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What do porcelain veneers cost?


porcelain veneers cost

The cost of porcelain veneers in Melbourne varies according to individual cases and particular circumstances. Here’s a guide to how this treatment is approached and costed at Smile Solutions.

First, we must ascertain that any teeth to be restored are healthy inside and have healthy roots. One or more X-rays will be taken, which for six teeth will cost $90 to $120. Any problem with gum health must first be rectified by means of oral hygiene or periodontal work, and the condition of the tooth root or its contents must be addressed and any problem must be treated before proceeding further. Naturally this work is at an additional cost, which will be quoted.

Sometimes there is insufficient support for the bite in the back of the mouth to make veneers viable, and so replacement of missing back teeth may be called for and again will be quoted on. Any other work needed to prepare the teeth for porcelain veneers will be quoted. Sometimes this will involve re-shaping the gum outline with a laser in order to improve symmetry of the final result – so that, for example, the left incisor teeth are of the same size and shape as the right side. For a single tooth this typically costs around $600.

Then, after ascertaining your wishes and needs with regard to teeth length, arrangement and outline, a design in wax is made on plaster models of your existing teeth. From this design, guides and templates are made. These assist the dentist in preparing your existing teeth to give the desired outcome – both in interim “provisional” veneers and in the final porcelain veneers. At Smile Solutions, we never skip or rush this necessary “architectural” stage. Once veneers are bonded in place, no changes are possible other than very limited, minor adjustments, and certainly no changes can be made to brightness or shade. A typical fee for this stage is $250 per tooth.

porcelain veneers video

porcelain veneers video

When it comes to the cost of porcelain veneers themselves, our current fee (not including the costs given above) is ranges between $1480 and $1980 per veneer. Many people elect to have the front six teeth veneered. From time to time, patients come to Smile Solutions for rectification or replacement of work done elsewhere, often saying they paid significantly less. When a lower fee has been charged, this invariably means corners have been cut. It’s likely that the dentist has skipped the evaluation and fine-tuning stages that are essential to a satisfying outcome or has not used high-quality local dental ceramics artists who take pride in their work. Or the dentist has not offered the patient the crucial try-in evaluation of the veneers.

Occasionally patients unhappy with a previous veneer job have told us they were given no opportunity to look in the mirror and evaluate the work before having the veneers bonded in. This, in our view, is inexcusable. Equally, as a patient / consumer you have a responsibility to communicate openly and honestly with your dentist about your wishes for your smile, and only give your consent for your veneers to be bonded in when you are completely happy with how they look.

My personal approach to veneer cases is geared towards maximising the likelihood that, come try-in visit, both patient and dentist are delighted with the result, and cementation proceeds. Nevertheless, if at try-in some modification back in the laboratory is necessary, this will happen, and the veneers are tried in again on another day, with new provisional veneers being made for the interim period. The lower the fee for this highly-skilled precision work, the greater the commercial pressure to get the work finalised in the minimum number of visits.

As in many walks of life, “you get what you pay for”. At Smile Solutions we always quote the fees that will be charged for each particular patient requesting porcelain veneers in Melbourne. The fees in this article are indicative only, and may vary according to individual situations.

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