How to Fix Bad Teeth

If you are self-conscious about your smile because a tooth is crooked or because they are not as white as you think they should be, you are not alone. You can't choose how your teeth grow, and your food doesn't help with the color, but there are ways to correct these issues, such as braces, tooth whitening and a newer way to straighten teeth, Invisalign.

Things You'll Need

• Dental checkup

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Instructions

Brighten Dark Teeth

• 1

  Make an appointment with your dentist.

• 2

  Have your dentist perform a whitening. This will basically bleach your teeth white so you have a sparkling white smile.

• 3

  Brush your teeth every day with whitening toothpaste.

• 4

  Use whitening strips. These strips are placed around the teeth, and while on will whiten your teeth. Depending on the kind of whitening strips you use, you will need to place them on either every day for seven days or once a week.

Straighten Teeth

• 5

  Visit your dentist if you have crooked or misaligned teeth. Your dentist might send you to an orthodontist. Orthodontists specialize in braces.

• 6

  Allow the orthodontist to install braces on your teeth. This is for teeth that are from mildly to extremely crooked. For minor fixes, the orthodontist might prescribe Invisalign. This is almost like a thin mouth guard that you wear over your teeth that pulls the teeth into position. You will occasionally need to have the Invisalign altered so it better fits your teeth.

• 7

  Visit the orthodontist ever few weeks to every few months to have the braces tightened or adjusted. This will keep your teeth straightening process moving.

• 8

  Have your braces removed. You might need to wear a retainer at night to keep your teeth straight.