Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
~ Thich Nhat Hanh, Contemporary Vietnamese Buddhist monk, peace activist and writer
People generally seek out cosmetic dental treatments because they want to beautify their smiles. The benefits of having a beautiful smile are well documented in research studies. An independent study conducted on behalf of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) in 2004 revealed that:
- 99.7% of Americans believe a smile is an important social asset.
- 96% of adults believe an attractive smile makes a person more appealing to members of the opposite sex.
- 74% of adults feels an unattractive smile can hurt a person's chances for career success.
Other studies have shown that the benefits of cosmetic dental treatments extend beyond being physically attractive and appealing to the opposite sex. Another AACD study was conducted by Beall Research & Training of Chicago by social psychologist and market research professional Dr. Anne Beall.
Dr. Beall showed two sets of photos of eight people to 528 Americans. The photos showed eight individuals: four had not yet undergone cosmetic dental treatments, and four had completed cosmetic dental treatments.
The respondents were asked to evaluate the photos and judge the people based on whether or not the people in the photos appeared to be:
- Attractive
- Intelligent
- Happy
- Successful in their career
- Friendly
- Interesting
- Kind
- Wealthy
- Popular with the opposite sex
- Sensitive to other people
The scores in all categories jumped up when the respondents viewed the photos of people who had undergone cosmetic dental treatments. That is, a beautiful smile will make you appear happier, more intelligent, successful, kind, and interesting!
An April 2011 study published by the British Dental Health Foundation noted that 50% of people are unhappy with their smiles and 37% of people indicated that stained or yellow teeth is a concern of theirs.
These results are based on the foundation's 35th annual campaign, the National Smile Month. The theme for this year was "The Smile Factor" and the goal was to remind people that their smile is fundamental to every aspect of their lives.
The foundation's CEO, Dr. Nigel Carter, said:
“The survey is a great reminder that we should be giving greater attention to our teeth – not just because it improves oral health – but because it gives us the confidence to smile, which makes a major difference to our relationships, careers and overall image."
Based on these studies, we can justly say that "Cosmetic Dental Treatments Do More than Look Great".