Gleaming white teeth have become the latest "must-have" fashion accessory -- and do more than give you a sparking smile. Dr. Mervyn Druian says that "by increasing the contrast between skin and teeth, the whole face is brightened, leaving the patient looking younger."
There are a variety of methods available for whitening the teeth, says Druian, a pioneer in the field, starting at the cheap end with toothpaste that removes stains and whitens. A bit more up-market is power-whitening, in which hydrogen peroxide is applied to the teeth, followed by three-second bursts of laser beams that should leave the choppers looking six shades whiter after a single treatment.
Or you can try home bleaching, which involves a mold filled with white bleaching paste that is worn over the teeth for an hour a day, over three weeks. This has the advantage of being relatively inexpensive, but the disadvantage of being somewhat time-consuming.
Finally, says Druian, there are veneers, a treatment in which a porcelain or plastic coating is bonded to the teeth, usually over a week or so. The advantage here is that veneers can correct crooked and gappy teeth -- but the process is among the more expensive whitening methods.
