H
hakura0
Junior member
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2017
- Messages
- 1
A little background first; I'm under 30 but over 25, and my situation is a mix of bad genetics and, I'll admit, questionable care. My grandfather had to have his teeth pulled and dentures when he joined the army at around 20, so I've done a bit better than that. My mom's are similarly bad, though I think she's got more metric tooth left. (ha)
I didn't have this problem, really, when I was a kid. My teeth were bad but I got regular check-ups and all that. Eventually, when we had good insurance, I even got braces. That's probably around where the trouble started. I hated braces, hated having them tightened, and felt guilty as sin about how much I knew was still being spent for them. When I lost my retainer (a thousand bucks to replace) I took the opportunity to just get them out.
With teenager-hood came anxiety and depression, not that I knew what either of those things were. Self-care habits plummeted. We also lost our insurance, so I couldn't see the dentist at all. Around 20 is I think when everything started adding up.
At this point, a number of front teeth are broken off at or near the gum, one of my right back teeth is a black hole I need to pry food out of daily, and the rest of my mouth is, quite frankly, a hazard trap. I scared a kid into better oral hygiene once at a laundromat I used to work at, and regularly take digs at myself. I've had multiple infected teeth, a few pulled, and of late pretty much everything was infected. One tooth or another pretty much always hurts, and I've got a mental list of foods I have to avoid because, as I put it, 'I don't have enough teeth'. See: anything crunchy, really. Because I just know something'll come off.
The funny thing is I've gotten so used to it, under a certain level I barely notice when something hurts or feels weird.
After about 4 years since I've seen a dentist, I finally made an appointment when another piece of tooth broke off and exposed...something. I've known forever that I was headed towards dentures, though until recently it was more of a dread than anything else. (Admittedly this was a big part of why I didn't want to go. On top of expecting to be shamed.)
So, for the first time in ages I went to the dentist! The visit went well - it was a 'getting to know you' and initial check-up more than anything, my dentist more or less agreed with me. There was, however, absolutely no shaming. They were able to make another appointment for me later that day to have a few teeth pulled (my insurance covered all of it), and I told them I'd think about it and see if I could come up with the money.
For all the extractions and the dentures, my estimate was $2400, with $2000 that could be covered by something not quite CareCredit. This was after insurance. (Anyone in the KY area know if this is a good price?)
At this point I'm getting up the nerve to call and make an appointment for the fittings, other extractions, etc. I'm more or less stuck at the dentist I'm at - and they make their own dentures - due to insurance, but they were super nice - if a little overzealous with writing my excuse note for work. Two days, and I barely felt any pain at all. Ah well.
The thing I'm running into now, is nerves, plain and simple - compounded with the last forum I found doing a ton of shaming anyone asking about dentures, talking about what a terrible idea they were, and everything else under the sun. I've read a few stories on here that have helped, but I need all the reassurance I can get. I've got a list of questions I want to ask them before the appointment since I was shaky back when I was actually talking to them.
Really, right now, I guess I'm looking for some people to tell me that this isn't a terrible idea, for my own piece of mind. My teeth aren't as bad currently as they were before my last visit, but I know that's because I got an antibiotic, and I know it's just a matter of time no matter what I do.
I didn't have this problem, really, when I was a kid. My teeth were bad but I got regular check-ups and all that. Eventually, when we had good insurance, I even got braces. That's probably around where the trouble started. I hated braces, hated having them tightened, and felt guilty as sin about how much I knew was still being spent for them. When I lost my retainer (a thousand bucks to replace) I took the opportunity to just get them out.
With teenager-hood came anxiety and depression, not that I knew what either of those things were. Self-care habits plummeted. We also lost our insurance, so I couldn't see the dentist at all. Around 20 is I think when everything started adding up.
At this point, a number of front teeth are broken off at or near the gum, one of my right back teeth is a black hole I need to pry food out of daily, and the rest of my mouth is, quite frankly, a hazard trap. I scared a kid into better oral hygiene once at a laundromat I used to work at, and regularly take digs at myself. I've had multiple infected teeth, a few pulled, and of late pretty much everything was infected. One tooth or another pretty much always hurts, and I've got a mental list of foods I have to avoid because, as I put it, 'I don't have enough teeth'. See: anything crunchy, really. Because I just know something'll come off.
The funny thing is I've gotten so used to it, under a certain level I barely notice when something hurts or feels weird.
After about 4 years since I've seen a dentist, I finally made an appointment when another piece of tooth broke off and exposed...something. I've known forever that I was headed towards dentures, though until recently it was more of a dread than anything else. (Admittedly this was a big part of why I didn't want to go. On top of expecting to be shamed.)
So, for the first time in ages I went to the dentist! The visit went well - it was a 'getting to know you' and initial check-up more than anything, my dentist more or less agreed with me. There was, however, absolutely no shaming. They were able to make another appointment for me later that day to have a few teeth pulled (my insurance covered all of it), and I told them I'd think about it and see if I could come up with the money.
For all the extractions and the dentures, my estimate was $2400, with $2000 that could be covered by something not quite CareCredit. This was after insurance. (Anyone in the KY area know if this is a good price?)
At this point I'm getting up the nerve to call and make an appointment for the fittings, other extractions, etc. I'm more or less stuck at the dentist I'm at - and they make their own dentures - due to insurance, but they were super nice - if a little overzealous with writing my excuse note for work. Two days, and I barely felt any pain at all. Ah well.
The thing I'm running into now, is nerves, plain and simple - compounded with the last forum I found doing a ton of shaming anyone asking about dentures, talking about what a terrible idea they were, and everything else under the sun. I've read a few stories on here that have helped, but I need all the reassurance I can get. I've got a list of questions I want to ask them before the appointment since I was shaky back when I was actually talking to them.
Really, right now, I guess I'm looking for some people to tell me that this isn't a terrible idea, for my own piece of mind. My teeth aren't as bad currently as they were before my last visit, but I know that's because I got an antibiotic, and I know it's just a matter of time no matter what I do.