Dental Health Check with Dr. Linda Niessen
Dental health topics from Dr. Linda Niessen of Baylor College of Dentistry
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 Younger Smile

By Dr. Linda Niessen
Monday, October 11, 2004

STORY: YOUNGER SMILE
SCRIPT #577  
AIRDATE:  Monday, October 11, 2004
Daybreak and Midday
DHC MASTER #  20  TIMECODE: 7:40

Can cosmetic dentistry erase years of aging much like cosmetic surgery? Some dentists say YES and they have patients to prove it, patients who are choosing dental work instead of more expensive cosmetic surgery. Dr. Linda Niessen looks into this new trend in today's Dental Health Check. Billie McCauley, Donna Baer and Jan Peterson have chosen to undergo cosmetic dentistry to improve aging smiles.

"If I had the money, I'd probably do cosmetic surgery too. But if I had to just choose one it would be the teeth, because you get more benefit out of that," said Billie.

"Because my teeth were yellowing. I think they do that with age, I don't know," said Donna.

"I think my jobs were doing it to them, stress. I was grinding them down. And she told me they were like 70 to 80 year old teeth," added Jan.

Just like your bones, teeth age and can thin out, chip, even break.

Dentist, Dr. Diana O'Quinn says, "Darker teeth, shorter teeth, breaking teeth, all make you look older."

Some cosmetic procedures such as dermabrasion cost about the same as four to six new porcelain veneers. But the dental work lasts much longer, does not require general anesthesia, or any recovery time.

Diana Quinn said, "The dentistry will last them the rest of their lives."

To make old teeth look younger, three basic things need attention:

1. Short teeth worn down over time need to be lengthened & widened.
2. A natural drifting toward the middle may require re-positioning with crowns, veneers, or orthodontics.
3. A natural darkening of the enamel might call for whitening with bleaching, composite or porcelain veneers.

"And I think I look younger with better teeth," said Jan Peterson. Billie McCauley adds, "Some people don't even notice, but some do. And he said to me, Grandma, did you get braces?"

If your teeth give away your age, or even make you look older, look into erasing some of those years with cosmetic dentistry. For Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A&M System, I'm Dr. Linda Niessen, Channel 8 News. 

Dr. Linda Niessen, clinical professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and  the Office of Communications and Development at Baylor College of Dentistry, hosts Dental Health Check, the only weekly dental feature shot on location in the nation.

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