What are Dental Veneers and How Much Do They Cost?

What are veneers?

Veneers are a cosmetic solution for aesthetic dental woes. From covering up cracks and chips to hiding the result of that unshakeable love for coffee or wine, veneers can make your teeth appear more regular and whiter.  

Made from porcelain or resin, these little tooth-shaped pieces are carefully fixed to the front of your teeth to change their overall appearance. It’s a little like how you might put a painting over the stubborn spot on the wall from when your kid was practicing shotput with their spaghetti and meatballs. 

As a result, veneers don’t actually fix any underlying problems. If that’s more the kind of restoration you’re after, crowns or dentures could be the ticket.  

Crowns (sometimes called caps), for instance, can shore up cracked, broken or decaying teeth, bringing back some strength as well as a clean finish. Dentures, on the other hand, can replace missing teeth to complete your smile, and even make it easier to eat and speak. 

How much do veneers cost?

There’s no set cost for veneers since there’s a few variables at play, including whether you pick porcelain or resin and how many teeth you’d like to see enhanced. However, you could expect to be paying $1,000 plus change for each tooth. In fact, in 2022 the average cost was $1,320 per veneer.¹Australian Dental Association – Dental Fees Survey Private Practice Members, p14

In saying that, though, your veneers could last 10 years or more, assuming you take good care of them. Regular check-ups and cleans along with giving up that trick of opening your beer with your teeth could all go a long way to keeping your veneers intact and looking their best. 

Are veneers covered through Medicare?

Unfortunately, Medicare doesn’t typically cover dental services, and that includes tidying up your smile with veneers.  

Are veneers covered by Private Health Insurance?

Depending on your Extras Cover, your Private Health Insurance could provide some cover for those veneers. When it comes to Dental Extras, Health Insurers tend to split things into general and major dental. General dental includes coverage for regular check-ups and cleans, while major dental is where you’re more likely to find veneers listed, along with other more complicated procedures, like crowns.  

Of course, every insurer may classify certain items differently, so you might need to go through the policy with a fine-tooth comb. 

While you’re studying the policy document, you might also want to check for a few more things like: 

• What your waiting period is: This is how long you’ll need to wait from starting your policy to claiming for veneers. This is generally 12 months.  
• What your annual limits are: You could be covered for veneers but only one to two each year. 
• What your gap is: Your insurer generally won’t cover the total bill for your veneers, so you might need to factor in out-of-pocket costs. 

Helpful tip

On some shared policies, your limits could be bundled. This means that if anyone on the policy makes a claim, it gets counted against the shared total. As a result, you might want to plan your next date night or family outing for the dentist’s office so everyone gets an equal chance to make their claim!

How can I make the most of my Dental Extras Cover?

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to change your smile, but you could get more value from your Dental Extras if you use it for more than just veneers. For instance, your policy may also include other ways to change or repair your teeth, like crowns, bridges, implants and dentures. Even getting wisdom teeth removed could be on the list. 

Lots of these procedures are the kinds you don’t necessarily want to put off (unless you’re fine with plenty of bad nights’ sleep and headaches during the day). Even if you initially got Extras Cover for veneers, you might find that, once you’ve served the waiting period, you’re in a good position to treat these other problems if and when they arise. 

Understanding what you’re covered for — including how much you can claim back and your annual limits — could also make it easier for you to plan ahead. You may want to speak with your dentist about a treatment plan to get the ball rolling. 

Where can I find and compare Private Health Insurance?

If you’re hoping to reinvent your smile or just neaten up that tooth you chipped on a childhood adventure, Private Health Insurance could be the way forward. And iSelect can get you one step further on that journey by helping you compare a range of policies from different providers. It’s simple to compare your health insurance policies online or you can call one of our Health comparison experts on 1800 784 772.