Can’t Afford Dental Treatment

[NavyPoet]

I have had a consultation at a dentist and he advised that due to lifelong bruxism I have severe wear to all my teeth which has resulted in my teeth being small, the enamel worn away to the dentine and sensitivity. The cost of rebuilding my teeth he estimated to be £9000. I cannot afford this and there is no option to take on further debt as I recently bought a house with my partner and took out a loan to do repairs on the house which we are barely managing to repay. We are both self employed and earn very little but apparently this isn’t work that would be covered by the NHS even if by some miracle I could find a dentist taking on NHS patients near me. I will go to another dentist to see what they would quote me but I can’t imagine it will be greatly reduced. I am confused as to what my options are here - what would happen if I couldn’t afford to get treatment? I would lose my teeth? My dentist warned me that the longer I leave it the more complicated and expensive the work will be. I am very anxious about this as I was hoping if we ever had any money we could use it to get married or go on holiday but now all I can think about is losing my teeth (I am 38 btw!) 😥

Could you get a referral to a Dental hospital such as King's? Then at least you could discuss options.

I was quoted £15k for the same sort of work - a whole mouth rehabilitation they call it.

I've since seen a restorative dentist - a private specialist - who agrees the work I was advised to do is a bad idea, not least of all because I'm phobic and the treatment would be a horrific ordeal do me.... He's proposed much more minor work to stabilise me and repair some particular damage, plus a specialist night guard, which will all come in at £3k.

So in short, see a proper speciality.

Your health is more important than a house.

Sell your house and use that money to fix your teeth.

This really isn't a decision. It's the only logical thing to do.

What absolute tripe.

What would you do,then?

Having work done by a dental hospital will probably involve a long wait, and if there aren’t any near OP it may mean expensive travel costs. I had a root canal done in a teaching hospital, I waited over a year, and had to use buses and a train to get there.
As OP needs so much work done I doubt if it would be the answer.

OP would your dentist let you pay in instalments? I realise money is tight but it might be the only way to get this done. In the circumstances I’m surprised that an nhs dentist ( if you could find one) couldn’t do something if only as a temporary treatment. Are you wearing a mouth guard at night to prevent further damage?

OP- Do you wear a mouthguard at night to stop further damage?
So the dentist you saw was private? I wonder if you could find an NHS dentist, even in the next town/a drive away and see what they say? Surely some sort of treatment would be available on the NHS?

As a side note, DH was referred to the dental hospital for genetic, gum recession/bleeding. He'd been paying for cleaning every 3mths from his dentist, using dentasticks and a waterpik, plus brushing 2/3x a day. It wasn't that he'd neglected his teeth etc. Overall, he waited nearly 18mths to get seen at the dental hospital!

Definitely look onto getting a mouth guard to wear at night to prevent further damage whilst you make a decision. You could get that on the NHS if you can find one who is taking on new patients. My dentist does a mix of NHS and private, many do these days.

A mouth full of broken, diseased teeth, with necrotising gingivitis might change your mind . .

or get them all removed and go for dentures..........

Get a second opinion. They may offer different options.

I'm in the exact same position OP, and the dentist I saw was NHS but said she couldn't do it unless privately. Makes no sense to me as she's the one saying it needs doing but is also saying it's too big a job for any of it to be done on the NHS. My full sympathies as I also can't afford it- it's rubbish.

Did you read my previous post? I have huge problems with my own teeth.

I'd have them all out before I lose my home.

However, I also didn't accept the first price given to me and saw a specialist. Now I can afford an agreed treatment plan - pay on credit card and pay it off over a year.

This is exactly what I want but they won't pull a tooth that isn't completely fucked. And obviously I'm not ever likely to be in a position to pay £££ for it. I envisage alot of pain in my future 😅

If you're self employed and earn very little, could you consider applying for full time employed roles instead?

a mouthguard with a private dentist is £200, so much more affordable in the short term, which would hopefully prevent further damage. agree with previous posters who suggested seeking second opinion. Also dentists can prescribe toothpaste with 3 X the fluoride of ordinary toothpaste, which might also help prevent further damage.

Has nobody noticed that you grind your teeth before it got to this stage? Just wondering if it’s a new dentist and you should get a second opinion
i grind and use a lower mouthguard

This is insane advice, not least because if I sold my house I would then have to rent which costs more than paying a mortgage so would leave me much worse off financially!

Yes I do have a mouth guard but fell out if the habit of using it after I had my son (sleep chaos!) and this dentist is advising now that this type of mouthguard isn’t of use in my case now anyway and that after the work I would need to wear a rigid splint…

I do apply to full time roles occasionally but it is tricky as I have a toddler (hence the reason I am not earning as much as I used to) and childcare is very expensive.

Yes and I think ultimately this is what I will do - pay over three years and swallow (excuse the pun) the interest

Thank you so much! Was hoping that I would hear from someone in a similar position and this has encouraged me to seek alternative advice for treatment (rather than to sell my house)

Many dentists offer payment plans

I've just started a treatment plan and decided to pay in installments rather than all at once.

If you have health insurance they will sometimes cover dental work depending on company and policy

Ask your current dentist who the restorative specialist is in your area - you may need a referral. My dentist is doesn't charge for this, but sent over a letter (email) and my xrays.