Are You A Pain Driven Dental Patient?

Going to the Dentist Only When You Have Pain is Costing You Money

Save Money on Dental Care With Preventive Dentistry

You might think that avoiding the dentist for regular checkups and cleanings is a good way to save money on dental care.  The fact is, avoiding the dentist unless you have a painful problem costs you more money than maintaining regular check ups and cleanings.  

50% of Americans do not see a dentist regularly.  The reason for this is not that half of Americans have perfectly healthy teeth.  Avoiding regular dental care prevents your dentist from detecting small areas of tooth decay or early stages of gum disease.  Small dental problems are not usually painful, and you might not even notice them. Once these problems have progressed and become more serious, they begin to cause pain.  Advanced dental disease can be a lot more expensive to repair than early dental disease.

  

How Dental Work Becomes Expensive

 Your dentist is trained to detect early signs of dental disease, and can repair the problem more easily and more affordably than saving a tooth with advanced disease.  For example, a small cavity is painless, almost invisible.  Over time it grows and expands into the vital structures within your tooth, causing pain and infection. 

A regular check up every 6 months would ensure that the tiny cavity was detected and filled long before serious and painful damage was done to the tooth.  A small filling is one of the most inexpensive dental procedures you can have.   

Take the same small cavity, but without a regular dental check-up.  Over time, the cavity will grow, infiltrating the pulp of the tooth.  Once the cavity has grown to this point, it will become painful and sensitive to hot/cold/sweet.  If you seek help from a dentist at this point, a larger filling is almost guaranteed and a porcelain crown may be required in order to restore the tooth’s strength.  Without repair, the cavity continues to overtake the tooth.  As it reaches the pulp, it causes intense pain, swelling and even infection.  The decay may cause the tooth to fracture and chip apart.  

At this point, you are seeking an emergency dental appointment, and the cavity needs much more than a small, inexpensive filling to repair it.  If the tooth can be saved at this late stage of disease, it could need a root canal treatment and a dental crown in order to remove the decay, heal the infection and strengthen the tooth.  This type of extensive repair can be several times the cost of a small filling, even with dental insurance. 

Regular Dental Care Saves Money

Good dental habits at home, including brushing and flossing, combined with regular dental care can help you save money on the cost of dental work.  A professional dental cleaning every six months removes harmful plaque and tartar that collects along the gumline and causes tooth decay and gum disease.  Annual x-rays make it possible to detect small areas of tooth decay, making simple, inexpensive repairs possible.  Your regular dental exam allows your dentist to diagnose dental problems before they become serious and painful.  

Most dental plans cover the cost of preventive dental care, such as exams and cleanings, because insurance companies know that prevention works.  If you have dental insurance, you can stay current with your routine dental care at no cost to you.  If you do not have insurance, the cost of an exam and cleaning is far less than the cost of major dental work.  

Be a Prevention Driven Dental Patient

Save your teeth and help them last you a lifetime by having a preventive attitude about dentistry.  Practice good dental hygiene habits every day, and see your dentist for a professional cleaning and exam every six months.  This formula for success has been proven to reduce the need for expensive, extensive dental work over time.  

 Even more important than saving money on dental care, having a preventive attitude about dentistry will help you maintain healthy teeth and gums for the rest of your life.