Porcelain veneers are a recent but fast-growing trend in cosmetic dentistry. They are basically thin films of porcelain fixed to the front of your teeth so that they look whiter and smoother. Essentially, they are a form of permanent teeth whitening. Veneers have become hugely popular because they are fairly easy to apply and require minimal maintenance. Dentists recommend them for teeth that are stained or discoloured (usually from smoking or a medical condition), chipped, worn, or misaligned. Price is probably the procedure’s biggest drawback. Porcelain veneers cost anywhere from under $1,000 to over $30,000, depending on a long list of factors. The most important ones are the extent of the veneer ...

Tooth extractions are among the most common of dental procedures. It’s tempting to assume that also makes them the cheapest, but that’s not always the case. While you can get an extraction for cheap, lots of others go into it, the most prominent being the type of extraction needed and the complexity of the procedure. Extracting the tooth itself can cost you as little as $50 or as much as $1,000. A simple extraction, wherein the tooth is fully erupted, has small roots, and isn’t growing into any neighboring teeth, will cost $100 to $150. You may be able to get it for less if you shop around, but that’s the general ...

Most people develop wisdom teeth around age 10, but the teeth themselves can surface anywhere from two to 15 years later. This unpredictability makes them tricky—you never how the tooth will grow, and there’s always a chance that it will grow the wrong way. The most common problem is impacting, where the molar grows into adjacent teeth and keeps them from emerging. In this case, the tooth must be removed; otherwise they can get very painful and even affect neighbouring organs, such as the sinus. Wisdom teeth extraction is considered minor surgery. It is performed with strong local anesthesia and usually a local sedative to help keep the patient still. While it’s ...

For a large part, media has been instrumental in creating the hype towards whiter teeth. But the fact is that blindingly white teeth aren’t the norm; human teeth naturally discolour over time as the outer enamel thins, and as they absorb liquids from your food. A healthy adult’s teeth will have a pale, barely noticeable yellow tinge; that’s perfectly healthy. That’s why those toothpaste commercials seem so surreal—those teeth simply don’t exist in everyday life. But that doesn’t mean there’s no credit to teeth whitening. Some people opt for the procedure because their dental colouring has significantly changed, either from smoking, gum problems, or some other condition. If you think you’re a ...