When you think of the words “smile makeover” you likely picture a someone young, healthy, and who’s full of life. You might even imagine the amount of money that it took to design their custom smile makeover.
Although there are cosmetic procedures that can cost quite a bit, others are very affordable and accessible even to the tightest of budgets. Here is a breakdown of the different options for smile makeovers in Long Island and a general idea of the type of financial investment that’s involved on your part.
Teeth Whitening: Most Cost-Effective Smile Makeover
You may be surprised to see what a big difference whitening your teeth can make. With professional teeth whitening, you can gain years back by brightening your smile and removing stains caused by things like coffee, tea, or smoking.
Whitening treatments are even available over-the-counter and although they aren’t as strong as a professional system, they can remove up to a few shades of stain when used properly. You can expect to pay anywhere from $20 to $70 for a store-bought whitening treatment (but once you use a few of them for touchups, they can actually cost more than professional whitening does.)
Professional teeth brightening products offer the strongest results. Our Long Island cosmetic dentist will take impressions of your teeth and fit custom trays for your mouth, which will conform perfectly over your teeth for maximum contact with the bleaching agent. We’ll provide you with a prescription-strength whitening gel to use with the trays in the convenience of your own home. Depending on the system, you can choose to wear the trays for 30 minutes to overnight and anywhere from 7-14 days. At-home whitening treatments work very well and often cost between $200 and $400, depending on the system. Once you’ve completed your initial whitening phase, you keep the trays and save them for future touchups as needed. Refill gel is affordable and available in our office.
We also offer in-office dental whitening, which offers the same results as the at-home whitening kit but the process takes about 90 minutes versus a couple of weeks of daily applications. Depending on the system, you may or may not also have custom trays made for follow-up purposes. An in-office bleaching procedure typically costs between $500 and $800 on average.
Dental Bonding: Dramatic, Affordable Cosmetic Procedure
If you have stubborn stains that bleaching alone can’t penetrate then you can consider dental bonding. This procedure is also great for improving minor imperfections in teeth. For example, teeth that are crooked, too small, too pointy, or spaced apart, can benefit from composite bonding.
Dental bonding is where a resin material is applied to your tooth and molded to the desired shape. Bonding is available in a variety of different shades so if we’re only applying it to one tooth we can match the color to the neighboring teeth. We can shape the composite over one or more teeth, depending on your aesthetic concerns.
Dental bonding typically lasts about 5 years or so before having to be replaced or updated.
Depending on the size of the area being bonded, this cosmetic treatment typically costs around $400 or so per tooth.
Porcelain Veneers: The Ultimate Smile Makeover
Porcelain veneers are the best solution if you want the longest-lasting and most dramatic results from your smile makeover.
A veneer is a shell of porcelain that we cement to the front of your tooth where it stays for many years. Normally we install veneers in sets of 6-8 teeth, depending on your smile.
Veneers can erase major aesthetic issues with more natural, durable, non-staining, and longer-lasting results. Veneers are custom designed, so the outcome is truly customizable to the individual.
To prep your teeth for veneers, our Suffolk County cosmetic dentist will reduce the surface area of the teeth, creating room for the veneer to fit over the tooth without being too bulky. Veneers are made at a dental laboratory by a master ceramist. The delicate process takes at least a couple of weeks to complete, so you’ll wear a set of temporary veneers in the meantime. The temporaries are created chairside by our cosmetic dentist during your initial appointment.
At your final visit, we’ll remove the temporaries, try the permanent ones in, make adjustments as needed, and then cement them in place.
Porcelain veneers are the ultimate smile makeover. As such, they come with the heftiest price tag. To achieve a full new smile, you want to consider treating all of teeth that are visible when you smile. Each veneer costs about $1,500 or so per tooth, depending on the type of material that’s used.
What’s It Worth To You?
Can you really put a price on happiness and the way that you feel about yourself? Your confidence and quality of life are priceless. If you hide your smile because you’re embarrassed about the way your teeth look, then you ought to strongly consider having a smile makeover completed. The changes that you’ll experience in your everyday are invaluable.
When considering the cost of any smile makeover treatment ー even a full set of porcelain veneers ー it makes sense to look at the price as a per-year investment. With veneers lasting at least a decade ー sometimes two ー you can see that the investment isn’t as significant as it may seem up front.
Additionally, our Long Island dentists offer payment options available to help make any smile makeover treatment affordable. Some financial arrangements are even offered as an interest-free payment plan. If this is something that you’re interested in, be sure to mention it to us during your consultation and we’ll guide you throughout the process.
Cosmetic Dentist in Suffolk County
If you’re interested in seeing what a difference a smile makeover can have on your lifestyle, then call Sachem Dental Group in Long Island. Once you’re here, you’ll see why we’ve been the number one dentist chosen by Suffolk County residents for over 35 years. Don’t delay another day. You deserve to have the smile that you’ve always wanted. Give us a call to schedule a smile makeover consultation now.