Does confidence sell? The cosmetic dentistry industry seems to think so. A quick Google search shows that building confidence is usually one of the top ten reasons to whiten your teeth.
Be confident on your wedding day with whiter teeth!
Have an interview coming up? Whiten your teeth!
Boost your confidence and self-esteem!
More smiling, more confidence, more success!
You get the drift.
Cosmetic dentistry ranges from teeth whitening to dental implants after an accident, but the message remains similar: If you want better self-esteem, correct your teeth.
Of course, there are plenty of benefits of having a good smile — from health benefits to better employment/promotion prospects to attractiveness. But is a pretty smile enough to make you completely and totally, 100% happy?
According to a recent study in the British Dental Journal, not really.
The researchers looked at the influence of “personality and pre-treatment contentment” on post-treatment satisfaction. So they assessed patients’ personalities, as well as how patients felt about their faces and bodies both before and after having cosmetic work done. And what did they find?
Although all participants were more satisfied post-treatment with the body overall and their face in particular, those scoring highly on neuroticism were generally unhappier both before and after treatment.
In other words, all were happier about their appearance, but some were happier than others. It largely depended on how content they were before treatment.
In this respect, cosmetic dentistry is like other kinds of physical self-improvement, such as getting a new hairstyle or losing weight. It’s no panacea. Some get a confidence boost, some don’t. Struggles with anxiety, depression, obsession and other troubles can cast a pall.
The degree of “internal improvement” – feeling better about yourself – depends, as ever, on the individual.
Don’t get us wrong: A beautiful smile can help. And we love to provide them – and to do so in a healthy, holistic way that considers your wellness as a whole.
But as for self-confidence, fortunately, it is a less a state of mind than a skill that can be learned. This wonderful TED Talk includes some great tips and tricks you can put to work today:
Image by Caden Crawford