<p>Cosmetic dentistry is just starting to become a thing in the UK - especially whitening and veneers. People want those nice American teeth. You can tell when someone has become “successful” when they get their teeth fixed. A good friend of ours won a huge lottery prize and the 2nd thing he did (after buying his mum a car) was get a chipped tooth fixed.</p>
<p>As I mentioned before, dental procedures here are really only done as medical necessities. Even kids (who get free dental care) sometimes only get cleanings once a year. In the US, my kids always went twice a year for cleanings. I suspect that most adults here rarely go in for routine cleanings, even though it only costs about $25 through NHS.</p>
<p>And if I remember correctly, when my D got braces in the States (medically necessary) our insurance paid 1/2 - but it was still quite expensive for us. When the dentist recommended it for S (not medically necessary, only for cosmetic reasons), we declined. </p>