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eskielover · Jul 10, 2009, 02:17 PM

Pomegranate,

Glad you are able to have the option to find a good dentist to save your teeth. That really is a much better option than I have.

Several broken teeth ago when I went to the dentist while in California the last time (December 2007)......she was one that does implants which is why I went to find out more information also. She said my only solution was to have all the teeth pulled upper & lower. She said that because of the bone structure in the gum is too small, there would be no way for them to do the implants......said it would cost a least $40,000....or maybe that was $60,000 (at that point it was all too much) & she said that no insurance covers all of that kind of surgery anyway. That reconstructive surgery would require bone taken out of other part of the body to build up the gum area for any implants to be successful & even then it would probably not work out after all of that. She said that the pain involved was also not necessarily worth it either. Her specialty is implants, so I figure she knew what she is talking about.

She said dentures are the only viable answer. Also would have to add to the surgery mandibular tori removal......soft tissue on the lower gum left & right. She said it was because of grinding my teeth. She said it has to be removed or they can't fit the dentures over it & it would be very painful if they don't remove it.

I didn't want to do anything about my teeth until I was better settled in Kentucky. Living alone with my doggies, is stressful thinking about having to take care of myself alone if I were to have any problems also. I know there are times when I don't feel good, that I am not able to take care of anything....so that is definitely stressful. However my teeth continued to break faster than I am getting settled. My other problem was that my weight was still so low after going through the trauma with my Mother in 2005......It wasn't until this year that my weight is finally at a healthy point where I can actually afford to loose a couple of pounds without ending up sick again. I also wanted to be established with my pain specialist here before doing anything like this also.......so many reasons (excuses) not to do anything......but time is running out & so are my teeth.

They say that bad teeth can cause heart problems & a lot of other health problems......I don't understand how Medicare can refuse to pay for something like this when it is so health related.....maybe you have to have a heart attack caused by it before they will do anything......I really do have to check.....who knows.....maybe they just need to have a oral surgeon say how serious the situation is???

I guess I wouldn't have to worry too much about food bills...lol while having the teeth pulled, so that expense would go way down on a monthly basis. The problem I am at the point where the last tooth that was able to chew broke off......so I am down to the point where the option of doing nothing is no longer there.......but have no idea on how to pay for it.....or where to go to get the kind of treatment I need with my fear given the monetary limitations.

Will see how much longer I can go before having to do something......need to really get it figured out before it becomes an emergency really.....but have had so many other issues that have been higher priority & still do.....but my teeth are definitely becoming a higher priority.

Debbie