Summer is when people are at their most social. And when we are out and about, being more active and more social, we want to be able to flash a beautiful smile when we laugh or feel happy.

A beautiful smile is a wonderful asset, both personally and professionally. It radiates health, happiness, personality and warmth. A recent poll found that 80% of people surveyed are unhappy with some aspect of their smile. Fortunately, modern dentistry has developed some unique treatments to improve the appearance of a person’s teeth dramatically.

Let’s start with color. As we age, our teeth tend to pick up stains that cannot be brushed or polished away. If you are otherwise pleased with the appearance of your teeth, and you are not looking for a major shade change, you may be a great candidate for bleaching. Bleaching does not involve any modification to your teeth. By applying a bleaching gel to your teeth, it is possible to remove the internal stains that have accumulated over time and achieve a brighter smile. This can be done at home over one to two weeks or can be accomplished in-office in one appointment. Some of these treatments are marketed as “Bright Smile” or “Zoom.” My patients have found that the home bleaching is more effective than one hour in the dental chair and it’s cheaper too.

You may desire a more dramatic change in color combined with other mild defects such as old fillings, chips, or rotated teeth. If so, you may be a candidate for porcelain veneers or crowns, the gold standard for smile renovation. For those of you with mild to moderate defects or a desire for moderate shade change, veneers may be the answer. They can change both the shape and color of your teeth and are easy to do. When bonded to the front surface of your teeth with a strong dental adhesive, they can provide a long-term result that will last you many years. I have been fortunate to be able to follow several of my patients that have had their veneers done 20 years ago and they look great and are still in place.

For more severe defects in the teeth and/or more dramatic shade changes, porcelain crowns may provide the answer. They completely cover the teeth and block out all of the underlying color or defects. Research has provided the dental profession with new materials that are very strong and highly aesthetic.

In a recently completed case, the patient desired to fill in the gaps between her teeth, cover up old fillings and lighten the color of her teeth. This was accomplished effectively with 6 full porcelain crowns.

Lastly, there is simple bonding that can effectively be used to correct minor defects that are not generalized throughout the mouth, but are more localized in nature. It is a simple process where a composite resin can be applied to your tooth and hardened with a curing light. Then it is shaped and polished to a beautiful shine.

If you would like to have a free cosmetic consultation with Dr. Steven Nadel or require some other dental service, call 646-221-4411 for an appointment. His office can also be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. For more information, you can consult his extensive website at www.implantdentistnyc.net.

By Dr. Steven Nadel