Hollywood smiles all round

Reporter: Sally Obermeder
Broadcast Date: December 05, 2008

Big, bright, straight and white. It's the perfect Hollywood smile. But it's no longer just a luxury for cashed up celebs. Cutting edge technology means better results, in less time, at a fraction of the cost. This is fabulous, for fabu-less.

"There are studies to show that people with perfect smiles are considered smarter, they get better job offers, they get better pay packages, so we know how psychologically important the smile is," says Dr King.

Dr Yvonne King believes a great smile can increase anyone's face value. The latest hit in her surgery is the "lunchtime designer smile". In just one hour, patients like Jayda Akder, can change the whole look of their teeth with a range of new, improved veneers.

"Things have changed a lot. Like I can just confidently do a big smile, and I can see that its impressing other people, too," says Jayda.

Tracey Sizeland is just about to have the GlamSmile treatment. At just half a millimetre thin the drastically thinner porcelain veneers require no needles, no lifting of gums and no filing back of teeth to fit them. Saving unbearable pain and hours in the dentist chair.

New manufacturing techniques mean the thin porcelain of these veneers are just as robust, guaranteed for 10 years. Twice as long as traditional ones. The price will depend on patient requirements but start at around $5000 for 10 teeth. A massive reduction on traditional veneers.

"Teeth whitening has been around for a while and there have been variations of that theme with improvements over the years. The results are getting better and better," says Dr Dunn.

If you're happy with the shape and size of your teeth and just need to re-sparkle your smile, Dr David Dunn, says teeth whitening may be the answer. With a new ultra high powered version of Zoom Advanced Power now available the procedure time has been halved to just one hour.

"It certainly allows us to deliver that treatment in less time, less sensitivity, less cost and most significantly far superior results for our patients," says Dr Dunn.

And if you're shy of the $1000 cost, David says home treatments like Zoom Whitening Pens are not only convenient but a lot more affordable at around $100. The results may not be as dramatic, but they still can make a noticeable difference.

Correcting teeth alignment no longer has to mean wearing bulky braces for years. Products like Trueline are able to discretely move teeth as much as 3 mm, in as little as 12 weeks. Dr Sylvia Boyages says while it may not be suited to all patients, the results can be noticeable.

Worn 24 hours a day, over a number of weeks, a system of 6 clear aligners, not unlike mouthguards, re-align problem teeth. And at $2000 they are a cheaper alternative to braces.

Dr Neil Hewson from the Australian Dental Association warns prospective patients to research procedures thoroughly, pointing out - not all treatments are suited to all people.

"Ask questions, say what you want, get options from your dentist. Think about it if you're not happy, get a second opinion, but see the expert," advises Dr Hewson.