I know many women that feel they have passed the time for achieving a beautiful smile.  When they think of getting a perfect smile, they imagine an awkward junior high schoolgirl in braces.  Luckily with the recent advancement of cosmetic dentistry, this is not the case. 

Braces are not the only option for having straight teeth now.  A similar treatment for obtaining straight teeth is Invisalign®, a dental treatment that uses of a series of clear aligners that gradually move your teeth into place.  Since the aligners are clear, they are generally unnoticeable.  Once straightened, any discoloration can be fixed by dental bleaching, and most chips can be fixed with dental bonding. 

A more drastic dental procedure to fix crooked smiles is applying dental veneers.  Getting veneers involves shaving the enamel of the teeth down in order for paper-thin porcelain caps to be placed over and bonded to the teeth.  Porcelain veneers can last up to twenty years and are a great option for a full smile makeover.

Braces are not the only solution anymore to a crooked smile.  Talk to your cosmetic dentist about what dental treatments would be best for you.