How To Economize On Regular Dental Care
Written by Susan De Burlet   
Sunday, 14 March 2010 08:40
While each of us wants high oral health standards, there are also concerns about the high cost of procedures nowadays. Statistics indicate that each dental patient provides, on average, slightly under $900 to his or her dentist per year. The life-time costs are therefore enormous. Much of these costs are hidden in terms of group insurance, the impact of which is felt through co-payments and purchases of dental care products.
by SusanDeBurlet


While each of us wants high oral health standards, there are also concerns about the high cost of procedures nowadays. Statistics indicate that each dental patient provides, on average, slightly under $900 to his or her dentist per year. The life-time costs are therefore enormous. Much of these costs are hidden in terms of group insurance, the impact of which is felt through co-payments and purchases of dental care products.

One effective way to economize is to make sure that one is getting the minimal amount of work needed for maintaining good oral health with positive long term impact. Sometimes cosmetic needs arise but can be put off until later, but other times cosmetic needs and basic dental needs go hand-in-hand in cases such as a lost tooth. Ask the dentist for a cost-benefit analysis in terms of long term oral health, and make clear that aesthetics come later.

A case might adhere to the following scenario. A patient might come into the office with a large cavity, meaning substantial parts of the tooth have been eaten away by decay and major work is required. The dentist should offer two options. The first option is both a filling of the cavity and a crown to fully seal and protect the tooth from structural damage, as well as improve its look. The second option is to fill the cavity with a non-metal substance so it looks natural, and leave it at that. The second option is much less expensive.

There are also some elective procedures that one can either forgo or modify. One good example is teeth whitening. Whitening can be done via the classical, traditional way with carbamide peroxide soaking. New treatments using lasers have started to spring up also. However, many people find that the laser cleaning, while more expensive, offers only marginally better results than peroxide. This is a patient-by-patient decision.

Procedures may cost a lot of money at once, but buying oral health products is a drain on finances over time. To save money, look for bulk discounts at large wholesale suppliers like Costco. Buying toothbrushes or electric brush refills at the supermarket misses out on leveraging your money with volume purchases. However, make sure to replace a brush when the bristles start fraying as it's an indicator of reduced brush efficacy.

When shopping for fancy equipment like electric toothbrushes, you will find prices vary a lot as these items have a range of technical sophistication. Look into the long term costs as well. The motorized base of the toothbrush is a high fixed cost but lasts a long time. The replacement brushes and batteries will end up costing more, as this is the pricing strategy to maximize profit for the manufacturer. Account fully for both immediate and recurring expenses.

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