Improve Your Smile for Senior Pictures

Improving your smile for senior pictures may also help you improve your dental health. This may lead to feelings of increased self-confidence and improved overall dental health. When it comes to preparing for senior pictures, it is best to start far in advance.

Solutions to improve your smile for senior pictures are available at Osuna Dental Care: Chris Y. Kim DDS in Albuquerque and the surrounding area. Enhancing your appearance can also help improve your dental health. Call us today at (505) 884-1989 to schedule an appointment and learn more.

More Than Just a Better Smile for Senior Pictures

Despite what the name may imply, cosmetic dentistry has more than just aesthetic benefits. Cosmetic dentistry is a broad field that can involve improving the alignment, color, position, shape, and size of the gums and teeth. These aesthetic enhancements often come with functional improvements. These include correcting a misaligned bite, improving dental and overall health, and increasing focus on oral hygiene.

Additionally, a 2018 study published in the International Journal of Medical and Surgical Sciences found that malocclusion could negatively affect patients' self-image. Correcting these functional irregularities may lead to feelings of increased self-esteem while also improving one's ability to speak and eat.

Other cosmetic dental procedures like bonding, crowns, inlays, onlays, and veneers can help repair cracked or broken teeth. By providing additional support, these treatments protect the teeth from further damage and can maintain the remaining tooth. All cosmetic dental procedures also encourage an increased focus on dental hygiene as part of upkeep. The result is improved dental health, directly correlated with improved overall health.

“Despite what the name may imply, cosmetic dentistry has more than just aesthetic benefits.”

Clear Aligners for Senior Pictures

Clear aligners, such as Invisalign®, have been growing in popularity over recent years. For many patients, these "invisible braces'' are an appealing alternative to traditional options, as they are more unobtrusive aesthetically. While conventional braces move teeth through brackets connected by wires, invisible aligners use a series of custom-made mouthpieces consisting of clear plastic or acrylic material.

Clear aligners are also removable, making it easier for patients to brush and floss well. Thus, it may be easier to maintain a thorough dental hygiene routine than with traditional braces. Treatment time with clear aligners depends on the conditions of the case. On average, however, patients usually complete treatment within 10 to 24 months. Consequently, it is best to schedule a consultation well in advance of any senior photos.

Clear aligners are best-suited for teens and adults with mild or moderate orthodontic issues. Those with more severe conditions, however, may require more involved treatment with traditional braces. Our qualified team works closely with our patients to determine an individualized treatment plan for their needs.

“While conventional braces move teeth through brackets connected by wires, invisible aligners use a series of custom-made mouthpieces consisting of clear plastic or acrylic material.”

Dental Veneers for Senior Pictures

Dental veneers, also known as dental porcelain laminates, are thin, tooth-colored shells that cover the front surface of the teeth. They may consist of porcelain or resin composite materials, and they can enhance teeth's color, shape, size, or length. Veneers may be able to help patients whose teeth are chipped or broken, discolored, irregularly shaped, misaligned, worn down, uneven, or have gaps between them. Patients may be able to get veneers for one or more teeth.

Veneers are a natural-looking tooth enhancement option that do not require any prior, extensive shaping. Porcelain veneers, in particular, are stain-resistant and well-tolerated by gum tissue. By effectively replacing the outer layer of the teeth (or enamel), veneers can give the appearance of a more symmetrical smile without actually moving your teeth.

It typically takes about three dental appointments to get veneers. During the initial consultation, the patient will tell Osuna Dental Care: Chris Y. Kim DDS about the results they want, and Osuna Dental Care: Chris Y. Kim DDS will conduct a thorough examination to determine if veneers are right for them. The second appointment consists of preparation, where the dentist will reshape the surfaces of the teeth and make a model or impression of the teeth. In the third appointment, the veneers are finally bonded to the teeth. This entire process generally takes a few weeks, as does aftercare. Our team recommends booking the procedure a few months in advance of any senior photos.

“Veneers are a natural-looking tooth enhancement option that do not require any prior, extensive shaping.”

Dental Bonding for Senior Pictures

In a dental bonding procedure, patients have a tooth-colored resin material applied and hardened onto their teeth to restore or improve their smile. Dental bonding may address several different cosmetic concerns, including chipped or cracked teeth, decayed teeth, discolored teeth, misshapen teeth, and receding gums. Additionally, dental bonding may help close spaces between teeth or make teeth look longer. Some patients also opt for dental bonding as an alternative to amalgam fillings.

Dental bonding is one of the simplest, quickest, most affordable, and least invasive cosmetic dental procedures available. It needs very little enamel to be removed and generally only requires anesthesia when performed to fill a cavity, to reshape the tooth through drilling, or to fix a chip near the nerve. Any preparation is minimal. Osuna Dental Care: Chris Y. Kim DDS works closely with each patient to make sure they know what to expect. The entire process takes about 30 to 60 minutes per tooth and can be completed in one appointment.

“Dental bonding is one of the simplest, quickest, cheapest, and least invasive cosmetic dental procedures available.”

Composite Fillings for Senior Pictures

Composite fillings, or resins, are tooth-colored fillings that fill and cover small- to midsize cavities, protecting them against moderate pressure from the constant stress of chewing. Composites may be used both on front or back teeth, in part because they look so natural. They are also arguably safer than amalgam fillings, which consist of metal alloys that may include mercury. However, both types function in the same way.

Composite fillings are a relatively quick and easy cosmetic dental procedure, with the process taking about less than 30 minutes per tooth. Their ability to bond to the tooth structure allows them to provide even further support. Additionally, they may be used to repair broken, chipped, or worn teeth.

“Composite fillings are a relatively quick and easy cosmetic dental procedure, with the process taking about less than 30 minutes per tooth.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get clear aligners if I have already had traditional braces before?

Yes. It is common for patients to get clear aligners after not having worn their retainers enough after traditional braces. Clear aligners may help shift your teeth back into place and restore your smile.

Are veneers reversible?

No. While veneers are removable, another set of veneers must always replace them. This is because veneers require removing tooth enamel, which can not grow back.

How long does dental bonding last?

The answer varies on a case-by-case basis. Dental bonding may last for three to 10 years before needing a touch-up or replacement.

How long will my composite filling last?

For most healthy patients, composite fillings will last seven to 10 years. However, they may last longer under certain circumstances.

Are teens too young for cosmetic dentistry?

No. Teens are at an especially vulnerable point in their lives where their self-esteem is at their most vulnerable. Cosmetic dentistry may help. Osuna Dental Care: Chris Y. Kim DDS can determine whether or not any of the above treatments are right for you.