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Archives for June 2019

Oral Surgeon or Dentist for Extraction

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I had a filling fall out. I ignored it because I’m not the best at keeping up with my needed dental care. I have some dental anxiety that tends to help me justify putting things off. Well, the tooth became painful again and I went to see a dentist who did a root canal treatment. I didn’t follow up with the crown and the dentist never contacted me. At the time I considered that good luck. Now I’m not so sure. The tooth was reinfected. I went to see another dentist who said the tooth is too far gone and needs to be extracted. He told me it’s a complicated extraction so I could go to an oral surgeon who’d use anesthesia or him with a local. Would it be unsafe to use a regular dentist? Anesthesia is pretty pricey but I don’t want to do anything unsafe.

Carl

Dear Carl,

Woman asleep from dental sedation

Sedation dentistry is sometimes called sleep dentistry…for a reason.

It’s not unsafe to do an extraction with a general dentist unless the dentist is in over his head. That may be what your dentist is hinting at by even suggesting you go elsewhere. The first thing I’d do is ask him his comfort level with this procedure. If he’s comfortable then you should be fine. If he’s not you have two other choices.

Go to an Oral Surgeon

An oral surgeon will be experienced in any number of complicated extractions and you can do it under anesthesia. However, as you mentioned earlier, this is a more expensive proposition for you. I have a middle ground, which I think will also help with the dental anxiety you face as well.

Go to a Dentist who Offers Sedation Options

There are dental sedation options with a general dentist which cost less than what you’d have to pay with anesthesia. You will still be completely relaxed. In fact, it is sometimes dubbed sleep dentistry because most patients are so relaxed they sleep through the entire appointment.

You’ll find this allows you to get a lot more work done in each sitting as well. This means you can get caught up on all your neglected dental work as well.

Once your tooth is removed, it will be time for you to look at tooth replacement options. I’m going to suggest you get a dental implant as it is the best replacement option. However, if the adjacent teeth need extensive work, such as porcelain crowns, it will be more cost effective for you to get a dental bridge instead. This will crown the adjacent teeth while filling in the missing tooth.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Affording Dentistry without Insurance

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I was laid off from my job last year and used up a lot of my savings before I got a new job. In my new job, I’m considered an independent contractor so there’s no insurance provided, either medical or dental so I’m on my own. I’ve had a rough go lately and am sure I have some cavities. Plus, I think the stress has caused me to start clenching or grinding my teeth because my jaw hurts every morning. Is there a way to get affordable care without insurance?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

A dollar sign hatching out of an egg

You’ve been through quite a rough patch but it seems like things are starting to look back up for you. I know it’s hard when you don’t have dental insurance, but I want to steer you against just price shopping. There is an important difference between affordable dentistry and cheap dentistry.

When a dentist is unusually cheaper than other dentists there is usually a reason and one you won’t be thrilled with. One common reason for cheap prices is when a dentist is not good at their job and cannot retain clients, therefore they keep their prices super low in order to draw in new patients.

Another way they get their prices so low is by purchasing sub-par materials to make up their profit margin. Often, the procedure fails but not for months after it was completed. Unfortunately, the patient will have no idea it was because of the material the dentist used, so they end up spending more money.

Ways to Get Affordable Dentistry

You can do an internet search using the term “affordable dentist“. This won’t necessarily mean they are cheap, but they do their best to help patients get the care they need. Some will do payment plans through Care Credit. Others have discounts if you use cash.

You can purchase insurance plans without a company. They vary in price but are rarely more than $50 a month. Be aware that many have a waiting period for certain procedures, so if you are going to go that route make sure you do it sooner rather than later.

Teeth Clenching & Grinding

You are likely right about the teeth clenching and grinding. This needs to be dealt with. Fortunately, there is an easy solution. Your dentist can make you a custom-fitted mouth guard. This will protect your teeth from these actions, even while you are sleeping.

This is a serious issue. Not only can this habit lead to TMJ Disorder, but you can also crack your teeth (requiring a dental crown) or loosen them, putting them at risk of coming out.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington Dentist Dr. John Weaver.