A beautiful smile can light up dark room. It can launch ships. It can win confidence, start friendships or charm the heart of prospective romantic interests. If the eyes are the gateway to the soul, the smile is its ambassador – our smile is most genuine way of issuing a welcome, and the more attractive the smile, the better that invitation will be received. But let’s face it – like any aspect of beauty, it takes more than just good intentions to let your inner beauty shine through your smile. There are cosmetic factors too. And in nature, a truly lovely smile can be hard to find.

Luckily, in the modern day and age, medical technology has gone a long way in making up for nature’s shortcomings. Through revolutionary new techniques in Dental Cosmetics, a rapidly growing field, teeth, gums and even musculature can be touched up to give you that glowing smile you’ve always wanted.

The first factor to weigh is teeth. Three out of four subjects polled agree that your teeth make a significant impression during first encounters, and that bad teeth can negatively impact your likelihood to secure business or personal relationships in the short term. For this reason, techniques such as reconstructive surgery, dental straightening, dental implants and even contouring – the medical term for reshaping of teeth – can aid in both professional and interpersonal success.

Techniques for tooth whitening now abound. They vary in price, intensity and duration of treatment, but all are aimed at the same thing: a pearly, healthy-looking smile. While the best technique for dental whitening is certainly good hygiene – regular flossing and brushing, with a healthy diet – these techniques can help along the way. It is also important to note that their effects are temporary, and activities such as smoking will impact tooth coloring regardless of treatment.

One revolutionary new technique of porcelain veneers, actually coating teeth with a synthetic enamel which both protects the teeth and gives them a special radiant sheen. Another is the novel technique is laser whitening, which employs a low-frequency laser with a special reactive gel to achieve whitening results in less time, and with less discomfort than traditional methods.

Lasers are also employed in gum surgery, and can be used to raise low gum line and enhance crown length. By making simple incisions above the crown – literally cutting away bits of tissue – crowns can be permanently extended for a fuller, more complete grin.

For more serious cases, such as crooked or missing teeth, there are a range of cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries available. Many patients now opt for dental implants to fill in for missing teeth, and the practice is both tried and successful in the vast majority of cases. For more minor cases, teeth can be ground or polished as a patient dictates for a more refined, elegant shape.

In all cases, the rule of thumb with cosmetic dentistry is that the practice is what you make of it. No smile, no matter how expensive, can carry true beauty unless the heart, and sentiment, behind it is genuine. In all cases, it is important to consult with your surgeon about possible risks and side effects, and asses your full range of options before deciding on the cosmetic practice for you.