How to Improve Your Smile on a Budget

While your dental insurance is a reliable safety net for a variety of restorative and preventive treatments, in most cases it doesn’t cover cosmetic dentistry. Thus, if you want to improve the appearance of your gorgeous grin, you’ll likely be responsible for the full price. So, how do you get the smile you desire without breaking the bank? Here’s a closer look at some popular cosmetic dentistry treatments that you can get on a tight budget – and a few ways to make them more affordable, too!

At-Home Teeth Whitening

Because of their affordable prices, many people initially turn to OTC teeth whitening products thinking they’ll get incredible results while saving a buck or two. Unfortunately, however, this is rarely the case, because although it may be cheaper to buy a box of white strips from your local discount store, it usually ends up costing a lot more along the way. You see, storebought products use weakened ingredients, and typically only contain enough for a few weeks, so you end up having to purchase them over and over again until you get the results you want. Worse yet, if you have sensitive teeth, this effect could extend for many months until you stop using them!

Conversely, a take-home kit from your dentist can get you the results you want in about two weeks, and your trays are yours to keep and purchase refills as needed. While this may be more expensive up front than those OTC products, it’s also faster, less painful, and can often cost less in the long term!

Metal-Free Dental Restorations

Metal free dental restorations can sometimes be covered by your dental insurance, depending on whether they are deemed medically necessary or not. Thankfully, your dentist’s insurance team will be happy to submit a claim to your provider on your behalf to determine if any portion of your treatment qualifies. If not, rest assured that these durable, lifelike dental restorations won’t just look better in your smile, but they’ll also protect your natural teeth so they last longer, saving you money and time along the way.

Gum Recontouring / Crown Lengthening

This permanent treatment can eliminate the appearance of a gummy smile, all the while making your teeth look longer and more central to your smile. Although it is considered cosmetic, it sometimes has oral health benefits, such as if you are prone to gum infections due to an overage of periodontal tissue. This may qualify for some level of dental insurance coverage, but even if it doesn’t, by lowering your risk of oral health problems later, it can save you plenty of time and money and discomfort down the road.

How to Make Cosmetic Dentistry More Affordable

Now that you know some of the affordable treatments your cosmetic dentist offers, you may be wondering how to make them more manageable in your budget.  The good news is that you have several options:

• Flexible financing: Third party financing through lenders such as CareCredit and Cherry can break up the cost of any dental procedure into multiple low or no interest monthly payments, so you don’t have to wait months to save up for treatment or pay for the entire balance up front.
• In-house savings plan: This program was designed to help patients without dental insurance pay for their routine and restorative oral healthcare and even includes a 20 percent discount on any services- even cosmetic dentistry!

Remember, while it’s true that cosmetic dentistry can be a bit more expensive, the improvement in your smile and self-esteem are well worth the investment. If you’re looking for an affordable way to get a healthy, gorgeous grin, take a closer look at these dynamic dental treatments, and feel free to explore your financial options, too!

About Our Practice

At Queen Creek Complete Dental, we are pleased to offer a variety of smile-improving cosmetic dentistry treatments that will leave you beaming. To learn more about how we can give you the gorgeous, glowing grin you desire at any budget, contact us to schedule a consultation by visiting our website or calling 480-722-1200.