Taking Cosmetic Dentistry to the Extreme

Opting for temporarily bejeweling your teeth might seem like a harmless form of self-expression. The problem is, while there are some dentists who offer jewel adhesion to teeth with FDA-approved glue, do-it-yourself kits exist that can lead to a host of tooth damage. No matter how a jewel is applied, the American Dental Association (ADA) is concerned that tooth jewelry can trap food and bacteria, presenting a great opportunity for decay to fester and do long term damage to the most visible teeth. Here are a couple more of the most unusual dental trends in the last few years.

A Wider Gap

America’s Next Top Model was a very popular show for a time, as were many makeover shows which involved cosmetic dental changes to the extreme. However, the former show went in the opposite direction with extreme cosmetic changes. Chelsey Hersey was a prospective model who appeared on the show with a small existing gap in between her two front teeth (also known as a diastema). Generally, to close such tooth gaps, dentists recommend dental bonding where composite material is adhered and shaped to make teeth just close enough to touch. In some cases, a surgical procedure called a maxillary frenectomy is advised to shorten the labial frenulum (the skin between the upper lip and gums, between your two front teeth). On the advice of the show’s hosts, however, Ms. Hersey employed a cosmetic dentist to use a power tool to shave off 0.25 millimeters of each tooth.

True Fangs

A small segment of the population succumbs to a fad wherein they have their teeth reshaped to look like fangs. While this is certainly a personal choice, removing too much of your tooth enamel and dentin can pose a real oral health risk. Dr. Matthew Messina, advisor to the ADA, says that filing teeth is likely to weaken the natural structure. Furthermore, should your vampire days end up being just a fad, extensive and expensive cosmetic dental work is more likely to be in your future than eternal life.

About Your Ankeny Dentist

Dr. Peddicord offers a complete range of preventative, cosmetic, and restorative dental procedures as well as high quality dental prosthetics. Dr. Peddicord can answer your inquiries, and provide the services you need to maintain the health, beauty, and function of your teeth. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Erika Peddicord, please contact us at 515-963-3339. Our Ankeny, IA, office proudly provides general and cosmetic dentistry services to patients from Bondurant, Polk City, Elkhart, Alleman, and Cambridge.