Why are some porcelain veneers $650 or less?

The fee for porcelain veneers encompasses many things- the materials used during the procedure, the pay for the staff involved, and the doctors experience and expertise.  The biggest cost to the dentist is the laboratory fee because the veneers are fabricated by a ceramist.  This fee also depends on the materials used and the expertise of the ceramist. Having said this, some labs have chosen to export the fabrication process to foreign country facilities to lessen their cost.  This can create a number of problems because other countries often do not control or restrict the use of hazardous materials.  The veneers could contain inferior, or even dangerous, materials which the consumer is not aware of. 

As with any medical procedure, it is always important to for the patient to research and ask questions.  How many procedures like this has the provider performed?  What continuing education has the dentist attended, and what training has he/she received?  Always ask to see before and after pictures and candidly ask if these are actual cases which the dentist has done himself (sometimes a dentist may use examples of cosmetic dentistry but not necessarily his or her own work). The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (www.aacd.com) is the 'gold standard' of dentistry.  Look for Accredited or Fellow Members- these titles signify that the provider has committed to a lengthy and intense accreditation process of submitting numerous cases to a review panel. This is not only a costly endeavor but a very time intensive and challenging process which the dentist has chosen to do to improve and hone his/her cosmetic dentistry skills.  The titles are not just paid for but earned with actual experience. 

Envision A Smile cosmetic dental imaging will show the patient what the outcome of the cosmetic dentisty could look like before the treatment begins.  This is a revolutionary new tool for dentists to use to communicate with the patient and the laboratory- ask for it by name because others don't compare to the anatomical correctness that Envision A Smile is committed to.

Welcome to the Envision A Smile Blog!

Wow, all of these new programs and websites are making us more connected than ever! We wanted to welcome you to the Envision A Smile Blog where you will be able to read about recent imaging cases we do and what imaging can do to increase case acceptance. We will also blog about new trends in dentistry and methods dental offices can do to better their dental practices.