It is often said that a smile is an inexpensive method to improve one’s appearance. This is an axiom that should apply to everyone; unfortunately, quite a few people feel self-conscious about what they consider to be a less-than-dazzling smile. The fact about facial aesthetics is that teeth make up about 90 percent of a smile.

People who feel that their dentition is not up to par tend to suppress their smiles. This is really too bad, particularly because Mother Teresa of Calcutta taught us that:

Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.

Cosmetic dentistry is a professional discipline that is concerned with the aesthetic harmony of your smile. The improvement and restoration of smiles is that the heart of cosmetic dental treatments. In Costa Rica, cosmetic dentistry has been gaining popularity over the last few years thanks to innovative treatments such as One-Hour Laser Whitening, which is one of the many dental procedures performed at the Flikier Dental Institute.

One-Hour Laser Whitening is performed using light energy to accelerate the process of bleaching. It is essentially an isolation of soft tissue with a resin-based, light-curable barrier, application of a professional dental-grade hydrogen peroxide whitening gel (25-38% hydrogen peroxide), and exposure to the light source for 6–15 minutes. This is part of the Beyond Whitening Accelerator treatment offered by the cosmetic dentistry specialists at the Flikier Dental Institute in Costa Rica.

The technology used in the Beyond Whitening Accelerator treatment can provide a beautiful smile of dazzling white teeth in just 60 minutes. The Accelerator cleans both the surface and the internal structure of the teeth while the cool-light tooth-whitening machine uses a narrow beam of high-intensity blue light with a wavelength between 480 and 520 nanometers.

What makes this procedure safe and efficient is a special optical process, which removes harmful infrared and ultraviolet light. A whitening fluid containing hydrogen peroxide and 20 nanometers of silicon dioxide rapidly oxidizes the entire surface of all teeth in one short treatment, restoring them to a beautiful white. Using low-temperature, cold light avoids irritation of the nerves of the teeth; this is a one-time treatment with no side effects, whitening the teeth for up to two years.

Thanks to their reasonable pricing, the modern teeth whitening treatments offered by the Flikier Dental Institute are equally popular among dental tourists and local residents. All patients are amazed at the difference, particularly since no one seems to escape the darkening process of teeth, which not only happens due to nicotine, coffee and tea consumption; it is also part of aging, and for many patients it becomes manifest earlier in their lifetimes.

The bottom line of modern teeth whitening is that it provides a very healthy and long-lasting psychological benefit. Smiles are very much ingrained in Costa Rican culture; after all: “Peace begins with a smile” (once again, Mother Teresa).