Demand for whitening has increased fivefold over the past decade. It's now a billiondollar business. There's simple bleaching as well as laser whitening, both of which last about a year.

If your teeth are bad enough and your wallet is fat enough, wafer-thin porcelain shells can be bonded onto the front of the teeth. They last about 15 years and don't stain. Cost: $500 for bleaching, $1,000 for the laser. Porcelain runs $1,000 a tooth.

More adults are wearing braces in their quest for a Hollywood smile. Clear ceramic ones allow you to avoid those "tinsel teeth" taunts at the gym. Cost: $4,000 to $9,000.

The downside: Braces will hurt you more than they did your kids. Treatment may take two years.