Weathering the Years: How Aging Affects Your Smile’s Looks

It’s pretty well-known that your looks will change over the years. As you get older, you can expect new wrinkles, drooping cheeks, etc. Still, you may not grasp just how aging affects your smile’s appearance. Your grin will start looking weathered if you don’t take action. It could then hurt your confidence when you meet loved ones. That said, your Arvada dentist will help you avoid these outcomes. Here are the ways aging changes your grin and how cosmetic dentistry can help.

How Does Aging Change Your Smile?

While it’s a harsh fact, smiles tend to decline with age. You’ll likely see negative changes in your own as early as your forties. From then onward, you may develop issues like the following:

Misaligned Teeth

Your smile will get more misaligned once you reach middle age. Muscles in your face start to sag around that point, putting pressure on your teeth. This pressure can then cause each tooth to shift out of alignment. Furthermore, your dental arches will narrow and worsen the effect. Such narrowing will crowd and further misalign your smile.

Tooth Discoloration

Sadly, not all tooth stains stem from foods and drinks. Some yellowing simply occurs as your teeth age. Enamel gets thinner over time, ensuring your yellow dentin becomes more visible. This secondary tooth layer will then become more pronounced as you grow older. It also doesn’t help that the remaining enamel will likely crack or break.

Gum Recession

Of course, it isn’t just teeth that weather the years. Your gums will also thin and recede as more time passes. In doing so, they’ll expose more of your tooth roots to the naked eye. This effect can make your smile look overly “toothy” and worn.

How Cosmetic Dentistry Can Help

As it turns out, you can fix some of your smile’s age-related changes. All you need to do is get cosmetic dentistry from a local dentist. With their help, your grin will look better in no time.

Cosmetic dentists have several ways to make a smile pretty and youthful. One option is teeth whitening, which uses special gel to remove stubborn tooth stains. Another choice is cosmetic dental bonding – a service that covers minor dental flaws with tooth-colored resin. You could also get porcelain veneers, which hide all sorts of faults – even misaligned teeth – beneath beautiful porcelain layers.

While aging affects your smile’s appearance, you’re not helpless. See your dental provider for help keeping your grin gorgeous and vibrant.

About the Practice

West Arvada Family Dental is based in Arvada, CO. Led by Dr. Jeremiah Paylor, our practice strives to give each patient the dreamy smile they deserve. That means we offer preventive, cosmetic, and restorative services, all tailored to your mouth’s unique needs. Our dental team is also ready and well-equipped to handle dental emergencies. For more details or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (720)-776-4900.