Understanding the costs of braces and Invisalign

So you are ready to invest in your smile and ready to have your teeth straightened. But how much do braces actually cost?

You start Googling, talk to friends who have been through braces and discuss your options with your local dentist or specialist orthodontist.

You may quickly find out that there are many different options and quotes. So how do you choose? Do you go with the cheapest? Or do you go with the most expensive thinking it has to be the best?

There are several factors that contribute to the cost of braces, these include:

• severity of the condition being addressed as to the length of treatment required;
• type of braces used; and
• the level of experience of your treatment provider.

Firstly, the more involved the treatment, the higher the cost of braces may be. A simple treatment that may take six months would be less than that of someone who requires two to three years of orthodontic treatment including the removal of teeth and oral surgery to correct their bite or position of their jaws.

Secondly, the type of braces used will impact upon the cost of your treatment.

Conventional braces are still the most commonly used orthodontic appliance and many still consider these the “gold standard”. It’s one of those rarities in life: effective, efficient and the least expensive.

However, if the appearance of metal is not to your liking, there are also ceramic or clear braces. These often achieve the same result but are more aesthetically pleasing. This will often cost you more due to the increase in value of the materials used.

Clear braces are made out of a ceramic material and there are many brands on the market. Together with the use of

Improving teeth aesthetics with dental bonding

When wanting to change the shape, length, width, colour and overall appearance of your front teeth, your dentist will probably discuss two options with you: dental veneers and dental bonding. Both, when done well, can enhance the beauty of your smile.

Direct composite bonding, also known as dental bonding, is a process whereby a composite resin material is directly bonded to your tooth to hide minor imperfections, fix small chips and close small gaps. This method can also be used to place a composite filling.

Direct composite veneers can be bonded in one visit, having been manufactured by your dentist without the involvement of a laboratory. However, they are not as strong as the alternative. Also, directly bonded veneers lose their lustre after a while and need to be polished and maintained more often than porcelain. On the upside, they are the cheaper alternative.

Porcelain Veneers are made by a ceramist in a dental laboratory after a dentist has shaped the proposed teeth. With the advancement of Digital Smile Design technologies, it has become so much easier for patients to become more involved with the aesthetics of their smile and the final outcome. In most cases digital veneers can be custom-made and placed for patients to view before the dentist has so much as picked up a mirror.

Porcelain veneers are still the paragon of aesthetics when it comes to creating beautiful smiles. This is because ceramists nowadays use a plethora of porcelain shades and opacities to create what are virtually works of art.

The main advantage of veneers over dental bonding is that they are stronger and more flexible, which makes them less susceptible to fracturing. In some twenty years of practice I have noticed a higher propensity for patients to

You have a denture to which you don’t give much thought. With this denture, you eat well, speak clearly, and most importantly, smile proudly.

Then, a clasp breaks off the denture, or worse still, a tooth. Disaster! What do you do about this and what options are available to you?

Firstly, and most importantly, call Smile Solutions. We have dentists available seven days a week and will see you at your earliest convenience.

The first person you will speak to is a Smile Solutions receptionist who will require a brief description of what has happened and when you will need the repaired denture socially and functionally. Most importantly, the receptionist will ask if you have a spare denture.

We understand that it is far from ideal to go about your daily routine with a broken denture, or a missing tooth, and we will fit you in to see a suitable dentist or prosthetist as soon as possible.

When you meet the clinician, explain what has happened and when you need the denture back. Tell them, also, if you have a spare denture.

Repairs can be done in one of two ways: in the dental chair or at a specialist laboratory.

In many cases, the chairside repair is somewhat of a temporary fix. Unless repaired by a prosthetist, repairs done this way will involve a cold curing acrylic (plastic), which will not last as well as the laboratory heat-cured acrylic.

During the working week, most repairs sent to our trusted laboratories will be completed the same day the denture is sent away. As most labs are closed on weekends, there may be delays for work needed on Saturdays or Sundays. This is where your spare denture comes into play.

A spare denture can be prepared when you have