Can I Afford To Have My Teeth Fixed?
By Trisha Le, DDS, Collin County LIVING WELL Magazine
The most often asked question I have received from meeting 100s of patients who have complex dental problems is, “How much will it cost?” When working with my patients, I always bring up important factors for them to consider before they begin to decide on whether it is affordable for them to have their teeth fixed.
First, the cost will depend on how bad your teeth are. You know that the larger the problem, the more complicated to fix and because of that it will cost more. We are all given a new set of teeth with no cavities at 12–13 years of age. Maintaining them at that time demands very little investment. I have many patients who still maintain their teeth cavity free and they are well into their 40s, simply because they show up at their dentist office for check ups on a regular basis. When the teeth begin to have problems, if they go untreated, they will affect the other teeth and fixing one tooth is of course cheaper than fixing the whole mouth.
Second, the cost depends on your goal. Ask yourself how your dental condition has impacted your life and how the change in your teeth will change your life. Most of my patients who suffer teeth problems share with me that they are not able to eat certain kinds of food. Limiting the choices of food will impact their physical health and may get them sick. Another impact of teeth problems, especially with missing teeth, is self confidence. Most of them would not feel comfortable sharing a meal with other people because of their difficulty with chewing or would not want to smile since they didn’t want others to see their ugly missing teeth. Only you know what is important to you and you will have to be prepared to sacrifice some aspects of your lifestyle to save money to put toward your smile. Only you can tell if you want to use your savings towards a trip, a new car, or a lifetime of a healthy new smile.
The third factor of the cost when you are looking into having your teeth fixed is how long you want them to last. Patching, temporary work may seem like it is solving the problem. But, within a few years you will be faced with the same problem again. Ask your dentist for all the options, the cost involved, and the estimated lifetime of each option. Some options can be more expensive at first but, if it would be the last investment you ever have to put into your teeth, and if it means you never have to worry about your teeth condition again, it could be the best investment.
Here are a few factors you could consider to help lower the cost of fixing your teeth to make it more affordable for you.
Start sooner than later. Waiting never makes the situation better; it can only get worse. It is less expensive to fix a small problem than a big one!
Find a dentist you can trust and work out a realistic plan for your dental health goals that makes sense to you financially. Then break that plan down into phases if you need time to finish it.
Choose a long term successful option and start your dentistry when you are still working or still have income so you can design a monthly payment plan that fits your budget. Your dentistry will then be paid for before you retire and you will still have beautiful healthy teeth to enjoy well into retirement.
Don’t just depend on dental insurance – I hear it over and over again, people stop seeing their dentists as soon as they lose their dental insurance. Dental insurance nowadays doesn’t help us much in terms of solving big dental problems. When your teeth are still healthy it does not cost much to maintain them. Keep your scheduled maintenance appointments with your dentist and it will save you so much money in the long run, and also saves the health of your teeth.
All of our patients feel more confident to smile and become happier and healthier. They also become more active and love life to the fullest after getting rid of their ugly teeth problems! What price would you pay for that kind of life changing experience?
Dr. Trisha Le has been providing solutions to complex dental problems for almost two decades. She provides complimentary consultation to listen to your dental concerns, evaluate your situation and give you a list of treatment options that can bring a healthy and beautiful smile that you can flash with confidence again. She can be reached at 972-200-0625
Dr. Le opens a FREE public seminar titled “Is Missing teeth causing missing out?” monthly in Plano. Give us a call at 972-200-0625 to sign up for the seminar or email us at teethseminar@yahoo.com. http://www.familydentistryofplano.com/
