If you’ve watched movies or television in the past few decades, you’ve probably seen many actors and actresses with dental veneers without even realizing it. The fact that they almost always go unnoticed is a testimony to how effective and versatile these appliances are. Dental veneers can transform a smile afflicted by defects like chips, cracks, stains, and gaps into beautiful new states in as few as two appointments. Here’s how veneer treatment has developed since it was first used in 1928.

If you’ve ever thought that you’d like a prettier smile, you’re not alone. Ever since people figured out how to recognize their own reflections, they have sought ways to achieve more beautiful and attractive smiles. Ancient cultures used a variety of methods to achieve more visually pleasing grins, and while they could sometimes be successful, they were often painful, destructive, or otherwise unpleasant. Here are a few of the ways ancient people tried to achieve prettier teeth so you can appreciate how clean, painless, and effective modern cosmetic dentistry is.