Cosmetic Dentistry For Older Patients In Wickford Essex

Smile makeovers are not only for young people, older patients can benefit from them too.

When we think about cosmetic dental procedures, we probably tend to think of the younger generation whitening and straightening their teeth before going on holiday or out to party. Those approaching middle age may also want to retain as much of their youthful smile as they can for as long as possible too. But what about those who are getting that little bit older? The fact is that increasingly, people want to socialise later in life than used to be the case and with that in mind, why not look your very best when doing so?

The older we become, the more likely it is that our teeth will start to show signs of ageing. Problems like worn and eroded teeth and discolouration are likely. We may also wear dentures to replace missing teeth as well. For anyone living near Wickford, there are solutions available at the Cygnet Dental Practice to improve these issues and to give you a more attractive smile.

Addressing the ‘missing teeth problem’

Tooth loss is not inevitable, but it is more likely that we will lose a tooth or two (or more) as we become older. This might be due to the ageing process but also there has been more time passed for accidents to occur as well. When tooth loss has occurred, the likelihood is that dentures have been chosen as the best option available at the time.

Anyone who has dentures will often acknowledge that, while they have improved in appearance over the years, they can be prone to movement in the mouth, which can cause some problems when we eat and lead to us choosing to avoid certain more ‘challenging’ foods. In addition to this, denture wearers will be aware that they require specific cleaning which can be time consuming. To top it all, do we really want to be reminded of our age when we wake in the morning and the first thing we see is our false teeth in a glass of water at the side of our bed?

If the above sounds familiar to you, you might be interested in having a consultation with our implant dentists. Teeth implants offer a secure and strong alternative to wearing dentures and allow you to eat whatever you want without having to worry about stability. They are also much easier to clean and this is done in the same way that you would clean your own natural teeth.

Age and discolouration

One ‘tell tale’ sign of ageing is that our teeth start to darken in colour and can take on a shade of yellow. This can happen due to dietary habits and especially habits such as smoking, but even those who avoid these will find that discolouration eventually happens. The reason for this is that as we get older, the dentin layer of the tooth, which lies just below the tooth enamel, starts to become darker. As this happens, it can be seen through the translucent enamel surface making the tooth appear dull and discoloured.

Because of the location of the dentin, there is nothing that we can do through routine teeth cleaning to change this. No amount of hard brushing of the tooth is going to improve it and will probably cause damage to the enamel.

There are two solutions that might be used to make your teeth appear whiter again. The choice of these will be determined when you have your consultation with one of our cosmetic dentists. In some cases, a teeth whitening procedure should be enough to give you the improvements that you are looking for. This non-invasive treatment is often effective and also one of the most cost effective ways of attaining a white smile. This treatment does work best on relatively mild to medium cases of discolouration but less well where the teeth are badly discoloured. In this situation, having porcelain veneers fitted may be the best option for a more attractive smile. This does require some invasive treatment but the effects, when completed, should last you for ten years or more if you look after them as advised by our Wickford dentist.

Worn looking teeth

Some wear and tear of our teeth is more likely to be visible as we grow older. This can result in our teeth looking old and misshapen. While some cases of worn teeth and enamel erosion in general can lead to problems like tooth sensitivity, let us look at this issue from the point of smile aesthetics. It doesn’t matter how white you make your teeth, if they are misshapen, they are not going to look their best.

There are a few options available here but you will need to have your teeth examined in order to determine the most effective approach to take. The possible solutions include:

Veneers – These might be used on relatively mild cases where the edges are worn or where they are uneven in length.

Composite bonding – This can be used to ‘fill in’ worn parts and can be effective for a relatively short time. This type of bonding is more temporary than other options and, as it is porous, can discolour fairly quickly too.

Crowns – For a more permanent solution and where the teeth have been affected significantly, having a dental crown attached to the tooth may be the best option. Not only should this improve the look of your teeth but will provide extra strength too.

If you still wish to socialise in your 50s, 60, 70s and even beyond, there is every reason to want to look good while doing so. With the cosmetic dental treatments that we have available, we can help you to achieve just that. If you would like to talk to one of our dentists to discover what we can do for you personally, why not give us a call to arrange your consultation? You can call the Cygnet Dental Practice on 01268 733078, or, if you prefer, use the contact form that we have available on our website. Remember, it doesn’t matter how old you are, you can always have a much improved smile so why not take this opportunity today.