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Small Teeth

Small teeth can affect the way you eat and type of food you prefer to consume, but for the most part, the condition is merely a cosmetic issue. But that’s reason enough to seek a way to make your teeth longer and more natural-looking. At the boutique dental practice of Dr. Alex Shalman in Downtown NYC, you’ll find a top cosmetic dental expert skilled at treating small teeth in adults. Through simple procedures like veneers for small teeth, you can smile again with confidence. Don’t let small teeth hamper your social life. Call Dr. Shalman for an appointment to get small teeth veneers.

Having small teeth is a condition known as microdontia. The problem occurs at different levels. The most common forms of microdontia include:

• Truly generalized microdontia, where you have a uniform set of small teeth
• Relative generalized microdontia, seen in people with a large or protruding jaw, making their teeth look smaller
• Localized microdontia, which is a condition that some teeth appear smaller compared to their neighbors

Since small teeth affect the quality of your smile, they can negatively affect your self-esteem. Fortunately, you can now get corrective treatment at Dr. Alex Shalman’s boutique dental practice in Lower Manhattan. Dr. Shalman, a noted cosmetic dentist, combines family dentistry and cosmetic dentistry for a holistic approach to your oral health.

What Causes Small Teeth?

While you can develop small teeth due to environmental factors, most small teeth in adults are due to genetics or disease. Some of the more common causes of disproportionately small teeth include:

• Exposure to radiation during chemotherapy at an early age that affects teeth development
• A cleft lip or cleft palate
• Pituitary dwarfism, which causes generalized microdontia
• Down syndrome
• Oculomandibulofacial syndrome or Hallermann-Streiff syndrome, which causes skull and facial malformation
• Congenital deafness with labyrinthine aplasia, microtia, and microdontia (LAMM)
• Williams syndrome, a genetic condition affecting the development of facial features
• Ullrich-Turner syndrome, which affects women
• Rieger syndrome
• Ectodermal dysplasias

Before recommending treatment, your dentist carries out a thorough examination of your dental outlook to determine the underlying problem. The evaluation also extends to your medical history to identify any risk factors responsible for the small teeth.

How Can Small Teeth Affect My Life?

Small teeth problems may not be very common, but if you suffer from this condition, it impacts your life significantly. Side effects are both physical and emotional. They include:

• Perceived unsightly facial appearance
• A diminished quality of life because you have a gummy smile that makes you reluctant to smile
• Self-esteem issues due to the size of your teeth
• Dietary problems because you may find certain foods difficult to chew properly, particularly raw fruits and vegetables

If you feel uncomfortable about the size of your teeth, consult the best cosmetic dentist in New York City for a correct diagnosis. With advances in dental technology, it’s now possible to treat or correct most dental disorders, including small teeth. Advanced non-invasive surgical procedures, which are painless, are at the center of individualized smile makeover plans.

What’s the Treatment for Small Teeth?

Treatments to make teeth longer vary, depending on an assessment of your specific condition. At his boutique Manhattan cosmetic dentistry office, Dr. Shalman uses an individualized approach to dental treatments. Some of the treatment options for microdontia include:

• Dental veneers. Small teeth veneers made from porcelain correct the sizing problem for your teeth by making them appear larger.
• Dental crowns. Crowns provide a cap for your small teeth so they can achieve the desired size.
• Dental bonding. Using a restorative composite-resin material to make small teeth longer, dental bonding can build up the size of your teeth.
• Gum contouring. Dr. Shalman uses this technique to remove excess gum tissue so more of your teeth are visible.
• Implants. If your teeth aren’t healthy, you can have them removed and replaced with a new set of normal-sized teeth in the form of denture implants.

Correcting your smile by using veneers for small teeth and other cosmetic techniques improves your confidence and self-esteem. This in turn boosts the quality of your life. With evenly sized teeth, your smile is more attractive, and it’s easier to engage people in public. With the diagnosis, your dentist may also unearth other dental problems that require attention.