Tag Archives: can’t afford dentist

Need a Tooth Extracted But Can’t Afford a Dentist? 3 Facts to Consider

Last September, one of my bottom right molars cracked. A corner of the tooth came off, but I didn’t go to the dentist because I don’t have dental insurance and can’t afford to pay for services upfront. Now the tooth is crumbling piece by piece. The backside of the tooth is intact, and the tooth is hyper-sensitive. Will my tooth fall out without me going to a dentist? – Thanks, Jen

Jen,

If your tooth is sensitive and decayed, it will eventually fall out. Although Dr. Lacy would need to examine your tooth for an exact diagnosis, the sensitivity in your tooth means that it’s irritated. And the pulp (living tissue) in the tooth can become infected. It’s best to have a dentist extract the tooth to prevent the infection from spreading into your jawbone or elsewhere in your body.

Three Factors to Consider If You Think You Need an Extraction

We’ll share a few scenarios with you to help you decide if you want to wait until the tooth falls out or find a dentist willing to work with your budget.

  1. Sensitivity in your tooth – You didn’t mention when or to what your tooth is sensitive. When tooth pulp is infected and dead, your tooth is sensitive when you bite. If it’s sensitive to cold or air, the pulp is still alive.
  2. Swelling – You didn’t mention swelling, but if your jaw area isn’t swollen, you can wait and hope the tooth decays away. Swelling indicates and infection that a dentist needs to treat right away.
  3. Tooth location – It’s easier for a dentist to access lower tooth nerves and treat the tooth without injected anesthetic into the tooth pulp. Upper teeth have more risk. You said the tooth is a molar, but you didn’t mention wisdom tooth. If it’s not a wisdom tooth, when the tooth is missing, the surrounding tooth will drift into the space and affect your bite. You can develop TMJ disorder, including jaw, neck, and ear pain, headaches.
Photo of woman holding the right side of her face, who might need Plano affordable dentistry from female dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.
Although you don’t have insurance, you can find an affordable dentist

Although it can be challenging to receive quality dental care without insurance, we suggest that you look for a dental clinic or dentists who will let you pay for care over time. At least have a dentist examine your tooth and explain your options. The dentist might be able to save the tooth and protect it with a crown. At least you’ll know what to expect and how the tooth will affect your oral health in the future, even if you decline treatment.

Miranda Lacy, DDS, an affordable female dentist in Plano, TX, sponsors this post.

Think You Can’t Afford to See a Dentist for TMJ? 3 Surprising Facts that Might Change Your Mind

Click. Pop. Ouch! If left untreated, TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder can be painful and uncomfortable. But what if you can’t afford treatment from a dentist?

Annoying TMJ Symptoms

You’re probably already experiencing the signs and symptoms of TMJ:

  • Jaw stiffness, clicking, locking, or popping
  • Ringing in your ears
  • Chronic head or neck pain

Treatment from a dentist can relieve the symptoms, but how will TMJ affect your life if you can’t afford a dentist?

How Will It Impact Your Life?

Photo of woman holding the right side of her face, who might need Plano affordable dentistry from female dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.

Jaw pain can limit your ability to chew well—and that affects your digestion. If speaking or laughing become uncomfortable, it can affect your mood. Ringing in the ears and head or neck pain throughout the night will disturb your sleep. And lack of sleep can contribute to a variety of health issues, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

What If You Can’t Afford a Dentist?

Dental treatment might not be as expensive, invasive, or time-consuming as you think. A June 2019 study published in the journal Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology reveals some good news. The study included 162 patients who suffered from chronic TMJ disorder. Treatment of the symptoms included self-awareness therapy, jaw exercises, and the use of custom oral appliances. After 20 months of treatment, what were the results?

  • Pain – After treatment, the average pain score fell from 6.9 to 2.0.
  • Chewing – Most patients benefited from a large reduction in pain while chewing.
  • Quality of life – The overall quality of life for the patients improved.

Three Keys to Relief

The patients in the study received meaningful improvement and significant relief of their symptoms. What were the three keys to relief?

  1. Self-awareness of your oral habits
  2. Exercises
  3. A custom oral appliance

That might be all that’s needed to decrease your pain and discomfort and improve your quality of life.

So What’s the Cost?

If you have dental insurance, you’ll save money on the cost of care. The cost of relieving your symptoms is more affordable than you might think. Even out-of-pocket costs are more manageable if you find a dentist who offers payment plans.

Occlusal guard (mouth guard/oral appliance) – Depending on where you live in the country, the out-of-pocket cost for an oral appliance to relax your jaw is $600-$800. Some insurance plans pay half of the cost or more.

Exercises – Your dentist will show you exercises that you can do at home to loosen your jaw muscles and increase your comfort.

Self- Awareness – Oral health habits, including grinding your teeth, the position of your tongue and jaw when at rest, or holding your head or face with your hands, can affect your jaw health. As you learn what habits trigger pain, it will increase your awareness of your habits and help you control them and your discomfort.

Treatment Delays Are Costly

If you think you can’t afford dental care, the delays in getting treatment will make the condition worse. When the pain and discomfort become unbearable, that means the problems have progressed. And dental care will cost you even more money in the long term. We recommend that you schedule an appointment with a dentist who has training and experience in TMJ diagnosis and treatment.

Plano, TX dentist Miranda Lacy, DDS sponsors this blog. Dr. Lacy offers payment plans and financing to help make dental care affordable for you.

Can’t afford a dentist? Five ways to prevent a dental emergency.

Can’t afford a dentist? You may be interested in ways to prevent a dental emergency. Here are five:

  1. Brush and floss daily. You should brush your teeth twice daily and thoroughly floss between all of your teeth every day. Why? Brushing and flossing remove trapped food between your teeth that can otherwise lead to decay and plaque. Decayed teeth progressively worsen and lead to cavities. Untreated cavities progress and eventually require a root canal treatment. Plaque can lead to gum inflammation, causing gums to bleed and eventually, full-blown gum disease results.
  2. Wear a mouth guard when playing sports. Mouth guards protect the teeth, gums, cheeks, tongue, and lips. A significant blow to any one of these areas can lead you to a dental chair and a dental bill that is more expensive than a mouth guard.
  3. Don’t use your teeth to cut things or to try to open things. Trying to open a package, a bottle, or anything else with your teeth can seriously cut your gums or harm your teeth. The progressive pain will require the attention of a dentist. And an urgent care or emergency room trip won’t do. You may receive pain medication or antibiotics. But you will also be referred to a dentist for an examination.
  4. Avoid chewing ice or popcorn kernels, and don’t bite hard objects. These items can weaken your teeth and cause them crack or chip your teeth. An untreated crack or chip can worsen with time and require dental bonding or a dental crown.
  5. Regularly get your teeth professionally cleaned. And that applies even if you don’t have dental insurance. Get your teeth cleaned anyway. The out-of-pocket cost to get your teeth professionally cleaned helps prevent periodontal (gum) disease. It also assists in the early detection of cavities and other dental problems that, if left untreated, can escalate into more serious and more costly issues.

Remember that a dentist’s priority is to help you maintain good oral health. He or she will help you receive preventive care that is affordable for you.

If you have an unavoidable dental emergency, most dentists schedule time in each day for emergency appointments, so call right away for an examination.

This post is sponsored by Plano, TX dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.