I'm really upset

[lindsayanng]

I just got back from the dentist.. I basically had a consult to see how much it would cost to get my teeth fixed. Basically, i had braces for 3 years. The most PAINFUL thing ever.. And horrible since i was 21 when i had them. I also had a horrible dentist who basically put fillings OVER cavities so many of my teeth were rotting from the inside out.. But i guess thats what happens when you parents dont have the money for the top notch dentist..

ANyways, when i went into the orthodontist when i was 19, i had a really bad over bite. When i left, i had a really bad under/cross bite. Literally, my lower right part of my jaw juts out past my top part and it has caused me SOO much jaw pain its unbelievable.

So this dentist had a lot to contend with, so I expected the price to be high, but this had my in tears. Literally more than i could ever afford in my lifetime.

$22,000

[nanamouse]

Unless it is a chewing or jaw pain issue, the underbite probably isn't as bad as you think. It isn't apparant in any of the pics you've posted of yourself, and certainly doesn't seem to have damaged your appearance.

The repair of cavities etc., not being cosmetic will be covered by most dental plans, and if your dentist can convince the insurance co. that the underbite is a medical condition not a cosmetic one, it might be covered under a medical policy.

I know you're more or less self employed right now, and possibly can't afford good or any coverage, but it isn't time to hit the panic button yet. You're also young, and educated, there should be options for you in the workplace, and you may find it worth taking a job just for the insurance, at least for a while.

oops, missed the jaw pain line your first post, surely if it'scausing pain it will be covered on medical if not dental?

[roxy0108]

OMG you poor thing! Thats aweful! I know how you feel though. I have some major dental issues too. Its too bad you dont live in Indiana my mom works with a really great dentist who cuts a lot of people slack when it comes to prices and I could just say you were a long time friend... I moved from there and so I dont have that anymore which sucks because I cant afford to get mine fixed either. I hope you find someone who might be able to help you out for less. Do you have care credit?

[theresa92841]

I know it sounds like a whole lot of money right now. Maybe as time goes by you can put some money aside for it though. Tax refunds. Unexpected money or checks. A set amount each week.

I know that when I was younger that amount would have seemed impossible, but as I got older and my earning power increased and I had more spare money to set aside, it would no longer seem impossible. Heck, the way the housing market is, you might just wait for the next upswing, get enough equity in the house, refinance and voila.

I am not meaning to sound too rah rah. Just wanted you to know that it really isn't hopeless.

[lindsayanng]

I didnt get Care Credit, as they dont accept it, but they DO accept Capital One Health care which is all fine and dandy but it STILL is going to cost me $400 a month for 60 months!

There is nothing on the planet that can put tgether $20,000 OR $400.00 a month.. I figure by the time i am 40 i will be able to afford it, but by that time, i will have no teeth left.

[Macawpower58]

Lindsay, try and contact a dental school that teaches. They often take on patients (especially ones with uncommon problems) for a much reduced rate.

Dental care is the hardest thing to afford these days.

[lindsayanng]

oh yea?? my dad had to have ALL of his teeth pulled by 45, he probably SHOULD have had them pulled at 40 though.. He had perm. dentures put in. Bad teeth runs in our family, something about weak enamel. Not to mention the HORRIBLE dentist.

I will definitely contact the UCONN dentistry school.

[DachshundDuo]

Have you thought about applying for medical and dental coverage through your state? You may be able to find help through the DHHR.

I'm sorry that you are having problems with your teeth. I had braces for 3 years also quite painful. Now, through stress (I grind my teeth) I am braking teeth. It is miserable to need dental work done and not be able to afford it. But $22,000 seems awfully extreme in cost. I hope you can get help through the DHHR or through the dental teaching college.

[lindsayanng]

it will never cover what i need done because technically it is "cosmetic" and it also can technically be fixed with braces so if they DID cover it, they would probably only cover braces.

I will not ever get braces again.. not because of what I will look like with them on, but because they were the most painful things of my life and i wore those torture chambers for 3.5 years already, i will NEVER do that again.. not to mention that the dentist said it would be about another 3.5 year run with them. No way.

[MandyPug]

it will never cover what i need done because technically it is "cosmetic" and it also can technically be fixed with braces so if they DID cover it, they would probably only cover braces.

I will not ever get braces again.. not because of what I will look like with them on, but because they were the most painful things of my life and i wore those torture chambers for 3.5 years already, i will NEVER do that again.. not to mention that the dentist said it would be about another 3.5 year run with them. No way.

I had braces for 3 years and they weren't that painful... it would've been 6 years but i got the all metal braces, not the ones with elastics (much more efficient and less pain apparently). The only thing that hurts now is my plastic retainer I'm supposed to wear at night (which i don't, the reason it hurts so bad). Regardless the braces only hurt when i got them tightened and i had to reshape my jaws, my jaws weren't rounded like a people jaw they were narrow and went to a kind of point (think dog jaws).

[tiffers]

Yeah, I'm worried about going to the dentist myself. I had braces for two years, after having Oral Surgery to have teeth pulled down from my nasal cavity basically, well...the surgery backfired and I now have a crooked smile...but, it's not noticeable until I point it out. Then, I've been going to the same guy for my fillings...apparently, he does a stinky job because my teeth are rotting around the fillings...like your's. I can wiggle my fillings around in my teeth...it's horried. I have a filling in basically every tooth.

We just got this little dental insurance, it's not much...but, anything helps. I know I won't need 22k, but I'm sure I need quite a bit of work if I wanted a perfect smile.

I don't think you should strive for a perfect smile either...perfection is soooo boring, Lindsay. You may have a different smile, but that makes you YOU and unlike everyone else.

[lindsayanng]

I'm not SUPER worried about my smile, but it hurt my jaw to be constantly trying to even it out.

Basically, if i close my mouth normally, my top canine hits my bottom canine.. So i have to basically force my mouth to close crooked. THEN, even though i can get my mouth shut, my teeth never touch in the back because those teeth in the front are soo off.

My mouth ISNT bad. You guys have seen my pictures.. its painful though

[Julia423]

nanamouse gave some really good advice. Not all dentists are equal. Try getting some input from another dentist. My sister and I had this discussion just last week. She called me crying from happiness that she'd found her "miracle" dentist. She spent a lot of time and travel going to students at UC San Francisco - they did a good job. But she finally found someone where she lives (Santa Cruz) who was able to create a sort of "map" of what needed to be done and he was able to plot the work thoroughout the year to work her insurance in the most effective way. It takes a lot of self-advocating and tenacity.

[lindsayanng]

well, I think that my only other hope would be the dental school.. I know that the way he said would be the ONLY way, and it would be using vaneers.. and i know that vaneers also cost on average $1500 per tooth, and they need to do a LOT of teeth..

[Julia423]

I'll ask my sister what the dentist is using on her teeth. She had several tell her that she needed veneers, but this one had a different method. And as I said, she called me crying with happiness at the transformation.

[lindsayanng]

'd be interested as to what the other option was.. i mean, aside from braces, invisalign, and grinding down my teeth.. there is no other option for me.. I just cant IMAGINE how they would get my teeth to move.

Invisalign isnt an option because the issue is not with crooked teeth, but with my jaw..

Julia, would you ask her for me?

[tiffers]

Not to try and scare you out of it, but a good friend of mine had a crooked jaw...and the absolute ONLY way to fix her was to pull all her teeth apart and break her jaw. The then had to realign everything, wire it shut for a few months, and pull her teeth back together.

[lindsayanng]

I know.. That was my OTHER option that isnt even an option in my mind.> the thing is, my jaw is only crooked because my teeth dont align correctly.. SO i either need to make my jaw match my teeth or my teeth match my jaw.

i definitely know what you are saying though. It was an option brought to me.. But if there is ANYWAY i can get away without breaking my jaw but still living pain free, i will be happy.

I will have to wear things that help train my jaw to go back to normal once the teeth arent in the way, but i told the doc i would wear gear to get them straight

[krazy4birds]

Most states have some type of medical/dental sliding scale program. I am on disability so right now I am ok with my issues but my husband Terry is reaching the age where things are needing attention and being self employed he has no insurance of any kind. He is a Diabetic (type 2) and high blood pressure and high cholesterol. He goes to a clinic for his health problems and sees a Nurse Practioner. She works under a doctor and is really good. The meds have came down because of Wal marts $4.00 plan so our local pharmacy does that too now. We love it. Anyway, what I was getting to was today she gave him a medical card and it was a Dental Office that works much like hers does. It is all billed by a sliding scale. The less you make the less you owe. For exaple Terry had a complete physical, blood drawn (to keep an eye on his internal organs while on meds) and his total bill was $40.00. He is going to see the dentist soon and I am very thankful these places exist. Would by any chance your state have these type of offices in each county?
I pray you find the help you so desperatly need.

[nanamouse]

oh yea?? my dad had to have ALL of his teeth pulled by 45, he probably SHOULD have had them pulled at 40 though.. He had perm. dentures put in. Bad teeth runs in our family, something about weak enamel. Not to mention the HORRIBLE dentist.

I will definitely contact the UCONN dentistry school.

Same with our family. My folks were both 44 when I was born, I never knew them when they had their own teeth. Well, I don't know about Daddy really, he lost his in the concentration camps not to natural causes. I lost my first at 23, the last 20 went at 40. The grandkids have all had problems, when Jade was 5 her dentist was sure Liz had put her to bed with a bottle in infancy, he was shocked to learn those teeth were genetic cause Jade was breast fed. Parker at 4 has a heart shaped hole in one tooth, but they don't have Medicaid anymore, so I guess he's got it for a while.:(

[That_girl]

I have been avoiding the dentist like the plague as well. I had braces for 5 years, and my teeth are still messed up. I had one of the worst overbites ever, my bottom teeth hit the roof of my mouth. And like Tiffers, I had oral surgery to cut down teeth. Braces were painful for me, and I don't care if my teeth go back to hitting the top, I'll never do that again.

I tried to have a cavity fixed last summer. Long story short, the dentist screwed up, admitted that he didn't know what was wrong, and ever since I haven't been able to chew on the right side of my mouth - at all! Here I am a year later waiting until I get my first job NEXT year before I can have anything done. It sucks.

And to top it off, Kyle broke a tooth a while back and he has basic insurance. I about died when the $190 bill showed up yesterday. Apparently his insurance decided that since it was done within some 30 waiting period, they're not paying. Well the clinic he went to supposedly called his insurance to make sure it was ok to go ahead with the proceedure.

So yes, I too hate the dentist and insurance. He's going to the dentist tonight to fight the bill.

I cannot imagine paying $400.00 a month for dental work! How do they expect people to live? I mean it's not like teeth aren't important.

[lindsayanng]

yea, even if i had the best dental plan in america, i would not have this covered because it is technically the "second choice" and the more cosmetic choice because the FIRST to be covered would be braces.. So they MIGHT have covered that, but not this..

That_Girl, sounds like you had the same issues as me. I had a terrible overbite and now i have an UNDER BITE

I also lost my first tooth at age 22. It was a cavity was filled, but it kept decaying. The dentist did a root canal even though i told him to just pull it because i KNOW how bad my teeth are.. He did the root canal and two weeks later the tooth broke and they had to pull it anyways.

I'm not kidding when i say that by the age of 40 i will have lost most of my teeth. My dad was missing about 15 teeth and he used to be soo self consious about smiling. He spent $15,000 to get his teeth fixed and he was SOO happy, it was like a different person. I was happy he did it.. He passed about a year later, but all the last pictures we have of him it was a FULL smile and not a mouth closed smile

THAT is what i want

[luvDANES]

Now i`am scared!!I`am getting my wisdom teeth pulled really soon,but i think i`ll be OK just wish me luck.

[lindsayanng]

Wisdom teeth are nothing. Why be scared? Plus, its not going to cost you $20,000

On another note, i called the UCONN dental school and they arent taking patients because they are booked till December, which is fine. I am in no rush, i would wait a year to get it done.. but with a $20,000 price tag, it is VERY clear that it will NEVER get done.. This gives me some hope..

[nanamouse]

Now i`am scared!!I`am getting my wisdom teeth pulled really soon,but i think i`ll be OK just wish me luck.

Don't worry, wisdom teeth are easy. My dentist said it was because they started growing later and the root wasn't as deep. If I recall they hurt a lot more coming in than going out!

[Hunna]

Wow. And I thought I was the only one who had a tooth in the nasal cavity... Oh well. I too had braces for 5 years, at which time they gave up. They just could not get my teeth where they were susposed to be.

After many, many years of neglect, I finally have dental insurance. I had 2 cavities filled on Monday, a consultation for a root canal today, actual job to be done next thursday, and after that my 2 bottom wisdom teeth to remove.

I HATE anything dental being done, but I am sick of eating hurting. I avoid candy like the pleague.

Good luck Lindsay, I know how frustrating it can be to try to get dentals done.

[Julia423]

Ok Lindsay, I talked with my sister last night. She didn't need to pursue any realignment, but what he used instead of veneers was composite fillings. Every dentist she had seen prior to her current one told her that her only options were veneers or caps. This one is currently removing any old fillings and replacing them with composite fillings. He is also using the composite fillings to change the appearance of her bottom front teeth (which were pretty bad). Hope it's something you can talk about with your dentist.

[lindsayanng]

thanks.. I will definitely ask about that..