Convenience of Care

When you’re a busy professional who can’t squeeze in a checkup every six months, this is understandable to most. However, tooth decay and gum disease don’t discriminate. In fact, experts estimate that 47% of Americans have some form of gum disease. That’s nearly half of the American population! Gum disease can eventually cause tooth loss, in addition to sensitive teeth, bad breath, and gum recession. Dental care is more convenient today than ever before. Many places allow you to book appointments online. Your smartphone can easily remind you of your appointment. Often a checkup and cleaning takes less than an hour, so you’re back to your routine in no time!

No Dental Coverage

Over 100 million Americans lack dental health insurance. This plays a huge role in the majority of people not getting the dental care they need. The people who suffer most are children. 1 in 4 kids today have tooth decay. Without checkups, these cavities often go unnoticed and lead to rotten teeth or the loss of permanent teeth in older children.

Adults without dental insurance aren’t doing much better. 56% of adults without dental coverage routinely skip preventative treatment. Without preventative care, ailments such as oral cancer in addition to tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth infections are left to get worse. You can still receive dental care even if you don’t have health insurance. Talk to your dentist to see if they offer interest-free financing through CareCredit. Ask what programs are available in your community in order to receive low-cost or even free dental screenings. The best cure is prevention!

Dental Anxiety

People with dental anxiety feel fear, dread, and terror when they think about going to the dentist. Instead, people who experience this type of anxiety often suffer instead of getting preventative care or treatment. With nearly 30% of all adults having at least one untreated cavity, avoiding the dentist due to dental anxiety is never a good idea. Consider the cost of avoiding the dentist: while it may cost you only $150 to get a cavity filled, a root canal can be upwards of $900! That’s a huge price jump for simply letting a cavity progress to the point that it can’t be filled.

Find a dentist who’s experienced at treating patients with dental anxiety. You want a compassionate, friendly dentist who offers sedative dentistry options to help keep you calm during your visit. Don’t forgo care just because of your anxiety! For all the reasons people avoid the dentist’s office, none of them are genuine excuses to not seek preventative care. There are options available to you. Talk with your local dentist about resources you can utilize to access the care you need for an affordable price. Your smile will thank you later!

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Tooth Decay

Without proper oral care, bad bacteria in the mouth can damage teeth. If bacteria are allowed to become unbalanced and overgrow in the mouth, your tooth’s enamel is at serious risk. Enamel is the shiny, protective layer over our teeth. Once this substance is gone, there’s no way to replace it. Without tooth enamel or damaged enamel, our teeth are subject to cavities. Tooth decay can progress to huge cavities that aren’t able to be repaired with fillings alone. You could even lose your teeth if cavities are left to take over your smile!

Gum Disease

It’s not always easy to know when gum disease has become a problem. Often, plaque and bacteria build up around your gumline, which irritates both your gums and your tooth’s root. This leads gums to become infected and pull back away from your teeth. In addition to causing sensitivity, gum disease can also cause tooth roots to become damaged, which in turn creates loose teeth. Signs of gum disease include bleeding gums, loose teeth, and the appearance of elongated teeth.

Oral Cancer

There are several risk factors for oral cancer, including genetics, alcohol, smoking, and exposure to UV light. When you miss visits at your dentist office, you miss an important screening—an oral cancer checkup. 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral cancer every year. Getting a checkup with your dentist means getting a screening for oral cancer that can detect the disease early. If you have risk factors for oral cancer and are neglecting your dental health, consider scheduling a checkup.

Teeth Staining

Getting professional cleanings at your dentist office helps to consistently remove surface stains. Since our tooth enamel is porous, this means our teeth are subject to staining over time. This is especially true for people who are fond of coffee, red wine, and tea. Removing those surface stains helps to improve your smile’s appearance. If you want a more dramatic whitening, you can talk with your dentist about teeth whitening!

Increase Future Costs

When you neglect to take care of your teeth or make a visit to your dentist, it might feel like you’re saving money at the time. However, when your oral health takes a turn for the worse, your out-of-pocket expenses are much higher than they would have been if you’d been regularly engaging in oral care. Increasing the future costs of your dental visits is a consequence of avoiding taking care of your teeth!

Your smile is so important. Your teeth help you chew and speak, your gums support your teeth, and your appearance is often dependent on your smile. Don’t neglect your oral care—even visiting your dentist once a year makes a big difference!

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They Have Lots of Experience

Dentists who give back to their community work with people from all over the world and even those right in your neighborhood that are in need of dental care. They work with individuals who have experienced trauma or cannot afford an office visit. Many times dentists or the American Dental Association will offer free dental clinics to patients who are experiencing a disability, victims of domestic violence, military veterans, children without dental insurance, and even seniors.

If your dentist is invested in the community in this way, this means they have experience with people from all different backgrounds and have seen it all. This makes them a more experienced, compassionate dentist to serve you and your family!

Dental Care with Compassion

Oftentimes dentists will even participate in travel dentistry in which they travel to third world countries to provide free dental care to the people there. They’re compassionate and they have seen many different types of dental issues. They understand that you’re self-conscious about your smile or that you may not be able to afford the office visit.

These compassionate professionals understand dental anxiety; they know what you’ve been through to come to their door. These dentists are compassionate and caring when delivering the best of dental care to you and your family.

Work with You

Dentists who give back to the community are often friendly and willing to work with you when it comes to payment and getting you the dental care that you need for a beautiful smile. Many times free or discounted dental clinics will provide professional care to children and families in need. These dentists are more willing to be flexible with patients because they understand the struggles that communities like theirs face daily and want to provide professional oral health care and cancer screenings to the community!

They Care!

These dentists care about their communities and the world they live in. A dentist who gives back to his or her community is invested in the area and shows through their practice and care that they want to help provide dental care to everyone, not just to those who can afford it!

Finding a dentist who cares and gives back to their community is essential in your search for a dentist. These dentists also tend to be very understanding of dental phobia and dental anxiety and are gentle and compassionate when providing care to you. Find a dentist who gives back to their community in your area!

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Financing

There is financing available for those who need it when it comes to dental implants. These companies (such as Care Credit and Prosper Healthcare) make it possible for you to get the care you need and then make monthly payments later. Financing is a great option for those who opt for dental implants because dental implants require minimal maintenance and last for many years, so you can minimize any future dental work and be able to steadily pay off the loan month to month. Your dental implants will look great and last a long time; financing is an option worth considering to afford this care.

In-Office Payment Plans

The office doing your dental care understands the need for flexibility, especially when it comes to specialty dental work. Talk with your dentist office about the possibility of an in-office payment plan. These payment plans will be set up based on what you are able to pay from month to month to cover your dental care. If implants are the best option for you but your insurance won’t cover the cost or will only cover part of the cost, in-office payment plans may be able to help you afford the cost. Talk with your dentist to discover how in-office payment plans can make your dental implants available and affordable for your smile.

Prevent Future Damage

One of the reasons that dental implants are a great investment for your oral health is because they help prevent any future damage to your teeth. If you were to opt for a dental bridge to replace your missing tooth or missing teeth, you would need to get to adjacent teeth sanded down to properly apply the bridge. With dental implants, the only teeth affected are the missing teeth. Dental implants will save you money in the long run because you won’t have the health risks and damage from not fixing the missing or damaged teeth or going with a cheaper option that might not be the best for your mouth.

If you need dental implants, don’t let the cost stop you from receiving the care that you need. Consider financing options, discuss in-office payments with your dentist, and consider the cost savings of dental implants for the future. Your oral health is important, so don’t skip on the care you need. Dental implants today are more affordable than ever!

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Insurance May Not Cover Everything

Dental insurance unfortunately doesn’t always cover 100% of your procedures. Dental insurance will typically cover all costs of preventive and diagnostic services, such as check ups or estimates for dental work. For things like endodontic treatment (root canal), implants, or cosmetic dentistry, and even orthodontics, your insurance may only cover a percentage of these costs. The insurance doesn’t usually cover the entire cost of things like porcelain veneers, crowns, or bonding work if there’s another option. If your child needs braces to help him chew his food properly, the insurance should cover the cost. If you want cosmetic dentistry done to help your smile look more beautiful, insurance likely won’t cover this, or only a percentage. Check with your insurance company to see what will be covered so that you can prepare a budget for your specialty dental treatment.

Options for Your Perfect Smile

In light of the fact that some treatments are only partially covered, dental specialists will work with you personally to create a plan that works for you and fits your budget. Consider all of your options when it comes to specialty dental work—while options such as resin bonding or ceramic crowns may work well, porcelain is the most durable, so you’ll need to choose what will be best for you and your smile with your dental specialist. You have options when it comes to payment. If you find that insurance will only cover part of your specialty dental costs or if you find that it won’t cover any costs for your preferred treatment, discuss this with your dentist. Options are always available for your perfect smile.

Treatment is Always Available

You should never stray away from treatment just because your budget is tight. Treatment is always available no matter what you can or can’t afford. Specialists are more likely to accept alternative forms of payment such as Care Credit or Citi Health Cards. The cost of specialty dental work isn’t always budget friendly for everyone, but many times it is a necessity if you’re missing a tooth or need a root canal. You can create a budget after speaking with your insurance company and discussing what treatment will be best for you with your dentist, and then come up with a payment plan that is budget friendly for you. Dental specialists will work with you to make sure treatment is always available.

Specialty dental treatment is necessary for certain situations, and others just want their smile to look the best it can. Regardless of your needs or wants, specialty dental treatment can fit your budget. Speak with your dentist to discuss options and payment plans today.

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