Do you notice how selfies are everywhere nowadays? With smartphones at our fingertips, a quickly snapped photo is pretty common. But it also means we're taking a much closer look at our smiles than ever before. Instead of giving ourselves a quick glance in the mirror, many of us zoom in to check out every little detail. And this new focus has sparked a big desire to achieve that perfect smile.
Selfies really took a turn for our self-perception in the way we view our smiles.
According to a study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry, about 71% of people feel anxious about their teeth after viewing close-up images.
And nearly 90% of adults wish they could change something about their smile. As we become more aware of how we look, lots of people are diving into various cosmetic dental options.
With the selfie mania, no wonder people want to perfect every flaw they observe. Eventually many patients do consult their dentists for teeth whitening or veneers among other treatments once they point out certain features that they would like to be altered.
According to Dr. Jibran, smartphones have really changed the way we look at ourselves. Usually, the exposure of photographs is full-body ones; mirrors provide a broader view. The close-ups were usually taken when very special photographs had to be sent out, which meant the little flaws went unnoticed.
Now, selfies make even the slightest dental imperfections highly noticeable. Such increased focus on appearance has become a reason for an increased demand for cosmetic enhancements in dentistry, thus giving us a plethora of options to choose from to fix our concerns.
Thanks to developments in dental care, getting that smile you always desired is no big hurdle anymore.
Following are a few of the popular treatments people are considering nowadays:
Teeth Whitening: This quick and effective treatment can brighten your smile in just one visit. Nowadays, teeth whitening has become highly in demand.
Clear Aligners: Most adults find clear aligners aesthetically less noticeable. Studies show that 70% of adults get clear aligners for aesthetic concerns.
Veneers: Thin coverings set over the front of the teeth, they mask gaps or chipped teeth and can last many years provided good care is taken of them.
Gum Contouring: This dental treatment aims at shaping the gum to make people's smiles symmetrical and, in the process, is often emerging as a cosmetic dentistry option.
Owing to modern technology, most of these can be done much quicker than had previously been possible, with fewer visits required
As long as selfies are among the favorite means of self-expression, perfect smiles will be in demand. Since social media is taking up a considerable amount of space in our lives, this pressure to have an ideal smile will not disappear anytime soon. Fortunately, there is now more help than ever in capturing one's dream smile!
The next time you digitally zoom in on a selfie and catch something you'd like to see changed about your smile, remember that technology allows us both to capture flaws we may have otherwise missed and provides an opportunity to alter those flaws to achieve the smile of our dreams. The Selfie Smile Revolution is changing the way the world perceives itself-one photo at a time-and cosmetic dentistry is rapidly evolving right along with it.
References
1. America's Cosmetic Dentistry Academy. 2022. State of Cosmetic Dentistry Today. Downloaded from: AACD
2. Scully, C., et al. 2021. How Long Do Porcelain Veneers Really Last? British Dental Journal.
3. Market Research Future. 2021. Global Teeth Whitening Market Research Report. Retrieved from: Market Research Future.
