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A gleaming smile is essential. If you want to look attractive and be successful, the appearance of your teeth can have a huge impact. This is especially true when it comes to careers like modeling, acting, and anything pertaining to the entertainment or media world. But it is actually true with any career or lifestyle.

In order for your teeth to look their best, you'll need cosmetic dentistry to perfect them. There are several types which can help, depending on what your teeth require.

Teeth Whitening

When you're a child your teeth look white and brilliant. With time, food, drink, and other things (especially tobacco and coffee) can have a negative effect. Our teeth naturally darken a bit over time to due aging as well.

The process of teeth whitening is a great solution to remove stains and bring back the clean sheen of youth. There are many types of whitening and it is up to you and your dentist to determine which will best suit you and your budget.

It is important to keep in mind that teeth whitening, along with basically any cosmetic dental procedure, may not be covered by your insurance. However, most teeth whitening procedures are affordable or can be financed.

Types of teeth whitening include in-office whitening using chemical treatments, take-home teeth whitening kits, and laser whitening. These may vary in terms of cost and levels of discomfort. Most of them will have very little discomfort, if any. Ask your dentist prior to these procedures about any sensitivity that may occur; he or she will not put you through any major pain for a cosmetic surgery'that much is for certain!

Bonding

If your teeth are chipped or broken, you may feel hopeless. Obviously, the missing parts of the tooth are not going to magically re-grow. Modern dentistry has a process called bonding wherein a composite resin material is used to bond (hence the name) to your teeth.

This resin will appear to be part of your tooth after it is reshaped and colored to match it. It will then not only look, but also feel like a permanent part of your teeth! You won't even be able to tell where your tooth ends and where the bonded resin begins!

Veneers

Veneers are a more thorough solution to perfecting your smile. Instead of just covering up or repairing missing parts of teeth, veneers completely cover the front side of the tooth. This can completely correct the apparent shape of your teeth when you smile, so that your teeth look perfectly straight and smooth.

Due to the fact that veneers do cover the entire front surface of your teeth, they can take on an even more natural and consistent appearance than bonding (which only covers portions of the tooth surface). However, bonding and veneers are very similar.

Other terms for veneers include dental porcelain laminates and dental veneers. They are very thin shells made of porcelain which are adhered onto the front of you teeth. They can cover such issues as worn out, cracked, discolored, misaligned teeth, among other cosmetic dental issues you may have.

Ask your dentist which of the many cosmetic procedures will work best for your particular situation, and then enjoy your perfect smile!