Your Smile Can Affect Both Your Life & Career

By Dr. Timothy Chase, DMD

Did you know that your smile and how straight and white your teeth are can impact your career and even bolster or derail your love life? Well it can.

A recent study indicates that 40 percent of Americans would not go on a second date with someone who has crooked teeth. And in this highly competitive job market, the same study revealed that Americans perceive those with straight teeth to be 45% more likely than those with crooked teeth to get a job when competing with someone who has a similar skill set and experience. In fact, according to an independent study by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, 74% of adults feel an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for career success.

I see many adult patients who had lived with dental imperfections throughout their childhood. They don’t know what their options are for improving their smile. They come to see us because they believe that a healthy white smile will boost their confidence in both career and romance and will help them to exude a look of health and wellness. They’re right.

So for adults with crooked or yellow teeth, what can they do to improve their smile and overall appearance?  I have several recommendations for procedures that can be performed by a cosmetic dentist that will take years off your appearance and will build confidence through obtaining a healthy smile.

Whitening:  Having a healthy and white smile is a significant confidence booster and takes 10 years off your appearance. Having white teeth can be achieved by home whitening kits – but a trip to your dentist guarantees you a faster better result. And there is good news for those who have previously been discouraged from whitening because of having sensitive teeth that were painful to whiten. There are currently advances in whitening formulas available at your dentist to reduce discomfort and sensitivity in whitening.

Straight teeth:  Invisalign remains a key and unobtrusive way for adults to attain straight teeth and a brilliant smile. There is hope for those who have had such misaligned teeth that they weren’t formerly candidates for the Invisalign process. There are now a new series of aligners that have been created to correct even severely rotated teeth. Invisalign can be used on even more complex cases now.

Veneers:  Veneers are a great way to create a healthy and youthful smile. In the past people worried about the amount of tooth that needed to be removed to fit the veneers, but today’s better porcelain and 3-D model technology allows for less tooth reduction and better lifelike looking porcelain that lasts longer.

Dr. Timothy Chase, D.M.D., is a practicing partner in SmilesNY, a leading cosmetic dentistry practice in New York City. Dr. Chase has been practicing cosmetic dentistry in New York City for nearly 25 years.