Temporary Teeth To The Rescue!

The immortal crooner of yesteryear Bing Crosby popularized a song that my mom used to sing to me which advised, “Let a smile be your umbrella on a rainy, rainy day.” But what if your umbrella is stained or has holes in it? Do you really want to flaunt anything less than a perfect appearance?

People have been pre-occupied with their personal appearances since dirt was invented. Good genes and luck favor many people with gorgeous gums and teeth to match.

But what about the rest of us? A chipped front tooth can be extremely embarrassing, especially for those who tend toward the self-conscious. Stains from coffee, tea, and red wine are another source of concern for many people.

There are several dental procedures to remedy a crooked or unsightly smile – but they all come at a high price that health insurance doesn’t cover because they are “elective” – which is to say, completely voluntary on the part of the patient and medically non-functional:

• Teeth whitening – $550 to $1,200+
• Porcelain veneers – $800 to $2,500 per tooth
• Dental implants – $1,100 to $4,000+ per tooth
• Dental bridge – $500 to $1,200 per tooth

Fear not, cost-conscious consumers, there is another solution to that toothy grin which is quite affordable: temporary cosmetic teeth!

Several companies make affordable fake teeth. Unlike permanent veneers, implants, and bridges, these are temporary teeth designed to be removed. Essentially, they are disposable teeth.

One manufacturer of convincing false teeth is Snap-On Smile which was founded by “a dentist who realized that not everyone can afford thousands of dollars to get a Hollywood smile make-over.” Amen to that!

Someone wearing Snap-On falsies can eat and drink normally. They may be purchased as a temporary solution or for a longer non-permanent period of time. These chompers are made from a high-tech dental resin which is both thin and strong.

As the name suggests, Snap-On Teeth fit directly over existing natural teeth to fix a broken smile. All it takes is two visits to the dental office with no anesthetic injections, no drilling, no adhesives, and no alternations to the patient’s real teeth.

Snap-On Smile recommends their product for people who would like to remedy common dental conditions, including:

• Gaps, crooked, stained or missing teeth
• Those who are not candidates for bridges or implants
• Anyone who would like a Hollywood smile without the expense and discomfort of complex and invasive dental procedures
• Anyone who has an old-fashioned removable partial denture and wants a beautiful, more comfortable alternative

A Snap-On Smile dentist will help their patients select the style and shade of the new teeth, takes an impression of the natural teeth to be covered, and a lab cranks out the cosmetic covers in about three weeks for the dentist to perform a final fitting.

Consider this rave review from satisfied customer Maya C.:

“I feel like people take me more seriously now that I have nice teeth. Really it does make a difference…I am not afraid to stick my hand out and meet someone or just talk to a total stranger. It makes me feel really good and confident. That’s the key word: confidence.”

As for the price tag, expect your Snap-On Smile to cost between $900 and $1,600 per arch – uppers and lowers.

Alternatively, you can turn that frown upside down for much less money with cosmetic teeth from a company called Imako. These pearly whites cost a mere $34.95, according to their website!

The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the sale of Imako cosmetic teeth which are reportedly as comfortable as they are affordable. They flex as your mouth moves, won’t break, don’t make you lisp, let you speak or sing flawlessly, and require no trips to the dentist.

The company bills them as a “DIY smile makeover at home.” The only downside is that only upper arches are available at this time. Still, with practice, most people can use a mirror to train themselves to smile without baring the lower teeth much.

Such an inexpensive solution to ugly teeth seems too good to be true, doesn’t it? Here’s what one satisfied customer named Anjelica Carlsen had to say on Amazon:

“Missing a tooth and having cracks and chips is the worst. My self-esteem was so poor. I hated covering my mouth to laugh or training myself to talk without showing my upper teeth…I’m posting this review in hopes that someone out there may read it and make the choice to buy this. Its a life changer, and I’ve only had them in for about 3 hours!”

Getting a good fit is a bit of a challenge, according to several product reviewers. Consider this tidbit from Lisa M:

“So these teeth are amazing! It does take a while to get the right fit. I didn’t have a good fingernail file so I had a bit of a problem getting the right fit but that’s not the fault of the teeth. Just have a file, nail clippers and mirror and timer. It’s very very easy to do and if you mess up you can always start over again. Extremely inexpensive way to have a beautiful smile. I’m very happy.”

Finally, another issue mentioned by customer Sara is getting the Imako cosmetic teeth to stay put:

“I really like this product although I couldn’t get them to stay on I used denture cream which held them in place just fine. I work 10-hour shifts and they lasted all 10 hours, I chewed gum and drank with them in just fine. I did get a lisp but with little practice I can talk just fine.”

At this point, I’m ready to place my order and trade my pathetic umbrella of a smile for a quick and inexpensive upgrade. How about you?