Incredibly, it was less than 100 years ago when people started to regularly use toothbrushes. The first nylon bristled toothbrush was not even invented until 1938. As the technology in the dental industry evolves, so too does the ease and affordability of improving your smile through professional cosmetic dentistry.
Although over half of patients who seek cosmetic dental work are between the ages of 41 and 60, people of all ages can benefit from cosmetic dentistry procedures. For example, children, adolescents, and young adults who are active and participate in sports are susceptible to tooth loss through accidents. Many athletes lose teeth from accidental collisions they experience in their sport. To replace these missing teeth, dental implants are the common dental cosmetic solution. A dental implant is placed into the bone socket of the missing tooth. Over the next 6 to 12 weeks, the jawbone and gums heal, growing around the dental implant, and anchoring it securely in the jaw. Dental implant costs are quite affordable, and can be covered by moth dental insurance policies. After the procedure is completed, you can barely tell that you lost a tooth in the first place! Dental implants have a success rate of up to 98 percent, and can last a lifetime with proper care.
Another example of cosmetic dentistry that patients of all ages can benefit from is teeth whitening procedures. If you feel like your teeth are losing their natural white and bright appeal, having a professional teeth whitening procedure done once or twice a year is a great way to revitalize your smile. These procedures involve a chemistry-based solution that is applied to your teeth, typically through the use of a mouth-guard, and worn for 30 minutes to an hour, for a few times a week. The chemistry-based solution used oxidation to remove stains and whiten your teeth. These procedures are incredible easy and affordable, too.
Finding a cosmetic dental practice to perform these procedures from may be difficult, considering many traditional family dental care practices do not perform cosmetic dentistry procedures. Dental websites are a great way to locate the nearest cosmetic dentist in your area. Using dental websites allows you to search for dentists in your area, and offers tremendous value through the ability to review, and compare practices to one another, allowing you to chose a practice from dental websites that you feel most comfortable with. In the meantime, be sure to practice proper oral hygiene. Brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day, and always be sure to rinse your toothbrush with hot water after each use. Toothbrushes can harbor a lot of nasty bacteria, so be sure to clean it after each use, and replace it with a new one every 3 to 4 months! Great references here.
My family dental practice does both traditional procedures and cosmetic dental procedures.