Forget cars, couture and Chihuahuas, the new must-have accessory is a set of gleaming, pearly-white teeth. One of the easiest ways to improve your overall appearance, tooth whitening has rapidly become the hottest new makeover trick. Because white teeth are commonly associated with youth, health and Hollywood, it's no surprise that the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry reports that the number of whitening procedures has increased more than 300 percent in the last five years.

"It was a shock at the beginning," says Dr. Nicholas Davis, dentist and president-elect of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. "But everybody has grown accustomed to it now and that's what they want. My patients come to me and say, 'I want the whitest teeth you've ever given anybody.' "

To be sure, it’s no secret that celebrities shell out the big bucks to attain their red-carpet smiles. Just take a look at Tara Reid, Bon Jovi or even Regis Philbin. Their blindingly bright smiles should come with a warning label for your retinas.

How white is too white? Dentists typically use a 16-shade guide that sets the standard for whiteness, wherein most professional treatments can bring teeth up to the top 2 percent. However, as a general rule, teeth should never be whiter than the whites of your eyes—or look like giant Chiclets.

But not all celebrities have gone overboard. "Jessica Simpson has a nice shade to her teeth and they appear all natural and youthful,” Davis observes. “Ideally, you want to have some translucency in the teeth, some gradation of color. It should vary from the gumline, which would be slightly darker, to the chewing edge, which would be light. It has to do with the thickness of the enamel."

Choosing the right procedure
So now that you know what the perfect teeth look like, how do you attain those celebrity-like pearlies? The trick is finding the treatment that best fits your teeth’s needs.

From whitening toothpaste to paint-on gels, nighttime strips to dental floss, many over-the-counter treatments work well, but all are slow to produce results. Note, however, that experts claim at-home treatments will be most effective after a thorough dental cleaning to remove the plaque buildup that may impede effects.

But for those that desire instant dental gratification or have a tougher tooth problem to tackle, the following professional treatments can produce immediate red-carpet results.

Power aid
The fastest way to brighten teeth is with professional “power whitening” treatments. A dentist first applies a bleaching peroxide solution to your teeth, then shines a high-intensity (usually blue) light on them for approximately an hour, which enables the solution to reach the inside layer of enamel. Or, you can opt for total star treatment at new tooth-whitening “spas” (some only do whitening; others combine treatments with manicures, massages and more) popping up in many major cities.

Mind the gap
Veneers offer dramatic results by hiding surface ridges or chips and closing gaps to create a perfectly linear tooth line. The popularity of veneers has been boosted by high-tech digital imaging that enables patients to preview their new and improved smile. Made of thin layers of hard, translucent porcelain, veneers are individually crafted to each tooth. Well done and well cared for, veneers can last a lifetime.

Seeing red?
A “gum lift” can even out an asymmetrical gumline or scale back excess tissue that makes teeth appear short. Often, removing just 1 to 2 millimeters of gum can make a huge difference. Gum tissue is trimmed away under local anesthesia and the slight swelling that results subsides in about a day. Since they specialize in gums, only a periodontist should perform this procedure.

Snap-on smiles
Now celebrity-obsessed fans can get exact denture replications of their favorite star-studded smiles—no drastic dentistry required. Dr. Marc Liechtung debuted his first celebrity snap-on teeth in New York City two years ago, and they have been in increasingly large demand ever since. Patients can now select from a wide range of star-studded impressions—such as the “square and sexy” Gwyneth Paltrow to the “sophisticated” (and currently most requested) Halle Berry—for a custom-made resin model that snaps snugly onto back molars. "The one thing to remember is, it is a transitional prosthesis, so there are limitations," Liechtung notes. Snap-on teeth are not for long-term wear or very food-friendly, but many consider that a small price to pay for sporting Tom Cruise’s million-dollar smile.

All in all, proponents of teeth whitening claim that a dazzling smile can improve your self-esteem, your love life—perhaps even give your career a jolt. "People do what they can to get an edge," Davis says, "And if it comes down to having all qualifications equal, sometimes it's the twinkle in your smile that makes a difference."

Tiffany Owens is a freelance writer in Portland, Oregon