Average Cosmetic Dentistry Costs in 2011
TV advertising has made the idea of having a beautiful "Hollywood" smile extremely popular. Nowadays, you see a celebrity who has a perfect smile with white teeth, and you want it for yourself. The question is, though, can you afford the cosmetic dentistry costs?
The field of cosmetic dentistry encompasses a wide variety of procedures starting from traditional metal braces and removable dentures and ending with Invisalign and porcelain veneers. In 2011, the most popular teeth straightening treatments are Invisalign, Damon braces and lingual braces. Tooth whitening has always been popular, so nothing new here - your options range from over-the-counter products to professional cleanings in dental offices (and don't forget about dental veneers). As for dental prostheses, dentures are becoming less widespread, and many dental offices are offering dental implants instead of them.
If you want veneers, you need to prepare yourself to pay anything from 1000 to 2000 dollars per one veneer. Composite veneers are cheaper than porcelain veneers, but due to their inefficiency, most dentists have stopped offering them. Other brands of dental veneers include Cerec veneers, Lumineers, and many others. The cost of these veneers should also linger in the range from 1000 to 2000 dollars.
If you are considering to straighten your teeth with braces, Invisalign and damon braces are probably your best options, although traditional braces are still good. Invisalign should cost you anything from 3000 to 8000 dollars (depends on the amount of aligners you order), and damon braces are approximately the same - above 3000 dollars. You need to consult with your dentist, though, so that he could explain you the pros and cons of all these kinds of treatments.
For teeth whitening, you can either buy over-the-counter products, like crest whitestrips, or go to a professional dentist who will bleach the teeth for you in an office. Most over-the-counter tooth whitening products cost 30 dollars on average, but the results may not be very satisfying. Dental offices will provide for better results, but the prices start from 500 dollars.
If you want to replace your natural teeth with false teeth, you can choose from tooth bridges, dentures, and implants. Dentures are the cheapest option - they can be found at 1000 dollars. (It is, however, possible to find even cheaper dentures that cost below 500 dollars, but the quality of those is questionable.) Dental implants are the most expensive false teeth - an implant costs 2000 dollars and you will also have to pay for the restoration procedure which can cost another 2000 dollars, or even more. If you want cheap dental implants, your best bet is to either go to a dental school or another country - Mexico, for example.
If you don't already know a cosmetic dentist you can trust, you need to experiment - search for dentists in your area, whether on the Internet or through recommendations of your friends or relatives, and visit them to see what they have to offer. Be sure to ask your prospective dentist how many years has he been working in this field, what kind of procedures he is specialized in, if he is telling the whole pricing information (As in, are there going to be additional fees and cosmetic dentistry costs or not?) and be sure to ask him for his portfolio.