More men are having cosmetic dental treatment than ever before, according to a new survey. Men, who used to account for less than a fifth of all orthodontics, now represent almost a quarter at 24%, with 400 cases this year.

The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry's (BACD) 2007 audit polled over 200 practices around the country and outlined over 100,000 procedures such as crowns, filling, tooth whitening and veneers. It found around 32% of men were having veneers and that men made up 24% of orthodontic cases. Bridges were also popular amongst men, and the survey revealed a preference for less invasive treatments, such as onlays, rather than crowns.

Dr Rahul Doshi, Partner at the Perfect Smile Studio and Academy, believes that cosmetic dentistry is one of the few cosmetic procedures that men can undertake to improve their appearance, compared to the many more options available to women.

He explains, 'A nice smile is becoming more and more important, not only in attracting the opposite sex but also at work. Articles in the popular media talk about how having bad teeth can affect your life in terms of finding a relationship and a good job. The procedure is relatively easy compared to cosmetic procedures for the body, with fewer fatal complications, so cosmetic dentistry becomes the obvious choice to increase one's confidence.'

Dr Doshi also predicts that in the future the proportion of cash spent on fixing smiles will reach a similar ratio to that spent on hair and clothes, since the procedures can immediately transform not only the smile, but also the character of the face.