Redo your teeth: which aesthetic treatments to choose?

Whether it is due to an oral disease or a maxillofacial trauma, having damaged, badly positioned, cracked or stained teeth is in most cases a source of complex and loss of self-confidence! But it is not only a question of aesthetics, damaged teeth lose their functions: chewing becomes ineffective or uncomfortable and speech disorders may appear. That's why having your teeth redone is a necessity!

Everyone dreams of having perfect teeth for a harmonious smile and optimal comfort when chewing. But we become reluctant as soon as we hear about the cost of the different interventions, their complexity and heaviness, the possible damage or after-effects of the intervention…

Currently, there are dozens of techniques, each more sophisticated than the last, to completely or partially restore a person's teeth. The only real obstacle is their often high cost!

In this article, Nutrident.fr lists the techniques that currently exist to remake the teeth. We will briefly present each of them (principle, procedure, indications, average cost…) so that you can have an idea of the solutions available to you!

In which cases is it advisable to have a new tooth?

There are dozens of situations in which dental reconstruction, whether partial or total, becomes necessary. Here is a non-exhaustive list:

• Dental agenesis (congenital condition characterized by the absence of tooth development).
• Teeth too far apart since birth.
• An oral malocclusion.
• Teeth destroyed due to several improperly treated cavities.
• Teeth destroyed as a result of periodontal disease.
• Tooth loosening resulting in the loss of one or more teeth.
• Maxillofacial trauma…

Redo your teeth: what solutions are available to you?

There are many techniques available today to reshape teeth in a quick, efficient and damage-free way. The choice of surgery will depend on several criteria that only your dental surgeon is qualified to analyze. The latter will then propose the solution that is best suited to your situation, while taking into account your budget .

Here are the solutions that can be proposed to you for the reconstruction of your teeth:

Aesthetic dental surface reconstruction

This method consists of acting only on the surface of the teeth, without touching their roots or gums. The dentist uses different materials, such as composite or dental veneers (ceramic or pellicular), which are glued on the surface of the teeth to correct a problem of stains, cracks, overlapping… It is therefore a light, non-invasive technique that gives satisfactory results!

For this technique, the dentist can use:

1- Composite

Also called ” resin”, this material is used to “make up” and permanently camouflage small cracks, stubborn stains or after-effects of cavities.

There are 2 main techniques with the use of composite: ” inlay” which means to fill a dental cavity, and ” onlay” whose objective is to recreate a whole dental part (a corner or a dental surface).

After a certain number of years (variable, depending on diet, oral hygiene, genetics…) the composite changes color and must be replaced.

Aesthetic reconstruction with composite costs between 200 and 600€ for each tooth treated. The price varies according to the complexity of the operation, the quantity of composite to be used, the practitioner's fees… It is important to know that there is a reimbursement of 70% by the social security for this kind of techniques, but for a convention rate much lower than the real cost (16 to 150€).

Ceramic veneers

These are a kind of shell made to measure by a prosthetist and that the dentist will glue on the surface of the pathological teeth. This solution allows to treat quickly and efficiently several teeth having problems of pigmentation, cracks, shape, size…

Ceramic veneers cover the entire surface of the treated teeth, unlike composite. That's why the result is more aesthetic.

The impressive results of this technique have a price: 800 to 1300€ per tooth! And to top it all off, no coverage is to be expected from the social security system… Because this technique is considered to be purely aesthetic. It is therefore necessary to find out more and to choose a health insurance company that covers the installation of ceramic veneers.

Pellicular facets

They have the same principle as ceramic veneers, but are distinguished by their extreme thinness: 0.1 to 0.2 millimeters only for some of them!

Another advantage is that their installation rarely requires prior filing of the teeth. This makes it possible to obtain perfectly aesthetic teeth while remaining natural.

The cost of film veneers varies between 800 and 1000€ per tooth treated.

Reconstruction of complete teeth

Sometimes, when one or more teeth are not recoverable (because they are too damaged), there is no other solution, they have to be extracted and replaced thanks to various dental rehabilitation methods!

Dental implants: the reference technique for replacing one or more teeth!

A dental implant is a type of screw that is inserted into the jawbone. This screw will in fact be the root of the future prosthesis dental prosthesis (made to measure by the dental technician).

After the implant is placed, a healing period called ” osseointegration” will be required. During this phase, lasting between 6 and 10 weeks, the jawbone will regenerate and bond with the implant to ensure its fixation. A good quality of osseointegration guarantees an eternal life span of the dental implant(s).

During the healing period, one or more temporary dentures will be put in place to allow the patient to eat and speak as normally as possible.

There is only one real condition to qualify for this type of surgery: you must have sufficient bone volume in your jaw to accommodate the implant(s). If this is not the case, a bone graft, also called a “sinus graft”, is indicated.

Dental implants are currently the most effective and durable solution for replacing one or more missing teeth. It allows bluffing results! The teeth are perfectly positioned and functional. As for the patient's smile, it has nothing to envy to the Hollywood stars!

As you can imagine, you have to reach into your pocket to pay for this type of treatment. The cost of replacing a single tooth ( dental implant + prosthesis) is between 1300 and 2300€. This cost varies considerably depending on the materials used, the necessity or not of a bone graft, the fees of the dental surgeon competent in the field of implantology, the quality of the dental prostheses…

Dental crowns

A crown is a dental prosthesis that is glued directly and permanently to the patient's natural tooth using an adhesive substance (dental cement). It is shaped with extreme precision to allow a natural result and an optimal masticatory function.

A dental crown lasts approximately 8 to 20 years, depending on the patient's eating habits (daily consumption of hard foods decreases the life span of crowns).

As for the price, it is necessary to spend between 800 and 1200€ to have a single ceramic crown placed. The rates are naturally variable from one dental office to another, and according to the complexity of the operation, the quality of the materials…

The health insurance covers a very small part of the cost of a dental crown, up to 75€ (only). It would therefore be wise to choose a mutual insurance company that is efficient in reimbursing this type of prosthesis.

Dental bridges

A bridge dental consists of placing a prosthetic tooth between two natural teeth. These will serve as a support for the ceramic denture. The implant is not attached to the jawbone with an implant or a root canal, but rests entirely on the neighboring healthy teeth.

It is necessary to count approximately 800 to 2000€ for a simple bridge (of 3 teeth). Social security reimburses 195€ and some mutual insurance companies cover the entire cost of a dental bridge!

Redo all your teeth! What solutions?

In some cases where the majority of the teeth are damaged or missing, a global treatment may be necessary! And we are far from the time when we had no other alternative than the famous “dentures”… There are currently several state-of-the-art techniques to effectively replace the entire set of teeth!

Removable prosthesis on implants

This prosthesis resembles a classic denture, with teeth placed on a support imitating real gums, but differs in the way it is attached. Indeed, this one is based on dental implants previously fixed to the jaws. This technique allows for optimal stability and comfort compared to a classic denture.

A removable prosthesis, as its name suggests, can be easily removed, which allows for the maintenance of rigorous oral hygiene.

For this type of prosthesis, it is necessary to count on average 9000€! Some mutual insurance companies cover a large part of the costs.

Bridge and implant combination

It is a method that uses the principles of both techniques: dental implants and bridge. Basically, the dental surgeon strategically places several dental implants that will serve as pillars for the attachment of dentures.

This procedure allows to restore a complete set of teeth for an impressive result! But it is necessary to spend between 15000 and 20000€ for a global treatment.

Important points to remember

• Some situations may require the rehabilitation of one or more damaged teeth.

• There are several methods for reshaping teeth. They are divided into 2 main types: aesthetic surface reconstruction and full tooth reconstruction.
• The prices of the various interventions are often high and the coverage by the social security is very low. But things are starting to change! Reimbursements are expected to increase significantly for several techniques, including the placement of ceramic dentures.
• In the meantime, it would be wise to opt for a mutual insurance company that is effective in covering the various dental restoration techniques.