A natural consequence of aging is a gradual loss of tooth volume due to bone receding from the gingival area leading to an increase in the size of teeth in a vertical direction known as ‘Vertical Maxilla’. This leads to a V-shaped smile. This appearance is often called “gummy” or “Cava” Smile which is especially common among Asians and people with protruding lips.
The first thing people do when they see this type of smile is trying to cover it up with their hand or by smiling less for pictures. In most cases, it does not affect one’s self-esteem or social life unless it becomes something that one is self-conscious about on a daily basis. However, this article will focus on why reshaping and dental contouring could lead to a better smile.
What is Tooth Reshaping?
Tooth reshaping and dental contouring is a procedure that corrects the size of your teeth by removing material from the tooth and reshaping it to a more natural one. It is done to improve the appearance and the function of one’s teeth. A Tooth Reshaping procedure can be done in two ways:
-A dentist will need to remove some of your healthy tooth structure, which could lead to thinning or weakening of the tooth.
-The other way is using a resin filler so that you can maintain your healthy tooth structure. The difference between these two methods is based on what you want for your appearance and whether or not you have a strong enough natural tooth structure for us to work with.
Dental Contouring
Many people want to reshape and contour their teeth because it improves the appearance of their smile. It can also be used in case of tooth loss, tooth reshaping and dental contouring, vertical maxilla or other maxillary defects. Going through the process of reshaping and dental contouring can improve a person’s smile which will have an impact on their self-confidence and social life. Dental contouring is a cosmetic dentistry procedure that uses teeth blocks and other material to create a custom-made dental appliance that is customized to fit over the teeth.
It is used by dentists to reshape the patient’s teeth. This technique can also be used for different types of treatments such as receding gum lines, widening spaces between teeth, or correcting misaligned or crooked teeth. Dental reshaping is another cosmetic dentistry procedure that involves removing small amounts of enamel from the front surface of your back teeth to make them appear longer than they are.
Benefits of Tooth Reshaping and Dental Contouring
Teeth reshaping is a procedure where the tooth is trimmed back in order to remove the excessive volume. This procedure can be done with or without braces and has no pain, downtime, and few risks involved. Dental contouring is a process that removes all but the occlusal surface of the tooth. This method entails removing enamel from the cuspid, incisor, and premolar teeth and takes about an hour.
When these two procedures are combined together, you get teeth that have a more natural appearance of depth and dimension which leads to a better smile! The following are some benefits of reshaping your teeth:
– Your smile will appear more natural.
– Your lips will be more noticeable instead of being covered by your hand when smiling.
– You’ll be able to smile easily in pictures.
– You’ll look younger than you actually are.
– Your face shape will look more defined.
Limitations of Tooth Reshaping and Dental Contouring
While reshaping teeth and dental contouring can dramatically improve the appearance of a smile, there are limitations. This treatment is only effective if you have enough tooth reshaping and dental contouring left to work with. If not, it will not be possible to make any significant changes to your smile. The other limitation is that, while reshaping and dental contouring can produce a more pleasing result for your smile, the outcome may not be the same for all.
References:
1-The measurement of wear in dental restorations using laser dual-source contouring
Available online 10 February 2003, By J.T.Atkinson
doi.org/10.1016/0043-1648(82)90117-X
2-Physiologic Design Criteria for Fixed Dental Restorations
Available online 12 May 2022, By Harold F.Eissmann
doi.org/10.1016/S0011-8532(22)01473-2
