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Easy Smile

No need to brace yourself. Instant orthodontia offers fast, pain-free results.

Nothing transforms a face like a great smile, which explains why the woman in Dr. Joseph Russo’s North Providence waiting room is beaming before her turn in his dentist’s chair. The grin reveals a pair of crooked incisors that look like a job for an afternoon at the mercy of a drill, but with a bit of bonding and gum contouring, it takes just about an hour to painlessly—and bloodlessly—reshape her smile (top right). Who knew an extreme makeover could be so mild? Here’s what else you can do on a lunch break:

Bonding For an instant fix for gaps and chipped teeth, bonding takes under a half hour and is (relatively) inexpensive at about $400 to $600 per tooth. “Bonding is a good intermediate treatment,” says Russo. A thin coating of composite resin is placed over the tooth to mask gaps and chips. The composite is then shaped and polished to match adjoining teeth. Because it will stain and scratch without proper care, bonding isn’t a permanent solution, but it usually lasts for five to seven years.

Veneers A porcelain shield (right) is bonded to the tooth to correct gaps, chipped or crooked teeth, discolorations, crowding or bite problems. Before the veneers are placed, the tooth is buffed down so that the added veneer will not make the tooth overly thick. Long-lasting porcelain veneers will not stain or scratch. They cost around $1,500 per tooth.

Lumineers Unlike veneers, the paper-thin porcelain that is used in Lumineers doesn’t require any tooth removal before it is applied. For around $1,300 per tooth, they can be used to correct spaces, chipped teeth or slight crookedness; more extensive problems require veneers.

Gingival contouring Overgrown gums take years off a smile— and not in a good way. “Gingival re-contouring gives you a mature, engaging smile,” says Russo. A laser clears away the excess gum tissue to reveal the surface of the tooth,  costing around $200 per area.

Whitening Most in-office whitening is done with a laser in about an hour and a half. After stains are removed from the enamel and the surface is lightened (“white as white can be isn’t natural looking,” says Dr. Russo), patients are given trays of whitener for at-home touch-ups. The procedure costs around $700; how long it lasts depends on the individual. “Anything that will stain a white shirt will stain your teeth,” says Russo. Avoid coffee, tea, soda, red wine and cigarettes for long-term brightness.