If you have major-major dental problems, fees can be quite different than regular maintenance, general dentistry. Most dental insurances are partial payment plans that are useful for fixing small problems and maintaining your teeth. Typically, they have an annual limit of $1,000 – $1,500 per year. These plans are not designed to fix major problems, but to maintain oral health. The reality is that every year you avoided any treatment at all, failed to get treatment, got only minimal treatment, made your treatment decisions based on finances rather than health can multiply that by 2 to 4 times what your insurance would have done ($1,000 – $1,500/year of coverage) to arrive at an expected fee today to “catch up”. Of course, everyone is different. The reality is that most people in that example would be between 10 and 20 thousand dollars.
The first remark, “Wow, how can I avoid that?” has an obvious answer.
Here are these four:
1. Get regular check ups
2. Get the needed treatment done from an expert
3. Keep on schedule
4. Insist on comprehensive care that includes preventing and treating decay, bite problems and gum disease (that up to 75% of adults have)
The second remark, “Wouldn’t getting dentures be cheaper?” can lead to a very false economy. Let’s say you had a problem with your hand. It has an infection, two fingers are broken and one is missing. How would you react to the suggestion of amputating your hand and giving you a hook? You’d think that was crazy, right?! Now what do you think about taking all your teeth out and giving you oral wigs? (They only look like teeth.)
With today’s technology, you can regain lost appearance, function and health using dental implants. It is a wildly successful method that stops you from being forced to wear oral wigs (dentures), the hand equivalent of a hook.
