It wasn't too long ago that that Marlene W. began her quest for the perfect smile. Twenty veneers and one bleaching session later, her smile is a picture of glossy white perfection! But, she isn't happy.

"I decided to trade it all in for a natural look, not a flawless look," says Marlene. "I realize that slight imperfections give you a better, more realistic, result."

And many of today's top cosmetic dentists could not agree more. "We keep a book of photos of beautiful models with 'natural' teeth to show our patients the American ideal of a healthy, beautiful smile," says Dr. Daniel J. Deutsch, at the Washington Center for Dentistry , in Washington, DC.

Dr. Deutsch says he and his colleagues at the Washington Center intentionally design smiles with "imperfections" in mind—variations in color, subtle asymmetries, even teeth that are slightly rotated. "We aim for a beautiful version of what nature intended, not something that is denture-perfect," says Dr. Deutsch. "Patients should look like they were born with a beautiful smile. That's the ultimate success."

And a healthy appearance appears to be on the minds of an increasing number of patients like Marlene W. who desire a smile with a natural look. "Now my teeth are not all the same color, and my new veneers are not exactly the same on both sides of my mouth," she says. "I now feel like it looks like nature, not only my doctor, had a hand in creating my smile."

Tips for Talking to Your Doctor About Getting a Natural Look:

· What will you do to make sure that the color of my teeth is a good match for my skin tone?

· What will you do to make sure that my new teeth will be aligned in a way that looks natural and, not too perfect?

· What will you do to make sure that my gum line and new teeth work together to enhance my smile?

· What will you do to make sure that the shape of my teeth will enhance the shape of my face?