Smile designing and makeovers can be done with several dental procedures. They include composite fillings, braces treatment, ceramic or porcelain crowns, or dental veneers. Nowadays, dental veneers are gaining popularity because of the several benefits it offers over other options in terms of treatment time and longevity. However, as every effective treatment comes with a price, most patients wonder how much dental veneers cost and whether it is under insurance coverage. If you have such questions in mind, continue reading this article, as in this article, all the questions regarding the cost of dental veneers will be answered. However, before understanding the cost of dental veneers, it is important to understand what dental veneers are and what makes them expensive. So, let us first throw insights into the details of dental veneers.
What are dental veneers?
Dental veneers are one of the greatest ways to get a smile makeover. They are incredibly thin, tooth-colored shells applied to the front of teeth to improve their aesthetics. There are two materials that can be used to make them: composite (the tooth-colored filling material) or porcelain (the material crowns are made up of). They are custom-made and are used for various esthetic problems like permanent stains on the front teeth, which cannot be cleaned by scaling, minor gaps in the front teeth, tooth discoloration, minor chipping, or crooked teeth. However, veneers cannot be placed if you have active gum diseases or severe dental decay.
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What are the types of dental veneers?
Dental veneers could be of three types depending on the type of material used. These types are discussed below.
1. Composite Resin Veneers
The least expensive option for veneers is typically a resin composite veneer. This is a same-day procedure because it is placed directly on the tooth and does not require your dentist to alter its structure. Additionally, less enamel needs to be removed while placing composite veneers. Sometimes, a dentist can place the composite veneer without removing any enamel. If they get cracked or damaged, composite veneers are typically simpler to replace. However, the downside is that they can discolor over time and may not be long-lasting compared to porcelain veneers.
2. Porcelain Veneers
Veneers made of traditional porcelain are an immensely popular choice. They are highly effective at treating certain cosmetic issues that resin composite veneers cannot, such as extensive discoloration or spacing problems. They need your dentist to alter the tooth’s structure, making them a permanent treatment.
3. Lumineers
Lumineers are a kind of porcelain veneer that is extremely thin. One significant benefit of their thin construction is that your dentist can simply set the Lumineers on top of your teeth without needing to alter their structure. The advantages of this technology over porcelain veneers include complete reversibility and identical results.
Why are Veneers expensive?
Veneers have several advantages over other esthetic procedures. Among the factors that determine how much veneer costs include the following: veneer type, veneer number, case difficulty, dentist experience, skills, and location of the dental office; for example, patients living in rural areas usually pay less than those in urban areas. Additionally, the availability of the discount also impacts on the overall cost. For example, whether you are acquiring enough veneers to be eligible for the discount that many dental practices provide when placing multiple veneers at once.
Among the diverse types of veneers, composite resin veneers are the cheapest option as they do not require porcelain, impression-making, or lab procedures. The cost of porcelain veneers is more than composites because the process is more invasive and requires more than one dentist visit, impression making, and lab procedure. The luminaries are costly because of their high quality and ease of reversibility.
Veneers are a minimally invasive procedure compared to the crown. The amount of tooth preparation or slicing of teeth required in veneers is much lesser (around 0.5 mm or less) than in crowns. In the crown, the tooth is trimmed on all the surfaces because it must fit over the teeth like a cap. However, veneers are to be put on only the front side of the tooth; hence, not much preparation is required, and hence, enamel loss is minimal. Therefore, it is the preferred choice of treatment for most patients, increasing its demand and cost.
In comparison with braces treatment for mild gaps, veneers provide an advantage over cost and time. Veneers can cover the minor gaps between the teeth and provide an esthetic result in a week as compared to the braces treatment, which could take years to close the gaps. However, braces treatment is still the best treatment if the patient is ready to wait for a longer time to see the result.
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What is the cost of dental veneers with/without insurance?
Dental insurance companies typically pay for restorative procedures, such as replacing broken or damaged teeth or repairing diseased teeth. In contrast, dental veneers are a cosmetic procedure that is not medically necessary. Insurance pays for procedures that are considered medically necessary and not esthetic procedures. Hence most insurance does not cover veneers. Dental insurance providers may sometimes pay all or part of the medical expenses if it is determined that a veneer would improve oral health or prevent disease, for example, accidental injury to the teeth that require veneers.
Cost of dental veneers without insurance
Composite veneers range from $250 to $1500 per tooth without insurance. Porcelain veneers without insurance usually cost between $500 and $2500 per tooth. The cost of Lumineers ranges from $800 to $2000 per tooth without dental insurance.
Cost of veneers with insurance
Due to increased retail pricing that further increases the patient’s out-of-pocket expenses above the annual maximum benefit, the average cost of porcelain veneers per tooth with dental insurance will be in the range of $800 to $1,312. With dental insurance, composite veneers go from $550 to $812 per tooth. Lumineers are the most expensive treatment option with dental insurance, costing about $1,400 per tooth on average because most patients pay for this premium treatment themselves.
Furthermore, dental saving plans can also help reduce the cost of dental veneers.
Conclusion
To conclude, veneers are cosmetic treatments and are not covered by insurance in most instances. However, one can look for options that can help with the cost, like availing some discounts, availability of any membership plan, financing options available, etc. To get the treatment, you must understand the cost of the veneer procedure to make the best financial plan.
To know more about dental veneers service and its cost, contact Dr. Sharda Patel.
Dr. Sharda Patel is a Pleasanton based dentist who provides various cosmetic dental services like teeth whitening and dental veneers. Schedule a dental appointment now or call us at 925-846-4491