Cosmetic Dentistry - price differences between practices

Moneycraver05

Hi All

Please could I get some input from anybody who has ever had cosmetic dentistry?

Having searched for 'cosmetic dentistry' near me, I found 3 city centre practices, all priced in the same region(ish). I chose one and went for the initial exam. The cost of the work needed is substantially higher than expected though I could just about stretch to the cost.

Having searched a little bit more, i've now come across a dentist nearer to me (on the outskirts of town) that is an NHS practice also offering private and cosmetic treatments. The costs are a third cheaper.

My question is, is there a reason for this price difference? Would the materials used differ in any way between a practice specialising in cosmetic work and a practice open to NHS patients etc? Would the standard of treatment differ? I am tempted to pay for an exam but just wanted input from anybody who has experienced this before and can tell me what I am missing.

Thanks in advance.

Emmia

Price differences might be more than just the quality of the dentistry.

There could be a substantial difference in rent costs between the two locations, which could affect prices, or the city centre place has no difficulty at selling the treatments at a higher price - perhaps they attract people with higher disposable incomes who work nearby.

I'd pay for the exam so you can get a sense of the place, and if it is like for like.

Toothsmith

I would agree with Emmia above.

Think of it a little like the price of 'Steak and Chips'. 

You can go to a pub chain and get it very reasonably, you could go to a nice rural pub and pay a different price, you could go to a city centre very posh restaurant and pay a different price again. 

Now - dentistry isn't like a meal. A meal is just a day to day thing. If you have a bad one, you move on, maybe grumble and tell others to avoid the place. If you have a really good one, it can be quite a memory. 

But - the same market forces apply to the pricing, and the quality of the ingredients and the talent of the chef are just a couple of things in that formula. 

'Cosmetic' dentistry, by definition, is 'not essential for the health of the teeth'. So you're looking for someone who will, be doing something potentially irreversible, and possibly damaging to your teeth, with the only result that they will look a little prettier. Where you're teeth, in their original state, untouched by dentistry could last you a lifetime, if the 'cosmetic dentistry' involves more that orthodontics and/or whitening, then any fillings, crowns, veneers etc will have a life span and at some point require replacement. It won't be a simple 'get it done and that's it' operation. It will have ongoing consequences on your future dental health.

With that in mind, you need to look at a lot more factors than just price when picking where you want such surgery done. 

It's not a bad idea to go for a check up at this place to get a 'feel' for it. Getting recommendations from friends/colleagues/acquaintances who you may know who have had similar procedures to what you want isn't a bad idea either. 

One thing that troubles me slightly in your post is that there is no mention of a 'regular' dentist that you see? Do you have regular check ups? Your own regular dentist might be the best place to start - either can they do it, or do they know a good place to refer you to?

If you don't have a regular dentist, that might be a better thing to set your sights on finding first. Someone who can give you a check over first to make sure there's nothing that is wrong before you start, and also someone to give you regular care once it's done. If the 'cosmetic' work you want is relatively straight forward, it's easily possible this dentist you find might well be able to do everything for you (Which is why that visit to the NHS/Private dentist you mention may well be your best first move). 

Hope that helps.