should be able to guide you about the white that’s right for you.”

Dental Implants

A massive improvement over dentures, dental implants are titanium and porcelain replacements placed permanently into the patient’s jaw. They are extremely durable and hard to dislodge and are made for long-lasting use.  New anesthesia and other techniques make this complicated procedure easy and comfortable. Dr. McEvoy, one of the most experienced and highly qualified practitioners in dental implants in Mountain View, has also invested in the most advanced dental technology to ensure the success and comfort of implants for his patients.

(Source: 9 Surprising Ways to Whiter Teeth, Men’s Health, March 12, 2014)