Pros and Cons of the Cost of Dental Veneers

For patients with surface-damaged, discolored, or stained teeth, dental veneer treatment is one of the easiest and most effective treatments available to recreate a beautiful smile. Rather than removing the affected tooth or installing a crown, applying a porcelain veneer instantly and painlessly to the front surface of your tooth with a special liquid resin restores its bright, natural appearance.

It’s a great, simple dental procedure, but is it worth the cost?

The cost of dental veneers is a concern for many patients. Are dental veneers expensive? While veneers can be initially expensive compared to other dental treatment options, they represent a long-term investment in your dental health and appearance.

Is the Cost of Dental Veneers Worthwhile?

Are dental veneers the appropriate treatment option for you? At Penn Dental Family Practice (PDFP) in Philadelphia, our dental veneer specialists are proud to offer elite porcelain veneer installations as well as other treatment options for enamel damage.

Ultimately, your personal preference will be a major factor in determining whether or not dental veneers are the appropriate treatment option for your specific case. However, we are glad to help walk you through the pros and cons of veneers. We’ve listed a few key points below.

Pros and Cons of Dental Veneers

Pro: Enamel Replacement

Your teeth are coated by protective enamel. Though highly durable, enamel can be damaged by acidic foods and drinks, as well as injuries to the teeth. Once eroded, enamel cannot grow back. Veneers provide an exceptional, functional replacement for lost enamel. And, once installed, veneers are fused to your tooth for life. While this one-time treatment is appealing for many patients, others find the permanent nature of the procedure somewhat daunting.

Pro: Whiter Teeth, Faster

No other treatment for whitening teeth and eliminating surface stains works faster than veneers, which instantly replace discolored surfaces with bright, white porcelain that is indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

Con: High Upfront Cost

Veneers, as previously stated, are more expensive than many other dental-surface treatments. However, the permanent status of veneers means that they are a long-term investment.

What About Dental Implants?

As an alternative to veneers in Philadelphia, people may consider dental implants in some cases. Dental implants are typically recommended as a long-term replacement teeth solution for missing or lost teeth because of an accident or disease.

A dental implant looks like a real tooth and is installed in three parts over several months. The entire procedure, which takes several months, helps provide a solid base for your new artificial tooth—just as roots do for your natural teeth. First, a small post, usually made of titanium, is surgically implanted into the jaw to act as the root. After the jawbone grows into the surface of the dental implant (a process called osseointegration), a connector, called an abutment, is attached. Then, the dental crown is attached to the abutment to finalize the creation of your artificial teeth.

When comparing dental implants vs veneers, there are several factors to consider:

• If people don’t like the appearance of their smiles because they have discolorations, cracks, chips, or unevenly shaped front tooth surfaces, even if the tooth is otherwise healthy, they can get a veneer applied to cover up the problem.
• If the tooth isn’t healthy, the better option is to remove the tooth and use an implant in its place instead of a veneer covering the problem. And if teeth are missing or removed, an implant would be used to fill the empty space. Implants are permanent options.
• Once placed, dental implants cannot be removed without damaging the bone around them. This means that if you decide to remove your dental implants, you’ll need to have another surgery to replace them with something else. On the other hand, veneers can be easily changed by simply filing down the edges.
• Veneers are about a third of the cost of an implant, but in most instances, the choice is driven by cosmetics—whether you have healthy teeth, or if you have missing teeth—not necessarily by the cost.

Penn Dental Family Practice is Philadelphia’s Trusted Source for Veneers

Are you ready to talk about options for a beautiful, healthy smile for you or a loved one? Veneers in Philadelphia at Penn Dental Family Practice can be an affordable dental solution.

Find out more in our free eBook, “The Advantage of Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures.” Download it here and learn about veneers, teeth whitening, composite bonding, porcelain crowns, and dental implants.

Then, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment here or by calling 215-898-PDFP (7337). We look forward to helping you achieve your best smile soon.