Dental Procedures Explained

Dental problems are one of those problems which all of us face. They are mostly caused due to weakening of the gums or teeth. Many a time people face this problem of tooth decay, which requires cleaning and filling. This may be caused due to accumulation of food particles and subsequent formation of bacteria, which may lead to tooth abscess. It's important that you visit a dentist to get rid of such problems, but you may feel that dental procedures are frightening and difficult, which in reality is not the case. Some of the most common procedures include veneers, tooth extraction, filling, root canal, false teeth dentures, dental implant, bleaching, orthodontic treatments, bridges, crowns, sealants and tooth bonding. Dental implant is one of the most common dental procedures. Explained below is the way in which different procedures are carried out and the average dental procedures cost.

Different Types of Dental Procedures

Veneers - Veneers is used to enhance the look of chipped or broken tooth. Moreover, this process can also be used to remove undesired teeth, correct uneven teeth, and repair wear and tear of teeth. Veneers are nothing but a protective covering which is used to cover the surface of the teeth. There are basically two types of veneers - composite resin and porcelain veneers. The composite dental veneers cost is around, US $300 to 1,500, while the porcelain ones cost around US $1,000 to 2,500.

Tooth Extraction - Tooth Extraction is one of the most common dental procedures and is carried out so as to prevent damaging the teeth structure any further. Many a time people complain of wisdom teeth pain and in such cases wisdom tooth extraction may be required. At times, this process needs to be carried out so that space is created for orthodontic treatment. Besides teeth structure, a tooth may be extracted if it decays or gets infected. Depending on how severe your tooth condition is, the tooth extraction cost, varies in the range of US $300 to 1000.

Fillings - Filling is carried out if a tooth decays and cavities are formed. White fillings or composite resins and silver fillings or dental amalgams are the two common types of dental fillings used. The cost of tooth filling depends on the condition of your tooth and can cost you around US $100 to 250 per tooth.

Root Canal - In case of any problem of the dental pulp, root canal is carried out. In this process the pulp is removed and is replaced with filing material. If a tooth decays to such an extent that the decayed part reaches the nerves, root canal may be necessary and is usually done if filling is not of any help. The root canal cost can be anywhere between US $500 to 1000 per tooth.

False Teeth Dentures - This is one of the most common types of cosmetic dentistry, wherein a missing tooth is replaced and in its place an artificial tooth is placed, which is made of acrylic resin. Dentures can be divided into four types - complete, partial, conventional and immediate. Complete denture involves removing all the teeth, while partial denture involves fills the gap between missing teeth. In conventional dentures all the teeth are extracted, after which the patient is allowed to recover for sometime (for at least 4 weeks). It's only after the recovery period that the dentures are placed. However, immediate dentures don't have any recovery period, and dentures are placed immediately. The average false teeth dentures cost, is in the range of US $500 to 3,000, depending on the kind of procedure required. On the other hand partial dentures cost can go as high as US $4,000, if costly materials like gold are used.

Basic Dental Implant Procedure Explained - Dental implant surgery can be used as an alternative to dentures, wherein a small cavity is made using a tooth grilling machine. The process of creating such this cavity is called gum grafting and once it's formed, a suitable filling is placed, and over it the crown is placed. You may need to go through this process so as to restore the shape of the mouth. The cost of dental implant depends on the kind of equipment used during the procedure. The dental implants average cost is about, US $1,000 to 4,000 and can go up to US $30,000.

Teeth Bleaching - If your teeth become lose their white color, you can opt for this process, wherein the color of the teeth is lightened, using a bleaching agent. Bleaching teeth is one of the cosmetic dentistry process and there is nothing to worry, as there are no known side effects. The average teeth bleaching cost is in the range of US $500 to 1000.

Orthodontics - This process involves using thin metallic wires to align the jaws. If there's a jaw disorder, extra teeth or crooked tooth, this process is used to correct it. Putting on braces can be quite costly as braces cost can go as high as US $8000. However, there are some braces available at a lower price as well which may be around US $200, but only for the six front teeth.

Bridges - In case you have lost a tooth, you may need to use a dental bridge to cover that opening. Such bridges are fixed to the gum by means of a cementing material, so that it can't be moved. The dental bridge cost can be anywhere between US $700 to 1000 for a single tooth.

Crowns - If one of your teeth is decayed or damaged very badly, then a crown may be placed over it. The shape of the crown is similar to that of your tooth and is used to strengthen the structure of the damaged or decayed tooth. It can be made of different material like porcelain or even gold. A simple dental crown cost can be around US $500. However, if you go for crowns made of costly material like porcelain, it can go up to around US $3,000.

Sealant - If you are fed up with the decay of your teeth, you can go for sealants, which are used to prevent tooth decay. Sealants are plastic films which are fixed on premolars and molars, and they provide complete protection against decay. Sealants are quite cost-effective and can cost anywhere around US $35 to 60 per tooth.

Tooth Bonding - This process involves applying composite resin, so as to correct fractured, chipped or decayed teeth. Tooth bonding is different from veneers, as veneers are artificially made in a laboratory, whereas the bonding process involves using certain materials to bond the teeth. The teeth bonding cost can be anywhere between US$ 300 to 1000 per pair of teeth. On the other hand if you have a chipped tooth, the chipped tooth repair cost can be anywhere between US $100 to 1000 depending on the extent of damage.

And now a little bit on dental procedures during pregnancy. Well, there's nothing to worry about going through a dental procedure even during pregnancy. During pregnancy the gums may bleed and swell, due to certain hormonal changes in the body, like increase in levels of estrogen and progesterone. As such, dental procedures may be required to correct such conditions.

So, these were the different types of dental procedures which you may need to go through. It's always good to consult a professional on the kind of treatment required for proper dental care.