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Affordable Dentist

Broken fixture

I had called around to find the least expensive place to get dental implants. I found a dentist who was $1000.00 cheaper than everyone else. But, the fixture broke and now I have a serious infection. I don’t know what to do.  I spent everything I had to get this implant and now I am worse off. Is there any way to fix this?

Liz C. – Mesa, AZ

Liz,

I am really sorry this happened to you. I say this over and over again– there is a big difference between cheap dentistry and affordable dentistry.  Generally when something is significantly less expensive than almost every other place you call, it means they are cutting corners in places that are advantageous to themselves, but not to the patient.

In this case it sounds like he used substandard materials in order to save money on his end. This puts you in a real bind. Unfortunately, this procedure will have to be completely re-done after the infection has healed.  You’ll probably also need some bone grafting in order to ensure their is enough bone support for the new implant.

I realize you don’t have money for this procedure right now. You may have to get a removable partial denture while you save up for the second implant procedure.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.

Lumineers

Can I switch to Lumineers instead of crowns?

I was planning on getting dental crowns, but recently read about Lumineers.Can I get them instead of crowns, or am I stuck with crowns once I start that procedure?

Lillian- San Diego

Lillian,

It depends on whether or not your dentist has already done the tooth preparation for your dental crowns. Once a tooth has been prepared for crowns, that is the only thing that will work on your teeth. However, if he hasn’t already shaved your teeth down, then you can switch to the Lumineers procedure.

There are two possible hold-ups. The first is whether or not your dentist is familiar with the procedure. If not, you’ll need to find a Lumineers certified dentist. The second is whether those teeth have large fillings on them. If so, you’d need to do crowns instead of Lumineers. You can do a mixed procedure too: some crowns, some Lumineers.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.

Affordable Dentist

The Problem with Cheap Dentistry

When you are on a limited budget, the temptation is to look for the cheapest dental care possible. While that sounds like a great idea, there are dangers. Let me give an illustration. Suppose you went to Walmart to buy a toy castle for your child. They have three different sets. The least expensive is $5.00, but is obviously cheaply made.  The second set is $25.00, but is well constructed. The third set is $70.00. It is also well constructed and has lots of bells and whistles.

While $5.00 sounds like a great deal, if you’re an experienced parent you know that the cheaply constructed castle is unlikely to survive a day before something on it breaks.  The smart thing would be to get the $25.00 set.  Yes, it costs a little more, but it is soundly made and will last much longer.

The same is true of dentistry. Many times when you have a dentist who has the cheapest prices, it is because he also has the cheapest material.  What you really need is an affordable dentist.

These dentists strive to keep prices reasonable without compromising the quality of materials and care they give.  They often have other ways of helping their patients financially with phased treatments and no-interest payment plans.

You are much better served with a quality dentist than a cheap dentist. It won’t matter if  you’ve saved $200 on your crown, if it breaks and causes not only you to spend money on a second crown, but gives you an infection that takes extensive treatments.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.

Pediatric Dentistry

Is teeth grinding normal in children?

Is it normal for a three year old to grind their teeth?

May L- Jackson, MS

May,

You don’t need to worry. It is completely normal for young children to grind there teeth. Nearly 40% of children grind their teeth in their early years. They generally grow out of it by the time their permanent teeth are in.

Don’t panic if he or she starts losing tooth structure. Those teeth are going to fall out  anyway. If he or she is in any pain, you can bring your child in to the pediatric dentist.

Most teeth grinding is done at night.  Try to make sure your child gets as much soothing as possible before bed as possible to see if that helps eliminate the grinding, but don’t stress.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.

Lumineers

My dentist stained my lumineers

I spent over $15,000 on a smile makeover and my dentist put a stain on my Lumineers on purpose!  Do you know if I can fix this? He insists it is necessary to make it look natural, but if I wanted my natural teeth, I wouldn’t have spent this much money for new ones.

Dana C. – Portsmouth, VA

Dana,

This is a typical issue. Someone who is not an artistic cosmetic dentist, but knows how to do a few cosmetic procedures is a dangerous thing.  While he may have been taught in dental school that it is important to make a smile look natural, people who get porcelain veneers are not after any smile. They want something stunning.

Unfortunately, the only way to fix this is to get is to get new veneers. You’ll want to go to a different dentist though. I’d ask for a refund.  You may have to cover the lab fees, but seeing as you’re going to have to have the procedure re-done, he may agree to refund his chair time.

When you go to an artistic cosmetic dentist, he may suggest something other than Lumineers. Don’t panic. Bear in mind that they are just one brand of porcelain veneers and he may know of a brand that will give you a better smile.

I’m sorry you’ve had to go through such a tough, expensive lesson. Hopefully others will learn from what you have been through.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.

Affordable Dentist

Dental Crown disaster

I needed two crowns. I didn’t have much money so I called around to find the cheapest dentist. He did such a bad job that it completely threw off my bite.  It got so bad that I developed TMJ, which is costing me even more than the crowns. What a disaster!

Penny L.- West Virginia

Penny,

You’ve discovered an important principle in dentistry. Cheap does not necessarily mean affordable.  There are affordable dentists who don’t compromise the quality of their materials. However, generally the least expensive dentist is that way for a reason. Sometimes it is just a matter of not being great at their profession and needing a way to draw customers in. For others, it is skimping on the appropriate materials.

What you want to do is look for a dentist who has reasonable fees, but still does quality work.  That usually won’t be the least expensive dentist. Many dentists have payment plans that allow you to pay out your work interest free.  Others do your dental work in stages so you only have to pay for one part of the procedure at a time.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix, AZ Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck

Affordable Dentist

Unhappy with Lumineers that keep falling off

Q. I’ve had 5 Lumineers placed on my teeth. Since then, they have fallen off multiple times. As if it’s not aggravating enough to go back to the dentist for the same tooth to be re-bonded, just this last time I accidentally swallowed it. Now my dentist tells me I should do porcelain veneers that will run me $1200 per tooth. I just paid so much money for the Lumineers… what should I do?

A. I’m sorry you’ve had such a hard time with your Lumineers. Unfortunately, we hear a lot of stories about problems with Lumineers. The manufacturers of this product promotes it as being “no-prep”, and easy to place. That might make a dentist who is not too savvy in cosmetic dentistry feel they can handle this work, delivering an aesthetically pleasing product with a good outcome to the patient. Both Lumineers (which is just a brand name) and traditional porcelain veneers require a true cosmetic dentist who is well versed in these procedures. Everything from an artistic eye to having top notch materials (including appropriate bonding materials) to technique of the clinician can be the difference in a successful cosmetic and functional outcome versus not.  Porcelain veneers have more advantages than Lumineers, as they are more lifelike, and have proper strength. Lumineers are best suited for specific cases only. Seeking an opinion of another true cosmetic dentist in this scenario would be a good idea. Perhaps if you move forward with the porcelain veneers with your current dentist, asking if you could be credited what you paid for the Lumineers towards the porcelain veneers wouldn’t be unreasonable, and make the prospect more affordable.

Lumineers

A reuninion knock-out

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.  I have always been insecure about my smile.  When it was time for my class 20 year reunion, I wanted to leave an impression. I decided the easiest thing I could do was to remake my smile.  I read about Lumineers and had a eight placed on my upper arch. The results were astounding. Before the makeover, my teeth were too small and the color was yellowed and uneven. Once the Lumineers were placed I couldn’t stop smiling.

The increased confidence I got from my new smile gave me the boost I needed to get in shape. I’ve lost 35 pounds. When I got to my reunion, I was the class knock out.  Never in my life have I felt so beautiful. I can’t thank you  enough.

A Hot Mamma.

 

Affordable Dentist

I’m in so much pain….can I afford to fix it?

I writing this so others can learn from my experience:

It’s been a long time since I visited a dentist. Since my teeth always looked and felt fine, I never made it a point to go. When I started to have slight sensitivity in one area while eating and drinking I shrugged it off. That sensitivity turned into full-blown pain. Eating, drinking, silent or taking it throbbed. The pain woke me at night, and it was really starting to make me suffer. I knew I had to get to a dentist, but was afraid of what the outcome would be. Money is tight, and I know dentistry can be expensive. I was afraid of what they would tell me, and worse…how much it would cost.

My fears had come to fruition when I was told by my dentist I needed a root canal and then crown. I had dental insurance, but knew they covered but a minimal portion. Right away my mind wandered to what I can do to remedy this pain without going through the process of these “expensive” procedures. I asked if I could just medicate it, or better yet, if we could just pull it. As the doctor explained why those wasn’t an option, and proceeded to tell me how we could salvage the tooth, and make it fully functional, I was happy to hear of what the outcome could be. While this sounded good, I still was concerned with what my out-of-pocket cost would be, and if I could afford it. My panic heightened when the office staff informed me of my estimate, based on my insurance covering 50% of one procedure and even less on the other. Then they informed me of ways to have this work done and make it affordable. Procedures like the root canal and the crown are usually done in two office visits or more. They are spaced out over a couple of weeks, on a case by case basis. This space in office visits allowed me to segment my payments to the office, which alleviated the burden of cost. They also offered me financing through a third party. These companies that issue “health care credit cards” allowed me to receive the treatment I needed while paying monthly payments at my choosing (within their guidelines of course). I was happy to know that I didn’t have to put off treatment, and could get what I needed today, and in the future.

I’ve learned not to wait until you’re in pain to go to the dentist. Though I haven’t changed my preconceived notion that it is expensive, I’ve learned that most offices give you options to make it work. No matter how bad it may seem, it’s fixable…and yes, you can afford it.

~Carol L.- Milwaukee

 

Pediatric Dentistry

Bad Brushing Habits in My Son

My nine year old son has horrible teeth brushing skills.  He does brush his teeth before going to bed, but even I can tell that he still has a lot of gunk on his teeth.  He isn’t in the habit of brushing in the morning. What can I do to help him develop better habits? We honestly can’t afford a dentist right now.

Sandy M.- Aberdeen, MS

Sandy,

I can tell you are a good mother and you want the best for your son. Here are some things that can help with his teeth brushing skills and habits. First, children often like charts. It helps them show they’ve accomplished something.  You don’t want him to feel you are babying him about his teeth. Because you said he is good about brushing in the evening, let’s just focus on the morning brushing. Make him a morning chart that includes everything he needs to accomplish before school. Include his morning brushing on that.

Next, we’ll focus on his brushing habits. There are plaque “revealers”, such as Cool Agent Blue, that will help. They’re liquids that your son can switch around your mouth and it will show your son where he still has plaque left.  These products have mixed reviews, but you could see if your son thinks it is fun.  The second thing is the amount of time he brushes. Tell him it means to be a minium of two minutes. Cell phones have timers on them. You can have him set the timer, which will be more fun for him.

Make sure he has the right sized toothbrush for his mouth. You don’t want anything too big for him.  Also, make sure they are soft bristles.

Now, I know you cannot afford a dentist at this time.  Don’t feel guilty about that. Lots of families are going through tough times right now. However, check ups are very important to help prevent more serious issues. Were you aware that dental schools and dental hygiene schools do check up and cleanings? They have incredibly reasonable fees and do a great job.  A friend in Arkansas takes her four children to the local dental school. They only charge $25 for the service.

This might be an option for you until you can save up for a pediatric dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentists Drs. Kevin and Hillary Peck.