Today’s article is a guest post from Georgina at the cosmetic dentistry guide . Enjoy!
Numerous surveys and polls have shown that a large proportion of people consider a smile their most important physical feature, but how much would you be willing to pay to improve the overall appearance of your smile?
To begin with I suppose you have to consider your current standard of oral health. If you enjoy good oral health and have an attractive, straight set of pearly whites the chances are that you don’t really need to spend much money on your teeth. However, if you were in a different situation, how much cash would you be willing to part with?
In recent years, cosmetic dental treatments have become increasingly popular as people take steps to ensure their teeth look as good as possible. Some treatments are quick, simple and relatively cheap, while others can be complex and the total cost can spiral into the thousands.
Simple treatments
Simple treatments, such as teeth whitening treatments, cosmetic bonding and gum contouring are cheap, costing between $125 and $775. However, they can only treat specific problems and will not produce a complete transformation like more expensive treatments such as veneers and smile makeovers. Porcelain veneers can bring about a complete transformation and create a perfect, straight, glossy smile. However, they cost upwards of $450 per veneer so a whole set could set you back thousands of dollars. A smile makeover, which consists of a series of cosmetic treatments, addresses a number of dental problems and will produce a completely different look; the cost heavily depends on the treatments involved in the makeover but patients can expect to pay up to $45,000.
Orthodontics
Cosmetic orthodontic treatments have also become very popular recently and an increasing number of adults are opting for orthodontic care. Nowadays, there is a huge range of treatments on offer, catering for a range of patients of different ages with different desires and different individual prescriptions. The most popular treatments include Invisalign invisible braces, which have been developed to tackle the problem of unsightly, bulky metal braces, which cost in the region of $4,500 to $9,000, Six Month Smile braces, which are designed to treat minor orthodontic problems in just six months, which cost around half the price of Invisalign braces and Damon braces, which cost around $3500-$6,000.
Long-term cheaper solutions
Since the recession, surveys and studies have found that an increasingly large proportion of dental patients are choosing long-term solutions to dental problems. For example, the number of patients choosing to have dental implants has increased significantly in recent years. Dental implants are fine titanium rods, which replace the root portion of a missing tooth; they are regarded as a long-term measure for replacing missing teeth and are a better investment than dentures and dental bridges, which cost less but do not last as long. Dental implants attached to a crown can cost upwards of $3,100 but they tend to last a very long time and are as effective as an original tooth in terms of function; they also look more natural than both bridges and dentures. Dental bridges cost around $775-$1200 if you go to a private practice but it possible to get the treatment on the NHS in some cases; the cost is $300. Dentures vary in price considerably according to the materials used and the type of denture.
The treatments you go for will depend on several factors, including your individual prescription, the look you want to achieve and your budget. Some people think the appearance of their smile is so important that they are willing to shell out large sums of money to get the perfect smile, while others do not consider cosmetic dental treatment an effective or desirable use of money, especially in light of the recent economic turbulence. How much would you spend on your smile?
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