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Your smile should be something you're proud of. But many people are embarrassed of their smiles, whether it's from yellowed, crooked, or missing teeth or any other number of problems. However, these problems can be easily fixed by your dentist. The following are a few ways your dentist can help you get a brilliant smile you'll be proud of:

Whitening:

One way your dentist can help you is through whitening your teeth. There are several methods done in-office that can do this, including laser whitening and bleaching trays.

With laser whitening, the dentist first places a special retractor in your mouth to keep the lips from touching the teeth during treatment. Then a translucent bleaching gel is applied to the teeth, and a laser is shone on the teeth for an hour. This light activates the gel, which in turn whitens the teeth. The dentist may decide to shine the light for longer than an hour, depending on the degree of discoloration the patient has.

Bleaching is another option for whitening the teeth and is the most common form of teeth whitening, as it is also the most cost-effective. With this procedure, the patient visits the dentist, who has impressions of your mouth taken. These impressions are then used to make a custom-made tray designed to fit your teeth exactly. From there, a bleaching gel is put in the tray and worn for an hour or two each day. Because the bleaching gel is a high concentration, results can be seen within a few days. However, it usually takes a couple of weeks to see full results. Bleaching whitens teeth about 6 shades lighter than before the process began.

Invisible braces

If you never got braces as a kid but feel like you might need them now, you may be a candidate for invisible braces. People with crowded teeth, gaps in the teeth, or with a severe overbite and underbite may be able to have that corrected with invisible braces. This type of cosmetic dentistry uses clear aligners to move your teeth back into place.

Invisible braces, unlike real braces, can be removed for brushing, flossing, and eating. Many adults and teenagers prefer them so the appearance of braces isn't so obvious.

Dental bonding

Another way your dentist can help you achieve a brilliant smile is through dental bonding. With this procedure, the dentist takes a special resin (similar to clay) and uses it to restore chipped or broken teeth, fill in gaps and reshape or recolor your teeth.

This procedure is also used to fill cavities and decayed teeth, like a filling. It lasts much longer than a traditional silver filling (up to eleven years), and is made to match the color of the teeth, so you are not embarrassed by unsightly silver fillings. However, unlike silver fillings, dental bonding costs anywhere from $200 to $600 per tooth.

There's no need to be embarrassed of your smile; your dentist can help you decide what procedure is best for helping you to restore your brilliant smile.