Oh My God. Dental Issues. Help. in These Foolish Things
- July 30, 2020, 4:54 p.m.
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- Public
Y’all. One of my crowns popped off over the weekend and I thought it would be suuuuper easy for the dentist to just pop it back in and glue it in place. So first thing this morning I went to the dentist.
Oh, how wrong I was.
Does anyone remember my entries in OD about my “Oral Dilemmas” with my broken teeth while traveling overseas and such? Do you remember my horrible drama? Ughhhh! I couldn’t go to the dentist without crying!
Well, it seems I’m back to square one.
Today the dentist took one look at the crown and another look at the hole in my mouth and was like, NOPE.
“You either need a bridge or an implant.”
What the EFF?!
And look, he’s leaning me in the direction of an implant, which will cost me FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS OUT OF POCKET. That’s literally more than I paid out of pocket when my carotid artery dissected last year and I nearly died and spent three days in the hospital and spent months seeing doctors and getting CT scans of my brain.
And the thing is, you don’t get any kind of temporary quick fix with an implant. There’s going to be a HOLE in my smile for a YEAR. Like, a gap. Like, I have summerteeth! God help me.
I went home and opened a bottle of booze (bubbly, of course, but I’m not celebrating) and started sipping before my fucking presentation I had to give on Skype this afternoon.
What am I going to dooooo? I need to ask for more information on getting a bridge, don’t I? The fastest fix is a bridge. The least expensive fix is a bridge. The least invasive answer is a bridge. Do I go with a bridge? What do I do??? I was just so shocked by the fact that I need one or the other. Does anyone have any experience with either? Help a girl out!!
It’s funny saying “girl”…I feel like an old woman who needs false teeth…BECAUSE I AM AND I DO!!
But seriously, how can I even think about dating or interviewing for a new job or pretty much anything with a missing molar? You can see the space when I smile!
2020 blows,
GS
.bob ⋅ July 30, 2020
can you have a bridge in the near term and an implant in the long term?
Ginger Snap .bob ⋅ July 30, 2020
I'm going to ask that question. The thing is, with a bridge, you have to do some major manipulation to the teeth on either side so that they will hold the bridge up, so to speak. I just can't even believe I'm having to consider one terrible option of the other terrible option!
Fred ⋅ July 30, 2020
Would it make sense to get another opinion? Did he convince you that there wasn’t any other way to do it (like replace the crown)?
plushcreep ⋅ July 30, 2020
I say frown your way through the interview or date. It's a lot cheaper.
Ginger Snap plushcreep ⋅ July 30, 2020
hahah! Well, I still have to do something that's going to cost a lot of dough. But we'll see.
...toothy smile
Deleted user ⋅ July 30, 2020
Gosh! I'm sure if this is your regular dentist they are right, but a second opinion never hurts. Unless the tooth hurts, in which case waiting for a second opinion might hurt, but anyway that's not even really a joke it's so bad.
For me, when important stuff happens like housing or cars or health, I will open up the wallet. Normally I'm always trying to find the best value but on the big stuff I never feel like I can bring myself to scrimp.
YOU are having yourself quite a year and I wish you a giant bottle of champagne once life settles down!
Jinn ⋅ July 30, 2020
Wow! The price is staggering !
Ginger Snap Jinn ⋅ July 31, 2020
Yeah, it's making me have to rearrange some things.
Marg ⋅ July 31, 2020
God that price! And I can’t believe they would leave you with a gap for that length of time! Why would it take so long?
Ginger Snap Marg ⋅ July 31, 2020
The dentist says that the wound needs months to heal and there is a bone graft involved. It all needs to heal. He says I have to go without a tooth in there, but I am hearing that I might be able to put a flipper in that spot. I also guess it doesn't matter if I have to wear a mask all the time in public...so I guess this is certainly the year to do this!
CountingStars Ginger Snap ⋅ July 31, 2020
Yeah, if you do the implant placement before the bone graft has fully integrated, you risk movement or even failure of the implant. It's unfortunately a long process but well worth it in the end.
Marg Ginger Snap ⋅ August 02, 2020
Oh yes never thought of that - I suppose that's one advantage of COVID!😄
Bre M ⋅ July 31, 2020
An implant is the way to go. Why pay for a bridge and an Implant? They can make.a quick flipper tooth to cover the hole in your mouth. The implant is very expensive but its fixed forever and stronger than your original tooth. Its not a real pleasant process but it is permanent and you will be happy you had it done. But 5 grand sounds a little high. You may want to check around for a better price
Ginger Snap Bre M ⋅ July 31, 2020
They are not offering the flipper as an option. I'm going to ask about it.
Bre M Ginger Snap ⋅ July 31, 2020
The flipper tooth is then one they use to fill the gap after the implant is dome
Bre M Ginger Snap ⋅ July 31, 2020
I asked my mom and she said the implany cost 2100 dollars and rhe cap was 900. I am a public school teacher so it was covered by insurance. It is just a long process. They did the implant in February and I got the crown in August. And when I told people what it cost rhey thought the # was high. But it was well worth it.
Athena ⋅ July 31, 2020
I'd get the implant and be done with it. Not superfun but def the best solution.
echopod ⋅ August 01, 2020
So strange reading through the comments — my dad also had dentures at 21! I have those teeth. I have more crowns than queen Elizabeth. I’d go with the implant. Costly now, but fewer issues with a bridge later.
bobbi01 ⋅ August 03, 2020
Another vote for an implant. Yes it is spendy, but it will make you feel a whole lot better.
pandora ⋅ August 12, 2020
Reading on to see what you decided!
Ginger Snap pandora ⋅ August 12, 2020
hahah! Love all these notes from you!