A white smile is a real confidence booster, as well as being a modern day fashion accessory. The methods available are now better and the price is also more economical. At the bottom end of the market we have the DIY bleaching kits; these are likened to home hair dying kits in that they are easy to do. In between we have a fairly new method using an intense light, and at the top end we have cosmetic dentistry at its finest; with a veneer covering specially made for an individual tooth. The veneer is an old idea and has been used in the furniture making trade for centuries; it is a thin polished expensive wood covering that fits onto a base wood. The object is make the item appear to be made from a solid expensive wood. In dentistry the idea is the same, except that the veneer is used to cover up a defect on a tooth or a set of teeth. The dentist will take colour coding charts to find the nearest shade that matches the other teeth, and then they will take some digital photos and send them to an orthodontist to make the veneers. This takes a few weeks and when they are ready the dentist will call you back to fit them. First they will numb your tooth, then a sliver of enamel is taken off the tooth, this is equal to the thickness of the veneer, it also helps to create a roughened surface for a better adhesion. The piece is cemented in place and sealed all round to prevent infections. A thicker version is use to cover a discoloured tooth and ones that are also misaligned, chipped or cracked. They last from three to five years for the thin ones, and from ten to fifteen years for the thicker ones. Eventually they do become discoloured and need to be replaced, but the good news is that this is as easy as the original method. They can also be replaced in between if they become damaged through an accident and are chipped or cracked. The cost is of course more than the DIY or light intense methods, but they last longer as they do not replacing as often, then they will eventually become economical. You clean them as you would an ordinary tooth, and have them cleaned at the dentist for tartar build up as you do the rest of your teeth every six months.