Value vs. Price

Dental care is a vital part of our health, longevity, and our overall quality of life. Yet, far too often the choices we make in our dental care are based upon discounted prices rather than upon the true long-term cost to our wallets and well being when a short-term view is taken.

Yes, price is important but as one of the richest men on the planet, Warren Buffet, says "Price is what you pay, value is what you get."

It is no different with taking care of your teeth properly. Not only does cheap dental care lead to future repairs but it can also lead to the loss of teeth and a great loss in the quality of your life. With poor oral health linked to multiple serious health conditions there really is not much savings in being sick!

In life we see this in action all the time. One purchases a cheap appliance and in a couple of months the plastic bearing gives out and the appliance is useless. Not only do you lose the use of the machine, now you have to replace it. Or you could buy a quality, well-built appliance and enjoy excellent use for years, even decades!

One big difference, however, is that you live with your teeth 24/7 and they are hopefully a functioning part of your entire life span.

Your smile is a part of you that you just can't sell and upgrade when you get tired of it or it stops performing well. A smile that looks unattractive will cost you your self-esteem. Teeth that are damaged from disease and decay can cost you much more – your health and quality of life.

It is a sad fact that inexpensive dental care is easy to find. Like the low-end vehicle, low-cost dental care will be put together using the cheapest materials. Workmanship, as well, will not be performed to the meticulous manner it needs to be in order to support oral function for more than a few years. This is the best-case scenario of low-cost dental care. We have seen much worse.

When the inexpensive dental work fails, as it will, there are additional costs for further repair. The extent of damage – and cost - Is not easy to estimate until it actually occurs. Let's look at a crown as an example.

A dental crown is a common restoration used to cover a tooth that has been damaged. Many crowns are made with metal or some type of ceramic. Make no mistake, a ceramic or porcelain crown does not indicate value. Some forms of these materials could be likened to particleboard, with several thin layers pressed together to create a solid surface. The use of a dental crown may seem the wisest choice in many situations. What many people do not know, however, is that we can't see through crowns in dental x-rays. This means that, if the seal is broken along the gum line, bacteria and disease beneath the crown can go unnoticed for years!

Dr. Paul O'Malley has continually sought solutions that will provide his patients with the most lifelike, least traumatic, and longest lasting results. Over several decades of practicing holistic and biomimetic dentistry, he has repaired hundreds of teeth that had been previously treated with low-cost materials and techniques.

Our Los Angeles practice is ideal for the patient who is ready to receive the high standard of dental care they deserve. One-on-one attention is one of the most important aspects of our practice. We do not schedule multiple patients in a short time span. When you visit us, you are our sole focus. We take the time to get to know you and your dental needs. Dr. O'Malley performs a full sixty-point evaluation during your first visit, enabling him to identify potential problems and destructive habits.

Truly personalized dentistry takes into consideration your lifestyle and oral care habits, your bite, your oral structure, and tendency toward certain conditions. Something is to be said for a dentist who has taken the time to understand each part of the tooth and, more importantly, learned how to repair teeth so that they last a lifetime. In this, there is true value.

We all know that we get what we pay for. In dentistry, you are paying for much more than an object, you are investing into your smile, a part of you that will enhance or hinder your self-confidence and your health.

The price of dental care with Dr. O'Malley includes much more than an exam or a restoration. It includes the quality of care you need to keep your smile in the best possible condition. We are happy to answer your questions and discuss with you our value-based methods of preserving, enhancing, and restoring teeth. Contact our office today.