Not sure what to do about overall bad teeth.

[ColdArmy13]

Hello everyone. Back again after nearly a decade. A couple root canals with crowns, a back molar root canal failing and extracted. Loss of job and benefits, how’ve a decent job again but I won’t be able to enroll in insurance (Delta) until June.

I have a front lower tooth that I’m sure is dead and had abscessed awhile back, though it hasn’t come back. I’m sure it just found a way to drain on its own but that isn’t good either I’m sure. The four or so teeth around it I’m sure are paying the price right now. I had a small accident where I hit the tooth next to it and I think it killed the tooth. It hasn’t dry right since and cracked the front of the one next to that one at the gum line. I’m not experiencing much if any pain right now, but I’m at wits end trying to figure my options. I have no insurance until June, 2400 available in my credit card, 900 in savings. 700+ credit score so I could apply for care credit but not sure what that will allow me. I mortgage and car payment and the bills that come with that. I’m so sad at the idea of being so far it debt to fix ugly teeth that I have. I like my dentist for the most part but I know he will want to save as many ugly teeth that I’ve hated most of my life for a fortune and. I guarantee of more failures in the future. I’m seriously contemplating visiting affordable dentures an hour away and getting them all extracted for dentures. I feel price would be similar. I’m 37.

I don’t know I can wait until June. I’m in constant fear that my teeth will start aching every day. I don’t know how to proceed. When I went last year for an extraction I was told I need a solid amount of work in every quadrant. If I thought my dentist would pull them and start a denture process I’d go to him for sure. They have sedation and offer dentures but is primarily a family dentist I believe.

I really don’t know what to do.

 

[letsconnect]

Hi, so sorry to hear that you're having such a hard time. It sounds as if you've found a dentist you like, so it must be especially frustrating not being able to afford the treatment you need ?.

There are disadvantages to getting dentures at a young age. You won't know beforehand how you'll adapt to them - some people have far more problems than others, and it's not something you can find out until after the fact. Also, you may want to have a look at this thread before making a decision to jump into dentures:

Please help

Hi, I’m in the UK and I’m so unhappy with my teeth. It really gets me down. They aren’t straight and they are badly stained. Some are broken towards the back. I always hide my smile/laugh, I get so anxious when my young niece and nephews get close to my face because I feel like they’re going to...

www.dentalfearcentral.org

Of course, constantly fixing things is very expensive, so I was wondering how you would rate your current dentist in terms of the advice they give for preventing things from getting worse and improving your oral health?

 

[Nicci]

I feel I can relate to some degree, in that my teeth are also in poor condition. I feel as though it's been a downhill struggle with them since my 30s, which terrifies me tbh.. So I understand the constant fear also. My dentists keep telling me "they need to last you another 40 odd years.. ace, when I've already lost 11 and work on the rest keeps popping up. Every. Single. Year.

I didn't look after mine and didn't know that not looking after them would cause issues beyond dirty teeth or bad breath.. I found out those consequences the hard way. Now it's work after work.

I don't feel you want your teeth removing solely for cosmetic reasons, but it is true you'll likely run into problems later on.

I joined a denture forum after contemplating replacing my missing teeth and I was surprised to read people's posts about loose dentures or an inability to eat as they weren't informed that part of their jaw bone would be reabsorbed (tbh I didn't get told that either, just that 'it could cause problems further along") it's shocking to know people have been allowed to have all their teeth pulled without having been fully informed of the consequences.

I've racked up a 1k bill this year and it's only going to climb (both procedures so far didn't resolve pain issues). Without my husband I couldn't afford any of it so I know I'm extremely lucky... But I have limits and I don't want to be throwing money at this forever either. My denture quote was 5k just for partials, way out of reach. That said, I do know that if I start removing many more I will be meeting full dentures quicker than I'd like and likely implants after that.. it's not the easy way out of pain I hoped it would be.

That said, my Nanna had dentures early and never had any problems and probably ate better than I do! I'm left with chewing on chipped, cracked, filled front teeth that have enamel erosion, and a few side teeth on the left - the right hurt (after a deep filling) and I have no back teeth..!

I feel you need a detailed plan to know how things stand - A dentist saying 'a good amount of work" doesn't cover the extent nor cost, (unless you're phrasing it that way?). you just need to know what you're up against.. and perhaps someone you can confide in to talk it over with.


I genuinely feel your pain, natural bad teeth or false teeth that will likely need replacing with implants.. definitely not a great choice!

I guess we just have to consider it as an investment in our health to soften the blow!?! x