Baton Rouge Dentist

Smile makeover without much money

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I only have about five hundred dollars, but I really want to do something about my teeth.  They’re old and have a little chip in the front. What can I do with that kind of money?

Giada O. – New Jersey

Giada,

You can easily do professional, take home teeth whitening in that price range.  To be honest, teeth whitening is one of the easiest (and dramatic) things you can do to brighten up your smile.  Having whiter teeth takes years off your appearance.

Depending on the size of the chip on your tooth (and the prices of your dentist), it’s feasible that you can have dental bonding done on the chip on your tooth. Depending on what exactly will need to be done with the tooth, it will generally cost between $100-$600 per tooth.

Be sure you get the tooth whitening done before you do any bonding. That way it will be matched to your new white color.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.

What if I can’t afford the treatment my dentist insists on?

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My dentist said I need dental implants. I just plain can’t afford him.  I told him I would rather get dentures, but he said that would ruin my jawbone and I really need implants.  What do I do if I can’t afford the treatment? I’m not going to sell my house in order to get my teeth fixed.

Ali B. – Tucson, Arizona

Ali,

There are very few things that irritate me more than a dentist who instists on the ideal treatment regardless of the financial circumstances of their patients. It’s not only inconsiderate, it’s unethical.   Your dentist is ethically bound to tell you all the legitimate treatment options.

Yes, it is not ideal.  Yes, it will affect your jawbone. But, sometimes patients need affordable dental options . This may be the best treatment for you right now.  Then, if things change, you can upgrade later.

If your dentist has trouble understanding that, I suggest you look for a more affordable dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.

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At my last checkup, I asked the dentist for a consultation to see what my options were for a couple missing teeth. I wasn’t sure how affordable dental implants were. I got my estimate and it shows that my insurance is only picking up a very small portion of it. I really figured that they would pick up about half of the total bill. Does this sound right? Is there a way to get them to cover more so I can go forward with treatment?

-Reagan

Dear Reagan,

Dental implants can be pretty pricey, but their benefits are even greater than their cost. Unfortunately, dental insurance doesn’t help much when it comes to creating more affordable dental implants. In fact, many plans have no coverage at all. Others will only pay for half of the crown that goes on top and that’s after you pay a deductible. There are a few plans that cover more, but they are a rarity.

This doesn’t mean that working with your dentist you can’t find a more afforable plan to get dental implants. Every dentist is different in what they offer.  Some of them stage out your implants. Others, like Dr. Perry, offer mini implants.

The key is communication.  Let your dentist know what you have to work with budget wise and he or she can help you determine the best treatment option for you.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.

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Do you have to tell an emergency dentist everything?

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If I have a dental emergency, do I have to tell the dentist how it happened. I lost a tooth, but I don’t want to tell him how.  Will that matter?

Name Withheld.

Hi,

There are rules concerning confidentiality, but they’re not always clear.  In general, as long as the dentist doesn’t think you are going to be a harm to yourself or to others, a dentist won’t ask too many questions or report you for anything.

I want to caution you not to lie to the dentist about anything that could affect your emergency dental care.  You can decline to give him information, or you can skew the information a little bit to keep out of trouble.

I also want to caution you not to avoid the dentist.  If you truly do have a dental emergency and don’t get seen, then you’re at risk of losing your tooth…or worse. Most dentists get into their profession because they want to help people.  They’re not out to get you.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.

Do Crest Whitestrips work as well as dental teeth whitening?

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I keep seeing Crest Whitestrips in the stores. Do they work as well as dental teeth whitening?

Jana G. – Alabama

Jana,

Well, it depends on what you’re actually asking. If you’re wanting to know if they will whiten your teeth, then the answer is yes. If you’re asking if they work as well as professional teeth whitening, then the answer is no.

It is not nearly as strong a whitening solution because it is sold over the counter. It would take many, many boxes to get your teeth as white as your dentist could. Also, the strips only cover just a few of your front teeth. You’ll have visible teeth that don’t get whitened.

There is a solution to that though. You could put more than one strip on at a time on each arch in order to cover all the teeth that you’ll want whitened.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.

Can’t afford to fix my mouth

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My parents never took me to the dentist. They’ve never really bothered me, but I was alway embarrassed that I’d never gone. I’ve gotten my first real job and one of the first things I did is take my first trip to the dentist. I was in for the shock of a lifetime. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but most of my teeth need either crowns or replacing. There is no way I can afford this kind of dental care.  I’m so afraid I’m going to be a toothless granny before I’m even thirty years old. Is there any affordable solution?

Whitney M. – Ohio

Whitney,

While there is an affordable solution I will tell you about, before you go any further I think you need to get a second opinion. If your teeth weren’t bothering you, I find it hard to believe you will need that much work. It’s not impossible, but I just don’t find it very likely.

If it turns out there is a lot of work that needs to be done, there is a way to get affordable dentistry. One way is to do phased treatment. The dentist can list out the work that needs to be done in the order of urgency.  Then you get the most urgent work done and slowly save up to do the rest.

This will enable you to eventually get everything done at a rate you can afford to do.  But, like I said before. I would get a second opinion first.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.

Lied to my dentist about smoking, will it affect my dental implants

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I spoke with an implant dentist about getting implants. He mentioned he doesn’t treat smokers and then asked if I smoked. I told him no, but the truth is a do sometimes smoke pot, which I wasn’t too keen on sharing.  I’m not a cigarette smoker so I assumed it wouldn’t matter, but now I’m wondering if there will be complications. He’s really affordable so I wanted to make sure I got in with him.  Other doctors cost more.

Adam K. – Dallas, TX

Adam,

I understand your not wanting to share about the marijuana, but it is always best to be completely honest with your medical providers.  I’m sure you like the affordability of this dentist, but you won’t have affordable dental implants for long if the procedure fails.

Talk with your dentist about your habit.  Be quite frank with him about how often you smoke marijuana. When you smoke, it reduces the blood flow in your gums. This increases the risk of complications and dental implant failure.

If the procedure does fail, you could lose the implants all together. They could fall out or you could develop a serious infection. This will cost you a small fortune and possibly have severe health consequences.

The decision is yours, of course, but honesty is always best.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.

Is a crown supposed to fall off?

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I got my first dental crown a couple of weeks ago.  It wasn’t the best experience of my life. This morning after I brushed my teeth the crown fell off.  Is this supposed to happen?  My dentist said it was normal and nothing to worry about, but I’m not too thrilled with the idea of having to worry about it falling out at any time.

Zhiva H. – Brooklyn

Zhiva,

No, this is not normal. I’m a little shocked your dentist would consider it normal.  Most dentists go their entire careers without a single crown falling out. The fact that your dentist thinks this is a normal occurance is concerning.

You need to get this crown re-cemented. You want it to be done fairly soon.  After a few days, your teeth will begin to shift. Your original crown will no longer fit and you’ll need to start the process over.

You may not want to hear this next part, but I don’t think you should go to your dentist to have this rebonded, though I’m sure he does it for free.  If this is a regular occurance for him, you’ll never have security with your crown.  Call around to some local dentists. Some will see non-established patients the same day in the case of a dental emergency.  Let them know what is going on. I’m positive one of them will see you.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.

 

Bonding turning yellow

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I’ve had my dental bonding for a few years on a chipped tooth. It is starting to get stained, so the bonding part is a different color than the rest of my tooth.  Could teeth whitening help this? I’ve been wanting to whiten my teeth anyway, but this would give me a reason to justify it.

Elizabeth J. – Louisiana

Elizabeth,

It sounds like your dental bonding has reached the end of its useful life.  Teeth whitening won’t help whiten any type of dental work. It’s only useful on natural tooth structure.  In order to get that chip to match the remainder of your teeth it will have to be replaced.

As you’re wanting whiter natural teeth as well, it’s important you do your teeth whitening before you have the new bonding done.  That way it can be tailored to your new brighter color.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.

Can’t afford extraction

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I need a tooth in the back extracted, but I don’t have the money. It’s getting pretty bad and I can’t deal with it. The pain is now spreading up the side of my face and is to my eyebrow. I have some old antibiotics that I didn’t end up needing. Can I take that, until I have the money for the extraction?

Stacey A. – Little Rock, AR

Stacey,

This is one of those dental situation where you can’t afford not to do it. You can actually die from a tooth abscess. This is spreading. What will you do if it gets to your brain?  This tooth needs to be extracted and the antibiotic will not take care of your infection.

If you’ve already got a dentist, call him and explain the situation. He’ll more than likely be able to work out some way to make it affordable.

This is something you really cannot put off.

This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Ryan Perry.