Your smile is one of your most valuable assets. It’s often the first thing people notice when they meet you, and it plays a crucial role in how you communicate with the world. However, beyond aesthetics, your oral health has far-reaching effects on your overall well-being and, surprisingly, your finances. Regular dental checkups might seem like an unnecessary expense you can postpone, but they’re actually one of the smartest investments you can make for both your health and your wallet.
At Sopris Smiles, we believe that preventive care is the cornerstone of excellent dental health. Our approach focuses on identifying and resolving minor issues before they escalate into expensive problems, saving you time, discomfort, and money in the long run.
When life gets busy, it’s easy to postpone routine dental appointments. Many people think, “My teeth feel fine, so why bother?” Unfortunately, this approach often leads to more serious issues down the road, as dental problems rarely announce themselves with dramatic symptoms until they’ve progressed significantly.
By the time you feel pain from a cavity, the decay has likely reached the inner pulp of your tooth, potentially requiring a root canal rather than a simple filling. Similarly, gum disease can progress silently for months or years before becoming noticeable, at which point you might be facing expensive treatments to save your teeth.
Regular checkups allow us to spot these issues in their earliest stages when treatment is:
For example, the cost difference between treating early-stage decay with a filling versus needing a root canal and crown can be substantial. When you multiply this across several teeth over your lifetime, the savings from preventive care become even more apparent.
During your regular dental checkup at Sopris Smiles, we do much more than look for cavities. Our comprehensive exam includes professional cleanings to remove plaque and tartar buildup you can’t address with home care, oral cancer screenings, and thorough assessments of your overall oral health.
The real power of prevention lies in what happens beyond the basic examination. We utilize advanced digital scanning technology to detect problems invisible to the naked eye, allowing for truly preventive treatment. This approach helps avoid the progression of dental issues that may require more extensive and expensive procedures later.
Most people don’t realize their bite pattern directly affects their long-term dental costs. When we evaluate your occlusion during each visit, we’re looking at how your teeth come together when you chew. Poor bite alignment results in uneven pressure distribution, leading to early wear and potentially costly damage over time.
Here’s a surprising fact: you should have less than 1mm of tooth wear over your entire lifetime. If your teeth show excessive wear, there’s usually an underlying cause we can identify and address before it leads to costly restorative work.
Our CBCT cone beam CT scans reveal far more than traditional X-rays. This technology allows us to evaluate your airway health, tongue positioning, and potential breathing obstructions, all factors that directly impact your overall well-being and medical expenses.
Undiagnosed sleep breathing disorders like sleep apnea affect millions of people and significantly increase healthcare costs through elevated risks of stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cognitive decline. By identifying these issues early through comprehensive dental screening, we help you avoid potentially serious medical complications down the road.
The financial benefits of regular dental care extend beyond your mouth. Research has increasingly demonstrated links between oral health and systemic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, respiratory infections, and pregnancy complications.
Poor oral health can exacerbate existing health conditions or contribute to the development of new ones, potentially leading to increased medical expenses. By supporting good oral health through regular dental visits, you’re also investing in your overall health and potentially reducing medical costs in other areas.
This holistic approach to healthcare aligns with our philosophy at Sopris Smiles, where we consider your entire health picture when creating treatment plans.
Think of regular dental checkups as maintenance for your smile, similar to how you wouldn’t skip oil changes for your car because you know the long-term consequences would be costly. Your teeth are meant to last a lifetime, but they require consistent care to remain healthy and strong.
The investment in twice-yearly dental visits is minimal compared to the potential cost of emergency dental procedures or extensive restorative work. Additionally, maintaining your natural teeth helps avoid the significant expense of replacements, such as implants, which cost on average between $3,100 and $5,200.
At Sopris Smiles, we’re committed to making preventive care accessible and comfortable for all our patients. Our team, led by Dr. Golnaz Samimifar, has invested in advanced technology and extensive continuing education to provide the highest standard of care in a welcoming environment. We take a holistic approach to dental care, considering your entire health when developing treatment plans.
Don’t wait until you’re experiencing pain or visible problems with your teeth. Invest in your smile’s future today by scheduling your regular checkup. Your wallet—and your future self—will thank you! Call us at (303) 761-2999 or schedule an appointment through our website.
Sopris Smiles is thrilled to welcome the patients of Dr. Gregory Bevans
