I broke a tooth off at the gumline. My dentist wants me to extract the remaining portion and get a dental implant, but I need a much cheaper fix than that. Do I have other options?
Paula
Dear Paula,
While an extraction and dental implant would be the best solution, not everyone can afford that option. Your dentist should be giving you all your options, not just the ideal one. If he is unwilling to do anything but the ideal, you may need a more understanding dentist. On that score, your best bet would be a dentist who advertises as an “affordable dentist“. These dentists are much more willing to work within a patient’s budget.
Fortunately, you have quite a few options. The second-best option for you would be a dental bridge. This suspends a false tooth between two dental crowns. The only real downside to this is it means grinding down the two adjacent teeth.
If that is still too pricey, you can look at getting a removable partial denture. These are significantly less money than the first two options mentioned. Finally, the cheapest option is a dental flipper. However, it is meant to be a temporary tooth replacement. They’re best used when you are saving up for a different tooth replacement.
Another benefit of an affordable dentist is they are much more willing to allow you to pay out your treatment. This could mean that you can get a better treatment than you originally thought. The better the treatment, the higher your quality of life. Because of that, I’d get the best treatment you can afford.
This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.