The spotlight on dental aesthetics has deepened by a focus that is fed by a number of factors: the all-pervading influence of digital media, influencer culture and reality TV. These factors have created an obsessive fascination with what beauty looks like and how one’s appearance is perceived by others.
Whatever one’s opinion may be of the matter, scientific studies have confirmed that how well one gets on in life is dependent on one’s appearance – it pays to be seen as physically attractive.
The quest for physical attractiveness has been spurred on by the growth of beauty-centred treatments from skin enhancements to weight management. But it is not beauty and wellness industries alone that have witnessed never-seen-before business. The dental industry too, from cosmetic dentistry to orthodontics, have answered the call of patients wanting to improve their smiles.
In determining overall attractiveness, facial features play a significant role. An aesthetically attractive face is defined by the look of perfectly-aligned teeth and a wide bright smile. To help the limitations of one’s genes, dental technologies and treatments have stepped up to help transform less-than-perfect smiles.
Dental health and social perceptions
That first impressions matter is an undisputed fact. Based on cultural values, it is normal to have initial opinions made based on one’s appearance. There are many situations that require social judgements, including job interviews, university entrance interviews, meeting clients and making new acquaintances, all of which factor in one’s appearance in the decision-making of others.
In terms of facial features, an attractive smile and perfectly positioned teeth can generate favourable impressions with the opposite also holding true.
In a YouGov-directed study that focused on factors that hindered career prospects, 62 percent of those interviewed were of the opinion that prospective job applicants with discernible poor dental health were more than likely to be at a disadvantage when it came to their chances of being hired.
Good dental appearance that creates a winning smile is said to influence perceptions of how friendly a person is, their intelligence, trustworthiness and how approachable they are. An individual who is ready to show off a broad smile is deemed confident and therefore thought to have an elevated chance of finding success. It is even said that an attractive dental appearance is a prerequisite for high-status job roles. Such conclusions means that there are even more weighty reasons to pay a visit to a Dentist Meath, particularly if making the best impression is at stake.
Desirable dental aesthetics depend more on just whether teeth are straight or not. Tooth discolouration, missing teeth and deviations from what healthy gums are supposed to look like, all detract from good dental health. Unappealing teeth is linked to another less than desirable condition that also affects one’s ability to succeed – a lack of self-confidence. There is an overwhelmingly strong connection between a confident individual and their success in life and at work.
Taking care of one’s dental health with quality dental care such as that offered at Navan Dental is good for overall health and improves one’s chances of making a favourable impression. Patients with medical cards such as the Irish NHS are welcomed.
