Many people think that their teeth are too dark, too crooked, overcrowded, chipped, have too many silver filings or too misshapen and it effects how willing they are to smile, yawn or even talk in public. Everyone wants that picture perfect smile that they see on the front cover of magazines.

There are many ways a dentist can help you to get a brilliant smile. Although getting a great smile is only skin deep and for aesthetic purposes only, the effects can go much deeper and can bring you pleasure and maybe even a little boost in self-confidence. Here is a little introduction of some of the techniques used by dentists to enhance a smile.

Teeth whitening: Many stains on the teeth can be removed during cleaning. However, everyone’s teeth also have intrinsic stains, which are stains within the tooth itself and must be removed through bleaching. Bleaching is a process that accomplished either at home using over the counter bleaching solutions or in the dental office with a carbamide-peroxide or hydrogen-peroxide solution. Bleaching is not a permanent solution no matter where you have it done, but it is usually two to three years before it is necessary to repeat the process.

In-home supervised whitening: Your dentist will construct a mold of your mouth, making what is known as a bleaching tray. These mouth guards are custom fit to every individual mouth as to prevent the bleaching gel to sit on your gums rather than your teeth. You will be instructed to wear the mouth guard for several hours every day for several weeks or overnight

In-office whitening: Many people choose to have their whitening performed in a dentist office both for convenience and for quicker results. During this process, an external light source (laser, halogen or gas plasma) is used to activate a bleaching gel solution. Sometimes it may be necessary to use a combination of in-office and at-home bleaching in order to achieve the patient’s desired results.

Whitening toothpastes: Whitening toothpastes don’t remove many stains but are great for maintaining a previously performed bleaching.

Be sure to get advice from your dentist before doing any whitening process to ensure that you will not be sensitive to the procedure. Additionally, it may be necessary to replace some older fillings with new fillings prior to the process to avoid sensitivity. Porcelain and tooth-colored fillings tend not to bleach so you may want to replace them after bleaching in order to improve aesthetics.

Bonding: Bonding is a process by which a tooth-colored material is bonded to teeth in order to change tooth color, re-shape, re-size or to repair fractured teeth. This procedure can also be done to give the appearance of straight teeth. A bonded restoration can be polished to look the same as your natural teeth and may also stain in a similar manner as your own teeth. Stains are removed during the patient’s regular cleaning appointments by polishing these restorations.

Porcelain veneers: Porcelain veneers are thin porcelain shells that are fabricated in a dental laboratory and cemented to the front of your teeth. Like bonding, porcelain veneers are also used to change tooth color, shape, and size and can be used to give teeth a straighter appearance and to close spaces. However, compared to bonding, porcelain veneers are stronger and more stain-resistant. Although porcelain veneers are more expensive than bonding, they are often the better choice when more than one tooth is involved because you can achieve a more consistent cosmetic result.

Tooth-colored fillings: a tooth-colored inlay or onlay, is a custom-made filling made in a laboratory to fit the tooth and is permanently cemented in place. This is a good option over silver fillings, especially if the space is large.

Porcelain crowns (caps): All-porcelain crowns and porcelain-fused-to-gold crowns (a gold crown that is covered by porcelain) are two types of crowns that are easily matched to the shade of a natural tooth. Crowns are custom-made in a laboratory and are cemented in place. These are a good option when a large portion of a tooth is missing.

Orthodontics: Orthodontics are used to straighten teeth, reduce crowding, and close spaces in order to achieve the best possible smiles. Orthodontics may take at least two to three years to achieve the desired results and are often used along with bonding or veneers to achieve the best results.

Periodontics: Periodontics are used to alter gum tissue to enhance your smile. You may have seen at one time or another a person who will show a lot of gum when they smile. If a person is uncomfortable with the amount of gum that shows, a periodontist can help to reduce this.

In summary, if you want to get a brilliant smile, there are many options available to you. You will want to begin by consulting with your dentist. He or she can point you in the direction of a specialist who can address your concerns.