Porcelain Veneers Price

The price for placing porcelain veneers depends on several factors:

• Number of porcelain veneers you need. If you have a specific problem in only 1 or 2 teeth, then the cost of using porcelain veneers to restore them is affordable. But for a full smile makeover, a cosmetic dentist will recommend to put porcelain veneers on the 6 front teeth of each jaw. With an average cost of porcelain veneers per tooth at $1100, the total cost is significant. The cost of dental veneers may be even higher if you have a wide smile, because then you will have to cover more than the 12 front teeth.
• Where you live. Another important factor affecting the average cost of porcelain veneers is the region where you live. There is big difference in dental veneers cost from country to country. But even within a country such as United States you should expect significant variations (2x) of the porcelain veneers cost between small rural towns and large metropolitan areas. Furthermore succesful dental veneers apllication requires a cosmetic dentist who might not be available in a small town.
• General dentist or cosmetic dentist? If the treatment is performed by a cosmetic dentist, the cost of porcelain veneers is expected to be higher than the fee charged by a general dentist. You should know that cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized dental specialty, so you should better make sure that your 'cosmetic' dentist has really the extra training for cosmetic treatments before you pay a premium price for your porcelain veneers.
• Expertise & quality of cosmetic dentist & dental lab. A succesful cosmetic result requires an experienced cosmetic dentist, the use of quality materials and a first-class cosmetic dental lab. All these justify the high cost of dental veneers. A 'discount' in any of these in pursuit of low cost veneers may lead to a non desired aesthetic result. If you do not want to risk the look of your smile, you must be prepared to pay a high porcelain veneers cost for top quality cosmetic results.
• Teeth 'prepping' required. Although porcelain veneers are very thin, in most of the cases the depth of the tooth has to be adjusted to allow for the small added thickness of the veneer. The amount of enamel that has to be removed is usually nearly equal to the thickness of the veneer to be added to the tooth surface depending on how drastic is the change on the shape or size of the tooth. The amount of time needed for this procedure (called ‘prepping’) may affect the cost of porcelain veneers application. Some brands of porcelain veneers require more prepping than others. In some cases, no enamel has to be removed (small sized or worn down teeth).
• Type of porcelain veneers. A slightly different type of porcelain veneers are Lumineers® which are much thinner than the rest, requiring the removal of much less (or not at all) enamel for their application. Although the material cost for lumineers may be higher, if the dentist saves much time due to the less 'prepping' work required, the overall cost of the teeth veneers treatment may be lower with the use of lumineers. But on average, cost of porcelain veneers is not expected to vary significantly between the established brands of dental veneers you can select.
• Temporary veneers. Temporary veneers may be necessary if teeth have undergone extensive preparation and they have become unsightly or sensitive to hot and cold due to enamel loss. Temporary dental veneers have an additional cost. During your initial consultation, you should discuss with your dentist if their cost is included in the price.

Other considerations on longterm porcelain veneers cost

• Un-natural look of your new porcelain veneers. If you are not satisfied with the look of your smile after the porcelain veneers are fitted, the corrective adjustments that your dentist can make are very limited. If there is nothing fundamentally wrong with your porcelain veneers, neither your dentist nor the dental lab will have any obligation to replace them. Considering how much do dental veneers cost, it is preferrable to make sure that you will have no unpleasant surprises, by choosing a good cosmetic dentist.
• Durability. With proper care, porcelain veneers can last over 10 years before you have to replace them.
• Strength. Porcelain is a very hard material but it could break under intense force. It is not rare for a porcelain veneer to chip or break when chewing on a hard food e.g. nuts. You should be prepared to pay the cost of replacement porcelain veneers if such an accidental damage occurs.

Due to the several factors discussed in the previous section that affect the fees charged by dentists, the porcelain veneers cost may vary from $800 to $2250 per veneer.

• Average cost of porcelain veneers expected at a general dentist : $800.00 - $1500.00
• Average cost of porcelain veneers expected at a cosmetic dentist : $1000.00 - $2250.00

It might be possible to find offers for relatively cheap dental veneers as low as $500, but you have to be extremely careful about the credentials and expertise of the offering dentist, if you do not want to pay double for restoring a 'funny' looking smile after placing poorly made porcelain veneers.

If the price of porcelain veneers is too high for you, there are some alternative solutions you may consider. But, you must be aware that they are not the recommended solution.

• Composite resin veneers. Your dentist may suggest the use of composite resin instead of porcelain in order to reduce the dental veneers cost. Composite resin veneers not only provide a less aesthetic result but also do not last as much as the porcelain ones. Consequently if you have to replace them in less years, the long term teeth veneers cost savings may not be as significant to balance the inferior cosmetic result.
• Offers for cheap porcelain veneers. Low cost porcelain veneers are usually not a good bargain as it might look. Cheap dental veneers may indicate a less experienced dentist, inferior materials or a low cost dental lab. You should be aware that due to cosmetic dentistry not being a recognized dental specialty, unless there is a clear structural failure, you can't have any legal claim against your dentist just because the work does not meet your esthetic expectations. You will have to pay again the porcelain veneers cost to another dentist to replace them.

Porcelain veneers are considered as a purely cosmetic treatment. Insurance will help you pay for a crown to restore a tooth but won't cover any additional cost to make it look beautiful. Therefore it is not expected that any insurance policy will cover the cost of dental veneers. You should be prepared to pay the full porcelain veneers cost by yourself.

There is a chance that your dental insurance policy may cover at least the cost of replacing old, worn-out porcelain veneers if your contract includes a clause about replacement of defective dental work.

Discount dental plans work differently by providing discounts for certain procedures performed by dentists in their network. The crucial factor in this case is if you can find an expert cosmetic dentist in your area that participates in the dental plan's network. A quality discount plan may cover some of the cost for dental veneers but you should not expect nothing more than a 10-30% of the porcelain veneers cost.

Learn how to choose a dental insurance that will provide the best dental treatment to you and your family.

If you want to improve your smile’s appearance you should first visit a cosmetic dentist for consultation. Cosmetic dentists have the expertise to analyze your cosmetic needs, and propose a complete plan of cosmetic dental procedures that will best fit your expectations and finances.