It’s one of the most important lessons we try to get across on this blog: never make decisions about dental care on the basis of cost. That’s because there are real differences in the quality of cosmetic dentistry between our exceptional dentistry and what you might get from a budget dental practice.

Cheap Dentistry May Not Look Good

The most important aspect of cosmetic dentistry is the appearance. Unfortunately, this is where cheap cosmetic dentistry often fails. Cheap cosmetic dentistry can fail to be attractive for many reasons.

Cheap dentistry can have negative results.

Cosmetic dentistry depends on the ability of the dentist to properly design a smile. This is not something that is taught well in dental school. It depends on the eye and judgment of the cosmetic dentist. Vital lessons can often be taught with additional training focused on cosmetic dentistry. But dentists offering cheap cosmetic dentistry are probably not going to invest in that vital training or the dental technology it takes to properly execute it.

The dental lab is also crucial to getting attractive results from cosmetic dentistry. The lab technicians are the ones actually making the restorations, and if they don’t have the right tools and skill, the results can leave something to be desired. Dental labs (rightly) charge more for access to their highly trained staff with the latest equipment, and this is one of the places where cheap dentists may look to save money.

Finally, the material itself is responsible for the appearance of the restoration. But quality materials that are both strong and attractive don’t come cheap. Your budget dentist likely didn’t tell you they were using less attractive materials, but once you get the final restoration, it’s obvious.

At Beyond Exceptional Dentistry, we have three of the most talented and best trained cosmetic dentists in the country. We only work with the best labs, and we’ll always offer the most attractive materials.

Cheap Dentistry May Be Uncomfortable

A lot of dentists may believe that your restorations only have to be fitted to your other teeth. Just put a restoration in place, check the fit with a quick “tap-tap” for you to bite down on articulating paper, and you’re done. The problem is that this gives only a small part of the picture.

Your teeth are only one part of a complex and interrelated system we can describe as your bite. Muscles, nerves, bones, soft tissue, and teeth all need to work together for you to have a comfortable, functional bite. If a restoration interferes with this harmonious function, it can cause irritation or pain. Your bite might just not feel right. Or maybe it will even hurt. Proper fitting takes time, and a dentist’s time can be expensive. Time is one thing that gets cut right away to save money.

Or perhaps the fit of the restoration doesn’t completely cover the prepared area. If this is the case, hot or cold liquids can flow in around the crown or veneer to affect the pulp. You’ll be sensitive to hot and cold, making for a very uncomfortable experience.

Restorations That Fail before Their Time

Cosmetic dentistry restorations should last decades. Although there’s always a small chance that restorations could break, this is more common with cheap dentistry. The problem could be the materials. Cheap materials are less durable as well as less attractive.

A poorly fitted restoration may break for the same reasons why it causes discomfort. The poor fit can put excess force on the restorations, causing them to break.

Restorations can also fail because the margins allow decay to develop at the edges. And when the tooth under the restoration fails, the restoration is lost, too.

Invest in Quality Cosmetic Dentistry

If you are looking for cosmetic dentistry that looks great, feels comfortable, and lasts a long time, you need to stop looking at cheap cosmetic dentistry.

Instead, it’s time to invest in quality cosmetic dentistry which will repay your investment with its beautiful functionality for years and even decades to come. To learn more about what quality cosmetic dentistry will mean for you, please call (843) 706-2999 today for an appointment with a Hilton Head cosmetic dentist at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry.