Gold Braces

Do You Have a Perfect Smile?

A healthy, beautiful smile should be part of your wardrobe. When you're getting dressed in the morning, don't forget that a perfect smile is a vital part of your total image.

Your smile is often the first impression people have of you. A psychological study reported in Perceptive Motor Skills found that people judged a person's physical attractiveness by "the mouth, eyes, structure of the face, hair, and nose" in that order!

What is "attractive?"

Psychologists have trouble defining "beauty." But they agree that beauty is important in every social relationship. For example, it was found that mothers cuddle their physically attractive babies more than their so-called "ugly" babies.

Take a moment to smile at yourself in the mirror. Do you have white teeth? Is your smile attractive, appealing? Or, is your smile weakened by cosmetic dental problems? Do you have a broken or missing tooth? If so, you can do something about it.

Cosmetic dentistry has made great strides in the last 20 years. Not only do cosmetic dentists make it possible for people to keep their natural teeth all their lives, they help people look and feel better about themselves.

You can change your profile

A cracked tooth, or stained and uneven teeth can be restored. Gaps between teeth, poorly positioned teeth or a jaw that recedes or protrudes, can often be successfully fixed with orthodontics. Did you know that dentists do 95% of all face reconstruction in this country? Through procedures called maxillofacial surgery or orthognathic surgery, many bone and jaw deformities or conditions caused by accidents can be corrected.

Developing a beautiful smile - even if you weren't born with one - is important at any age. Make your smile your strongest fashion asset.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Benefits of Cosmetic Dental Care

Do your looks affect the way people treat you? Positive self-esteem - how we feel about ourselves - is very important to a healthy personality, to happiness, to the development of a positive attitude about life, and to achievement in the direction we choose.

It is well documented that people with a positive "feeling" about themselves do better in school, in business, and have closer, more meaningful relationships.

One measure of self-esteem is how you feel about your physical appearance; or, more importantly, how you feel you look to others. The complexion, teeth, and nose, in that order, are the highest "rated" facial features.

Self-image begins to develop about age four or five. At that age, identity influences other developing traits: social skills, verbal skills, intellect, and the ability to define oneself as a successful person. In other words, at age four or five a child makes a giant step toward "I'm OK, I'm a worthwhile person," or, conversely, toward "I'm not OK." The results can often affect the remainder of that person's life.

Beauty is often more than skin deep, because the psychological damage to a person who feels unattractive can be devastating. Then there's the other side of the coin. Does how we look affect how others treat us?

Indeed. Studies have shown that good-looking people are given the benefit of the doubt over unattractive people. They're thought to be more intelligent, more likeable, higher achievers, honest, and braver than the unattractive. Even school teachers spend more time with attractive students!

Your mouth is important to your total psychological and physical well-being. Is it worth regular dental cleaning and cosmetic dental care? Is visiting your cosmetic dentist and having your broken teeth restored with beautiful dental crowns worth it? Is straightening crooked teeth with braces worth it? We think you'll probably agree, you and your family are definitely worth it!

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.