Your smile is one of your most noticeable features. If you have chipped, cracked, or missing teeth, then you’re probably less than confident when showing your smile off. Cosmetic dentistry is a branch of medicine that’s designed to address aesthetic issues like these and many others. Little Rock residents should note, however, that this same field is also intended to resolve a number of functional dental problems as well. With the right treatment plan, our cosmetic dentist and his team can improve your talking and chewing abilities, your gum health, and the integrity of your bite. Following are several reasons why cosmetic and restorative procedures are so important.
Minor Cosmetic Issues Can Quickly Spiral Out of Control
A single cracked tooth can have a significant impact on the long-term health of your teeth, gums, and jawbone. If this issue isn’t dealt with in a timely fashion, harmful microorganisms can enter the tooth structure and cause advanced decay. This is often the start of tooth loss.
You Can Protect Your Overall Health with Cosmetic Dentistry
Seemingly minor cosmetic issues can eventually have a major and widespread impact on your overall health. At their start, cavities are merely small, localized problems. Once the bacteria within these cavities find their way into the tooth root, however, they can eventually affect the underlying jawbone and may become systemic. Failure to get timely attention and treatment for minor cosmetic issues can allow tooth infections to enter the bloodstream, where they’ll ultimately affect the heart, the liver, and all other organs and organ systems.
Preserve the Health and Integrity of Your Jawbone
Certain cosmetic treatments are designed to both stop the spread of tooth decay and reverse its effects. This is especially true of dental implants. During these treatments, small, titanium posts are inserted directly into the jawbone to replace the natural tooth roots of missing tooth structures. Once in place, these posts will be treated much like real tooth roots by the body, meaning that the treated area will continue to receive generous blood and oxygen supplies. This activity diminishes the likelihood of jawbone deterioration to preserve the overall structure of the face.
Regain Your Confidence
The most obvious benefit of cosmetic dentistry is its ability to complete the smile after tooth loss or tooth extraction. Cosmetic treatments restore the integrity of the bite as well so that no natural tooth structures are being subjected to excessive bite forces. More importantly, these procedures can instantly restore a person’s confidence and marketability in both the professional and social arenas.
Learn more about cosmetic dentistry in Little Rock by scheduling an appointment at the office of Samuel F. Jirik, DDS in Cabot. Contact us today to book an appointment!