Dental expenses can be quite steep to keep our teeth!

[ArkRescue]

I got so concerned about the dental work I was facing yesterday that I forgot to take along my little pillow for lower back support that those big dental chairs are missing for people my size in the chair. Ended up rolling up my hoodie to use for back support. They worked on 4 teeth across 3 sections of my mouth for over 3+ hours ...... left there and got a milkshake at McD's which I now know I don't care for, so next time I'll go elsewhere. I was a sight to see when I was trying to drink water with what felt like a fat lip but it wasn't really. Good teeth do run in families, but it wasn't in my family. I brush and floss my teeth regularly, and I get professional cleanings regularly also, but still get cavities, and I don't even eat candy regularly.

I wish I had the figures to add all the money that has been spent for dental work since I was a child - and I'm not talking about the cleanings either, I mean actual work to the teeth. Teeth seem to go through a cycle whereby even 1 tooth can cost you several thousand dollars as you go through the process of a filling, then root canal, crown, then the tooth gets brittle and has to be pulled, then you are paying for an implant if it's a "needed for chewing or a front tooth" (or to keep your teeth in alignment). I can say with confidence that the dental work done in my mouth has far exceeded $20k. Just how far will we go to keep our teeth and not have to resort to false teeth and Poli-grip?

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

I got so concerned about the dental work I was facing yesterday that I forgot to take along my little pillow for lower back support that those big dental chairs are missing for people my size in the chair. Ended up rolling up my hoodie to use for back support. They worked on 4 teeth across 3 sections of my mouth for over 3+ hours ...... left there and got a milkshake at McD's which I now know I don't care for, so next time I'll go elsewhere. I was a sight to see when I was trying to drink water with what felt like a fat lip but it wasn't really. Good teeth do run in families, but it wasn't in my family. I brush and floss my teeth regularly, and I get professional cleanings regularly also, but still get cavities, and I don't even eat candy regularly.

I wish I had the figures to add all the money that has been spent for dental work since I was a child - and I'm not talking about the cleanings either, I mean actual work to the teeth. Teeth seem to go through a cycle whereby even 1 tooth can cost you several thousand dollars as you go through the process of a filling, then root canal, crown, then the tooth gets brittle and has to be pulled, then you are paying for an implant if it's a "needed for chewing or a front tooth" (or to keep your teeth in alignment). I can say with confidence that the dental work done in my mouth has far exceeded $20k. Just how far will we go to keep our teeth and not have to resort to false teeth and Poli-grip?

Ever since I started paying my own medical insurance, I too have spent thousands on teeth that still break. My, what I'll call 'brittle tooth issue' stems from meds I've been on since '93. One of the last times I went to see my now-retired Dentist, he told me, 'your teeth are falling apart faster than I can fix them.' 'You may want to consider dentures.' That was a few years ago.
I'm still mulling it over. I share your plight Arkie.

 

[ArkRescue]

Ever since I started paying my own medical insurance, I too have spent thousands on teeth that still break. My, what I'll call 'brittle tooth issue' stems from meds I've been on since '93. One of the last times I went to see my now-retired Dentist, he told me, 'your teeth are falling apart faster than I can fix them.' 'You may want to consider dentures.' That was a few years ago.
I'm still mulling it over. I share your plight Arkie.

So far I have 3 completed implants and one is 1/2 completed. If nothing else I should at least be able to chew my food until I die (as long as I don't lose the bone that is holding the titanium implant posts in place). Many others are crowned. I know a lady who had all of her upper teeth ground down and crowned to have really white teeth. She said once she pays off that loan she will have the bottom teeth done to match. I guess we all spend money on different things, mine is critters obviously.

 

[dan0623_2000]

Hope this will be helpfull to some people. The University Of Maryland Dental School in Baltimore has regular dental clinics. Well maybe the word clinic is not the correct word to describe their survices. Whatever work that is done by your local dentist can be done by the dental students and at a much cheaper price and they also take most insurances. The drawback is you will have to make several trips to Baltimore before they actually start working on your teeth.
Look it up on the internet. If you would like more info on my experience with the school PM me. I highly recommend them.

 

[ArkRescue]

Hope this will be helpfull to some people. The University Of Maryland Dental School in Baltimore has regular dental clinics. Well maybe the word clinic is not the correct word to describe their survices. Whatever work that is done by your local dentist can be done by the dental students and at a much cheaper price and they also take most insurances. The drawback is you will have to make several trips to Baltimore before they actually start working on your teeth.
Look it up on the internet. If you would like more info on my experience with the school PM me. I highly recommend them.