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Let's face it, a sparkling, uninhibited smile is sexy, and speaks volumes about how confident and vibrant you are. Celebrities like Denzil Washington, Janet Jackson or Whitney Houston flash their ice-white incisors at us from the covers of glossy magazines. Okay they’re American, and it’s a major sin over there to be orthodontically challenged. Here in the UK we’re much more relaxed about things dental. But as a result we have teeth that are gappy, cooked, yellowing and full of blackened fillings.
According to a recent survey by Dentics, a cosmetics dentistry company, more than one in four people don’t like their teeth and half of us complain about our teeth’s lack of whiteness. After treatment Dentics reported that 87 per cent of clients said their new smile made them feel more self-confident and thought people responded to them more warmly.
Until recently, there was nothing we could do about our teeth. But now cosmetic dentistry has arrived in the UK in a big way and the choice of treatments is huge. There are veneers, implants, bridges and crowns; white fillings, bonding, bleaching and braces.
Stain Removal
There are two levels of teeth whitening. The first involves removing surface stains, so that your teeth are cleaner and brighter, and can be done inexpensively at home. The second actually lightens the natural colour of your teeth by up to 6 shades, and requires
the help of your dentist.
For the DIY option, visit your dentist for a professional clean and polish, which will instantly make your teeth brighter and remove any dirty looking plaque.
Get hold of one of the many whitening toothpastes now available, which while they can't actually lighten the natural colour of your teeth, they can help to remove stains.
A study published in the British Medical Journal found that many whitening toothpastes didn’t perform effectively in their stain removal tests. Top performers included Macleans Whitening (£1.99/50ml); Aquafresh Whitening (£2.19/ 50ml) and Beverly Hills Formula Natural White (£3.99/125ml).
Take steps to prevent your teeth getting re-stained by trying to cut down on smoking, red wine, coffee and other staining foods, and remember to brush your teeth carefully at least twice a day, and floss regularly.
An electric or battery-operated toothbrush instantly improves your brushing technique and prevents you from over-brushing, which can wear away your gums.
The Sonicare electric toothbrush (£129.50) uses sonic waves to gently remove stains. Available from Boots the Chemists, dentists and electrical stores. The Braun Oral B 3D Excel (from £44.99) uses high speed pulsations to give teeth a thorough clean. Available from Boots, Argos, chemists and electrical stores.
Tooth Bleaching
For a more permanent solution to white teeth, dental practices such as Dentics are now offering power lightening, a new way of whitening teeth. Colour is 'lifted' out of the teeth by hydrogen peroxide gel, which results in a 2-6 shades lighter result.
Power lightening uses a high intensity light source, which initiates a chemical process with the gel, which in turn whitens the surface of the teeth.
The gel isn’t damaging to the teeth, though at one point the Department of Trade banned it, and it had to be covertly imported from the US. Now however the chief dental officer has accepted it and tooth whitening practices are growing.
The power whitening process can be almost instant, but can cost as much as £400 - £1000.
Whilst teeth bleaching is unsuitable for some people - for instance pregnant women and those who have either very sensitive, or diseased teeth or gums, the remarkable results make it an increasingly popular way to give your smile and your confidence a boost.
Cultural Differences
Different ethnic backgrounds produce different cosmetic problems for dentists to treat. The Japanese have very overcrowded mouths because of their small stature and therefore small, narrow jawbones. The Afro-Caribbean community on the other hand tend to have bigger jaws, resulting in over-spacing between the teeth. The cosmetic problem here is gaps.
In some cultures the smile is altered to communicate different things. For example Bokoli men file their teeth to points, while men from the Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean blacken their teeth. The Afro-Caribbean community are more likely to adorn their teeth with tooth jewellery in the form of gold crowns, windows or precious gems.
Clearly teeth are not just teeth they come in all shapes and sizes across the world but the Western ideal is still a straight, white, even smile along the American lines while the British desire a toned down version of this or the ‘European look’ which is more natural and generally not quite as perfect or as white.
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FIVE WAYS TO A PERFECT SMILE
Veneers
Veneers are small fake covers that look like white tiddly-winks, and are bonded over your own teeth. They are so effective and unnoticeable that many top models have them. However, the down-side is that you also need their wage packet to be able to afford them!
Cost: from £180 - £350 per tooth.
(Above left:) Shirin’s front teeth are proportionally too long, she shows a lot of gum when she smiles and she has large gaps. (Above right:) The gums have been re-contoured so that less is on show when she smiles. The teeth have been shotened and eight Dentics veneers are placed over the teeth to improve the look and colour.
Crowns
After an impression is taken, a metal or porcelain jacket is fitted over a tooth that is heavily filled or stained. To enable the crown to fit properly, the tooth may have to be shaped by filing or a filling. A local anaesthetic is needed in most cases and crowns may need replacing to match other teeth as they darken over time.
Cost: from £200 - £400 per tooth.
Bleaching
There are two routes to cosmetically whitening your teeth. The more expensive option is to visit a dentist who uses a Plasmalight laser and a brightening gel to lighten teeth in one go. The second method is to wear a mouth guard containing bleaching solution for an hour a day for a few weeks. The effect is not permanent as stains will continue to build up.
Cost: from £150
Straightening
To straighten wonky teeth, you have to visit an orthodontic specialist. This procedure is not quick as the teeth are re-aligned with braces. To avoid unsightly tram-tracks, you can have braces fitted to the backs of your teeth or you may be be able
to wear headgear only on night.
Cost: varies according to treatment.
Fillings
Instead of having a mouth full of unsightly metal, you can now have fillings made out of a white composite material that matches your teeth, so the repair is practically invisible.
Cost from £60 per filling
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Where To Find a Cosmetic Dentist
Recommendation is the great way to finding a good dentist, here are a few helpful numbers
- Dentics is a chain of cosmetic dentists. For information about its services, call: 07000 336842 or visit: www.dentics.co.uk
- For more information about professional whitening and veneers, or for a free consultation, you can call Cosmetic Oral Care Services on Freephone: 0800 174532.
- Lots of qualified dentists are available from the General Dental Council - 020 7887 3800; local health authorities and the NHS Direct helpline - 0845 4647.
- The British Orhodontics Society represents hundreds of specialist orthodontists and general practitioners, though it recommends that you should go through your own dentist who can then refer you to a local practioner. Call 020 7837 2193 for more information.
- Boots now offer cosmetic dentistry. Airflow treatment temporarily removes smoking and food stains from teeth and is available for £27.50. For a more permanent solution, a professional whitening treatment will set you back at least £295. For details call Boots’ information line on: 0845 070 8090.
- Check out the Word of Mouth Helpline, a dental charity that provides general dental advice. Contact: 0870 3331188.
- The London Tooth Whitening Centre, Tel: 020 7586 7237.
(Top left:) Yvonne’s front teeth are too short, giving her a square smile. (Top right:) 10 Dentics porcelain veneers are put over the teeth to give a softer, more feminine smile, whilst improving the overall colour.
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