The best looking teeth are those sported by pop stars and movie idols. The trend they started has become the latest fashion item to have, and the girls aren’t having all the fun on this one. From Jennifer Lopez to Simon Cowell the trend for healthy teeth is spreading, but what are the choices and how much does it cost. The good news is that the choice of method is good and the expense is now way down. There are a good few tried and tested methods on the market. The home kit market is popular, although the results vary a lot, and then there is the salon method of bleaching the teeth using an intense light and gel system. The stars of course consult dentists, and they get great results for their money. Veneers are used in most dentist practices and these seem to be the best method for a discoloured tooth, in some cases they also cover a chipped or cracked tooth. The dentist first takes digital photos of the teeth and sometimes also x-rays. These are sent to an orthodontist to make the veneers; they will shade them and shape them for individual clients. The dentist will call the client back and start by coating the teeth with a pain relieving gel; this is to deaden the tooth while they shave off a small amount of enamel to get a good adhesion. The veneer is like a false nail in some respects, except it’s a little more complex. The dentist will take an individual veneer and cement it onto the tooth; this is then sealed all the way round to avoid any infections. The method is repeated until all the teeth, top and bottom, are done. The result is a healthy looking white smile made by a set of perfect teeth. Thicker veneers are also an option, but this is more expensive of course. Thin veneers last around 3-5 years on average, but the thicker ones can last up to 15 years. Like their thinner relatives thicker veneers are made and cemented in the same fashion. They need a lot more enamel taken off to fit, and so they have a limited replacement value unlike the thin veneers. Individual replacement veneers are fairly easy to do and the shade of white will usually deteriorate with time, but they will begin to look more natural after a few years of wear and tear, they are cleaned in the same way as normal teeth.