Get pearl wisdom
If you've got crooked teeth, braces are still an option, and the newer braces are more discreet - no more metal-mouth jokes. But in the last few years, laminates, which are thin layers of porcelain permanently bonded to teeth, have dramatically changed the extent to which dentists can alter our looks.
Not only can they make teeth straighter looking, but they can also make you look younger, more assertive, even more musculine. "In two visits we can change the image that a person projects", asserts Irwin Smigel, DDS, president of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics. Here are some of the qualities that your dentist may be able to impart.
- Youthfulness. "Yellowish teeth can age you", says Dr. Smigel, because as we age the outer enamel of our teeth wears down, revealing the yellowish layer underneath. Porcelain laminates not only whiten your chompers - they can also make the teeth longer. Added length will help disguise your true age.
- Improved social standing. "There is a definite socioeconomic stigma to crooked or yellow teeth", Smigel claims. "There is a perception that this person can't afford to take care of his teeth."
- An assertive nature. "Let's say a guy applies for a job at a company where they want someone who is aggressive," Smigel hypothesizes. "They may get an impression that he is a go-getter simply from the strength conveyed by his eye teeth." (These are the teeth that look like fangs in bad vampire movies.) By enlarging those and the neighboring teeth and honing the tips just a bit, a dentist can give you a more assertive image.
- A more musculine look. "Small, delicate teeth are a feminine trait", says Smigel, as are smooth teeth. He makes individuals more musculine-looking by enlarging some of the teeth, most importantly the incisors (the four top front teeth), and providing a coarser texture.