“I want the cheapest dental fix possible!”
“…But the dentist up the road said…”
I’ve lost track of the times in my career I have heard patients say just this! And while the comments vary each time, it begs the question: Are cosmetic dentist’s worth the investment?
I built my dental practice on the philosophy that I have no desire to take a patient’s hard-earned money by doing the wrong thing. I always treat people like I’d want to be treated, and the truth is, sometimes a “quick fix” or a “cheap fix” is just that.
Reality check: Would you want your loved one who is going in for heart surgery to opt for just a patch job because it is cheaper?
Of course not! You’d want to permanently fix the issue!
Even so, I run into this same logic almost every day of my life in some form or fashion. You use your teeth EVERY DAY of your life and – on average – at least 3 times a day to eat.
They are worth the investment!
In dentistry, you can easily pay the price for a quick fix treatment. But the truth is… when you get a $300 or $400 filling that will not hold up long term, you are ultimately looking at a more costly and invasive next treatment (that often leads to needing a root canal!) in addition to what could have been the initial fix of a porcelain crown (totaling as much as $2500!)
The next time you’re at the dentist, have a heart-to-heart with your provider to see exactly what the life expectancy is of their proposed treatment. You may be surprised with the answer.
