He says that in some instances, life-changing improvements can be made in a smile in just one visit. Literally overnight, you can have the smile you have longed for all your life. Cosmetic dentistry can totally transform a person's smile and, more importantly, the desire to smile! ``A dazzling smile projects an image of self assurance and high personal esteem,'' explains Bhagirath.

As we grow older, our teeth tend to get darker because of absorption of stains and slight wearing off of enamel, says he. Bleaching can whiten such teeth.

``For bleaching, a dental surgeon takes an impression of the patient's teeth and a custom built trayis fabricated. The tray is a thin wafer of soft transparent material that fits onto the teeth. Placing bleaching gel in the tray and positioning it in the mouth does the bleaching. This procedure can be performed in the dental office or at home. The whole procedure would cost the customer around Rs 4,000-5,000, he says.

The patient sleeps with the tray containing the bleaching gel in his mouth and wakes up to a whiter smile the next morning. ``Basically, we recommend the home procedure because it is more convenient for the patient since they can regulate the bleaching process,'' says Bhagirath.

According to him, severely discoloured or irregular teeth require ceramic veneers. This procedure not only whitens teeth, but also enhances their shape, even to the extent of closing unattractive spaces. This requires a high level of technical and artistic expertise, he says.

``While crowns or caps were the only option available to change a smile earlier, veneering is a dental breakthrough because it requiresonly a minimal amount of tooth surface reduction,'' he says. Veneering costs Rs 5,000-6,000 per tooth, with 3-4 sittings being needed.

For ceramic veneers, a thin layer of the natural teeth is removed. A thin layer of the desired shade of ceramic veneer is then stuck on to the teeth to mask their discoloration or irregularity.

The procedure takes two appointments over a period of one week and the patient can lead a normal life during the course of the treatment. On the first visit, the teeth are prepared and an impression made. Composite (resin) veneers are fabricated and bonded as a temporary measure till such time as the ceramic veneers are made in the laboratory. Ceramic veneers are bonded in the subsequent appointment.

If the teeth are healthy, age is no bar for these treatments. Veneers can take years off a person's smile and make it more youthful. ``We can turn a 60-year-old smile into a 30-year-old one. Ceramic veneers do not take stains, wear less and are more biocompatible (tolerated by thebody) than composite veneers,'' says he.

A tooth coloured filling is less noticeable than a silver filling and will not discolour the tooth around the fitting. The preparation of the tooth for this procedure is also more conservative. A silver amalgam filling requires undercuts in the tooth, which mechanically hold the silver filling in place.

No undercuts are needed with composite filling, resulting in less drilling and less risk of eventual fracture or leakage than in a silver filling.Missing teeth can be replaced by bridges. The teeth adjacent to the missing tooth are prepared to act as anchors. During the subsequent appointment, a custom-made bridge made of metal ceramic or dental ceramic alone is cemented to the anchor teeth with the missing tooth attached.

Missing teeth can also be replaced by implants. Artificial fixtures (dental implants), which are root shaped metal studs made of titanium, are implanted in the jaw bone in the region of the missing teeth. After some time, the implants unitewith the bone. Artificial teeth are then screwed on to these implants. The result of this treatment is artificial teeth that look and function like natural teeth.

A beautiful smile is a tremendous asset in life. Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder and each person has his or her own criterion and standards for judging beauty. ``These procedures help to attain the effects you desire and can change a person's whole attitude towards life,'' says Bhagirath. So, when you say ``cheese'' next time for a photograph, remember, you can have a smile that is picture-perfect.