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Can’t Afford Dentist with an Infected Tooth

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I’ve been avoiding the dentist because he expects payment for everything up front. I had a cavity I didn’t have the money to get it filled because he wanted full payment, so I put it off. Now I’m pretty sure the tooth is infected. It hurts like mad and that part of my face is starting to swell. Will going to the ER to get antibiotics help?

Perry

Dear Perry,

A man grabbing his jaw in need of an emergency dentist

Antibiotics alone won’t solve this problem. Tooth infections are different. A dentist has to physically go in and remove the infected pulp with a procedure known as a root canal treatment. You’re in a tough spot, but this is considered a dental emergency and I don’t want you to ignore it. There are ways to get the treatment you need but I want you to understand how serious this is.

Your face is already starting to swell which means your infection has already started spreading. Think about how close your jaw is to your heart and brain. If it manages to reach those areas, it can become life-threatening quickly. This is important.

Ways of Affording Dental Care

Though your dentist expects full payment up front, not every dentist is the same way. Some, especially in the case of an emergency like yours, will allow you to get the treatment you need and then pay it out. I would do an internet search using the term “affordable dentist“. These are the dentists most likely to be willing to work with you on payment.

Either they’ll have in house payment plans and let you pay them directly or they’ll work through Care Credit. This is a health credit card, with low and even no-interest payments depending on your credit.

This will allow you to get the treatment you need and hopefully save your tooth. The sooner you get seen the better chance you have of that. If you end up with a tooth extraction, that will also mean an expensive tooth replacement. Early intervention costs significantly less.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.

Emergency Dentist Versus Crown Battle

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In corner number one is my regular dentist. He placed a dental crown a year ago which has given me nothing but trouble. He adjusted three different times and then said their’s nothing more he can do and it’s likely a matter of me just getting used to it. I felt too embarrassed to say anything else about it, but then yesterday while eating, it broke off. That’s where corner number two comes in. I just didn’t feel like my dentist was getting this right so I called an emergency dentist. I just wanted him to bond it back on but he insisted it needed to be replaced. I don’t know if that’s true or if he just wants to make a whole new crown. Can you advise me?

Virginia

Dear Virginia,

A man grabbing his jaw in need of an emergency dentist

You have been through the mill with this dental crown. I don’t blame you from losing confidence in dentists. One of my pet peeves is when a dentist says, “You’ll get used to it.” That’s dental code for “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

There are usually two reasons for pain with a dental crown. The first is when there is a lingering infection. I’m guessing both your dentist and the emergency dentist did an x-ray because you were having so much trouble with it. They should have seen any infection on the x-rays, so I don’t think that’s your problem.

The second reason for pain is the crown is seated too high. I know you said he adjusted it, but I’m not confident he adjusted it properly. The fact that your crown broke off gives weight to it being seated too high. Either that or your dentist has no idea how to bond something. Either way, your dentist is having some skill struggles.

Your Options with this Dental Emergency

My recommendation is you ask your dentist for a refund. You shouldn’t have too much trouble getting one. The minimum life span of a dental crown is around five years. You got one. You didn’t even get a peaceful one. Instead, you had problem after problem. Every time you needed to have it readjusted cost you time from other things you could have been doing.

Now, what you do from there is up to you. One option is to have the emergency dentist re-do your crown. I haven’t examined it, but given how much trouble you’ve had with it, he may have seen something faulty in the crown which led him to tell you it’s important you replace it.

However, it sounds like you had some doubts about this diagnosis. You are perfectly within your rights to try a different dentist altogether. I wouldn’t go back to your original dentist. He’s struggling. This may be the perfect opportunity for you to find a new practice. Your dentist is obligated to provide all your treatment information so you don’t have to start over.

I hope this helps you.
This blog is brought to you by Decatur Metal Free Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.