Jordan Soll DDS
Serving Ontario In Toronto, Hamilton, Mississauga, and Surrounding Areas
Yuki Hayashi proves cosmetic dentistry isn't just for the stars
Kirsten Dunst or Jessica Simpson? These were the possible choices. The talented but dentally challenged Ms. Dunst represented one extreme on the star smile spectrum (a minimal-intervention grin where crooked teeth are a badge of honour and beauty). Or should I mimic Simpson's blindingly white rows of perfect teeth and opt for veneers? Neither extreme was what I wanted. What I wanted was straighter, whiter teeth. Not perfect, but perfect for me.
I had two upper cuspids set back from the rest of my teeth, giving my smile a crooked mien friends claimed not to notice but which had always driven me nuts. So, last year, I finally found myself preparing for my dental consultation, flipping the pages of tab mags-ignoring the breathless gossip about so-and-so's divorce and so-and-so's drug habit-in search of smiles. Julia Roberts: Yikes! Too perfect. Lucy Liu: Nice. Reese Witherspoon: Cute! Kelis: Um, maybe, minus the diamond-and-gold "grillz."
Is all this attention on teeth frivolous, as a snaggletoothed former colleague implied when I revealed my plan to brace up? "Everyone has their own set of priorities," says Dr. Jordan Soll, principal dentist of Toronto's Aesthetics in Dentistry, adding that the first wave of cosmetic-dentistry patients, made up of early-adopter business types (you need a killer smile to close killer deals, after all), has expanded to become a diverse group, the only commonality being that they all want to improve their look. "Your smile is your calling card. It says so much about you."
With a core clientele of women in the 30-45 age range (although his patients run the gamut from young women in their late teens to active seniors in their 70s), Dr. Soll says there is an increasing number of adults who are updating their smiles. In 2004 (the most recent year for which stats are available), the American Association of Orthodontists reported that almost 63,000 Canadian adults were undergoing "active" orthodontic treatment-mostly braces, despite the up-to-$10,000 price tag-while others were covering recessed, chipped or fanged teeth with porcelain veneers.
And whitening? Think of it as the new gold rush. It's the number-one-requested cosmetic-dentistry procedure, says Dr. Wayne Halstrom, president of the Canadian Dental Association. Eleven percent of Canadians underwent whitening procedures at their dentists' office last year, and research done by Crest indicates that Canadians spent approximately $41 million on over-the-counter whitening kits in 2006.
My long story short: at 31 years old the braces went on. I decided that old-school metal train tracks were the way to go-and I had some wicked fun flaunting my "grillz" at the office. A year later - voilą-straight teeth. Three weeks of nighttime whitening followed and now I've got a lot to smile about, but this time, I'm not embarrassed to.
Craving your own smile make-over? Here are some common complaints and their best fixes:
Problem: crooked, uneven, recessed teeth.
Solution: Options include traditional metal braces, lingual braces affixed to the interior side of teeth and clear Invisalign tooth aligners. Or, for a quick-change effect, try veneers.
How they work: Braces and tooth aligners exert constant pressure on teeth, guiding them into correct alignment. For metal braces (regular or lingual), the arch wires are replaced every 4-8 weeks or so. Invisalign's tooth aligners are replaced approximately every two weeks and are best suited to minor misalignment. (More on veneers later.)
Time Commitment: from weeks (for veneers) to 103 years (for braces or tooth aligners)
Approximate cost: $2,400-$10,000+
Ouch Factor: low to high (usually after a more rigid arch wire is inserted, but the pain is temporary)
Problem: stained, discoloured teeth
Solution: in-office tooth-whitening systems such as Zoom!, or at-home whitening systems or strips
How they work: Many think the most effective route is at the dentist, using a system such as Zoom!, which involves the application of a bleaching gel onto the teeth, which are then subjected to a special light, delivering dramatic whitening in less than two hours. DIY systems, on the other hand, use custom fitted trays you fill with a bleaching agent and wear for a couple hours or overnight during treatment (typical treatment periods last from 2-4 weeks). Finally, at-home disposable whitening strips or brush on whitening solutions are worn on teeth for periods ranging from five minutes to a couple of hours a day.
Time Commitment: Zoom delivers immediate results-and impressive ones at that. At-home whitening systems yield results within a few days of treatment.
Approximate Cost: DIY whitening kits start at $20; dentist-provided trays and bleaching agent range from $250-$450; and in-office whitening, such as Zoom, starts at $600.
Ouch Factor: Zero to moderate, depending on how sensitive your teeth and gums are (discomfort is temporary, though)
Problem: big filling, broken tooth or root canal
Solution: Veneers can hide a chipped tooth or visible dark filling, while a crown will protect and camouflage a fragile and discoloured root-canal site.
How they work: Crowns are similar to veneers in that they are customized to your teeth, then cemented into place. Unlike veneers, however, crowns cover the entire tooth.
Time Commitment: Several appointments within a few weeks of each other.
Approximate cost: $1,000-$1,800 per crown
Ouch Factor: minimal
