How Routine Visits to the Dentist Make Your Dental Costs More Affordable
Posted on: 1 September 2015
Spending money on routine dental check-ups may not seem an obvious way to save money, but preventative visits can reduce your long-term dental costs, making them more affordable. Routine visits may spot problem areas early and help you maintain good oral health habits, so that you can avoid more serious and costly problems in the future. This is one of those cases when prevention really can be cheaper than the cure.
Spotting Minor Dental Problems
If you visit your dentist regularly for a routine check-up, you stand a better chance of identifying problems with your teeth as soon as they happen or shortly afterwards. Catch a problem early, and it may be just a minor issue that is relatively cheap and painless to fix; leave it to develop, and it may turn more serious and cost more money.
You may avoid making routine dental visits, because your teeth seem fine and you don't want to pay when no work is needed. However, you may have a problem that isn't obvious and that may get worse without treatment. For example, your dentist may spot some decay or a broken filling that you haven't noticed. Left untreated, the problem could develop in to a more serious condition that requires heavyweight treatment, such as root canal work or an extraction and cosmetic replacement. Fixing the problem early would have been more affordable than the cost of more extensive treatment, possibly saving you hundreds or thousands of dollars.
If you have a private health insurance plan, check if it includes preventative dental care as an additional benefit. Some coverage includes no-gap options that cover all the costs of some preventative visits, often including check-ups and routine care procedures; other policies pay a percentage of preventative dental costs. Insurance may not cover all your routine costs, but it may make your regular dental care more affordable.
Helping Promote Better Oral Health
A good dentist doesn't just check the state of your teeth and gums on a routine visit, and you should also get advice on how well you're managing your general oral care and hygiene. If you follow your dentist's advice after check-ups and take good care of your teeth, gums and diet, your teeth are likely to stay healthier. This reduces the chances that you'll need more expensive treatments in the future, potentially saving you a lot of money over time and keeping your smile bright and healthy.
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