For better or worse, having a pretty smile can seem more urgent than good oral health. That leads many people to pursue aesthetic dental care without thought of cavities, infections, and so on. This approach doesn’t work, though; you need a healthy mouth before cosmetic dentistry can start. An unhealthy mouth can “ruin” beautifying procedures, so you have to address it first. To learn more, consider this summary on why a healthy grin is a requirement for cosmetic dentistry.
Only Healthy Smiles “Qualify” for Cosmetics
You might think cosmetic dentists don’t care about your smile’s health. However, you’d be wrong if you did; they’ll only provide cosmetic care when your mouth is healthy.
Bad oral health can potentially ruin cosmetic dentistry. If a patient has issues like tooth decay or gum disease, an aesthetic treatment likely won’t show good results. There’s also a chance that the procedure will hide harmful conditions from view; this effect would keep your dentist from making good diagnoses.
Given these facts, cosmetic dentists always perform an oral exam before treatment. This assessment lets them see if a patient’s unhealthy mouth would disrupt an aesthetic procedure.
Treatments “Disrupted” by Unhealthy Smiles
An unhealthy mouth can ruin several cosmetic treatments, depending on the case. Examples of such services are:
Veneers
Patients generally can’t get veneers if their teeth aren’t in good shape. As for the reason, it’s fairly simple: the shells might hide severe tooth decay. An effect like that would keep your cavities undetected, allowing them to spread and grow more severe. You’d then be at greater risk of a veneer falling off, toothaches, or even tooth infections.
Invisalign
While Invisalign aims to straighten your teeth, bacterial problems can still threaten it. The treatment has to be stopped if a dentist discovers you have cavities or gum disease. After all, proceeding regardless would mean the teeth you want aligned might fall out or get infected.
Tips on Making Your Smile Healthier
If you really want to qualify for cosmetic dentistry, just take proper steps to make your smile healthier. These include the following:
- Always brush your teeth for two minutes per session every morning and night.
- Whether with traditional floss or similar tools, floss between your teeth at least once daily.
- Use a fluoridated mouthwash to rinse out your mouth often.
You do need a healthy mouth before you can get cosmetic dentistry. With that said, use the tips above (and help from your dental provider) to make that happen!
About the Practice
Prime Dentistry is based in Denton, TX. Led by Dr. Dhiren Ahir, our practice always strives to give patients truly outstanding smiles. We thus offer comprehensive and effective dentistry for all ages, with treatments spanning preventive, cosmetic, and even restorative care. Our team is also ready and able to handle dental emergencies on short notice! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (940)-514-0333.