These days, women and men alike are spending more and more money on the upkeep of their appearance, with treatments such as facials, laser and light-based hair removal and cosmetic tattooing on the rise. However, when it comes to judging facial attractiveness, the smile is one of the most important elements. Treatments to improve the colour, shape and positioning of the teeth have become increasingly popular over the last few years. While products bought over the counter – such as whitening toothpaste, strips and gel – have some effect, professional cosmetic dentistry services can have a major impact on the appearance of the smile.
Most experts agree that when we make a judgement on what is an attractive face it is usually related to facial symmetry. Facial beauty is a result of the balance of many factors: the degree of symmetry of the face, which is related to the position of the eyes, ears, nose, lips, hair, chin and cheekbones, as well as the teeth. All ages and races value a healthy and attractive smile, which by definition is one that is well proportioned and relatively symmetrical. Changes made to the smile can have an impact on the whole face. The lips are structurally supported by the teeth, and the bone that keeps the teeth in place also affects the way the muscles are held and therefore facial expressions. The position of the teeth in a dental arch influences the thickness of the lips – particularly the upper lip – and the dynamics of the smile.
‘In my opinion, no plastic surgery or lip augmentation can have the same influence on the facial support than the skeletal structure itself – the position of the teeth and bone in the face,’ says Sydney cosmetic dentist Dr Sarkis Nalbandian. ‘Also, the smile is dynamic rather than static, so it obviously draws a lot of attention. Dental appearance accounts for around 40 percent of the typical perception of facial beauty.’ There are a number of options cosmetic dentists offer today to improve the appearance of the smile. This includes whitening procedures, dental implants (to replace missing teeth) and porcelain veneers, which involves cutting back the existing tooth and applying a thin veneer over the top to provide improved shape and colour. Dr Nalbandian prefers to use composite veneers, which are applied to the top of the tooth without any need for changing the existing tooth shape or structure. ‘I use a non-invasive method because it keeps the original teeth intact,’ Dr Nalbandian explains.
Most people these days have thought about changing their smile in some way – whether it be to whiten the teeth, straighten them or even replace those that are missing – and there’s no question that small changes can have a considerable impact on the overall appearance of the face. The good news is there are so many options available today – both cosmetic dentistry and products that can be bought over the counter – that can help achieve
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