One of the first things people notice about you is you smile, and your teeth might be aging you more than you realize. “The telltale signal of an older-looking smile is the worn or “sawed off” look of the front teeth. When we are young, the front two teeth are longer than their neighbors, the laterals, and as we age, if we are not careful we grind the excess length off, giving an older look to the smile,” says Atlanta cosmetic dentist Ronald E. Goldstein, DDS. Additionally, when the teeth are too small, it makes it look like you’re not smiling very big—even when you are.
Good news is, if it’s not too late you can prevent it. Try to limit how often and hard you clench your teeth. Ask your dentist to create a customized bite guard for you to wear while you sleep, when most clenching and grinding occurs.
To correct short front teeth, porcelain veneers or crowns can be placed if the teeth are not too short. For these treatments, the teeth are drilled down to decrease their size and a custom-made porcelain covering is placed, says Palm Desert, CA cosmetic dentist Rene Dell’Acqua, DDS.
Especially in the front, longer teeth convey youth and help add vertical height to the lower third of the face, which gives more youthful facial definition.
