The High Street is full of new and innovative ways for you to look good and look younger; surprisingly, your local dentist surgery is no different! Cosmetic dentistry is becoming a much more common request from patients whose teeth are perfectly healthy, but perhaps don’t look quite as good as they would like them to. Some of these so-called “cosmetic” treatments, such as braces, are also used to treat dental conditions or problems that could cause dental conditions to develop in later life, but they can also be used simply to make a patient look – and feel – much better.

Is there anything wrong with wanting to look better?

There’s nothing wrong with seeking help from an expert to look better. If we feel good about the way we look, then we feel better about ourselves. Our confidence and self-esteem is higher and we are less likely to develop mental health conditions. If you have always been self-conscious about that gap in your smile, your crooked and discoloured teeth, or even the wrinkles and lines in your face, then make an appointment with your dentist and find out if they can help.

Advances in technology and treatment

Braces used to be the domain of teenagers; huge metal contraptions that cut the inside of your mouth and looked worse than the crooked teeth had ever done. These days, more and more adults are opting for such corrective treatment, having seen the new types of invisible aligners that are available. Not only are these new plastic aligners or tooth-coloured ceramic braces practically invisible, they also work much quicker than the old-style braces and are much more comfortable to wear. OK, they’re more expensive, but as adults spend more and more of their disposable income on fashion and beauty products, you could look at braces as an investment for the future.

There are dozens of home teeth-whitening kits on the market, none of which are as effective as getting the treatment carried out professionally at your dentist’s office. Dentist’s can use stronger whitening gel, coupled with technology like lasers, to get a much more impressive result. Also, by getting a professional to do the dirty work, you are ensuring that nothing will go wrong, and that you won’t end up looking worse than when you started!

Facial aesthetics at the dentist

Many dental surgeries are even starting to offer non-invasive cosmetic procedures like Botox and dermal fillers. These simple and safe procedures can help smooth out your wrinkles, temporarily, and appointments often only last a few minutes. If you are worried about your worry lines, make sure you find a practitioner who has the relevant experience and qualifications. By getting your injections done by a dentist, you know you are being taken care of by someone with advanced medical training – not just someone who took a week-long course at beauty school…