Dental crossroads

[HeeBGBz]

I went to the dentist today and was told my teeth are pretty well screwed.(This is the third random dentist opinion) I am weighing in on whether to have them pulled or attempt to salvage them. I've let them go too long and need major work done with no guarantee I won't still have to have them pulled. Root canals, gum disease, serious rebuilding project.

I'm leaning more towards having them yanked and going for dentures/implants.

I have limited funding and a piddly-ass dental insurance that pays specific amounts for various procedures, but doesn't cover the cost of dentures. I have a crappy job that may end in a couple of months.

I'm scared shitless of being toothless, but I'm tired of my teeth dragging my health down. I'm also clueless as how I'm going to come up with the cash to pay for any of it. My teeth are my #1 health problem right now and I can no longer ignore it. I don't know why I'm posting this here, except I just wondered if anyone has dentures and whether they regret the decision to go that direction. Ditto for people with root canals, etc.

I'm on antibiotics and pain meds and I have another consultation with the dentist on election day. (Should I give each tooth a republican name and call my mouth Congress and give them all the boot?)

[Warpy]

1. Dentures are a pain in the ass

and partials are a little better, if they can salvage enough of the better teeth in your head. However, everybody I know who has had a mouth full of painful teeth has said getting dentures was the smartest thing they ever did.

Bad teeth can kill, though, since dental infections have a nasty habit of traveling places you don't want them, like your brain and heart.

The only advantage to dentures is that plastic doesn't rot or hurt.

Talk to the dentist about how many of your teeth may be salvageable. If they're all ticking time bombs, they may be better off sitting in a bowl next to the dentist's chair than in your mouth. Your dentist is the best person to guide you with this.

Good luck.

[HeeBGBz]

2. Thanks for the reply

There are a few salvageable ones, but not many. I may end up trying to save some just because I know I can't afford to have them all yanked right now.

[flamingyouth]

3. Warpy gives good advice upthread.

I just want to add that my teeth were in pretty bad shape earlier this year too. I have no dental insurance and needed several thousand dollars worth of work. Luckily my family helped me out with some of it, I endured a really lengthy root canal on a tooth that had been bothering me for 20 (!) years, had a gum procedure, got three crowns and several fillings, and voila! Suddenly, my headaches have diminished and I'm not getting sinus infections all the time. So definitely talk to your dentist about it. I'm glad I got that root canal - my only regret is that I waited so long. Ditto for the gum procedure.

I feel for you. Dental stuff is NOT fun, especially when money is tight. Take care. :pals:

On edit - because of my lack of insurance, my dentist cut me a deal on some of the work. Ask about cash discounts, etc.

[HeeBGBz]

4. Thanks. I will probably just do a little bit at a time

I know what you mean about the aches and pains. I also get draggy out and sick from them. I can tell when I need the antibiotics. That's what makes me want to just pull them all so there's nothing left to make me sick.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

5. Sounds like I'm rowing into these waters also

years of pharmaceutical drug use have taken their toll on the teeth in my mouth that are real. (ie- not the ones from bridges put in to hide the fact that I was born congenitally missing teeth) I'm REALLY in a bad spot on the money aspect right now- as well as the fact that the dentist that looked at me about a week ago said that there was NO way that he would even THINK of doing work on me with neck and back muscle spasms and decreased function around the joints/nerves of the c-spine area. So, I guess that leaves me time to think about what I want to do, or when I want to do it, as I don't see this rehab project being an extremely short- term thing. (it's already been 26 days from the date of the crash, and I'm still on/off heavy painkillers)

But I ramble. Sorry. Anyway- just wanted to say that I know how much those decisions weigh so heavily on so many aspects of one's quality of life.

:hug: to all here.