About 23% of the population lives without dental insurance, but when it comes to cosmetic procedures, insurance provides little to no assistance. From dental implants to veneers, patients who want these effective cosmetic treatments will have to find other ways to pay, and more often than not, these procedures aren’t cheap. Explore the prices of some of the most popular cosmetic dental solutions and various options for financing them.
Why Are Cosmetic Treatments Expensive?
The high cost of cosmetic dental treatments involves multiple factors. First, the doctors themselves determine the price and will factor in their labor and the pay they need for their staff. This means the cost of your procedure depends largely on them.
These types of treatments also typically involve rare and expensive materials which affect the cost, like the plastic resin used in bonding procedures or aligners used in Invisalign. Finally, the location and experience of the doctor can affect the price of these procedures as well.
Three Cosmetic Treatments That May Be Worth the Investment
Whether it’s worthwhile to spend money on enhancing your look is a personal decision. While some wish for a change but never put forth the time and effort to make it happen, others decide that boosting their aesthetics is well worth the investment. If you’ve decided that a few hundred or thousand dollars is a small price to pay to become more attractive, then the following cosmetic dental treatments may pique your interest.
In-Office Teeth Whitening
One of the most basic cosmetic treatments that makes a noticeable difference is in-office teeth whitening. While different dentists use a variety of brands like Zoom!, KOR, and GLO, the goal is always the same: to whiten your teeth by up to ten shades in a single visit. Typically, all dentists that offer cosmetic services, like Dr. Kellye Rice in Brentwood, TN, will provide some form of teeth whitening.
The Cost of a Whiter Smile
The many over-the-counter whitening options cannot compare to an in-office whitening procedure from your dentist. Although no solution is permanent, the potency of their whitening product makes it far more effective than whitening strips or other options. While it will vary depending on location and other factors, the average cost of an in-office whitening treatment is around $650.
Invisalign®
For many years, patients who wanted to realign their teeth had one option: Metal braces. While effective and still used today, metal braces involve brackets and wires that can irritate the tissue inside your mouth. Invisalign was designed as a solution for these problems, allowing patients to comfortably and discreetly adjust their smile. It quickly became one of the most popular dental treatments for both teens and adults, and has been used by Hollywood stars like Zac Effron and Katherine Heigl to give them their movie star smiles.
How Much Can You Expect to Pay for Invisalign?
Invisalign is different from the other cosmetic treatments on this list because for those who opted for orthodontics coverage in their insurance, it’s often covered. However, a lot of people who choose Invisalign don’t have that type of insurance, and will have to finance the procedure through other means. If you’re interested in Invisalign, expect to pay around $3,500 to $8,000 for this innovative treatment.
The Dentist You Choose Matters With Invisalign
While Invisalign may seem like a straightforward procedure, there are many details involved and the experience of the provider you choose makes a significant difference. Invisalign even uses a ranking system that involves different ranks depending on how many treatments a provider has completed. One doctor who has achieved the highest rank a provider can attain, Diamond Plus, is Dr. Stephen Grussmark in Miami, FL. Before choosing your provider, it’s wise to get some understanding of their experience with this remarkable treatment.
Porcelain Veneers
Of all the cosmetic treatments, veneers stand the best chance of overcoming your dental faults and giving you the smile you’ve always dreamed of. Acting similar to siding on a house, veneers are thin porcelain shells that bond to the front of your teeth, hiding any flaws in your smile and strengthening each tooth. The major advantage of porcelain veneers is that you can go from numerous dental problems to a near-perfect smile in just one dental procedure.
What Will You Pay for Porcelain Veneers?
As an extremely popular and effective dental procedure that completely revamps your smile, veneers are not cheap. Since you’ll be paying a lot for your veneers, it’s crucial to consider experience, so finding a doctor like Dr. Roman Shlafer who’s been in practice for over 30 years would be ideal. Ultimately, you can expect to pay $800-2000 per tooth for dental veneers.
Enhance Your Look and Your Life Will Follow
It may seem like a shallow use of money to invest in your appearance, but let’s face it– your look can affect your entire life. With 78% of Americans assuming someone with a crooked smile is unsuccessful, it’s clear that there’s more than your appearance at stake. Considering the effect your smile has on the world around you, perhaps it’s better to view cosmetic treatments as an investment into a better life.