Cosmetic dentistry includes an array of procedures that focuses on improving the aesthetic qualities of your smile, like fixing damaged teeth, addressing discoloration or yellowing teeth, and even making your grin appear more symmetrical. Unfortunately, most cosmetic treatments aren’t covered by dental insurance because they aren’t deemed essential to maintaining your oral health. Read on the learn three ways you can make beautifying your smile more affordable.
What Dental Treatments are Considered Cosmetic?
Depending on a dentist’s specific interests, they may offer only basic cosmetic treatments, like dental bonding and metal-free restorations, or more advanced ones, like gum recontouring. Here are some examples of cosmetic procedures offered by specialists in addition to more common ones listed above:
- Porcelain veneers are thin sheaths that are designed to fit over the visible surface of teeth that have been damaged, are discolored, or even slightly misaligned. Once secured over the flawed teeth, they can transform a smile by making it appear more symmetrical, complete, and bright.
- Professional teeth whitening can be completed at-home with a customized whitening kit made especially for you by your cosmetic dentist, or in-office within about an hour. Both options utilize highly concentrated, professional-grade ingredients that can brighten your teeth by up to eight shades.
- Gum recontouring, sometimes referred to as crown lengthening, can help make an overly gummy smile appear more symmetrical by removing excess tissue to reveal more of the tooth structure.
3 Ways to Make Cosmetic Dentistry More Affordable
The cost of your cosmetic dental visit will be determined by what type of treatment you receive, but more likely than not, it won’t be covered by your insurance. Here are four ways you can make the services more affordable based on what resources you have access to.
Dental Tourism
A new trend called medical tourism has extended into the dental world, prompting countless Americans to travel to other countries to receive cosmetic treatments because the cost of travel and accommodations, as well as the procedure, is less than receiving treatment in the States.
Financing
Some dental offices work closely with third-party financers, like CareCredit, to offer patients low monthly payment plans at little-to-no interest. This allows you to easily fit the cost of cosmetic treatment in your monthly budget.
Special Offers & Promotions
Many dentists regularly offer specials and promotions, so before you schedule your consultation, call and ask if they currently have any offers on cosmetic procedures. This could help you save several hundred dollars!
While it may seem like a hassle investing in a treatment that won’t be covered by your insurance benefits, many patients who have received cosmetic dental services will agree that it’s well worth the effort. After finally addressing aesthetic flaws that have been slowly wearing on your self-esteem throughout the years, the transformative results achieved by your cosmetic dentist can truly be life changing.
About the Practice
At Winning Smile, our team is led by three highly experienced and passionate dentists who love helping their patients receive the confidence boosts they’ve been longing for by providing high-quality cosmetic dentistry. We offer several advanced cosmetic treatments, like gum recontouring and porcelain veneers, that can have truly transformative effects on smiles impacted by damage, discoloration, and misalignment. To schedule a consultation with our team, visit our website or call 847-350-1697.