The cost of porcelain veneers is a subject of concern among people wanting to give their teeth a worthy makeover and revitalize their smile.
In fact, the first question that potential recipients ask is, “How much do porcelain veneers cost?”. This is due to the long-standing stigmatized perspective that cosmetic treatments are overly expensive and, hence, out of the reach of common people. Fortunately, this isn’t entirely the case! The average cost of porcelain veneers, in fact, is subject to high variation, with affordable to high-end options available to accommodate patients’ different financial circumstances.
In this blog, we’ll discuss all the factors that influence permanent porcelain veneers cost so you may understand the varying cost dynamics of this procedure.
Basics First: What Are Porcelain Veneers?
Discoloration, stains, enamel erosion, fluorosis, tiny cracks, chipped teeth, and craze lines -are some of the most commonly found aesthetic defects in the teeth of people of all genders, races, and ages.
While common and even normal to some extent, these minor flaws may collectively have a significant impact on your smile, which ultimately affects your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Porcelain veneers are a way of conveniently concealing all the abovementioned aesthetic flaws found in teeth.
It’s a cosmetic treatment in which thin, lightweight shells made up of dental-grade porcelain (which has the same light-emitting property as natural tooth enamel) are bonded to the outer front surface of the affected teeth. This is done by scraping off a little enamel from the teeth and bonding the porcelain shells onto them.
These shells significantly enhance the appearance of your teeth, giving them a clean, beautiful, and lustrous appearance-results that are commonly referred to as a ‘Hollywood smile.’
Besides fixing aesthetic flaws, porcelain veneers also work to correct minor structural flaws. For instance, if your teeth have tiny gaps between them (a condition known as diastema) or if they’re slightly misaligned/crooked, then getting porcelain veneers will give a uniform, aligned appearance to your teeth.
Who’s A Suitable Candidate For Getting Porcelain Veneers?
Determining candidacy for porcelain veneers is a simple and straightforward process, encompassing a few prerequisites.
The first and foremost prerequisite is the presence of such minor (not major) aesthetic or structural flaws in your teeth (which we’ve just described above) that you need to conceal. Apart from that, you should:
- Have good overall oral health – which means healthy gums and teeth with no signs of decay or gum disease.
- Have healthy tooth enamel – this is because the placement of porcelain veneers requires scraping off a small amount of enamel from your teeth. So, if your teeth are already enamel deficient, getting veneers might not be for you.
- Should not be a habitual teeth grinder. Having Bruxism (excessive teeth grinding) would damage your veneers, as they’re already thin and lightweight in nature.
Factors Affecting The Cost Of Porcelain Veneers
Now that we have enough basic knowledge about porcelain veneers, it’s time to dive right into its cost and the factors influencing it.
As is the case with all dental procedures, the cost of porcelain veneers is a composite of several different factors, all of which directly or indirectly contribute to the total pricing of the treatment. Let’s discuss 4 of the most important factors:
The Location And Reputation Of The Treatment Provider
Suppose you want to buy an electronic gadget. You visit two places for it, one big famous departmental store located in a big city, and one small shop in a nearby town. There will be obvious differences in prices and for logical reasons-the famous store might sell you a product at a higher price (and you’d gladly pay for it because of your trust in the seller), and the small shop would sell you something for a cheaper cost.
Porcelain veneers work much the same way. If you get the treatment from a trustworthy clinic (with good patient testimonials) located in a big city, you’ll typically be charged higher for the treatment than you’d if you were to get it from a small clinic located in a rural area.
Note that the difference in price is not only attributed to the geographical location of the clinic. Reputable clinics also charge higher due to their use of advanced technology, their use of high-quality premium materials (porcelain, in this case), the expertise of the dental staff they house, and their careful employment of all safety and oral hygiene protocols during the treatments. All of these factors make your treatment experience smooth; hence, they come at a (justifiable) price.
The Level Of Customization
Porcelain veneers are a highly versatile and customizable treatment-you can get it from as little as a single unaesthetic tooth to as much as a full dental arch or even both the upper and lower arches.
Your treatment cost would depend on the number of veneers you get and the level of customization (matching of shade, texture, shape, etc.) involved in your treatment.
For instance, if you get veneers for only the upper front teeth (incisors), your treatment cost would be significantly lower than if you get it for the entire upper arch and would definitely be lower than porcelain veneers cost full mouth.
Most patients prefer to get a full set of porcelain veneers (for both dental arches), as it ensures uniformity in appearance and gives a beautifully refined look. Still, you can get it as per your dental needs and preferences.
The Quality Of Porcelain Used
The cost of porcelain veneers would also vary depending on the quality of porcelain used in the making of veneer shells.
High-quality dental porcelain that is strong and durable and that closely mimics the translucency level of natural teeth costs more, but materials with lower strength levels are also engineered and are priced accordingly.
It’s important to get your veneers made from high-quality materials to ensure they give you the desired aesthetic results and last for a decent amount of time.
Extra Preparatory Procedures
Oftentimes, people who need veneers present with a host of existing issues in their teeth (besides those they’re getting veneers for) that need fixing.
Hence, such patients need a lot of extra (but necessary) work to be done on their teeth before they can actually get veneers. This may include minor treatments like dental scaling and fillings to elaborate procedures like bite correction.
The cost of these preparatory procedures would add another financial dimension to the cost of porcelain veneers.
Conclusion
All in all, the cost of porcelain veneers is subject to high variation. Your total treatment cost can be less or more depending on where you get it from, the level of customization involved, the quality of material used, etc.
For more details about Porcelain Veneers, schedule a FREE consultation with Tampa Smile Clinic, a premium dental practice located in Tampa, Florida. Have your expert cosmetic surgeons look at your teeth and devise an affordable customized treatment plan for you, paving your way to a beautiful smile transformation
