4 Surprising Uses for a Snap-On Smile

While you may be familiar with more classic dental appliances, such as dentures and braces, you may not have heard about the Snap-On Smile appliance or all of its uses. This dental appliance can hide a variety of smile imperfections and it can be worn daily or on an occasional basis.

A Snap-On Smile is made of an acetyl resin, which is a strong, yet flexible material that is now also being used in the creation of some types of partial dentures. This dental appliance can be worn all day, even when eating, and must only be removed when brushing your existing teeth or sleeping.

Read on to learn about four surprising uses for a Snap-On Smile.

1. Conceal Missing Teeth While Waiting for Dental Implants

If you had one or more teeth extracted due to tooth decay or dental trauma, then your dentist may have informed you that you have to wait a period of time before dental implants can be placed. This wait time may be due to the placement of bone grafting materials that must osseointegrate with the surrounding bone before an implant can be placed or the need for an implant to osseointegrate before a crown can be placed on top of it.

To look and feel your best while waiting until a full dental implant can be placed, you can wear a Snap-On Smile to provide the illusion of having a full arch of healthy teeth while you wait for implant placement.

2. Find Comfort You Have Never Found in Traditional Partial Dentures

While there are many types of partial dentures on the market today, you may have trouble finding a denture that is comfortable for you. Some partial dentures are made of hard acrylic that can rub against gums and the hard palate of the mouth, while others have metal clasps that some people find uncomfortable.

The acetyl resin a Snap-on-Smile is made of is much thinner and more flexible than many classic denture materials, making this dental appliance a good alternative for traditional partial denture for sensitive mouths.

3. Disguise Discolored Teeth

A Snap-On Smile can also hide discolored teeth to provide the illusion of a white, healthy smile.

There are two types of tooth discolorations: extrinsic teeth stains and intrinsic teeth stains. Extrinsic teeth stains affect only the tooth’s enamel and can often be removed with simple teeth-whitening products and procedures. However, intrinsic teeth stains affect the tissue that lies below the tooth enamel called the dentin, making them more difficult to remove.

Dentists can rarely remove intrinsic stains with teeth whitening procedures; these stains require more extensive dental procedures, such as bonding or placement of crowns, to disguise their appearance. However, a Snap-On Smile can hide these discolorations very well.

In addition, wear and tear on tooth enamel can cause the enamel to become so thin and translucent that the yellow-toned dentin underneath shows through. Like intrinsic staining, only bonding, crowns, or a Snap-On Smile can disguise tooth discoloration that often occurs.

4. Provide the Illusion of Straighter Teeth

If your teeth are crooked, then you likely know that the only way to permanently straighten them is to have traditional orthodontic treatment, i.e. braces or clear teeth aligners. However, you may not currently be interested in the time involved or the cost of traditional orthodontic treatment.

While not a permanent fix for crooked teeth, a Snap-On Smile can be designed with straight teeth that cover your current teeth to provide the illusion of a super-straight smile. 

Snap-On Smile is a dental appliance that has many more uses than you may realize. Contact the staff at Crest Hill Family Dental to schedule a Snap-On Smile dental appliance consultation today.