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Modern media has reinforced our idea of the perfect smile: pearly-white teeth that are evenly sized, perfectly straight, and photogenic to the point of being envied by many. Whether it’s flashed by an actor that you’ve seen on TV or a model you saw in the pages of a magazine, it’s a given that a picture-perfect smile is a common denominator attractive people share.
That said, chances are their smiles have actually been achieved through different surgical or cosmetic procedures that often involve giving teeth a certain custom-designed alignment and color.
The truth about perfect teeth
Contrary to popular belief, the chances of being born with perfectly straight, white teeth are slim to none, making it a genetic rarity that can be hard to find, let alone attain. Although it’s close to impossible to be born with a killer smile, you can still have one through certain dental treatments and procedures—even if you came into this world with crooked teeth.
Common causes of crooked teeth
Before we delve deeper into explaining how crooked teeth can be fixed with cosmetic dentistry, let’s first look at the common causes of misalignment:
1. It’s in your genes
Most misalignment cases can typically be traced back to genetics, especially for those whose families have a history of poor dental health and hygiene. In the same way that nobody can choose their height or eye color, having perfectly aligned teeth is out of your hands. The most common genetic cause of crooked teeth is the size of your mouth. This can often cause teeth to shift out of place if your mouth is too small. There’s also the matter of jawbone misalignment, which typically manifests in severe overbites and underbites that can lead to crooked teeth.
2. You have a bad habit that you just can’t seem to kick
Different habits, such as thumb sucking, mouth breathing, habitual tongue thrusting, and reverse swallowing can often have adverse effects on the alignment of teeth. They can become crooked as a result. Habits that lead to the misalignment are often hard to break and spot on your own, so if you’re struggling with them, chances are you have crooked teeth as well.
A quick, safe, and easy fix for minor cases
Typically, most people see crooked teeth as a means to an end when trying to attain a perfect smile, but modern treatments have made the impossible, well, possible. Thanks to cosmetic dentistry, crooked teeth can be fixed in one of many ways, depending on what your dentist or dental recommends. While there are different ways that cosmetic dentistry can help fix crooked teeth and gain you a perfect smile, there’s definitely one method that you should look out for porcelain veneers.
Although your dentist will probably recommend that you get Invisalign or braces as a way to fix your crooked teeth, porcelain veneers are the perfect option if you only have a slight problem with misalignment. Porcelain veneers are similar to dental crowns, in the sense that they’re a set of thin porcelain shells that go on top of your natural teeth. Porcelain veneers are more of a visual remedy than a functional one. This is because they work in such a way that allows them to hide minor dental imperfections, which means you won’t have to resort to more expensive treatments. However, it’s important to know that porcelain veneers are only intended for those with misalignment problems that don’t cause any pain or pose a significant threat.
If you’re looking for an affordable dentist in Ann Arbor to check on your oral health, get in touch with us for a free consultation.
