Cosmetic dentistry (also called aesthetic dentistry) can be a welcome option for individuals who have damaged or even lost teeth due to disease or trauma, helping them to restore their smile and, ultimately, their self confidence. But navigating the financial side of cosmetic dental procedures can be confusing. Here are three of the most common procedures — whitening, veneers, and implants — and the cosmetic dentistry costs associated with each.
Whitening Procedures
Whitening can either be done in a dentist’s office or at home. The at-home options include kits you can purchase from your dentist and kits you can buy in any drug store. The costs reflect the level of professional involvement:
- At-home whitening kit purchased at drug store: $20-$100
- At-home whitening kit purchased from dentist: $100-$400
- In-office whitening treatment: $650 (national average)
Additionally, if your in-office treatment involves the use of a low-energy laser to activate the peroxide solution, your treatment time will be reduced, but your cost will be raised.
Veneers
Veneers are thin shells affixed to the front of the teeth to whiten, straighten, or cover decay spots. There are two different kinds of veneers — composite resin and porcelain — and each has a direct cost-to-durability ratio:
- Composite resin veneers last an average of six years, and cost between $250 and $1,500.
- Porcelain veneers last between 10 and 15 years, and cost between $925 and $2,500.
Implants
The highest cosmetic dentistry costs belong to the realm of dental implants, but the extensiveness of the procedure warrant such costs. A threaded titanium rod is surgically inserted into an empty tooth socket, and after healing, that rod serves as a replacement root for a false tooth (or multiple teeth). Many factors come into play (such as health of the jawbone, age of the patient, number of teeth installed, etc.) when determining cost, so the numbers can vary by quite a bit:
- Cost of a single implant: $900-$3,000
- Cost of a full-mouth reconstruction: $24,000-$96,000.
