You may need to get a tooth extraction, which will need a couple of weeks of recuperation. Afterwards, you may need to get braces which doctors will require you to wear for months. If you do not have the time or cannot spare time for the procedures, better think twice because missed appointments can stretch the time period to years and sometimes, the progress that you already had will only be wasted and you have to start from scratch. You can blame it to the television series and the media that seems to glorify models and celebrities but people nowadays want to be picture perfect. One must have the perfect figure and the perfect smooth skin, the perfect features with a perfect set of teeth to go with it. Thus, cosmetic dentistry was born. Ordinary dentistry just seeks to make sure that we have a set of fully-functioning teeth that we can use to chew our food. It makes sure that we do not have cavities and teeth that are rotting away. It emphasizes good hygiene and nothing else. But with cosmetic dentistry, the emphasis is different. Like cosmetic surgery, the emphasis is on the way we appear to other people. How about the quality of the dental clinic are they using the most modern techniques and equipments? Have the price for their use factored into the total costs? Where are you having your cosmetic dentistry procedures? (Cosmetic dentistry abroad is a lot cheaper that in the U.S. or in the U.K.) Today, many people believe that cosmetic dentistry costs are astronomical and are prohibitive for their budget. Your dentist sends your impression to a dental lab to make an inlay to match your personal dental specifications. The second visit is for removal of the temporary inlay and the placement of the permanent one on your teeth. Except for some mild tenderness, you can go to work or return to your other activities right after the process. Scrimping is a no-no because although it is considered minor surgical procedure, it is still a medical procedure and under the hands of an incompetent doctor, you might get into trouble. It is also important that you check your schedules because a cosmetic dentistry procedure can take a few days and sometimes even a few months.