Tooth whitening is perhaps the most popular - and least intimidating - cosmetic dentistry procedure.
No matter how beautiful your natural smile may be, everyone wants whiter, brighter teeth at some point in their lives.
There are many different lifestyle choices that can contribute to the unsightly problem of stained tooth enamel, including drinking coffee, tea, red wine or soda, as well as smoking.
Factor in the normal yellowing of your teeth as you age, and it becomes clear that even if you take dental maintenance very seriously and commit yourself to brushing and flossing two to three times a day, it's difficult - if not impossible - to avoid stained teeth forever.
While there are many different over-the-counter whitening options on the market, from trays to strips to special toothpastes and gels, if you think your smile could use some brightening, your best course of action is to contact your dentist for professional whitening assistance.
One of the most exciting new developments in the world of tooth whitening involves the use of lasers to make the process even faster and more effective.
Here are some of the advantages of laser tooth whitening over other methods:

• It's fast.
  While some whitening methods - particularly over-the-counter kits intended for home use - can take weeks or even months to take full effect, your laser whitening should be complete in an hour! This is because the laser allows the whitening element to penetrate your tooth enamel immediately, which will lead to brighter teeth almost instantaneously.
  
• It's convenient.
  Sure, whitening your teeth on your own sounds easy - but those kits usually involve several steps and potentially messy ingredients that can be difficult to handle.
  You'll also need to set aside one to two hours per day to whiten your teeth with gels, trays or strips.
  But with laser whitening, you simply schedule an appointment with your dentist and you'll be out in an hour or so! What could be simpler?
• It produces dramatic results.
  Anyone who has ever had a disappointing whitening experience knows how annoying it can be to see only one or two shades' difference after diligently applying the whitening agent each and every day.
  Laser whitening uses a higher concentrate of whitening agent in order to get more impressive results as quickly as possible.
  You can expect to see teeth that are 6 to 10 shades brighter after just one treatment!
• It's safe.
  Since your dentist is in charge of the process, you can rest assured that laser whitening is safe for your delicate tooth enamel.