Your teeth are a valuable and depreciating asset that you own, not all that dissimilar from your car or your home. They have an intrinsic value, not only in the priceless value of your bright smile, but an actual dollars and cents value. Visiting your dentist regularly is like protecting your investment, somewhat like visiting your mechanic regularly or having your home inspected to look for faults. But what are your teeth really worth, anyway?
Children will be excited to learn that the Tooth Fairy has raised her going rate over the last 15 years. According to survey data from Delta Dental released earlier this year, average Tooth Fairy deposits in the under-the-pillow bank have increased from about $1.25 per tooth to more than $4.25 in 2014. It turns out that if you could have invested money in the “tooth market” back in 1998, when Delta Dental started the survey, you would have seen your portfolio’s value rise more than similar investments in the S&P 500, though both have followed similar courses during the past decade and a half.
What about adults? For that we turn to lawyers, who for our intents and purposes are the “Tooth Fairy” for grown men and women. Tooth values here vary wildly, however, based on the circumstances of the tooth loss. AllLaw reports teeth damaged in an accident have a wide range of values. In the sample verdicts and settlement values offered in the site’s article, payouts ranged from $10,000 for a chipped front tooth in a liability claim in an accident on property to $98,000 in a settlement covering two broken teeth and permanent lip scarring incurred from a car accident.
Whether it’s childhood teeth or your adult chompers, it turns out that your teeth have some significant cash value. This is just one more reason that making sure you do all you can to keep them clean and protected is important. While no amount of prevention can protect you from life’s accidents, keeping up on your brushing and flossing routine at home and having regular dental appointments can ensure that your teeth stay in great shape and don’t end up costing you money in expensive replacements or extensive dental work. Schedule your next appointment with Genesee Dental online now or call us at 585-343-1113 to plan your next visit.