A Tenby dentist has praised a new study that shows the value of your smile.

Researchers at Bangor University have demonstrating the powerful effect a genuine smile can have on a person's decision-making.

They have even gone one step further and placed an economic value smiling, calculating the value of a genuine smile as just over a third of a penny - so while each smile might not make you rich, it can give you definite advantages in social and business interactions.

Fawaz Abbas, who offers tooth whitening, dental implants and smile makeovers at Tenby Dental Haven, says his patients sometimes report far-reaching benefits after dental treatment gives them the confidence to smile freely.

"When a person's teeth are in a bad state it can cause shyness and prevent them from relaxing and giving a genuine smile," he says.

"These treatments can dramatically transform a person's smile, and it's wonderful to see the confidence it gives them."

Darren Thomas, 34, from Pembroke Dock, recently had a dental implant fitted at Tenby Dental Haven. He is delighted with the results.

"I'd lost one of my front four teeth which left me with a gap that I was very aware of," he says. "My job as a business support manager entails going out to meet people several times a week, and for the short while I had a gap there I was so conscious of how odd it looked, I used to explain the situation to clients. I could feel myself trying to hide it when I was smiling."

Darren wanted a long-term solution so he opted for a dental implant, which is which is a titanium artificial tooth root bedded into the jaw bone which is used to support a crown.

"I expected to be in pain but the procedure was far less stressful and painful than I'd ever imagined," he says.

"The best part was that every step of the procedure was explained clearly. There were no doubts about what was going to happen next."

Now that the implant is in place it is likely to last Darren the rest of his life - so he can once again smile with confidence.

"I don't even think about it now," he says. "The implant has been a great benefit to my day to day life, particularly in the work environment. I'm very glad I had it done."