Return on cost of porcelain veneers range from avoiding bigger oral, health problems to "priceless" confidence-boosters

When exploring porcelain veneers there are dollars and cents considerations, but there are also considerations with what makes sense for the long-term health of your mouth and overall wellbeing.

Looking just at the dollars and cents, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry reports each veneer costs from $800 to $2,000. You may hear slightly higher or lower averages, partly because there are so many variables. The average cost of a gallon of milk is different between River North and even Palatine, let alone Waukesha, so you can imagine the average cost of veneers and other procedures also varies from place to place. In addition, costs can vary from dentist-to-dentist and even individual-to-individual, depending on your specific treatment plan.

Obtaining a quote is only part of the story. There are a number of other factors to take into account when it comes to investing in veneers, including:

• Value – Through the years, veneers have become more durable and bonding agents more effective. Any lingering notion that veneers are beautiful yet brittle is a fallacy, as veneers are both attractive and strong. Your veneers can last 5, 10, even 20-plus years.
• Avoid costly complications – Veneers are known to mask stubborn, very dark, or gray discoloration that may not be corrected with bleaching agents. Yet veneers are also great to close gaps, cover modest alignment problems, and to reshape and contour teeth. These conditions create bigger problems with time, including difficulty brushing between crowded areas or problems with food being caught in gaps. Poor hygiene and pockets of trapped food promote decay. This decay can compromise the tooth, resulting in the need for complex and costly restorative procedures such as root canals, crowns, or dental implants.
• Flexible payments – Big Smile Dental doesn't want cost to be a barrier to you getting the care you need to get out of pain and avoid more problems down the road. You may opt to pay over 12 months with no-interest, dramatically reducing your monthly costs. You may also qualify for pre-payment or senior discounts, and you'll notice Big Smile Dental regularly offers specials on specific, quality dental procedures.
• Big SMILES - priceless! – The AACD is one of many organizations that sought to quantify the link between a person's smile and the quality of their lives. In 2012, 48 percent of the more than 1,000 people surveyed by the organization and Kelton research said they remembered a person's smile before their first words upon meeting. That's great news if you have a beautiful look, but it's not so great if your smile is flawed. More than a third of those surveyed also said a nice smile conveys confidence.

It's hard to argue with such research when justification for cosmetic improvement can come courtesy of looking in the mirror. If you see a brighter smile with straight, smooth and chip-free teeth staring back at you, your mood will lift, especially if you have learned to live with the stains, cracks, and crowding. You will feel confident as others see you. Can you really put a price tag on the improved self-esteem that might help you land a more lucrative job or give you the courage to seek better opportunities?

Likewise, Big Smile Dental may find a better value with another corrective treatment, such as natural-looking porcelain crowns or dental bonding. Find out if the cost of veneers makes sense to you by first calling 773-772-8400.