Teeth are an amazingly complex ectodermal organ in the human body. Teeth help us to eat, they allow us to show pleasure and confidence with a smile and anger with a snarl or pain with a grimace. Teeth that are crooked, misaligned or overcrowded can cause us problems far beyond how we look. A Cosmetic Dentist in Glasgow can help remedy this. Dental misalignment is called malocclusion by the dental profession and patients can suffer from a variety of ailments caused by this condition. A painful or clicking jaw is not uncommon as well as tooth decay or gum disease caused by bacteria forming in tiny pockets between the teeth. Teeth that are not aligned properly can also cause poor mastication which can result in poor digestion. So, while a smile makeover can help to produce a broad smile, healthy straight teeth are also beneficial to health.
Dental care changing lives
We all get two sets of teeth, one set when we are young and another as we develop into adults. Once we get to around twenty-one, adult teeth should be fully developed and those are the only set we will get to see us through our lives. Sometimes these teeth do not grow correctly resulting in misalignment. Over the centuries dental science and technology have developed a variety of appliances to help us straighten our teeth. The psychological effect of having misaligned teeth, especially in the twenty-first century, shows that a patient with malocclusion is likely to suffer from embarrassment. This demonstrates that not only is it beneficial from a health point of view to have a smile makeover but from a mental point of view as well.
Dental appliances no longer an uncomfortable experience
Many previous generations will remember the metal appliance that was fitted to a school friend’s teeth which looked uncomfortable and earned the nicknames of “gallows and scaffolding.” Fortunately, things have changed and even the original metal brace has gone through major changes and is now a far less cumbersome and more comfortable piece of dental apparatus. The blocks, wires and bands method originally used was only made from metal but now includes clear and tooth-coloured versions which makes them less conspicuous. There is also a version which fits onto the inside of the teeth making it almost invisible. Another dental brace is self-adjusting making visits to the dentist less frequent. In addition to braces is a new method of straightening teeth using aligners. These resemble gumshields which fit over the teeth not requiring blocks, wires, or bands.
A far more exact science
Teeth straightening today is a far more exact science than it was decades ago, and the technology and equipment used to achieve incredible results today is quite amazing. There is a 3D scanner that can produce around six thousand images per second which provides a very accurate image of a patient’s oral cavity. It is possible to show a patient a view of what their smile will look like after treatment even before their treatment has started.
A smile to light up the world
All this technology, the dental skills and techniques used by the dental profession, allows patients to send the results of their treatment to friends and family around the world using the technology of “selfies.”