Splurge Or Save - Which Dental Treatments Can You Take The Cheaper Option On?

Dental treatments are often a necessary part of life and most of us will require the odd root canal or filling, or maybe even choose to enhance or correct our smiles with aesthetic adjustments like teeth straightening, whitening or dental implants. Across the board, there are huge differences in costs between clinics, and there are certainly options to save money.

So, which dental treatments can you take the cheaper option on?

Veneers

Veneers are thin sheets of porcelain or composite designed to change the shape, shade, and size of your teeth, for a complete smile transformation. Composite veneers are often cheaper than porcelain and will look just as good. The downside is that they aren't as durable as more expensive versions and they won't last as long, but you can always upgrade in the future when there is more cash in the smile aesthetics pot. 

Fillings

The average American has 3 or more dental fillings. Clinics will often try and upsell white fillings to you rather than an amalgam filling, which is cheaper and silver in appearance. Realistically, you don't really need a white filling towards the back of the mouth unless you really care about what people see when you're dropping your jaw laughing. White fillings make sense for the teeth towards the front of the mouth, but you can certainly save some money with cheaper amalgam fillings towards the back if you don't mind the odd flash of silver when you laugh. 

Teeth Whitening

Don't be tempted to pay more for a specific fancy brand of in-clinic brightening because they all use medical-grade bleach with an activation light to brighten and whiten your smile in about 60 minutes. You can also pay less for dentist-led at-home whitening which requires you apply a gel to bespoke trays which you wear for a set amount of time every day, and the result is whiter teeth after about two weeks. As long as the person providing your teeth whitening treatment is qualified and certified, you're free to save money with special offers and less-fancy treatments that are likely to offer the same results as more expensive versions. 

Checkups

When it comes to dental procedures you don't want to skimp on getting the best treatment. You can though, save a bit of money on regular checkups if you see special offers or 'includes the cost of X, Y and Z' options. All qualified dentists are checking your oral health in the same way when you visit for a checkup so as long as they are qualified, and the practice is registered, you won't lose out by paying less for a checkup. 

Teeth Brightening With The Hygienist

Finding a good hygienist is important for long-term gum health to avoid being one of the 50% of all Americans who have gum disease. It always makes sense to pay more for a hygienist you trust for long-term cleanings and advice. When it comes to teeth brightening treatments for stain removal as an alternative to teeth whitening, you can definitely save money. Much like teeth whitening treatments, teeth cleaning procedures for aesthetics are very similar and you won't see much difference in how much you pay. 

As long as a dentist in Hartford is qualified and certified you're off to a great start with the treatments you pay for at their clinic. As a general rule, medical treatments done well are worth the extra costs, but aesthetic treatments that provide similar results regardless of price can save you a few dollars. As long as you stay smart, you'll be smiling while your bank balance smiles back at you.