Cosmetic Dentistry Costs

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Jeanette

Now that you are familiar with some of the fabulous procedures available to you, here’s a quick overview of the pricing and costs.

A quick word on pricing ranges: where you live greatly influences how much a procedure will cost you. Why is that? It’s because of the availability of cosmetic dentists and specialists (this is a simple supply/demand relationship.) The greater number of professional cosmetic dentists in your city, the lower the cost will be due to competition and availability.

How are the fees charged? What am I paying for?

As with any professional service, a lot of education, training, and certification is required to become a dentist. Then in order to specialize in cosmetic dentistry, your dentist will have to go back to school and spend thousands on additional education requirements to specialize.  Then there is the overhead of running a dental office and the regulatory costs involved, insurance, staffing, drugs and equipment… The fees for cosmetic dentistry reflect all of these factors.

Veneers: Roughly $1000 – $2300 per veneer, depending on the material used and the amount of preparation required.

Crowns: Cost about the same as veneers as they are similar in fabrication and installation.

Bonding: Between $300 to $1600, depending on how much composite material is used and the preparation of surrounding teeth. Bonding is technically complicated thus it requires a skilled dentist.

Braces: Vary greatly depending on the material used,  the installation method, the length of  time they are kept on, and the number of teeth that are braced together. It is normal to spend upwards of $7000-$8000 on complete braces.

Whitening: For in-office whitening, expect to pay somewhere around $500 depending on how many sessions you need. If you dentist makes custom trays for you to take home, that will cost about $400 more for that service.

Remember what your Mom always said: You get what you pay for. This is absolutely true in cosmetic dentistry. When it comes to your smile, you need to be realistic in understanding that cutting corners for detailed and complicated restoration procedures is a  fast way to poor results or temporary fixes. Quality materials and installation is certainly expensive, but the durability and longevity of your perfect smile makes it worthwhile.

 

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Crowns & Bridges Explained

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Jeanette

Crowns and bridges are dental prosthetic that are intended to cover or replace broken or decaying teeth. Unlike dentures, crowns and bridges are permanent, non-removable dental fixtures that are bonded or cemented onto existing teeth. This means they can only be removed by a dentist. It also mean that they look and feel more like real natural teeth and behave like them too.

When are crowns used?

Crowns are used in the following ways:

  • Instead of a large filling, if there is not enough healthy tooth left
  • To restore a fractured tooth or to protect a tooth from fracturing
  • To cover a irregularly shaped tooth or a badly discoloured tooth
  • To cover a tooth which had a root canal or an implant.

How does a crown work?
A crown covers a damaged tooth completely, that is why it’s also known as a “cap.” Not only does it improve the appearance of a tooth that is damaged or decayed, it strengthens it. Crowns are usually made of either porcelain or ceramic are designed to match the colour of your existing teeth.  For the back teeth, sometimes a heavy-duty crown made of a metal allow is required as they are stronger than porcelain.

What is a bridge?

When you have a missing tooth or teeth, it may be necessary to fill the space with a bridge in order to prevent your other teeth from shifting. Not only would a shift in your teeth cause an improper bite, it can also cause gum disease and possible TMJ (temporomandibular joint) problems. A bridge is cemented to the surrounding teeth that hold in place a replacement tooth where the hole was. You will discuss with your dentist which material is best to use based on the location of the bridge and the function it replaces of the normal tooth.

How is a crown or bridge made?

You would normally consult with your dentist to have a impressions made, similar to veneers. Once the dentist has sent the result to the dental laboratory for fabrication, they will prepare your existing teeth to hold the crown or bridge by reducing the size.

How long does a crown or bridge last?

With proper care, crowns and bridges can last a lifetime but it’s possible that they come lose. The reason for this is most often due to improper dental and oral hygiene, therefore it is extremely important to be diligent with brushing and flossing to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

 

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The ABC’s of Veneers

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Jeanette

What are veneers?

Veneers for your teeth are very thin, custom coverings that are designed to cover the front of your teeth. Shaped like a shell, they are bonded to the front surface of the teeth to change the shape/size, color, and even the length.

It is most common for veneers to be made from porcelain but they can also be made from a resin composite. You should discuss your goals with your dentist to select the best choice of material as both materials have their benefits. Porcelain veneers are more stain resistant than resin veneers and they look more like your natural teeth by reflecting light the same way as your natural teeth do. The benefit of resin veneers is that they are thinner and require less of the tooth surface to be removed before bonding.

How can veneers help me get a perfect smile?

Since veneers are designed to cover your existing tooth to make it look better, they are commonly used for:

  • Discolored teeth (because of a root canal or stains)
  • Worn down, broken, or chipped teeth
  • Teeth with gaps, or spacing issues.
  • Mishapen teeth, different sized teeth, or crooked

How long does it take?

You should expect to visit the dentist three times in order to ensure you are a suitable candidate for veneers (1), to make them (2), and to bond them to your teeth (3).

During the first visit, your dentist will discuss the process and will examine your teeth and mouth, she may even take an impression of your teeth in order to prepare for the next step, which is designing and making the veneer.

On the next visit, the dentist will need to remove a thin layer of your existing tooth enamel in order to prepare for the veneer. After this, they must make a model of your tooth (or teeth) that need veneers so they can send it away to the laboratory for fabrication.

Once the veneer is made and sent back from the dental laboratory, your dentist will take the veneer and ensure it matches the colour of your surrounding teeth as well as the fit. Modifications can be made at this time to ensure a perfect match. It’s now time to adhere, or bond the veneer to the tooth. First, the teeth are cleaned and then for added strength, they are etched.  Then a special compound is applied to the veneer, the veneer is placed on the tooth, and the compound is activated with a light which quickly bonds the veneer to the tooth. Any excess cement is removed and a final check on placement is conducted. After a week or two, you will revisit the dentist to ensure everything is in place properly and functioning normally.

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How to get those Perfect, Pearly Whites

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Jeanette

Get ready to “Say cheese!”

Whitening your teeth is one of the safest and better yet, fastest ways to a perfect smile. A bright, gleaming smile is not only a confidence booster, it’s also healthy for you because you will maintain your new smile by following a dentist recommended hygiene.

Before you select a procedure, you will need to visit the dentist to ensure your teeth and mouth are healthy and ready for the whitening.

Bleaching: This type of teeth whitener actually changes the natural shade of the tooth and removes deep stains and well as stain on the surface. Your dentist will protect your gums and your mouth tissue with a gel, and then will apply the bleaching agent to the teeth. Commonly, the agent is a peroxide, and often times the bleaching agent will be activated by a special light system. This method takes between half and hour to an hour, and depending on how dark you teeth are, you may only need one -three  sessions.

Your dentist may even custom make you trays for your teeth to use at home, where you can maintain the results periodically by applying the bleaching agent yourself.

How much does whitening cost? Starting at about $500 depending on the method and the number of sessions, and about $400 for a customs at home system to maintain.

A little word on the colour of your teeth. Dentists evaluate your tooth colour based on shades. You can expect an improvement of 5-7 shades and even up to 12.

What about at-home products? These are not very effective as they are low-concentration peroxides and are not custom made for your teeth. Also, a professionally applied tooth whitening system is much more effective so you’ll see results faster.

Many people wonder how often you can whiten your teeth. The answer? It’s a matter of practicality and it all depends on you. Whitening your teeth may make them feel more sensitive, so you will want to be gentle when you whiten and make sure you do not do so too often. Also, you do not want to over-bleach your teeth which can cause them to be discoloured. Use common sense.

If you have specific teeth that do not respond to whitening, there is help: The veneer. A porcelain veneer can be applied to a single tooth that will match the surrounding colour of your other teeth, giving you a beautiful glowing smile.

 

 

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Cosmetic Dentistry: Your Smile Makeover Guide

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Jeanette

The power of a beautiful smile can never be underestimated: It’s the first thing other  people notice about you! Here we’ll discuss many of the cosmetic dentistry options you have available to improve your smile so you can look and feel your best, and make that first impression count.

Most of us weren’t born with a perfect smile, so read on to find a procedure that suits you best. We’ll start with some of the more basic procedures and move on to the more complex ones.

Whitening: Anyone can benefit from having their teeth whitened and there are many different kinds of whitening procedures to choose from. Whitening your teeth usually involves a bleaching or stain removal agent, and sometimes even lasers or specialized lights to lift the stain from the enamel of the teeth. Stains are caused by smoking, red wine, coffee/tea, even prescription drugs taken during your teenage years can cause discoloration in your teeth.  Whitening your teeth is one of the safest cosmetic procedures you can get!

Gaps & Bonding: Sometimes the enamel of your teeth can wear thin, or perhaps you have a space in between you teeth that you want closed. Bonding uses a composite resin activated by light to adhere to the rough enamel of your teeth to give it a smooth and protective layer. It can be used to help close gaps between the teeth as well.

Veneers: If you have an oddly shaped tooth or a discoloured tooth, you can opt to have a veneer bonded to it that matches the surrounding teeth perfectly. Porcelain veneers are undetectable to the eye so they look like your real teeth, and the added benefit is that veneers add strength to your existing teeth.

Crowns & Bridges:  Teeth that are decaying and unsuitable for a veneer would benefit from a crown or cap. This procedure involves cutting down the existing tooth so that a replacement crown can be placed over top. A bridge is a series of three crowns that are joined together when multiple adjacent teeth are decayed and need to be covered. The benefit of crowns & bridges is that they are very durable and with proper care, can last 10 year or longer.

Orthodontics: This type of dentistry involves correcting the structure of your teeth, bite, and the bones of your jaw/face through various methods such as braces, retainers, head gear, and dental orthopedics. Generally, orthodontics are long lasting if you follow the guidelines given to you by your orthodontist.

 

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Cosmetic Dentistry

Posted on January 20, 2012 by admin

If you are interested in fixing or replacing teeth, you may need more than general dentist; a cosmetic dentist is what you should be looking for. There are many different types of services that are available through cosmetic dentistry, including;

  • In-lays and out-lays
  • Bonding and composite fixing
  • Dental veneers
  • Full reconstruction of the mouth
  • Implants for dental purposes
  • And the most popular, whitening of the teeth

As you can see, cosmetic dentistry is much more than general teeth cleaning. In fact, the next time you see an actor or actress with perfectly straight and white teeth, odds are they had some form of cosmetic dentistry work done.

Cosmetic dentistry is often much more expensive than regular dentistry – this is why the necessary research is essential. Some of the most common forms of this preliminary research are to research the dentist and his or her educational background and years of experience. Typically, the most experienced cosmetic dentists are the most reliable, however feel free to ask around and get a recommendation through trusted positive word of mouth.

Finally, due to the cost of cosmetic dentistry and the services it provides, it is best to have insurance. Fortunately, most insurance companies will cover expensive mouth repair surgeries – having your teeth whitened is typically not included in this category. Positively, most correctional problems such as gum, jaw or tooth repair are all covered under general health insurance plans.

When finished with cosmetic dentistry surgery, expect to be out of the loop for a few days, sometimes even weeks depending on the type of surgery you had done. It is best to plan your surgery ahead of time, setting your appointment over a holiday or break. This will allow you to relax for the proper amount of time without having to miss work or school.

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