About 2 months ago, I bit down on a potato chip and broke off about 1/3 of my left upper molar. There is a good sized "hole", and it looks grayish in color. (I snuck a peek with a little mirror) It only hurts every once in a while, but when it hurts, it hurts bad!! I have no insurance, and there is no way I can afford more than maybe $25 a month as a payment. Any suggestions??
2007-01-19 06:30:13 · 8 answers · asked by future_paramedicheather 1 in Health ➔ Dental
If you broke your tooth on a potato chip, it means that it already had quite a large cavity in it to begin with. If it hurts spontaneously, aches, throbs, and you must take pain medication to get rid of the pain, the nerve is most likely involved. If that is the case, that means that you'll need to have a root canal, filling, and crown if you'd like to restore the tooth. Otherwise, you'll have to have it extracted. It could cost between $1200-$2500 to fix and between $50-$300 to extract. Cost depends on where the office is located. You could also seek treatment at a local university's dental school at reduced fees. Good luck.
2007-01-19 06:39:25 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't go to the emergency room, unless you just want another bill on top of a dental bill. You've already broke your tooth probably from decay under an existing restoration that was leaking. It wasn't the potato chip that did it, it just happened to be time for it to break off. So what to do now is the question. I don't know where you live, or if you have a dentist that you see on a regular basis, if not, perhaps a family member has one if you don't.
Back to the problem, you are experiencing pain off and on and when it's on, it's severe. The tooth has so much bacteria get to the nerve or pulp that it is dying, and it's letting you know. It will eventually hurt constantly, then swell up, and hurt to the point that you will think you are about to die yourself, or wish that you will!
So you probably have only two choices, and with limited resources you need to consider and weigh these carefully. You can have root canal therapy on the tooth to save it. The root canal is going to require a build up to replace the missing tooth structure or what broke out or decayed.. Then it's going to need to have a crown placed. Both of these are added expense. The cost varies on the number of canals the tooth has. The crown and build up are steep too. You’re looking at investing well over $1300.00 on the one tooth.
Or, you can have it extracted. Now don't go jumping up and down thinking we got a winner! Sometimes this is not the only tooth you should be concerned with. If you have a tooth below it, that touches it, or did touch it before it broke, then you have to think about it also. If you have the one on top extracted, the one below will continue to erupt. You will eventually loose that tooth also by its continued eruption.
My suggestion is find a dentist fast. Call for an appointment and tell them about the problem your having. He will put you on antibiotics, anti inflammatory like Advil or Motrin (which you can take now for pain) and give you something for pain. He can treat the tooth by just cleaning it out, and pulping it. This will give you time to get your finances together to complete the treatment. But don't go this route unless you can finish treatment. Too many times people think they can and then don't. Then they don't understand why they have to have it extracted a year later. This is just an option.
So choices are root canal, crown and build up. Having it extracted and loosing the bottom one too. Or going for the pulpotomy and buying some time. The later is only if the Dentist is willing to go this route if your tooth isn‘t too broken down. But don't wait any longer, make an appointment and go. The dentist will be able to tell you what you need and let you choose. I'm just laying your choices out here so you can ponder over them and have an idea of what you want to do, and not be so shocked or misinformed when you go for treatment. Good luck, and I hope I’ve been of some help to you.
2007-01-19 08:02:25 · answer #2 · answered by HeatherS 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am appalled that someone would suggest that you go to the Emergency Room for something that happened 2 months ago. This is why we all pay way too much for health care because people abuse the system that way.
See your dentist and inquire about a payment plan. There are so many other factors here that are unknown...your age, overall dental health, overall health. etc. If you have a dental school in your city, you could also go there - they do nice work with low fees.
2007-01-19 07:24:06 · answer #3 · answered by nachosmyman 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ouch. I did the same thing a few years ago. It's awful.
Call your dentist and ask if they can take a payment plan. Many will. Having a tooth patched isn't very expensive, though, it is more than $25. I want to say it was probably around $150, but you do need to get it done before your tooth starts to decay, which would be very bad.
2007-01-19 06:35:12 · answer #4 · answered by Emmy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Find out what dental office in your town handles low income clients and state insurance clients and go there. They can also carry you financially for so many dollars. I would go in and have it taken care of because we don't grow new teeth, we only get one chance with them. It sounds like you need to have a cavity or a build up and a crown. Do what you can to save your tooth, you are probably really young and have the rest of your life with these teeth. I have an elderly friend who has no teeth left because of her diabetes and because she didn't take care of her teeth. People get partials or dentures but there is nothing that can beat having your real teeth.
2007-01-19 06:36:27 · answer #5 · answered by Serinity4u2find 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to your emergency room to get it checked out. Let the doctors know you have no insurance and can they refer you to someone. At most medical colleges they have dental schools and will do procedures for free or at a low rate. The pain is only going to get worse. Also look in the phone book some dentist offer a free inital visit. Go let them look at it and they may be able to set up a payment plan for u.
2007-01-19 06:33:56 · answer #6 · answered by julieg_68 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OMG. What kind of tooth is that? Couldn't handle the potato chips? Go to dentist. Try Orajel. If you can't afford that burn a newspaper and then bite it. It helps with the hurting.
2007-01-19 07:25:48 · answer #7 · answered by Eko 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If it hurts, its the root. You can get blood posioning and, later, maybe a cyst and they have to cut out jawbone.
2007-01-19 08:04:40 · answer #8 · answered by Phone E 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
why don't you call you dentist am sure he can do a better job then yahoo.o
2007-01-19 06:35:57 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋