If you would like to improve the appearance of your smile, you might have thought about visiting a cosmetic dentist near you. Treatments like veneers, teeth whitening, and gum recontouring can do much to boost your confidence! Before you move forward with such services, though, your dentist will need to make sure that your mouth is healthy. Why is that so important? Continue reading to find out.
Oral Health Issues Can Interfere with Cosmetic Treatments
Your dentist is a medical professional, so it would be irresponsible of them to allow you to move forward with purely cosmetic treatments when your oral health is not suited for such services. Significant dental problems could make it difficult or even impossible for your oral tissues to support aesthetic improvements. For example:
- Weak or decayed teeth. Damaged teeth may not be able to support veneers. Simply covering the problem instead of repairing it may give it the opportunity to worsen in the future and lead to a dental emergency. Decayed teeth may also experience extreme sensitivity if you attempt to whiten them.
- Infected gums. Unhealthy gums, such as those afflicted by gum disease, can get very irritated by cosmetic treatments. Plus, if gum disease is left untreated, it could eventually lead to total tooth loss!
A Healthy Smile Is Beautiful
If your dentist tells you that you need a bit of restorative care before you can get cosmetic treatments, do not be too discouraged. Improving your oral health may have inherent aesthetic benefits for your smile!
For example, treating gum disease can reduce unsightly swelling and redness while also stopping persistent bad breath. It can also stop gum recession and possibly allow you to keep all your natural teeth. If you have decayed or damaged teeth, you can get beautiful metal-free fillings or crowns to restore their strength, function, and appearance.
When Can You Get Cosmetic Treatments?
Once any oral health issues have been addressed, your dentist might approve you to move forward with treatments that are purely cosmetic in nature. After such services, it is important that you are diligent about taking good care of your mouth. Otherwise, both your smile’s health and appearance could worsen over time.
An attractive smile should also be healthy! Talk to your dentist to find out how you can take steps toward a stronger, more beautiful mouth.
Meet Orbis Dental Group
At Orbis Dental Group, we operate on the conviction that oral health is critical for overall wellness. We love to help patients look amazing, but our priority is to help you feel amazing! To learn more about how we may be able to help you improve both the health and appearance of your teeth and gums, contact our San Antonio office at 210-496-1919.