Missing my top two teeth

Hey, I'm missing my 1 and 2 teeth on the top row. To be honest, I haven't stepped foot in a dentist's office in years because I was just too embarrassed. I guess I'm looking for some recommendations for a good dentist who could do implants. I really just want to be able to smile like I used to. Thanks.

Hey
I'm an oral surgeon. Tell me what's bothering you...

Man, I'm missing two teeth right now and money is pretty tight. Is there any way I can get this fixed through standard health insurance, or am I stuck having to go to a private dentist?

Does anyone here know a private contractor who could handle this for me without charging an absolute fortune?

Look, just head over to a community health clinic first and see what they can cover under your insurance plan.

Honestly, I’d much rather deal with the embarrassment of a dentist visit than walk around for years with missing ones and twos.😬

Nathan Ramos77 said:Hey, I'm missing my upper front teeth—numbers 1 and 2. I haven't stepped foot in a dentist's office in years because, honestly, I'm embarrassed. Can anyone recommend a good dentist who can do Implants? I just want to be able to smile normally again. Thanks.

So you say you want Implants, but you don't exactly have the cash to burn... do you realize a single Implant runs you about $1,000 or more??? And it’s actually pretty wild that you're more ashamed of a dentist (who is literally the only person that can help you) than you are of the hundreds, maybe thousands, of people who have seen you on the street over the last few years... Not to mention, dentists see cases like yours every single day, whereas people out in public probably don't care nearly as much...
On top of that, I get it, you want things to look perfect... but let's be real, high-end aesthetics cost a fortune and require serious upkeep. Since you haven't seen a dentist in years, you really need to ask yourself: is your oral hygiene actually up to par? Fixing one tooth or replacing a gap doesn't mean all your problems are solved. The struggle might be over for now, but that's exactly when you need to start being consistent and actually maintaining everything.

It’s not just $500 about one single tooth
but once you get that thing working, you have to grind down the other one too just so they can sit right against each other. In his case, we're looking at three fillings total.

Grace Diaz76 said:It isn't just $500 one tooth
. But when you start working on it, you have to grind down the others so they can sit right against it. In his case, we’re looking at three crowns
.

Look, sorry... but before you decide to bury someone in a hole, maybe do some actual research on the difference between an Implant, a crown, and a bridge? Because what you just wrote is total nonsense. You aren't talking about Implants at all; you're describing bridges. Just a reminder: the guy wants Implants.

When you Google "implant cost"... this shows up as one of the top results, so go ahead and check the price gap for yourself.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/dental-implants-pricing.pdf

So then my own dentist actually tried to pull one over on me
Basically, after I lost a tooth—doesn't really matter how, just happened—I went in to get a quote for what it would cost to fix it up properly.
They had to pull the whole root and everything, so now I'm looking at a full replacement, and I've already got an appointment set for August.
And yeah, I'll be paying whatever price they slapped on me...

Grace Diaz76 said:then my own dentist started lying to me
since after I lost a tooth (doesn't even matter how), I went in to ask how much it would cost to fix it.
They pulled the root and everything, so I need a whole new one, and I have an appointment scheduled for August.
And that's the price I'm going to pay...

Look, remember one thing... you aren't getting an Implant. There isn't a single person in this entire country capable of doing an Implant for that kind of money. Besides, you don't grind down the neighboring teeth for an Implant. You do that for bridges, which means you'll end up with a bridge in the end. I know exactly what I'm talking about here, and it seems like there’s some major confusion between you and your dentist if you actually think they're performing an Implant procedure while grinding down two adjacent teeth. The cheapest Implants I know of in Chicago go for $2167.

Glad you mentioned that, I really need to give them a call first. I don't want to end up making some silly mistake and having to pay double just to fix it later!
thnx

Don't get the wrong idea—I take my dental hygiene seriously, I really do. I guess I'm just wondering if a community health clinic can handle an Implant, or if I'll definitely have to go to a private practice.

Nathan Ramos77 said:Don't assume I neglect my oral hygiene; I take excellent care of my teeth. Can a community health clinic handle an Implant, or will I definitely need to see a private specialist?

Public insurance doesn't cover Implants or dental bridges... you might want to consider getting bridges instead since they're more affordable. There are plenty of local dentists who offer lower rates under the table if you can find one. My own new tooth would have cost $1000 with two bridges, but I found a dentist who can do it for $667...
Standard insurance only covers removable appliances, kind of like clear aligners. You can pay for supplemental coverage and ask your dentist for a referral—I think you'd go to a county facility—but the waiting lists are incredibly long...
A lot of dentists will let you set up a payment plan for your dental work...
I know how you feel (though you have it a bit easier than I do). They pulled my upper premolar two months ago, and the worst part is that I can't even give a full, genuine laugh anymore😢

What’s the deal with the bridge structure? Are the wires visible? I need a right-side unit, specifically the top one, so I want to know how that would look and what the ballpark cost would be.

There aren't any visible wires, so they look just like natural teeth, and the cost is roughly $450.

gross

I’ve got four bridges now, and honestly, they feel just like my own teeth.

When it comes to choosing between public clinics and private dentists, I always go for the private guys who take my insurance. It’s basically the same price as going through the state system, but the quality—the materials, the actual care—is on a completely different level. We all know how things work with our healthcare system; they're constantly cutting corners everywhere else.