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Is this Groupon a Safe Way to Afford Teeth Whitening?

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I’ve been wanting to get my teeth whitened for some time. I just haven’t had a ton of money for it. I have this Groupon which says I can get my teeth whitened for $50. This sounds like a great deal. However, my co-worker, who had her teeth re-done keeps talking about how you have to be careful which dentist does your cosmetic work if you want it to turn out nicely. I just don’t want a disaster.

Elaine

Dear Elaine,

A dollar sign hatching out of an egg

Your co-worker is correct that it is important to make sure the dentist is qualified to do the cosmetic work you want done. However, that is mostly in regard to top-of-the-line procedures, such as porcelain veneers. With a procedure such as teeth whitening, that can be done by any family dentist. It is quite straight forward. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about him getting it wrong.

However, you want to be careful of any fine print. Most dentists will at least require you get a thorough cleaning and checkup before doing the teeth whitening procedure. This is for your benefit, so the results don’t end up splotchy. Plus, you will want to make sure there aren’t any cavities developing.

Affording Dental Care You Want

It is always frustrating when there is something you want to do to improve your oral health and appearance but the money just isn’t there. It’s even more important when you have something urgent. like a cavity. You don’t want it to blow up into a dental emergency.

When there is a lot of work you need done, I suggest having the dentist list out everything in order from the most urgent to the least. The two of you can work out a plan that keeps all the work within your budget. Even then, sometimes you don’t have enough to get started. In those cases, dentists who believe in affordable dental care, will have a couple of options for you. Either they’ll have in-house payment plans and allow you to pay out the work on a schedule that works for you or they work through Care Credit. This is a medical credit service which offers low and no-interest payment plans.

Best of luck to you and enjoy your beautiful white teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

An Affordable Way to Restore a Chipped Tooth

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Are you looking for affordable options to restore a chipped tooth? A chipped tooth detracts from your smile and from the health of your tooth. How can you get your tooth restored affordably?

A Porcelain Veneer or Crown Might Not Be Required

Most people think that a chipped tooth needs to be hidden with a porcelain veneer or a dental crown. What’s the process for those treatments?

  • Porcelain veneer – A veneer covers the front of your tooth. It requires shaving some of your tooth enamel so the veneer fits well and looks natural. Pictures and impressions of your teeth will be sent to a lab, and a custom veneer will be made.
  • Dental crown – Your tooth needs to be shaved down for the crown to fit over it. The crown covers your entire tooth from the gumline to the biting surface. Impressions and pictures of your teeth will be sent to a dental lab. The lab will make a precisely fitting crown for your tooth.

But a crown or veneer might not be necessary. There is a more affordable option for repairing a chipped tooth.

Dental Bonding Is Affordable

Your tooth can be restored with direct bonding. How does it work?

  • Shades of dental composite are blended to match the shade of your natural tooth.
  • Your dentist will lightly etch your chipped tooth to prepare it for the composite.
  • The composite will be applied, shaped, hardened, and polished to a natural gloss.
  • Depending on how well you take care of it, bonding can last four to eight years.

What’s the Difference with the Treatments?

Veneers are made of durable porcelain, which mimics the translucency, color, and gloss of natural teeth. It takes more time to place a veneer, and the custom-made materials are more costly. Veneers are stain resistant and can last a lifetime. Bonding stains over time and needs to removed and replaced.

A dental crown is also made of porcelain. After taking impressions of your tooth, a custom crown is made by a laboratory technician. Unlike dental composite that is only applied to the affected areas of a tooth, a crown covers the entire tooth.

Affordable, but Beautiful Results

Although dental bonding is more affordable than a porcelain veneer or crown, a skilled dentist can give you great results. People won’t be able to tell that your tooth was chipped.

Before-and-after photos of a front incisor chipped tooth that was restored with dental bonding.
Dental bonding is an affordable way to restore a chipped tooth

You can schedule consultations with two different dentists to discuss your options, the cost, and how treatment can be made affordable for you.

This post is sponsored by Auburn, AL dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt of Dental Care at Flint’s Crossing.

Conveyor Belt Dental Care

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I’ve been shopping around for affordable dental care. Each place that’s advertised as affordable seem to treat patients like cattle, running us in and out. At one point I wondered if I was on my way to the slaughter house. Is there a way to get an affordable dentist and feel like a person?

Cathy

Dear Cathy,

Dollar sign hatched out of an egg
Affordable dentistry can be personal

You’re wise to continue seeking treatment. Too many people avoid the dentist altogether because of financial issues. Even with the hardships you’ve undergone finding the right affordable dentist, you will end up saving money in the long run.

As you have experienced, many dentists who advertise as affordable try to make up profits with the sheer volume of patients they get through. Truthfully, that’s not a pleasant experience for either of you. You miss out on personalized care and attention. The dentist misses out on the beauty of getting to know their patients.

Affordable Versus Cheap Dentistry

While the conveyor belt method can be annoying, the cut corners method is downright dangerous. This is where dentists cut corners to make up their profits. They may buy discounted materials which can lead to infection or failure.

Other times, dentists are significantly cheaper because they’re just plain bad at their job and can’t retain patients. They keep their prices super low to draw in new patients.

Think of it this way. One dentist makes a dental crown for $500 but it lasts 5 years. Another makes a crown for $800 but it last 15 years. The more “affordable” crown actually ends up costing you significantly more money.

Finding an Affordable Dentist

Start by looking for dentists in your area with good reputations. Check their services offered, then check their reviews. Are patients satisfied with the service they’ve received?

Once you’ve found a suitable list of dentists, call their office. Ask if they offer payment plans, Care Credit, or cash discounts. These are just some of the ways dentists can help patients.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Affordable Dentist Disaster

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I went to this dentist who was advertising a special on dental crowns. He was much more affordable than other dentists and said he could do them in one appointment. Both of those things were appealing to me. What he didn’t say was he just got this machine and didn’t really know what he was doing. I was in his office for hours. In fact, I’m thinking it was over five hours. He kept having to go back and re-adjust it. Eventually, he admitted he made the discount to get practice and apologized for how long it was taking him to get it right. I wish I’d have had that information ahead of time so I could have made an informed decision. The big problem now is I’m in pain. I don’t know if it’s because of how long he had to mess with it or if there’s something more serious going on.

Allie

Dear Allie,

A dental crown being placed.

Cheap isn’t always affordable

I’m sorry you had such a distressing experience. I often warn people cheap doesn’t mean affordable. In this case, it cost you time and could also lead to the need for a root canal treatment. Before we jump there, though, please know that it will be normal for your tooth and jaw to be sore. This shouldn’t last for more than a day or two. Sometimes taking an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen will bring some relief.

If after a few days if you’re still hurting, you need to contact this dentist. It’s possible the crown still isn’t the right shape or size. It’s also possible your tooth went through so much trauma that you now need a root canal treatment.

Finding a Safe and Affordable Dentist

It would have been nice if this dentist disclosed to you his lack of training on his new machine. CEREC machines are growing in popularity but they do have a learning curve. One of the best ways to get an affordable dentist is to not gauge by who is the cheapest.

Instead, you want to check their reviews to make sure patients hadn’t had any negative experiences with the quality of his work. Then, you want a dentist who will tell you all your options, and be willing to work with you on both phased treatments and payments.

This way you get quality care without going bankrupt to do it.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Mother’s Teeth are Just Falling Out

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I need some help. My 87-year-old mother needs an affordable solution. She’s recently had two teeth just fall out. I’m guessing her teeth are in bad shape. We need to replace the missing teeth. Are bridges a good option?

Kate

Dear Kate,

Partial denture

I’m sorry for what your mother is going through. If her teeth are just falling out, it means she has very advanced gum disease. This needs to be dealt with right away or she’ll loose all of her teeth. Sadly, a dental bridge will not be a good solution for her. With her advanced gum disease, the remaining teeth are not strong enough.

My suggestion is you get her gums treated in order to save as many teeth as possible. I hope you can at least save some. The ideal solution for missing teeth is to replace them with dental implants. But, you asked for affordable dental solutions. A full set of dental implants can cost between 20-40 thousand dollars.

Your mother will need dentures for her missing teeth. Hopefully, you can get her some like the one pictured above which leaves space for some remaining teeth.

Why I Don’t Normally Recommend “Affordable” Dentures

In your mother’s case, because of her advanced age, dentures are a good solution. But, for a younger patient, it’s disastrous.

Your body begins resorbing the jawbone after your teeth are removed. After ten+ years, there’s not enough jawbone left to even support dentures. You’ll spend the remainder of your days on a liquid diet of sorts, unless you get bone grafting done. Then, of course, you’ll also have to get the dentures re-done to fit. You’ll be good to go for about another ten years, then you’re right back to square one.

This is one of those cases where affordable isn’t in a patient’s best interest. Your mother being an exception.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Cheated by an Affordable Dentist?

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I had a cavity. I knew exactly what was wrong but didn’t have money to deal with it. A month later, it started feeling weird so I knew I had to force the issue and find care even though I was broke. I called around letting them know exactly what I needed to get their prices. I planned on going to the dentist with the best deal. One dentist I called assured me he’d be the cheapest. In fact, he was almost $110 under every other practice I called. I was thrilled. That was under what I’d hoped for. I scheduled the appointment right away. Once I was in the chair, the whole thing changed. He said my cavity was way too large for the treatment he quoted me for and I needed a dental crown. That was way more money than I planned. I left without the crown, feeling cheated. Is he right? Do I need the crown or did he lure me there with a low price he’d never follow through on?

Cathy

Dear Cathy,

A dollar sign hatching out of an egg

It would be impossible for me to tell whether or not you needed a crown without seeing your x-rays. But, I’m not surprised you don’t trust him. When you price shop and someone comes in way under everybody else, you’d have to wonder why he is so much cheaper than the other dentists. One thing I hope to help patients to understand is that cheap doesn’t always mean affordable.

Often they’re cheaper because their materials are cheaper and don’t hold up. Or, they’re not very good dentists and have trouble retaining patients in their practice.

All that being said, it’s possible the dentist was perfectly correct in his diagnosis. You mentioned you’d had the cavity for a month and you’d begun to feel it. While some cavities take a while to get serious, others can suddenly take off out of nowhere. If it spread, you’d need a dental crown. In fact, you may be quite lucky this hasn’t turned into a dental emergency, costing you a tooth.

If you think a crown is expensive, wait until you see how much a dental implant costs to replace your tooth.

Finding an affordable Dentist You Can Trust

You don’t want cheap. You want legitimately affordable dentists. They won’t undercut other dentists, though they may have slightly lower fees. Many will have an in-house payment plan to allow you to spread out your costs. Even if they don’t do an in-house plan, almost all will work through Care Credit. It’s a medical credit card which has low and no interest payment plans.

Other times, if you don’t have insurance, they’ll give you a discount for paying in cash.

If you’re still not sure you trust the diagnosis, you can always get a second opinion. As you’re trying to save money, I’m sure you aren’t keen on paying another dentist, but you can bring the x-rays from the first dentist and just have them look at that. It will significantly bring down the cost of your appointment.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Affordable Way to Fix Neglected Mouth?

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I’ve been out of the country for ten years. My brother had been taking care of my mother who has Alzheimers. I plan on staying here for a year and then moving her to Europe with me. I’ve come back because my brother’s wife is ill so I’m taking over my mother’s care. I was appalled at the state of her mouth. One of the first things I did was schedule her a dental appointment. She needs so much work (three teeth pulled, a handful of crowns, several fillings, etc), the dentist suggested I just extract her teeth and give her dentures and be done with her teeth. Is that an affordable way to deal with a neglected mouth?

Sandy

Dear Sandy,

Image of dentures

It’s great that you’re stepping up and taking care of your mother during your brother’s difficulties with his wife’s health. Alzheimers makes being a caregiver quite challenging so I’m sure he’s grateful for your help.

Every dentist’s philosophy is a little different (along with their prices). In general, full dentures can cost anywhere from $1300 to $3500 per arch. Tooth extractions can cost between $75-$400 per tooth. If cost alone is your only deciding factor, I’d simply ask the dentist you prefer for prices on dentures versus the sum of all the individual procedures needed without dentures. However, I’m going to suggest there are other factors to consider. then suggest affordable dental alternatives.

Dentures Have Problems

  • Her chewing capacity will go down significantly
  • They move and will get food under them
  • They’re not as comfortable as other options
  • They”ll cause her to lose jaw bone

Alzheimers is a Factor

Alzheimer patients are forgetful. Because this solution is a removable one, it may be hard for her to keep up with their maintenance as well as just where she puts them for the evening. It’s very likely she’ll remove them.

Some Alzheimer patients can grow angry and violent. It’s not a judgment on your mother (or any other person affected by this horrible disease). It’s more a matter of this is how many of them respond because they’re frightened, not hostile by nature. You’ll need to consider whether she’ll cooperate with keeping them in or not.

Preserving Tooth Structure is Better for Her Health

Given the downside of dentures, many patients grow to dread mealtime. It’s important she receives good nutrition as part of her treatment. If eating becomes painful, she may refuse, not realizing she’s actually harming herself.

However, the biggest problem is facial collapse. I mentioned earlier that her jawbone will begin to shrink. Eventually, she’ll lose enough bone structure that her jaw will no longer be able to retain her dentures, making her a dental cripple. Then, she’ll have no way to eat and will essentially be relegated to a liquid diet.

Instead, you might want to consider getting dental implants for her teeth which can’t be saved. This preserves her jawbone and makes it much easier for her to eat.

Affordable Ways to get a Lot of Dental Work Done.

In your place, I’d ask the dentist to list out all the work she needs done in order of most urgent to least. Phased treatment is a great way to save money. It allows you to do the work a little at a time as finances allow.

Be careful to distinguish between affordable versus cheap dentistry. Let’s say one dentist charges $600 for a dental crown and the other $1000. You might think saving $400 is a really good deal. Now let’s say the $600 dentist uses subpar materials in order to make up his profit margin and you end up replacing it three times before the $1000 crown ever needs replacing. Are you still saving money? You want affordable quality, not cheap.

Almost every dentist I know is willing to work with Care Credit, a medical credit card. They only fund medical procedures and have very workable terms, including some with zero interest. Also, there’s no penalty for paying it off early. This may allow you to get a little extra work done.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Did Affordable Dentist Lie to Me?

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I did a lot of research to find the most affordable dentist to do my filling. I was sure this was a basic procedure which any dentist could do. I received eleven quotes from dentists. I went to the second from the bottom on my list because the staff of the eleventh seemed rather rude. I’m wondering if all “affordable” offices are like that because the office I ended up going to was just as rude when I got there. I was rushed through. He did the filling, but ended up charging me much more than they quoted me on the phone. In fact, they ended up being the second-highest price. I argued with them because I felt they’d lied to me. They said I lied to them about what type of work I needed. It was a filling! How can that be different? Then a week later it falls off. I called them to re-do it and they want to charge me again! What the heck? The cavity is gone, so I’m thinking of just leaving it for now.

Rosa P.

Dear Rosa,

Dollar sign hatched out of an egg

Cheap Dentistry isn’t Affordable Dentistry

While there are obvious customer service issues with this office, it doesn’t necessarily mean they lied to you. Though, as you’re learning, a cheap dentist doesn’t necessarily mean an affordable dentist. Here’s where I think they went wrong in their service to you:

  • Poor Communication

A filling isn’t one set fee. There are tiny fillings, all the way to fillings that affect three sides of the tooth. There’s a different billing code for each of those because they each take different time and skill to place.

  • Unjustified Comments to You

You didn’t lie to them. Just because you may have needed a bigger filling then they quoted you doesn’t mean you lied to them about the size of your filling. In fact, a patient has no way of knowing how deep or wide a filling they need without a dentist telling them.

  • Didn’t Properly Place Your Filling

If they had properly placed your filling, it wouldn’t have fallen out. Plus, it’s bad form to charge you again for their mistake.

Don’t Leave This Failed Filling

There are two things you have to be aware of. The most important thing to cover is your filling. I understand you not wanting to pay them twice, but you don’t want to leave this. Yes, your cavity is gone, but everything is exposed and can trap food and bacteria leading to an infection. Then you’re talking about a root canal and dental crown. Tell them you want a refund and go to someone else.

Second, don’t confuse cheap dentistry with affordable dentistry. This dentist either is using poor materials or doesn’t have the right skills. Either way, it’s costing you more. Imagine if you’d had a more advanced procedure like a dental crown or dental implant.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Affordable Dentist Disaster

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I’m at a loss at how to rectify a situation I got myself into by trying to save money. I had a toothache. Normally, I’d go to my dentist but he’s kind of high end and I was low on funds. I thought just this once I’d save some cash and go to an affordable dentist who treats dental emergencies. I will never do this again. Now I have to explain to my good dentist why I am now missing a tooth. When I went in, he said I needed a root canal treatment. He spent well over two hours doing it. I was in pretty bad pain because my jaw was open the whole time and he’d jerk my head back and forth as he muttered under his breath. As if that unpleasantness wasn’t enough, there was a giant cracking sound. The dentist cursed and then left the room. Another employee came in and told me my tooth broke and would need to be extracted. At that point, I was just trying to get everything over with so I agreed to the extraction. Now I’m without a tooth. As if to add salt to the would, I received the bill today and he charged me for both the root canal and the extraction. This “affordable” appointment has cost me a lot more than money. What do I do?

Ceanne W.

Dear Ceanne,

Woman in pain who needs to see an affordable dentist

As you’ve unfortunately discovered, there is a big difference between affordable dentistry and cheap dentistry. This appointment would likely have been less expensive, both in terms of finances and teeth, had you gone to your regular dentist. Of course, you know that now and are in need of where to go from here.

The first thing I’d do is contest the bill. At the very least it was bad form for him to bill you for both procedures. We’ll never know if the need for the extraction was his fault or not, but most dentists would just charge for either the root canal treatment or the extraction, regardless.

The next thing is to discuss with your actual dentist your tooth replacement options. Ideally, you’d want a dental implant. These are the best replacements and will feel and function like having a permanent, healthy tooth in place.

I’m sure given the circumstances your dentist would work with you on payment options. If he doesn’t do in-house payment plans, ask about Care Credit. It’s a medical “credit card” that allows you to set your terms of repayment.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Is There a Way to Get an Affordable Full Mouth Reconstruction?

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I’d never been to the dentist until recently. I’m 27. My parents never took us. They weren’t selfish or neglectful parents. We were very poor and it truly was a choice between the dentist or food.  I’ve gotten a job which has dental insurance. I was very excited for my first dental appointment. I had reasonable expectations and knew I’d need a lot of work. I did. I have chipped teeth, several cavities, and need something called crowns. Plus, one tooth that we may not be able to keep. When I finished my first appointment, he recommended I have a full mouth reconstruction. I liked the idea. It will be great to have a beautiful smile for the first time since I can remember.  But, the cost was beyond my ability to pay even with insurance. So, I wondered if there were dentists who did cheaper full mouth reconstructions. Any help you can provide will be appreciated.

Deanna T.

Dear Deanna,

A dollar sign hatching out of an egg

I’m excited for you in your first experiences with dentistry. And, while there are many procedures in which it would be absolutely fine to find the most affordable dentist around, a full mouth reconstruction is not one of them.

It is such an advanced procedure that not many dentists are qualified to do it. If you just base it on cost, you’ll likely end up with a disaster which can even lead to serious health problems.

But, don’t get discouraged. Based on what the dentist told you was wrong with your teeth, I don’t necessarily think a full mouth reconstruction is even what you need.  You can still get the beautiful smile you want, but without the high cost and risk of a complete reconstruction.

You mentioned needing dental crowns, but seemed not to understand what they are. What concerns me about that is the dentist you went to is recommending one of the most expensive and advanced procedures around, but hasn’t taken the time to explain what even the basic procedures mean.

A porcelain crown A crown is a porcelain prosthetic, shaped like a tooth, which fits over your natural tooth. Your natural tooth will have to be shaved down so the crown can fit over it. They’re often used when the cavity on your tooth is too large for a filling to properly protect it.

What I’d like you to do is get a second opinion by another dentist. It may be you can get significantly less work done and still have a gorgeous, healthy smile. If you’re looking to beautify your smile along with repairing any decay, I’d like to recommend you get your teeth whitened BEFORE you have any crowns made, especially on teeth visible when you smile.

Teeth whitening only works on natural tooth structure, so once the crown is completed the color cannot be changed. You’ll want the dentist to match the crown to your whiter color.

After you’ve taken care of any decay and other degenerative issues, if you still aren’t happy with the appearance of your teeth, you can get porcelain veneers. They can completely change the appearance of your teeth. But you’ll have to have healthy teeth first.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Raymond Bolt.