It’s Never Too Late to Restore Your Smile
Patients who have got a few more years under their belts often feel reluctant to visit the dentist. At this point in your life, your teeth and gums have been through a lot, and you may feel embarrassed by the current state of your smile, or you may just believe that your teeth are too far gone to come back.
It’s not uncommon for some patients to believe that that nothing can be done to regain that bright, vibrant, healthy smile you had when you were younger.
A lot of these conditions are a natural part of aging, but we’re here to tell you that it’s never too late to fully restore your smile.
The Aging Process and How It Impacts Your Dental Health
There are undesirable changes that happen in the mouth as we age. Seniors are at high risk of cavities and gum disease due to naturally receding gums, brittle teeth and dry mouth (which is a common side-effect of many medications seniors take for other health issues).
In addition, because the muscles of the heart weaken with age, older dental patients are more sensitive to analgesics and local anesthetics. This can make it more difficult for certain dental procedures to be done.
How Cosmetic Dentistry Can Restore Your Smile
When you think of cosmetic dentistry, you may believe it is only for patients younger than yourself. While cosmetic solutions are certainly popular for patients in their thirties through sixties, there is nothing saying that older patients can’t take advantage of our services to get a younger, healthier-looking smile.
In fact, cosmetic dentistry is becoming more popular amongst senior patients. Let’s take a closer look at some of the more popular conditions and solutions for seniors.
Tooth discoloration is common as we age because tooth enamel continues to break down over time. Professional teeth whitening can restore and bring back to life the faded smile of age.
Teeth whitening can brighten teeth by many shades, so senior patients have the option for a subtle or more vibrantly white smile.
For senior patients with deep, stubborn stains, bonding may be a more appropriate whitening treatment. With bonding, a tooth-colored substance is applied over the stained area of a tooth. This is also an effective treatment to relieve tooth sensitivity and to cover small cracks or chips in the teeth.
Weakened enamel is another common problem. As is the shifting of teeth due to lost teeth and deteriorating jaw bones. Many patients also have teeth with cracks, chips, form striations and other misshapen teeth. To recreate a younger-looking smile that is straight and full of smooth, strong teeth, thin sheets of porcelain that cover affected teeth called veneers can help.
In other cases, the many years of use, or the onset of excessive decay, or even the unfortunate results of some trauma, has left many patients without some of their teeth. Many patients believe that their only option left is a set of dentures.
Dentures have traditionally been a hallmark of advanced age. Modern dentures, however, have greatly improved from those in the past. Today, denture patients can have permanent dentures thanks to dental implants.
Dental implants are titanium posts that are inserted into the jaw bone and are topped with a natural-looking ceramic crown. Because these posts are directly inserted into the jaw bone, they are secure and stable, providing excellent support for dentures.
With implant-supported dentures, patients can bite, chew, smile and talk with confidence. Unlike traditional dentures that must be taken out for eating and overnight cleaning, implant-supported dentures can withstand great force, enabling them to stay in the mouth.
How LeDowns Dentistry Can Help
At LeDowns Dentistry, we want healthy and great-looking smiles for all our patients, no matter their age. We believe that it’s never too late to restore one’s smile or fix old dental work and we offer the services that can help bring back the life and youthfulness of your smile.
To learn more about the cosmetic dental services we offer seniors, feel free to contact us and schedule an appointment.