Making The Most Of Your ‘Social Six’ Teeth

Making The Most Of Your ‘Social Six’ Teeth

Health, maintenance and cosmetic improvements of the visible teeth at the front of your mouth.

If you have never come across the term ‘social six’ before, this is simply a name applied to the top and bottom six teeth that are most visible when you smile. While your other teeth should not be neglected in favour of these teeth, these are the ones that most people will notice, and especially when in your social circles. As your smile can say a lot about you, it makes sense to look after these as best as you can and perhaps also consider making a few improvements as well.

Because these teeth tend to do the initial tearing of food, leaving the bulk of the chewing to those at the back, they are perhaps less prone to decay than the others. They can still decay though and you should take good care of them for this reason and not just because they are the ones that most people see.

Cleaning your social six teeth

Keeping your top and bottom front six teeth clean and healthy can be carried out in much the same way as those at the rear of the mouth. The biggest difference is that these are flatter and largely lack the deeper textured surface of teeth further back. This means that food and bacteria don’t tend to get trapped quite as easily on the surfaces. While this does mean that you can pay attention to brushing the flat surfaces of these teeth, it is still important for our Chelmsford patients not to ignore the edges, along with the gum line and in between the teeth. In order to clean effectively between these teeth, dental floss should be used. Even those who find using floss quite tricky should be able to use it on these easy to reach teeth.

Gaps between the teeth (diastema)

One relatively common issue that is very noticeable is when there is a gap between, usually, the top two, front teeth. In some cases this may barely be noticeable while in others it can be quite significant. This gap, known as a ‘diastema’ divides opinion amongst some people as to whether it is an attractive look or not. The fact is though that a gap between the teeth like this may not only cause slight speech defects but can also lead to bite problems which can cause uneven wear on the teeth. Movement of other teeth is also possible and may result in the need for orthodontic treatment in some cases.

Depending on the size and type of gap between these teeth, this can sometimes be rectified through the use of cosmetic bonding, porcelain veneers or modern invisible aligners. This will need to be determined by one of the dentists at Blue Sky Dental following an examination.

Other gaps and crookedness

While other teeth are less noticeable, those at the front are right in the frontline and even a slight defect can spoil what would otherwise be a fantastic smile. One thing that commonly causes this is where there is a slight crookedness of the teeth. This might be something as simple as an individual tooth that is protruding slightly or where two teeth slightly overlap each other.

The only way to correct this problem is through the use of dental braces. While correcting the position of crooked and uneven teeth can be a lengthy process, sometimes taking a year or more, this is not always the case where the problem is restricted to the social six teeth and is quite mild. There are cosmetic braces available which can correct the problem in a much shorter time than traditional braces, often taking just a few weeks depending on the severity of the problem. While these are not the popular invisible aligner braces, the material used are tooth coloured and are quite discreee for the short time that you will need to wear them.

Whiter teeth

One of the most obvious things that you can do to improve the appearance of the social six teeth is to have them whitened. Whether through staining or general discolouration through ageing, our Chelmsford dentists have a range of treatments available to help boost the whiteness of these visible teeth by several shades. You will be able to discuss the level of whiteness that you would like during your consultation and the treatment can be adjusted to your needs.

We use a custom home teeth whitening kit that allows you to whiten your teeth in the comfort of your own home. Unlike any off the shelf kit that you may find available though, these use trays in which the whitening agent is placed that are made from impressions that we take of your own teeth. This allows them to fit comfortably but securely, helping to minimise any risk of the whitening agent, a form of bleach, coming into contact with the soft tissues in your mouth, such as the gums.

You will be given full instructions on how to apply the gel and fit the trays but generally you will need to wear them for approximately a couple of hours a day for around two weeks. You should start to see the difference after a week but the fuller effects will be seen approximately a week after that.

This is a non-invasive treatment and is therefore suitable even for the most nervous dental patient. Dental veneers are also available for those with badly discoloured or slightly damaged (e.g. chipped) teeth.

Why not make 2025 the year when you give your smile a boost with a smile makeover that takes advantage of one or more of these cosmetic dental procedures? We offer a free non clinical consultation for those who would like to find out more about how we can give your smile a boost.

For more information or to book your consultation with us, please call Blue Sky Dental today on 01245 211070.

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