I was robbed outside my apartment last night. It’s just been one in a series of disastrous events for me after another. I can’t even begin to go into it. However, this morning I noticed one of my teeth, where he punched me, is loose. I do not have dental insurance or much money. Is there an affordable way to fix this or will I lose the tooth?
Carla
Dear Carla,
I’m horrified this happened to you. I hope they were able to catch the criminal. A loose tooth is serious, but, depending on the extent of the injury, it’s still possible to save the tooth. This would be considered a dental emergency, though.
Make sure you don’t wiggle the tooth. You’ll stretch the ligaments that help hold them in place. If they stretch too much, they’ll snap. A dentist will do x-rays to see if there’s any damage to the pulp or nerves. If everything looks okay there, it’s simply a matter of splinting the tooth to stabilize it until the ligaments heal.
If however, there’s some internal damage, it may cause the tooth to die. This requires a root canal treatment and porcelain crown.
Finding an Affordable Dentist in an Emergency
You’ve probably read all of that and are seeing dollar signs add up in your head. Don’t despair. You should know that most dentists went into the field because they wanted to help people. They’re compassionate. Given your circumstances, many of them will be willing to work with you on payments. So, how do you find these compassionate angels?
I’d start by doing an internet search for an affordable dentist. Then check out their website. If they’re available to non-established patients during emergencies, it will say that on their site somewhere. They’ll often have an Emergency Dentist page. Next check their online reviews. Often Yelp! and Google Reviews are good places to start. This is so you get a feel for what they’re like to their patients. You’ve been through enough. You don’t need a short-tempered doc.
From there it’s simply a matter of calling them and letting them know the situation. Make sure you tell them ahead of time you need to work out payments.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.