Although cosmetic dentistry is not as invasive as cosmetic surgery, it is still something that you need to think about hard before committing. It is after all something that is pretty expensive and very complicated to go through. Here are some of the things that you need to consider when considering getting a cosmetic dentistry procedure.
- Budget
Cosmetic dentistry is expensive. This is not just the ordinary cleaning of the teeth or an extraction. If you want your smile to be worthy of a toothpaste commercial, you may have to undergo several of these procedures plus a lot more. And of course, you have to pay for each of the procedures. This is not the same as a cosmetic surgery when you only usually have to go through one procedure. With cosmetic dentistry, you may need several and each, as you well know, can be expensive. There are also the Xrays and the tests that you have to pay for as well as the incidentals like the braces and the wax.
Before going through the whole thing, have a talk with your dentist and ask how much you will be spending on the whole thing. Tell your dentist to estimate the cost and to give you the maximum cost. That way, you will be able to know just how much money you have to prepare and if you have them.
- Time
As mentioned before, simple cosmetic dentistry can involve a lot of procedures that can stretch into weeks and months. You may need to get a tooth extraction, which will need a couple of weeks of recuperation. Afterward, you may need to get braces that doctors will require you to wear for months. If you do not have the time or cannot spare time for the procedures, better think twice because missed appointments can stretch the time period to years, and sometimes, the progress that you already had will only be wasted and you have to start from scratch.
- Appearance
Not everybody wants to go back to their brace-days in high school. If you are considering cosmetic dentistry, be prepared to have to wear those again especially if it is going to be a major one. This can be a problem with people whose work involves meeting clients and going to meetings. Just imagine presenting to clients and attending business meetings with braces! Of course, there are ways now to make these braces appear nonexistent. There are invisible braces in the same color as your teeth. These can however be very expensive. So consider this first before proceeding.
Cosmetic dentistry is actually a pretty minor procedure but it can involve several small ones that may affect your work-life and financial standing. So before you decide to go through one, make sure that you are 100% sure of your decision. Otherwise, you are just going to waste your money and your time as well as waste the dentist’s efforts… but come to think of it, he is paid anyway.