Want a perfect set of pearly whites?
You’re not alone. That’s why more people are seeking out treatments like dental veneers to fix cosmetic issues.
But figuring out how much dental veneers cost can be a challenge. In this post, we’re taking a look at what you’ll need to consider.
What Are Dental Veneers?
Before we get into how much dental veneers cost, let’s clarify exactly what we mean by dental veneers.
Veneers are a cosmetic addition to your tooth. They’re designed to resolve aesthetic issues like broken or misshapen teeth. As their name suggests, they’re small external facades bonded to the outside of the tooth.
Veneers are usually sought out by people who want a white smile of perfectly aligned teeth. They can even resolve spacing problems on a superficial level by giving the illusion of better teeth without dramatic procedures.
The cost of veneers is usually calculated on a per-tooth basis. So when it comes to pricing the procedure, you’ll have a number of decisions to make.
How Much Do They Cost?
There’s no simple answer to how much dental veneers cost. The price will vary from practice to practice.
It’ll also depend on your own oral health and personal choices. Veneers are available at a variety of price points, so if you have the extra cash to spend, you can splash out for top-end results.
On average, veneers will range from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars each. With all this in mind, let’s take a look at a few factors that will affect the cost.
Prior Issues
Before you can look at how much dental veneers cost, you’ll need to think about the current state of your teeth.
Veneers are only suitable for teeth in good condition. No trustworthy dentist would cover up untreated tooth decay with a veneer. The damage would continue to exist underneath and further damage would continue to develop.
When calculating costs, factor in any work you might need beforehand. Do you need your teeth straightened? Do you need fillings or other repairs?
Quality
Like almost anything you buy, quality will be a factor in the cost.
Ideally, you’d buy the very best veneers of the highest quality materials. But if you want veneers without going bankrupt, you’ll need to make some tough decisions.
Quality isn’t just about the materials, either. Creating veneers is a technical skill. If you want it done right, you need to find a dentist who has the technical and artistic skill to create natural-looking veneers.
It’s important you look at the dentist’s portfolio to see what they can do. You may find you need to spend more to get something you’ll be comfortable with.
Whatever you do, don’t cheap out. If you’re not happy with your veneers or they’re badly installed, it could cost you a lot of extra money to fix it.
How Many Teeth?
Veneers are created and fitted on a tooth-by-tooth basis. It’s up to you to decide how many veneers you need.
Want a full set of pearly whites? Then you’ll spend a lot more than if you’re just covering up a problem tooth.
If cost is a concern for you, you’ll need to think hard about how far you really need to go with veneers.
Since they’re aesthetic, you may get away with just covering up a few problematic front teeth. That might leave you with a cost of a few hundred dollars instead of a few thousand.
Can you make do with traditional repairs and cleanings for your other teeth? Mixing and matching might be the key to saving your wallet.
Which Material?
You’ll have a choice of material for your veneers, and this choice will have a major impact on the cost.
The two main choices are porcelain and composite resin.
Porcelain veneers are the more hard-wearing option of the two. They’re also preferred where there’s more significant deformation or damage to the tooth. With porcelain veneers, the tooth is shaved of a thin layer, which the porcelain is then bonded to.
Composite resin is the cheaper option, although patients can still expect excellent results with composite veneers.
Unlike porcelain, the composite is added to the tooth as-is and sculpted into shape. This makes composite veneers reversible, but the end result will depend on the dentist’s artistic skill.
Porcelain veneers usually require a few sessions while they’re designed and installed. Composite resin is the single-sitting option, as the process is applied directly to the tooth from beginning to end.
Payment Plans
Many dentists are happy to offer financial support of some kind to bring down the cost of buying veneers.
Discuss your financial situation with your dentist. Veneers have a relatively high price tag, but your dentist would rather get you through the door than lose your business.
Ask if you can pay your veneer cost by installments. Breaking down the price into manageable chunks could make the cost of veneers accessible to you.
Location
Finally, your location is likely to factor into the costs you’ll face.
If you live in a major population center, you’ll find it easier to get veneers. As we’ve mentioned, the creation of veneers requires a mix of artistic and technical skill. A local small-town dentist may not be cut out for the job.
In rural areas, you may have to factor in travel and even accommodation costs to access dentists skilled in veneers.
Dental Veneers Cost Breakdown
We’ve broken down the cost factors for dental veneers.
But if you want a better idea of costs, you’ll need to approach dentists who can carry out the procedure for you. They’ll quote you their figures and you can shop around for the right mix of cost and quality.
Need more info? Why not contact us today?