#on the other hand : i have to pay for the rest of my dental procedure before i even start my job

[cetoddle-archive]

hi

[youllneverknowrac]

Oscar Diaz-So High

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Side note:This is how it goes down at my job and yes the dentist can tell! Only if it was done with force!

@slightlynumb

~

“Y/N Y/LN!” You hear your name being called as you sit in the small waiting room nervously, Oscar at your side holding your hand.

“Come on nena.” Oscar says softly and pulls you to stand up with him. You look at him with wide eyes and don’t reply as you follow the nurse to the pre-op area. They take your height, weight, and blood pressure and ask you one million questions, just like they did a week ago at your dental exam. The nurse pulls the curtain so she she can go put in all the information, letting you know that it won’t be too long before you’re getting your iv and heading to the OR.

The reason you were here was because you were absolutely terrified of going to the standard dentist, you could not sit still and let them remove all four wisdom teeth while being awake, so they referred you to this surgery center where they put you completely asleep for the procedure. The only problem being that your insurance didn’t want to cover it so Oscar had to pay 3 grand out of his own pocket. You wanted to tell him no and not come, but Oscar basically forced you to come to the exam after seeing how much pain you were in.

“I don’t want to Oscar.” You say as you sit in the chair next to him,”I’m fine really, please let’s just go home.” You plead, looking over to the hospital bed that was a few feet away from you.

“Y/N you can’t even eat bread.” Oscar sighs,”It’s a quick procedure mami, a hour tops. Don’t get yourself worked up. I’m going to be right there when you wake up.”

“If I wake up.” You groan and wipe your face tiredly.

“Don’t say that, you’re going to wake up.” Oscar reprimands,”This is going to make you feel better. You will be glad you did it.”

“You’ve never had to remove yours so I can’t really trust your advise, no offense.” You tell him and rest your head on his shoulder.

“It’s a fact that this will help you eat again without crying every two seconds.” He says and places a kiss to the top of your head,”Just be calm and have good thoughts mami.” Oscar soothes, the nurse opening up the curtain and asking you to sit on the bed so she can do your iv. You slowly pull away from your human comfort source and move to the bed. You hold your arm out and let the nurse tie the band around it, finding a vein with ease and grabbing the iv. You look away not wanting to see the rest, grimacing when you feel the needle go in.

“All done.” She says hooking all the tubing that would be needed to the actual iv. Watching as she hangs a fluid bag on your bed,”Let me go make sure they’re ready for you and then I’ll roll you back.” She smiles

“Okay.” You nod and take a deep breath, Oscar standing up and pushing some hair out of your face.

“You okay?” He asks, giving you another peck, this time on your forehead.

“Yeah, it. hurt a little, but it’s okay.” You tell him as you play with the hospital bracelet on your arm.

“Que chica tan fuerte.” (What a strong girl)Oscar pokes fun.

“You’re suppose to be nice to me today.” You pout

“You’re right, you’re right.” He chuckles and leans down to give you a quick kiss,”I’m sorry.” He mumbles against them before pulling away.

“It’s okay, you’re gonna be buying me all the ice cream I want later so it makes up for it.” You say with a small smile, leaning your head back and trying to relax.

“Yeah, I figured you were going to milk this shit out of this.”

“Hey you’re the one that forced me to come.” You tell him just as the nurse comes back and tells you it’s go time. She instructs Oscar to go wait in the waiting room again, letting him tell you bye before she’s pulling you down a hall and through these big double doors and into a room that’s reads OR 1. She connects three little patches on your chest, hooking that up to the machine, along with a blood pressure cuff on your arm and a pulse ox on your finger. Soon a few other workers join her-the anesthesiologist, the dentist, and a dental assistant.

“Big breaths.” The old man says after giving you a quick briefing of what he was going to do, and what would happen in the next thirty seconds or so. You do as he says, your eyes growing heavy as you breath in the gas. Surely enough your world becoming black as you get knocked out.

~

You feel someone messing with your arm and calling your name. But it’s like you couldn’t fully wake up yet. You try to pull away to stop whatever was going on but you had no force...and this strange urge to cough. Which is exactly what you felt your self doing before something is being pulled out of your mouth(oral airway). Your eyes flutter open and your instantly blinded by the light, also taking notice of the new location and nurse that was at your bedside. Everything just seemed so...slow. Like if you were high off your ass already and then decided to smoke three more joints.

“My throat hurts.” You say, craving some cold water. You’re mouth also feeling stuffed.

“It’s going to hurt baby, you had a long tube down it.” The older lady says as she grabs something near your head,”Let me clean your face off and try not to talk to much. You still have gauze in your mouth.” She instructs

“Sorry, oh my bad. Sorry.” You giggle, the nurse shaking her head but a smile still on her face as she uses a wipe on your face.

“No talking.” She says and waves a finger in front of your face playfully,”I’m going to take you iv out now. Then I’ll call for your family.”

You nod your head in understanding and hold your arm out like earlier. She does it quickly and bandages it up before walking away, the curtain slightly open so you could make out a few other workers. It doesn’t take long before Oscar is at your side and looking over you, the nurse as well.

“How you feel mamita?” Oscar asks.

“I can’t talk, so I can’t tell you that.” You say, your voice kind of muffled from how much gauze was in it. Oscar laughs and takes your hand as the nurse grabs his attention. She goes over a list of instructions and what to expect for the next few days, having Oscar sign your release forms and a bit of other medical stuff. Oscar takes the copy’s along with a prescription for pain medication and antibiotics. They help you in a wheel chair and bring you downstairs, your legs feeling funny as you try to get in the car.

“Woah, I feel like gelatin.” You laugh as Oscar reaches out to help you.

“I got her.” Oscar tells the lady as he places you into the car with ease.

“Gauze comes out when you get home! Call us if you have any more questions.” The nurse says as she pushes the wheel chair away.

“Wait! How long did y’all say this last again?” Oscar asks, slamming the car door shut.

“She should be back to her normal self in the next hour or two.” She answers quickly

“Fuck.” He mumbles to himself,”Thank you.” He says and walks around to get into the drivers seat.

“Blood is on my shirt.” You say as you look down at your clothes, a few drops of blood on your chest,”What.the.fuck. They got blood on my shirt papi.”

“Y/N, you can’t talk. That shits going to fall out of your mouth.” Oscar reminds as he starts the car up,”Also you had four teeth removed, there is going to be blood.”

“Right quiet. Shhhh.” You say and look over at him,”Are you forgetting something?”

“Quit talking!” He groans and looks over at you,”What am I forgetting?”

You give him a pointed look and pat your chest,”Um my seatbelt, do you want me to die. My arms are like not attached to me so I can’t do it.” You laugh and let your head roll back slowly.

Oscar takes a deep breath and reaches over to put on your seatbelt,”Not another word.” He says more sternly before beginning to drive. That only last about seven minutes before you remember something.

“Hey, give me my phone.” You say and hold your hand out.

“Shhh.” Oscar says and reaches into his pocket with his free hand and gives it to you. You try to unlock it but everything was blurry and the numbers didn’t look like numbers.

“I’m confused.” You say and toss it to the back seat in annoyance.

“The fuck, you’re going to break it.” Oscar says, not being able to hide his laugh,”You need to calm down mami.”

“No talking.” You say smartly, the gauze moving from the sides of your mouth and on to your tongue,”Ew!” You say and spit them out, letting the bloody covered squares fall into your lap,”Oscar get it off of me!” You say in disgust.

“My god.” He groans as he glances back and forth between you and the road. He reaches over and pulls out a few napkins from the glove compartment and picks the gauze out of your lap and tosses it all out the window,”I told you to stop talking.”

“I know you did not just litter.” You gasp and swat his arm,”Oscar we love the earth.”

“Okay well where the fuck else was that shit going to go?” He asks as he pulls into the drive through pharmacy to grab your items.

“I don’t know...but what I do know is that I want ice cream after this.”

“We’re getting ice cream after, but be quiet so I can talk to these people.” Oscar says as he pulls up to the window. You try to focus on the windshield and sitting still but you get bored a few minutes in.

“Hurry up.” You complain,”I want Ice cream now.”

“Nena, just a few more minutes.” Oscar says and takes your hand, placing a kiss on the back of it as the two of you wait for the pharmacist to return with your items.

“Thanks.” Oscar says as he takes the bag from them and places it in between the two of you before driving again.

You pull down the mirror wanting to look at yourself and your eyes go wide,”I look so ugly.” You cry, your eyes feeling up with tears,”My cheeks are so fat. Am I gonna look like this forever?”

“Your face is swollen nena. It’ll go down.” Oscar reassures.

“I look like a chipmunk.” You sob

“Nena you’re the cutest chipmunk around.” He laughs and shuts the mirror back up.

“You mean it?” You ask

“One hundred percent.”

“Well I guess that’s good.” You smile, your mood instantly changing. Oscar doesn’t reply as you turn the radio on, a old school rap playing,”Ice cream?”

“Yes, I’m going to get some right now.” He laughs.

“I want strawberry.” You say excitedly

“I knew that already. That’s all you ever get.”

“Cause it’s the best flavor.” You defend,”It’s like sweet but not to sweet and you can mix it with stuff if you want too. But you shouldn’t even want to because it’s so perfect on its own. Don’t you agree?”

“Nah we gonna disagree on that one.” Oscar shakes his head,”Cookie dough is where it’s at. No competition.”

“Wrong. So wrong.” You tell him

“Whatever you say.”

“Just drive Oscar. I can’t believe you could even say something so far from the truth. Strawberry will always be number one. I love it so much I should get it tattooed on me. Like on my neck...or maybe my forehead. Yes! That’s such a good idea.”

“I would love to see you do that.”

“Fine. I will. Call your homie up and have him come to the house.” You say nonchalantly

“I’ll call him later smart ass..” He laughs

“Better to be a smart ass than a dumb ass...I mean it though I’m going to do it. A big ol pink ice cream.”

“On some real shit, I need whatever the fuck they got you on.”

“Um general anesthesia? Did you not listen to them when they explained it?”

“Well I need some of that...you think there’s a market for that?”

“Um I don’t think so...it’s too medical and involves all this other shit.” You giggle

“Well shit. Just gotta stick to what I know.” Oscar smirks

“Duh.” You smile and tap your forehead knowingly,”Can I ask you a question?”

“Anything.”

“Do you think the dentist could tell that last night...I you know...” you say, pointing to his lower body and then to your mouth.

“Shit, I don’t know. You think he seen my dick print in the back of your throat?” Oscar laughs loudly

“Oh my god, probably. They’re all gonna talk about me. Or they were while I was knocked out.” You groan

“I don’t think they can really tell mami. I mean I wouldn’t think so and if they did who cares.” He shrugs

“I mean I care, kind of.”

“Not like your ever gonna see them again.” He says and pulls into the different drive through lane to buy you your treat,”You want all strawberry? Ima get a few cups to take home so you can eat later.”

“One vanilla mixed in with strawberry. I like to add a little razzle dazzle every now and then.”

“Of course you do.” Oscar says with a shake of his head pulling up to the voice box to order. Hoping this drug can wear off sooner rather than later.

~

“Cesar and his little crew are here!” You say excitedly as Oscar parks in the drive, a now empty ice cream cup in your hand. You toss it at him before trying to run out of the car, nearly tripling the whole way to the outside couch.

“Hi!” You squeal and wrap your arms around the younger Diaz brother tightly, making your way down the line. However when you get to Ruby he holds on for a little longer.

“Did you just sniff me?” You laugh, eyeing as Oscar grabs the stuff from the car and heads in, his clean white shirt now stained with droplets of pink ice cream.

“No!” The tiny boy says, his eyes going wide before he sits back down on the couch. The rest of the group laughing.

“Did I smell good?”

“Yes.” He mumbles quietly, keeping his head down.

“Good.” You say and wave at them before making your way inside, humming to yourself. The drug not as strong as it was earlier, but still feeling a little doozy.

“Ohhh, strip show.” You say as you find Oscar in the bedroom changing into a clean shirt.”

“It’s your fault. You threw that ice cream on me.” Oscar says giving you a glare.

“I was just excited to see Cesar.” You say and walk up to him, with puckered lips.

“Hell nah, get away from me with your bloody ass mouth.” Oscar says and gives your forehead a light push as he laughs.

“I thought you loved me.” You say in shock as you hurry to the attached bathroom to look inside your mouth,”Gross.” You say and lean down to cup some water in your hand. Sipping it into your mouth and gargling it.

“You’re never going to kiss me again?” You ask softly when you come back out, walking past him as you throw yourself down on the bed face first.

“I will. Tomorrow.” Oscar says and comes over to take your shoes off,”You need some sleep right now though. A long nap will do you good. Go get under the covers.”

You mutter something incoherent, scooting yourself up like a worm and bringing the blanket over your body,”Lay down with me.”

“I will, but let me go get your medicine so you can take it already.”

You sigh and wait for him to comeback, a small headache forming and the numbness from your mouth beginning to wear off. Oscar returns shortly with a glass of water and two pills,”Open.” He says as you sit up, sticking you tongue out as you do what he asks. He places the medicine on your tongue and holds the glass up to your mouth,”Drink.” You listen and let him hold the cup for you as you down more than half of it.

“Okay, sleep now.” You say after swallowing, patting the empty space next to you.

Oscar nod and sets water down on the night table, pulling off his belt and cargo shorts.

“Your socks are so high, leave them on. They make your thighs look amazing.” You joke, Oscar rolling his eyes as he tugs them down.

“Ima let you talk your shit for today...but tomorrow I’m coming full force mami.” He smirks before climbing in behind you.

“Shut up and hold me.” You say and snuggle into him,”Thank you for going with me today.” You add after a few moments

“I had no choice, I couldn’t let you go by yourself.” Oscar says as he wraps himself around you.

“Yeah but still, thanks. I couldn’t have done it with out you.”

“You’re welcome. Now shut those pretty little eyes of yours.” He says as he pushes some hair off of your face,”I’ll make you some soup later for when you wake up.”

“You’re the best.” You sigh and let your eyes close,”love you.”

“I love you too.” He says, the last thing you hear before your falling asleep for the second time that day.

[ameloblastomadiary]

Big Things

Today, I received the contact information for our province's Minister of Health.

For those of you who don't know, based on my province's health coverage, only my initial big surgery was covered.

My followup procedures, braces, metal screws, and upcoming prosthetic are not covered by the province. I still live at home, so I am able to take advantage of my parents' extended health and dental coverage.

The way that our provincial healthcare works is that it covers things to do with the body, and things in hospital. Inside of my mouth is considered "dental" and is thereby not covered.

The extended coverage considers dental implants and prostheses to be "cosmetic," and so that is not covered either.

Our province will cover prostheses for limbs, partial hands and feet, breasts, eyes, noses and ears. The province will also cover maintenance of the aforementioned prostheses.

I do not believe that it is right or fair that my reconstructive prosthetic should be considered "cosmetic" and not be covered simply because it is not two to three inches higher.

Because my reconstruction is inside of my mouth, I will be having to pay tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars out of my own pocket for the rest of my life to purchase and maintain my prosthetic.

I lost a ~5cm section of my jawbone and three teeth due to a (luckily benign) aggressive cancer. I hate referring to it as "cancer" because I feel as if I am not deserving of the title of "cancer survivor," due to my not having had to go through chemotherapy and the typical journey that we think of cancer survivors having gone through. That said, the reason I did not go through chemotherapy is because ameloblastomas do not respond at all to radiation.

Please wish me luck as I go to my provincial government to lobby for change! I hope that I am able to create positive change that will support myself and other survivors of oral cancers.

[fresh-widow]

A Year and a Half

A year and a half went by without my best friend, my life partner-in-crime. My best beloved. I live with the joy of being loved so well, and the grief of not having his wonderful creative, body, mind, soul, and hands. What gifted hands.

I had to go to the dentist yesterday. They say dreaming of teeth fortells a death. Well, having dental issues seems to do that, the last few years. In 2016 I went through a year long serious dental procedure. First, my regular dentist Dr V (who is so nice, and so spiritual, and an old family friend at this point, but tended to hire space aliens and unibombers as receptionists) apparently fixed a cracked tooth but did not notice the infection underneath. Nevermind the rest of the details, but it took over a year to sort out, with varying specialists, and my mother, a strong allie of mine and champion survivor of life’s insane obstacles, died. And, in between visits to the dentist, there was dealing with the business of dying and death.

A year and a half ago, Saturday March 2, B had a dental appointment In SF.. We had just returned from Cambodia in January. I drove him to the door, he was having severe trouble with his legs. Then we went to lunch in a hole-in-the wall greasy spoon Chinatown luncheonette. Afterward, we visited our good friends Q and A at their art loft. B and A smoked weed and were laughing heartily and crazy chainsaw follies. The next day, B and I went to a plant nursery. We savored the outing. It seemed like he was getting better. Two days later, 3/6/18, he left this plane. I have been sad, trying to be brave, and just widowing ever since.

The internet has changed this world into a world of addiction, churning out humans who live in a throw away society which shops online for meals, clothing, and other convenience; delivered to your door-ring survelance app, where Next door neighbor apps complain but don’t talk to their neighbor eye to eye. Where people get luxury busses to go to jobs that have the finest microfarmed food, gymnasiums, showers and apps so that you never stop thinking of work, so that your bones are sucked dry of creative life, and you never meet people but you can shop for friends and lovers through an app, and get into a car service driven by some poorly paid potential psychpath or slave, where we have cell phones full of phone numbers but dont remember even our family member’s telephone number. Where parents now have no time but are into hyper safety overbreal life skills, anf place their infant in front of a screen and mesmerise and addict them, so that the infants “learn” to mimick cartoon voices while parents are showering... Where spending money is the only common ground for the rich and the poor, and life skills and real conversation and paying attention is rare. So rare that the president is caging kids and many of them get “lost” and the president just happens to be part of the worlds wealthiest elite, where human trafficking of women and children is the ultimate power over. And wasn’t it peculiar that Mr Epstein conveniently died of suicide after putting his zillions of dollars into a private trust just before that? Apparently so rich, he could have had himself cloned. Hm.

I’m just here widowing. Everything else is just a silent movie flickering on the wall of time.

[dentalinfotoday]

While the idea is often stigmatized in our culture, statistics show that 69% of American adults have experienced at least one missing tooth by the age of 44.

Whether this comes from a failed root canal, an accident, gum disease, or tooth decay, a solution is needed to improve chewing and self-esteem.

When it comes to replacing lost teeth, dental bridges are one of the most common solutions. Here we’ll cover the types, costs, uses, and alternative treatments when it comes to dental bridges.

What is a dental bridge?

While dental bridges are increasingly common, used by millions of Americans daily, the term isn’t as familiar as procedures such as root canals or tooth extractions.

So, what exactly is this mysterious dental bridge?

Dental bridges provide an artificial tooth replacement in places where tooth loss has occurred by anchoring it to the adjacent teeth. The anchoring teeth on either side are referred to as abutment teeth, and the false tooth, sit in between them.

This provides a stable support structure to secure the new, false tooth, which is called a pontic.

Dental bridges can be made of many different materials, from metals like gold or special alloys, ceramics such as zirconia and porcelain, or a combination of these materials. The type of material can be based on cost, the location of the bridge, and the specific needs of your case.

What does a dental bridge look like?

The exact look depends on the type of bridge you choose, which I’ll cover below.

However, the good news is that it’s easy to make a bridge look like a normal tooth. The materials and solutions available are advancing all the time to create the most seamless, natural tooth look for your bridge.

Each type is anchored in the mouth differently, and these illustrations are worth a thousand words.

Use Cases: When To Get a Dental Bridge

Dental bridges are appropriate in several situations, all of which involve missing teeth.

Whether you need a tooth extraction due to decay, you’ve damaged a tooth beyond repair due to injury or accident, or periodontal disease has damaged it, you will need to close the hole it leaves.

Leaving a hole in the mouth can cause the remaining teeth and bone to shift dramatically. Over time, a missing tooth can even change the shape of your face if left untreated.

While an implant is generally considered the best option for replacing a tooth, the price can be steep. A dental bridge may be a good second option, and some types may be preferred over an implant for younger mouths that are still growing and shifting.

A dental bridge is only a treatment option when the gap has healthy teeth adjacent to it. Read on for the types of bridges and situations that call for them.

4 Types of Dental Bridges

If you’re a prime candidate for this type of restoration, your next step will be to educate yourself on the types of dental bridges. Considering the American Dental Association estimates that most adults are missing three teeth, it’s possible you may even need more than one!

Knowing the options available to you will help you understand your dentist’s recommendations and determine which of the types of bridges is the best choice for you.

1. Traditional Bridge

As you can assume, traditional bridges are the most historically popular choice. The pontic is held in place by dental crowns placed on the natural teeth on both sides of the gap.

This is a very strong type of bridge, and can even replace a molar.

One downside is that your dentist will need to remove enamel on these adjacent teeth in order to secure the crowns.

Enamel doesn’t grow back once totally removed, so the decision to get these crowns is a permanent one. Even if you decide on a different treatment option later, these abutments will need crowns for the rest of your life.

Getting a traditional bridge is not a decision to take lightly.

2. Cantilever Bridge

A cantilever bridge differs from a traditional bridge in that the pontic, or false tooth, is only supported on one side of the gap. These are typically needed when there is more than one missing tooth adjacent to each other.

Unfortunately, this model can be less stable due to its single-sided support structure. It can lead to issues down the road, such as a loosened crown on the abutment or fractured teeth in the surrounding area.

3. Maryland Bridge

The Maryland bridge isn’t located in the northeast, but in the mouths of thousands of Americans. This conservative model has a pontic held in place by either porcelain or metal framework surrounding the artificial tooth.

This dental bridge option is ideal for cases where the teeth haven’t finished growing, such as adolescent tooth loss. In most cases with a Maryland bridge, a more permanent bridge or even partial dentures will be used at a later date.

4. Implant-Supported Bridges

An implant-supported bridge is straightforwardly named: this bridge uses dental implants to support a bridge, usually in cases needing several artificial teeth.

This eliminates the need to use a crown on a natural tooth, and typically uses one implant per missing tooth.

It’s an extremely strong and durable option, but an implant-supported bridge requires additional surgery to secure the implants into the jawbone.

Costs by Type and Insurance Coverage

The costs of dental bridges vary based on a number of factors:

The number of pontics, or false teeth, needed

The materials used in the restoration, including the types of ceramics and metals

The level of difficulty of the restoration

Other treatments needed, like for gum disease or tooth decay

As with any dental work, your location is a major factor in the pricing as well. The price of any dental work varies, depending on what part of the country you live in, and whether you live in a rural or urban area.

Here is the national average for each type of dental bridge:

Traditional bridge: ranges from $2,000-$5,000 if treatment requires only one pontic and a crown on each adjacent tooth.

Cantilever bridge: these have a nearly-identical price range to traditional bridges, but may cost a bit less due to the one less crown needed.

Maryland bridge: this type of bridge is less expensive, typically costing $1,500-$2,500 for a pontic and the metal or ceramic framework that supports it.

Implant-supported bridge: here, we find the largest range of pricing. The number of teeth missing is a key factor, so these can cost anywhere from $5,000-$15,000 depending on how many pontics and implants are called for.

With these costs, you’re probably asking how dental insurance coverage can help. Dental insurance can pay up to 50% of costs for your bridge work, depending on your provider. However, others can cap at a certain number, regardless of the cost of the dental bridge.

Overwhelmed at the thought of paying for dental bridges with no insurance? Check out my article on how to get great dental care with no dental insurance to discover solutions and hope!

Alternatives to Dental Bridges

The types and prices of dental bridges may leave you wondering, “Is a dental bridge right for me?”

Here are common alternatives to dental bridges that may be a better solution for you.

Always be sure to consult with your dentist when making decisions about your dental care. S/he can give you additional medical advice tailored to your situation.

Bridge vs. Implant

Here, cost isn’t a factor. If only one tooth is missing, an implant will cost roughly the same as a traditional bridge. Some factors to consider:

Bridges don’t require surgery, while dental implants do. The procedure is faster and easier, requiring fewer visits.

On the other hand, high-quality implants can be a lifelong investment. Bridges typically need to be replaced every 10-15 years.

Implants prevent degradation of the jawbone leading to bone loss and possible gum problems from a missing tooth.

However, if there are already problems with the jawbone, implants aren’t an option—they need healthy, strong bone to work.

Bridge vs. Crown

A bridge versus a crown is a more specific situation. Crowns are certainly less costly than a bridge, but these are typically used to treat different types of problems.

If the existing teeth are able to be saved, like in the case of a chipped tooth, a crown may be available. This will go on top of your natural tooth, somewhat like a protective shield.

I always advise saving the original tooth if it’s an option.

A crown is unlikely to damage the surrounding teeth.

The cost of a crown is quite a bit lower than that of a bridge, ranging from $600-$1,500.

Bridge vs. Root Canal with Crown

This one can be a tricky call. The price of a root canal can range from $500 to $2,000, depending on what’s needed, but there are many other considerations:

I always say that no root canal is 100% clean. With a root canal, you are running the risk of a tiny fraction of remaining bacteria running amok into the bloodstream.

Even though root canals aren’t a perfect solution, I nearly always recommend a root canal and crown instead of a bridge.

While a root canal preserves the “mummified” tooth structure and a crown protects it from breaking, a tooth is fully extracted with a dental bridge and not replaced with an implant. This typically leads to at least some bone loss on either side of the open space the dental bridge crosses.

Bridges vs. Partial Dentures

A partial denture is a removable model of teeth built of plastic and metal that’s built to fit in the gap where a tooth is missing.

Partial dentures always have the potential to damage the adjacent teeth.

They can also pose a risk to your oral health, as food and bacteria can become packed into the gap where a tooth should be.

While a bridge is generally my preferred option, it’s only available if the adjacent teeth are strong enough to support it.

Pros and Cons of Dental Bridges

The pros of dental bridges include:

These can be cost-effective solutions for those who can’t afford implants.

Bridges allow you to speak, eat, and smile without the difficulty of a missing tooth.

Dental bridges also prevent shifting of the teeth, tongue, and bite due to a missing tooth.

The process to get a bridge is quick and less invasive than other alternatives.

However, dental bridges also come with a few drawbacks:

If the bridge has an issue or they aren’t fitted properly, the healthy abutment teeth can experience issues. Poorly fitted or shifting bridges can allow plaque and bacteria to creep in underneath, decaying the teeth on either side.

The abutment teeth may also not be strong enough to support this dental bridge, and subsequently collapse.

If the surrounding teeth become damaged by the bridge, it may leave the patient’s oral health worse than before, even needing multiple implants in some cases.

It’s very difficult to floss with a bridge, which may lead to tooth decay or the necessity for more frequent teeth cleanings.

Dental Bridge Procedure: What to Expect

Many people are apprehensive about what to expect at any dental visit, and a big procedure like a dental bridge is no exception.

Here is what you can look for at each visit, broken down into three stages.

Before The Bridge

It’s important to note that a tooth extraction is needed before any dental bridge is placed. My complete guide to tooth extractions gives you all the details you need. However, you should be aware that you may need two days to recover from the extraction—it’s still a form of surgery.

Your dentist will probably want to wait 2-3 months to place your bridge to ensure your extraction site is fully healed.

Visit 1

Once you have decided on a dental bridge with your dentist, you’ll head to your first visit for bridge placement. During this, the abutment teeth are prepared for their crowns, which involves your dentist removing a portion of the enamel.

Impressions of the teeth will be made and sent off to a dental lab, where your permanent bridge will be crafted.

Before sending you away, your dentist will give you a temporary bridge to protect and cover the prepared teeth until your next visit. Be sure to keep it clean.

Visit 2

Once your customized bridge arrives from the lab, you’ll come in for your second visit.

Here, they’ll remove the temporary bridge and check your permanent one in your mouth. A few adjustments may be necessary to ensure a comfortable fit.

Finally, your dentist will cement your bridge into place, where it should last for the next several years.

Proper Dental Care for Dental Bridges

As we’ve discussed, bridges are not a permanent solution. However, good oral hygiene and regular dental checkups and cleanings every six months can affect how long your dental bridge lasts.

A dental bridge can accumulate tartar, plaque, bacteria, and gum issues if not cleaned properly, so you’ll want to learn how to care for and clean your new dental bridge.

With a dental bridge, it’s more important than ever to brush and floss twice a day. When flossing, it’s crucial to thread floss back and forth underneath the dental bridge, where plaque is prone to accumulate.

If this is proving difficult, be sure to ask your hygienist for tips on oral care for bridges. You can also try one of my alternatives to mouthwash to improve your dental health and microbiome.

Bridge Material: Are dental bridges toxic?

Many people are understandably wary of putting foreign materials into their mouth for life, such as amalgam fillings. Unfortunately, they’re not imagining things.

It’s been shown that the metal in some bridges can cause allergic reactions and autoimmunity problems. While not all bridges are toxic, I always advise ceramic options.

Talk to your dentist about any concerns with the materials in your bridge, especially metals. If possible, you should address these doubts before getting a bridge put in. It’s not unreasonable to want to know what’s going in your mouth for the next 10-15 years!

FAQs

Q:

How long do dental bridges last?

A: Dental bridges are not a lifelong solution. On average, they need to be replaced every 10-15 years.

Q:

Is it hard to eat or speak with a dental bridge?

A: After a dental bridge is put in, you may experience some tenderness, but as the inflammation goes down, your eating and speaking should actually be better than when you were missing teeth!

In the meantime, I recommend trying CBD oil, coconut water, or clove oil to reduce pain and inflammation naturally.

Q:

How long does it take to get used to a dental bridge?

A: The time varies by patient, but many say it takes only a week or two to feel comfortable. However, a tooth extraction site and root canals can take up to six to eight weeks to heal fully.

If you are experiencing bleeding that will not stop or severe pain, call your dentist immediately.

Q:

How long do I have to wait after a tooth extraction to get a bridge?

A: Generally, the extraction site is given around three months to heal before a bridge is placed. The exact timing is determined by the dentist based on the reasons for extraction and oral health considerations such as gum disease.

Q:

Should a dental bridge cause pain while chewing?

A: Only directly after being placed. Since dental bridges are not permanent, if yours begins to cause trouble or pain, let your dentist know immediately. These issues can worsen over time.

Q:

Can I whiten my dental bridge if it no longer matches my teeth?

A: Whitening methods only work on natural teeth, not dental restorations. If you want to match your bridge teeth color to your natural teeth, you’ll need to replace the bridge.

Key Takeaways: Dental Bridges

Bridges are a cost-effective option for cases of tooth loss where the adjacent teeth are strong and healthy.

Dental bridges can prevent shifting of the teeth, degradation of the jawbone, and changes to the shape of the face that can occur with missing teeth.

While root canals with a crown or implants are generally my first choices, a dental bridge may be called for in certain cases, like with adolescents.

There are four major types of dental bridges: traditional, cantilever, Maryland, and implant-supported, each anchored to the mouth in a different way.

Based on treatment needed and type of bridge, the cost can range from $2,000-$15,000.

After an extraction, you can expect two or more visits to the dentist to prepare your teeth, adjust, and cement the bridge.

Many metals used in dental work can be irritating at best and harmful at worst, so discuss the materials in your bridge with your dentist if you have concerns.

Have questions about whether a bridge is right for you? Ask me.

Read Next: Tooth Extraction: Cost, Risks, Procedure, Recovery Time, and FAQs

12 References

Gaviria, L., Salcido, J. P., Guda, T., & Ong, J. L. (2014). Current trends in dental implants. Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, 40(2), 50-60. Full text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4028797/

Shenoy, A., & Shenoy, N. (2010). Dental ceramics: An update. Journal of conservative dentistry: JCD, 13(4), 195. Full text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3010023/

Sharma, A., Rahul, G. R., Poduval, S. T., & Shetty, K. (2012). Assessment of various factors for feasibility of fixed cantilever bridge: a review study. ISRN dentistry, 2012. Full text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3313584/

Mamoun, J. (2017). Post and core build-ups in crown and bridge abutments: Bio-mechanical advantages and disadvantages. The journal of advanced prosthodontics, 9(3), 232-237. Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5483411/

Prathyusha, P., Jyoti, S., Kaul, R. B., & Sethi, N. (2011). Maryland Bridge: An interim prosthesis for tooth replacement in adolescents. International journal of clinical pediatric dentistry, 4(2), 135. Full text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5030500/

Zohrabian, V. M., Sonick, M., Hwang, D., & Abrahams, J. J. (2015, October). Dental implants. In Seminars in Ultrasound, CT and MRI (Vol. 36, No. 5, pp. 415-426). WB Saunders. Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26589695

Fayyad, M. A., & Al‐Rafee, M. A. (1996). Failure of dental bridges. II. Prevalence of failure and its relation to place of construction. Journal of oral rehabilitation, 23(6), 438-440. Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8809699

Burke, F. J. T., & Lucarotti, P. S. K. (2012). Ten year survival of bridges placed in the General Dental Services in England and Wales. Journal of dentistry, 40(11), 886-895. Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22864053

Valderhaug, J., Ellingsen, J. E., & Jokstad, A. (1993). Oral hygiene, periodontal conditions and carious lesions in patients treated with dental bridges: a 15‐year clinical and radiographic follow‐up study. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 20(7), 482-489. Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8354722

Přikrylová, J., Procházková, J., & Podzimek, Š. (2019). Side Effects of Dental Metal Implants: Impact on Human Health (Metal as a Risk Factor of Implantologic Treatment). BioMed research international, 2019. Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6652050/

Council on Dental Materials, Instruments, and Equipment. (1985). Report on base metal alloys for crown and bridge applications: benefits and risks. The Journal of the American Dental Association, 111(3), 479-483. Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3900176

Moon, S. E., Kim, H. Y., & Cha, J. D. (2011). Synergistic effect between clove oil and its major compounds and antibiotics against oral bacteria. Archives of oral biology, 56(9), 907-916. Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21397894

The post Do you need a dental bridge? 4 Types, Cost, Uses & Alternatives appeared first on Ask the Dentist.

from Ask the Dentist https://askthedentist.com/dental-bridges/

[hailiguyotte941]

Virtual Sketchbook 2 ....9/11/22

Define//where is seen in everyday life Unity and Variety: These are the opposite of each other in what they mean in art. Unity means to be the same, variety means to be different. In my everyday life at work. I work in a dental office, we make crowns for teeth and have to match the tooth color to blend in witht he rest of the teeth. There is a varity of shades but they have unity in that they are all tooth colored.

Balance: Thinking of an old fashined scale where you move to reader back and forth, you want it to balance to be able to read the weight. In art it is similiar in that the art is equal, something symmetric shows that. In my everyday life I see balance in the panoramic xrays we take of patients. The teeth in the mouth should be symmetric from the middle line dividing the mouth into left side and right side.

Emphasis and Subordination: These two principles play hand in hand. Emphasis is the area in which the artist wants you to pay most attention to, the place the artist wants your eyes to focus on. Subordination are the areas that are less emphasized so that it does not take away from where the artist wnats your attention to go. I would say that in my everyday life, at work I see this when there is something wrong in a patients mouth. For instance if the patient has a broken tooth but the rest of the mouth is in good shape. Then the broken tooth is emphasized while the rest of the mouth are the subordinate areas.

Directional Forces: I would think that this plays into what art needs for there to be emphasis. With directional forces its the areas of the paitning that lead your eye to that emphasized area or the area the artist wants you to pay most attetion to. In my everyday life I see this with the lines on the road indicating where that lane goes. Like a turning lane for example.

Repetition and Rhythym: Repitition is the same thing over and over again and rhythym is the repreating subject that is spread out through the whole piece of art. Like a cloth pattern. I see this everyday with the repition of patients. We have the same steps for each procedure and they are done all throughout the day.

Scale and Proportion: Scale refers to the whole piece and proportion refers to the things that make up the whole. I see this everyday with the instruments that we use. Some materials are large and the items that make of or go to that instruments are small.

Artwork from Textbook (title/page number/Recipie) Titian's Noli Me Tangere on page 4:3 shows the women as being more of the emphasized area of the artwork. The women has brighter colors, more highlights bring attention to her. In the background the houses are dark and show subordination. The path from the housed leading down the hil towards the are where the man and the women are, are acting as directional forces leading your eye down the path to the focal point.

How has color affected my life. If i had to pick one color scheme. Color has affected my life by bringing my happiness. As a child it was one of the things that let me escape and sooth myself with everything that went on in my family. I appreciate art and looking at how colors are blended and how artist accomplish certain looks. If I had to pick one scheme, I would choose yellow. I feel like yellow is very bright and it reminds me of happiness.

The piece of art that I created is this painting of a yellow sunflower. The story behind this is that there was a time I was very anxious, right after I graduated high school I didn't know what to do with myself or where to go in life. I had flower in my room from the graduation ceremony given to me by family. I remember looking at the flowers and admiring how beautiful they were. That is also when I realized how pretty and bright the color yellow is. It made me happy and is now my favorite color. I painted this to remind me of that memory.

[cmvarma]

Dental Hospital Near Me

Dentist has spoken out against actor Swathi Satish's medical negligence after claiming problems with root canal treatment.

Kannada-language actor and TV anchor Swathi Satish recounts a medical incident on May 28, when she went to Oryx Dental Multispecialty for a root canal treatment. Satish, whose face was swollen after treatment, is currently recovering. dental hospital near me "Even though I'm recovering, one thing remains. I'm not getting my proper lip shape back.

I can't smile perfectly, it's been 23 days and my lips don't feel anything. According to my current doctor, it may take It takes two weeks or a month to get back in shape," Satish said. "My root canal isn't even done because of the swelling at the moment," she added.

However, the owner of the dental clinic, Dr Dhananjay Sanjay, claimed that Swathi had made a full recovery. "I have CCTV footage from the clinic that the swelling on her face is gone and she is now completely fine. The photos she has shared with the media are over 20 days old, from the first or second day of the swelling."

Talking about what went wrong during the treatment, Satish claimed that Dr. Mayuri, the wife of Dr. Dhananjay, who treated the actor, made a mistake during the treatment. "I found this out when I sought a second opinion from another dentist.

The dentist who did my root canal first injected me with sodium hypochlorite, at which point I screamed and started crying because it was so painful. Later , she was injected with anesthesia. According to other doctors, it should have been done the other way around. Anesthesia was given first, then sodium hypochlorite," she said.

In this regard, Dr. Sanjay said: "We have video evidence that the procedure was performed correctly and that a local anesthetic was used before the sodium hypochlorite was administered. However, when the sodium hypochlorite was injected, some of it may have spilled onto the nearby soft tissue, causing Inflammation. Now, it's fairly common.

I've worked in this field myself for over five years and I've seen it. It's our job to know how to deal with it, and the right thing to do is to make sure to take what we're giving our patients. fms dental The right medication and antibiotics. We know she may be stressed or panicked at the moment, but we can't help her because she's not ready for our help."

According to Dr Sanjay, the cast of FIR 6 to 6 returned to the clinic a few days later to claim compensation. "She asked us to pay her a month's salary and the cost of the root canal treatment, about Rs 40,000.

We refused to pay her compensation and she decided to go public 23 days after the incident," he said, adding, "She told us, The swelling would cause her to lose her job and we proposed to give her a doctor who advised her to rest for 20 days until she healed.

However, she declined the offer and publicly asked people to downgrade my clinic on Google. Within an hour, my five Dropped the star rating to one star. I had to remove my clinic and address from the site. I suffer a lot mentally because of what happened. I don't want this to be a big deal, but if she decides Go the legal route, top 10 dental clinics in hyderabad and I'll do the same because I have all the evidence I need." Satish, on the other hand, claims the mistake cost her almost everything. "I've lost my job, my modeling orders and contracts, and even some TV and movie deals." Asked about any action against the clinic, she said: "I'll let you know as soon as possible."

[robogreaser]

It’s been something of an incredibly rough few weeks on my end.

I come into write this post and realize Im going to need to break it down and draw it out significantly to make it make sense, considering I’ve been skimming on the details when talking to people close to me. I keep meaning to do a write up. It’s easier to hand a person a link instead of trying to condense a heap of nonsense into a sentence.

So here it goes. This is what I’ve been dealing with lately.

I’ve... had trouble figuring out where to start. I’ve sat on this post for about an hour now, so I suppose I need some sort of methodology to sort this all out. Okay... lets start from least consequential to most.

For a  while I’ve been dealing with some medical nonsense. It’s mostly minor, but I’ve had a  series of dental procedures to get a series of tooth issues resolved. I  need to get a root canal still, but money is tight  and I still owe my dentist a little over $200 still. On top of dental, I’ve also been working on making sense of my depression/anxiety/ADHD (officially diagnosed now) and have been cycling a bit through meds and dosage changes.

Bloodwork was recently done to see if I had hypothyroid issues. Nope. In the clear. Not even pre-diabetic. Need to work on triglycerides a little bit though. Otherwise mostly okay.

Work has come to a grinding halt in the post-mothers day rush. Income is somewhat dried up outside of small commission related things I’m working on here and there. Thank god I can leave money in paypal indefinitely and move it to the bank when emergencies strike. It’s been my only saving grace financially the past few weeks.

The shower door was broken recently. I don’t know all the details because I was out running errands at the time, but I’m still finding glass in the shower a week later. We’ve had to procure a curtain until I get the few hundred bucks to replace the thing. Needless to say showering has been a damned bit more difficult than usual. On top of that there’s still the hole in the ceiling that’s been there since around Christmas that’s steadily getting worse. The light is deteriorating, the sink is chipped, and... yeah. Despite all my efforts, getting any help from my family in getting a truck to transport the drywall needed to fix it is turning up... zero. So yeah. Bathroom renovations are a mess at the moment. It makes showering and various other hygiene things difficult, but I'm managing.

Part of the reason there’s been such a delay on the bathroom as well is the fact I’ve been tending to other renovation projects. For my uncle. A few towns away. He was diagnosed with cancer late last year and I thought I could do some good and help him with several home projects before his daughter moved across country this summer to live with him. It spiraled out of control. It turned into me dumping money and time and energy and all sorts of effort into renovating a small, nicotine stained house with little help aside from my partner @ironoverwine​ and the occasional assistance from my grandparents. It... has not gone well.

My cousin has moved back in the past week or two. Ever since I’ve been going full boar with the reno work, daily for over a week, making her a damned nice bedroom out of a mediocre  hellhole and her son one too while I was at it. I‘ve cleaned the house. I’ve painted. I’ve torn out wallpaper. I’ve done impossibly complicated amounts of millwork installation. This is not me tooting my own horn here either. There has been a lot of work. And a lot of money. I’ve wracked up damned near $2k in credit card debt for the material and the traveling, probably much more.

And I’m not getting paid for this. In fact, I’ve recieved nothing but ire and callous cold shoulders for it. The sheer lack of a ‘thank you’ is getting to me. The expectancy for me to continue in spite of the lack of pay or gratitude or decency is... infuriating.

I suppose there’s a point where I need to take a break and segue into something more positive in terms of news. Nope. This ties to perfectly into the next round of fuckery going on recently.

Though I’m sure some people who follow me/read this are aware, I tend to keep relatively quiet (or try to) about how I’ve been taking care of my grandparents the last several months. I have been off and on since I was in school, but the past few years (minus the spell I spent in Oklahoma [god that was a mess] last year) it’s become more and more of a full time affair. Lately its been money and health issues dialed up and up... I’ve taken to managing finances and updating their banking info, keeping an eye on things and fending off phishing scams here and there. My grandmother had a heap of credit card debt because of a shitty doctor conning her a few years back.

Im trying to fix it. I’m trying to make sense of things for them because they have so damned little as it is and I am at least smart enough with money to allow them to start saving up money in the case of an emergency. For the first time in her life my grandmother has a proper savings account and money put away. She’s 79. (more on her specifically later.) I am an authorized user on her credit cards in order to help monitor and pay her bills, and also because piggybacking off of her credit history had helped me immensely with credit score ratings and whatnot. I mean, it’s not every day you can tell a credit firm you have thirty years of credit history.

Well, unfortunately, though I managed to reduce her debt by a significant amount, my mother decided to get involved.

Though I had used the credit to work on my uncle (her son’s) house and though she was aware of it, my mother convinced her, my grandmother, that I was ‘stealing’ money from her, via her credit cards. Despite me actually paying her bills. Despite me allowing her to cultivate savings for the first time in her life. Despite me clearing multiple cards for her for the first time in years and tackling intrest and keeping her from slipping into the red over and over and over...

She was convinced I was stealing from her. My mother convinced her of this and then convinced her to cancel out and close all of her accounts. Even though I was taking care of everything, my grandmother shuttered all but one (inconsequential) credit line she had. With $5k still owed to these companies.

My credit score has tanked. At least 150 points. For you youngins not in the know, that’s fucking awful. My grandmother is somewhat unscathed (though she did have near perfect credit and a long history of it) despite all this but... but me? I’ve only been building credit for two or three years now. I was barely doing well before this. My credit score has tanked hard and will continue to get worse. I won’t be able to get into an apartment or find a car at this rate...

Which leads me to more recent news. I tried to get a loan before the credit bureaus changed my score, some way to circumvent the fallout and get enough money to consolidate my debt and tuck some cash away into savings for an apartment or a car in the near future. It was denied. On multiple fronts. Because of what my mother did.

I am in something close to financial ruin, or at least the worst I’ve been in until now. Debt is climbing. I’m not going to be able to get any sort of loan for any sort of adult purposes for what is going to end up being years at this rate. This is exactly what happened that prevented me from going to college. My mother has ruined my finances to spite me and make me wholly dependent on my family.

I’m 25. There’s no damned escape. Though I planned to move out and get an apartment sometime early this summer, it’s near impossible at this rate because of what’s happened to my finances from this one incredibly underhanded move.

But it doesn’t stop there. No. It couldn’t.

This past week has been dominated by one major thing: My grandmother’s fall.

Despite me telling her to do precisely the opposite, my grandmother used a step stool on Monday, got up on the counter to clean something, and ended up falling on her back. I was at the doctor for aforementioned bloodwork at the time, and found out on my way home. She ended up being ambulanced out before I got home and... it’s been a whole ordeal since. I’ve had to travel extensively to visit her everyday since (twice yesterday) and... she’s been transported to a physical rehabilitation facility in order to get her back up on her feet and walking again. There was extensive internal bruising and her arthritis has advanced significantly in her back. Her hips are out of alignment. Her muscles have atrophied...

I’ve been taking my grandfather up their daily to see her and make sure she’s getting the care and rehabilitation she needs. It’s been tough. It’s been taking away a good half of my day for a week now. The other half has been flooded with errands and extensive housework.

I...

I don’t know when this is going to let up. Even despite my medications, there’s been significant flare ups in my depressive episodes because of all of this. I’ve been strategically offline in order to allow myself some time to ‘rest’ at night as best I can. But... I don’t know when I’m going to get back up on my feet in regards to all of this. I’m pouring all of my time and energy into... this nonsense.

There’s debt. There’s chores. There’s the elderly. There’s my mother. And through it all, I am trying. I really am. I am trying so damned hard to make progress with my nonsense.

Im tired. And Im tired of being tired.

[asianhospitalph]

METAMORPHOSIS ISSUE 64

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Asian Hospital’s Asian Cancer Institute – Breast Center celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a series of lay webinar and talk were prepared for everyone this October 2021.

On their first webinar titled “The Breast Defense”, ACI – Breast Center Radiation Oncologist Dr. Leizl Valerio talked about “Screening for Breast Cancer”, Breast Surgeon Dr. Anthony Dofitas discussed “Surgery for Breast Cancer”, Breast Surgeon Dr. Marlon Marquina talked about “Breast Reconstruction”, Medical Oncologist Dr. Joanne Arcillas shared her knowledge on “Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, and Targeted Therapy for Breast Cancer”, and Radiation Oncologist Dr. Jon Arcillas, discussed “Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer” last October 1, 2021.

The next lay webinar titled “Beauty and the Myths” will be on October 16, Saturday at 2:00 to 4:00 PM via Zoom and Expert Talks on Breast Cancer by Dr. Aldine Basa on October 29, Friday at 12:00 NN via AHMC’s Facebook LIVE.

ACI’s Breast Center is offering a FREE consultation for those who will avail of the Mammogram and Breast Ultrasound Package and do not have an attending physician from October 1 to 31, 2021.

For inquiries, you may contact Asian Cancer Institute’s Breast Center at (02) 8-771-9000 locals 5706 or 8420. ƒ

LIGHT A CANDLE FOR KIDS WITH CANCER

As we celebrated International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Asian Hospital’s Asian Cancer Institute in cooperation with the Cancer Warriors Foundation, Inc. invited everyone to participate in the lighting of candle and by saying a prayer for kids with cancer last September 29.

For cancer care services, contact Asian Cancer Institute at (02) 8771-9000 local 8105. ƒ

DR. DJ GABRIEL ON MEN’S HEALTH

Men play a vital role in the family, they are recognized as the head, protector, and provider for the family. Some men are proud and arrogant and do not like the idea of being defeated or be embarrassed in front of people. But when it comes to their health, men refuses to seek a doctor and they defer to their wives.

Asian Hospital’s Department of Occupational and Family Medicine consultant Dr. Dennis James Gabriel talks about the importance of Annual Check-up on a featured article titled “Men’s Health” on the Philippines Graphic.

The Philippines Graphic article may be viewed anytime at Asian Hospital’s Facebook page – facebook.com/AsianHospitalPH. ƒ

EXPERTS TALK ON PCOS

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common metabolic and endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age. This life-long condition may also lead to problems with the ability to get pregnant. Women with PCOS are more likely to develop certain serious health problems such as Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, Stroke, Endometrial Hyperplasia and Cancer. However, if PCOS is diagnosed early, managed appropriately, and if the woman has a good diet and lifestyle intervention, it will decrease the risk of developing life-threatening illnesses.

Asian Hospital’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Dr. Judith Galang-Perez answered common questions about PCOS on AHMC’s Experts Talk last September 30.

Missed the episode? Expert Talks may be viewed anytime at Asian Hospital’s Youtube account – youtube.com/ahmcofficial. ƒ

AHMC’s VIRTUAL SIMPLY MATERNAL SERIES

Asian Hospital’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Maternal and Child Unit invites everyone to the fifth FREE Lay Webinar Series for expectant moms and dads titled, “Simply Maternal”, on October 9, Saturday, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

To register and for inquiries, please send an email to corpcomm@asianhospital.com, or contact the Genesis Center at (02) 8-771-9000 locals 8391 and 5791. ƒ

CONQUERING TADs WITH DR. LUC ARZEL

Asian Hospital’s Department of Dental Medicine in collaboration with DDM Infinity Enterprise, Dentos, and Genius System invites all dentists to its webinar titled, “Conquering TADs with Dr. Luc Arzel: An In-depth Lecture and Hands-on Workshop on Orthodontic Mini-Implants”, on November 5, Friday, 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

To register and for inquiries, please contact Dr. Patty Sumagpao at (0917) 717 4134, or send email at pattysumagpao@gmail.com. ƒ

ENHANCING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: THE ASIAN HOSPITAL WAY

Sharon Hernandez, Mark Louie Napoles, & Lhord Edrhel Damiles

Since the Covid-19 pandemic started, hospitals have been unable to serve the needs of many of its patients primarily because these patients do not want to go to the hospital because of the fear of getting the virus. These trying times posed many challenges to Asian Hospital and Medical Center (AHMC). How will they be able to serve the needs of non-Covid-19 patients? The management came up with different ways to serve the needs of the community by continuing to raise the bar, creating different programs to continue to give excellent and compassionate healthcare services

to their community.

AHMC came up with four new channels to address patients’ needs in the comforts of their homes as well giving them the assurance that they are receiving the best medical care possible. These four are the

eConsults, Online Appointment System, Family Connect, and Covid HomeCare. Each has a specific purpose to address and all are geared towards the promise and satisfaction of the patient and their family.

Bringing medical experts to the world

“I can talk to my doctors, who are specialists in their fields, at the comfort of my home.”

eConsults is an online platform where patients can communicate and consult their health concerns with AHMC doctors in the comforts of their homes. It is a teleconsultation platform that keeps both the doctors and patients safe during these trying times. Patients who have used the platform have positive feedback from the experience because they can connect with their doctors simply and digitally. “I don’t

worry about finding a parking space or risk going out of the house.” This is what a regular eConsults user has to say.

Doctors also find it convenient and easy to use because they are fully supported by the Asian Hospital triage team for a smooth process.

Patients need not delay consulting with their doctors to get the best treatment for their medical needs. They can visit Asian Hospital’s website and schedule an appointment with any of the accredited specialists anytime. They just need to look for the eConsults service, and Asian Hospital will do the rest.

No appearance booking

“Booking for multiple procedures is made easy. I also just go to the hospital to take the tests. I can pre-pay the procedures before I go to my scheduled appointment. It is so convenient!”

Online Appointment System, a userfriendly platform developed by Asian Hospital, is where patients can book their outpatient procedures prior to visiting the hospital. It assures them of a scheduled appointment that eliminates waiting time. Patients can conveniently book and pay for single or multiple procedures. Patients only have good things to say about their experience with the platform for it has

made their lives easier when it comes to availing various diagnostic tests. “I can book laboratory tests and other diagnostic tests in one day. It saves me various trips to the hospital. Their outpatient navigation team will help you get the most convenient schedule for you!”

Patients may book their outpatient diagnostic appointments by visiting Asian Hospital’s website and look for the Online Appointment System page. Their outpatient navigation team will be on standby

to assist you should you need to book for multiple tests.

Connecting families

“What you are doing helps alleviate the pain of separation for our mother, giving us hope for better days”

Family Connect is a virtual communications service that bridges the gap between critical care patients and their families in this most uncertain of times. Asian Hospital recognizes that healing is faster when patients are closest to their loved ones. With this service, Asian Hospital provides the patients and their

loved ones the opportunity to connect with each other. They can participate in the virtual family conferences with the patient’s doctors to discuss the clinical care for the patient.

“It assures us that my mother is in good hands and is recovering well.”

Asian Hospital stands by their promise of compassionate care even in these difficult times.

Healing at the comforts of their own home

“I was scared when I learned I have Covid-19, but I was cared for at home by the Home Care team at home. I am assured that I will be monitored by a doctor and nurse.”

Due to the uncertain surges of Covid-19 cases as well as the inaccessibility of healthcare facilities to accommodate those who seek Covid-19 care, AHMC offers its patients the option of receiving the

best possible attention at home through its “COVID Home Care” services.

The Home Care Covid Program is a remote service of AHMC for asymptomatic and mild Covid patients. A team of competent medical staff is designated to manage the recovery of the patient from the virus. The patient is enrolled in the 14-day Covid Care Program where the medical services needed by the patient is packaged at a very reasonable amount. Aside from the medical consultations, the patient is assured that should they need supplies and medicines for their treatment, the Home Care team will readily coordinate this with Asian Hospital Pharmacy.

“I even have a standby oxygen tank should I need it. They help us go through the recovery faster.”

Other services included in the Covid Care Program, as well as Post Covid Care Program are in Asian Hospital’s website. They are ready to take care of patients even at home.

These channels are just some of the innovative services that Asian Hospital brings to its patients. It continues to listen to the needs of its community and drives to bring these services closer to the homes

of our patients; for their safety and continued wellbeing.

Talk to us on how Asian Hospital can further help you with your medical needs. Visit Asian Hospital’s website at www.asianhospital.com.

[balonlionardo1992]

dental and vision insurance ohio

BEST ANSWER: Try this site where you can compare quotes from different companies :insurancefreequotes.xyz

dental and vision insurance ohio

dental and vision insurance ohio, the insurance company. They do not cover you and all your other expenses. In case you receive a denial, an insurance company may pay  in the amount of the claim. You should not go through the claim with the insurance company, your lawyer should help with your legal expenses and court costs. There are things you can do to save time. You need information that your insurance company sent you and the information about the court process itself. When you are in the hospital, medical treatment is very slow.  If you have the time and resources to shop insurance (you can with any of the other insurers listed here), your lawyers and get all the information you need to understand these policies. All insurers are in a similar situation. They have the right to the information you are given in the application process. They may even try to deny your insurance company a claim if you don’t carry proof of insurance. If they are acting on behalf of the insurance company,. dental and vision insurance ohio I was also hit by one. They also gave me insurance for the rest of my life. It wasn t worth a dime to my accident. So I just took my $10,000, 2 year $300,000 liability policy with them. They said it would be a cheaper price for them but now I can only get $14.75 or $27.25 if all. I m in my 80s, so I have these low car insurance policies. They have no right to use my vehicle for anything, especially when I wasn t even in my parents car at the time. Thats the bad! My parents paid so much extra for them!! I don t think there are any companies that would let me get this insurance. I can t even get off the phone with them. I m a bit out of luck and can only go through an agent and then I ve gotten no answer. I feel like you should not take this to drive away. dental and vision insurance ohio or dental car . It depends on the type of the policy. If you want coverage for dental malpractice insurance, this should be referred to as dental car policy and you and your dentist. Otherwise, it will be for private dentists of other insurance companies. In general, dental malpractice insurance should not be too expensive in case of dental malpractice claims. You may not have to take out dental malpractice insurance, but they are not as expensive out of pocket. Remember to check the minimum liability limits for the dental malpractice insurance you re required to carry when taking out an insurance policy for dental malpractice in a state that requires it. can help the dentists afford insurance on that. In general, dental malpractice insurance will not be much of a problem, but it will not be cheap. Fortunately, dental malpractice insurance isn t difficult to get, but it s hard to be financially independent, so the dental mal.

What Does Dental Insurance Not Cover?

What Does Dental Insurance Not Cover? The Dental Deductible is the amount of money you pay each month before your insurance kicks in. When you file a claim, your insurance covers anything it covers after that. However, there are some things you may not be covered by your Dental Insurance policy. The DDR limit may not be enough. DDR costs are higher than you might expect. This is because a dental practice is a larger investment in the long run than a dental practice. If you have a dental plan with a low level of investment, your DDLDR may not be sufficient for you. A large dental practice may have a limited amount of DDR income, and you may have to deal with many dental practices. If your DDLDR is less than this, you have a small need for DMD funds to cover the cost of DMD services. If you have a dental plan with a large amount of investment, your DDLDR might not be sufficient to cover your dental expenses. DMD or.

Ohio Average Cost of Vision Insurance

Ohio Average Cost of Vision Insurance $1349 $2,096 $721 -$120 Get Your Rates #blank##blank# Vision insurance protects you against accidents, including damage by prescription and other errors, which in turn is an essential part of your auto insurance premium. By far. As you can see, Vision Insurance covers about half of the cost of Vision Insurance at a reasonable cost. No, you cannot buy Vision insurance online. To do so, you need to contact a local health insurance agent or a health insurance provider. They are the best choice for health insurance companies because they won’t charge you the same price on this expensive service. If you have an old or disabled family member and your needs will change, or if you do not have a regular policy, this will be an expensive solution but you might pay for cheaper Vision insurance. If you’re not able to visit a local physician to see a doctor, look for a provider that will be available for you. In.

What Does Dental Insurance Cover?

What Does Dental Insurance Cover? Dentists take note: Dental insurance policies cover the costs related to treating any and all dental procedures in an outpatient setting. While dental insurance does not cover all medical conditions, it does cover many. If you don’t believe your dentist has any type of DMD insurance coverage, contact your dentist who is out of health care to understand what DMD insurance covers. Dental insurance policy coverage will not cover you if you have a health condition. These are often known as “non-dental issues” and can affect your dental health and dental health insurance coverage. If you have a pre-existing condition that was not covered in a dental insurance policy or you have a pre-existing condition, you may be unable to obtain dental insurance. Dental insurance, on the other hand, can cover costs. If you do not require care and you can work from home, you may have an option to sign up and see if this program meets your needs. If you have.

Best Dental Insurance Providers in Ohio

Best Dental Insurance Providers in Ohio: Can I get insurance if I have a bad teeth pain? No, the state does not mandate insurance, but in some states, the law is enforced, the insurance company will inform the patient at the time of application, which may affect the patient as well. However, there’s no guarantee the patient will get an insurance company that will take over, and if so, a claim will be filed for the cost of treatment. Can you get dental care if you have a bad tooth? Yes; it’s considered as one of the so that means a claim is filed and the cost and costs of treatment are covered. Cannot buy a car insurance policy? Cannot buy or apply for car insurance? There are several companies that can provide car insurance for drivers with bad dental problems. Good dental insurance This group of companies provide cheap dental coverage for adults and children up to a specific cost, based on a percentage of the dollar amount of.

The Best Vision Insurance in Ohio

The Best Vision Insurance in Ohio. In short, you don’t have to. Whether it’s through your employer and the National Vision Association, or your personal auto insurance policy or an extended-overlapping policy, the cost of is low – it’re a no brainer. We have the best vision insurance options in Ohio, and more. It’s guaranteed to be free. All insurance products advertised on  are underwritten by insurance carriers that have partnered with , LLC. , LLC may receive compensation from an insurer or other intermediary in connection with your engagement with the website. All decisions regarding any insurance products, including approval for coverage, premium, commissions and fees, will be made solely by the insurer underwriting the insurance under the insurer’s then-current criteria. All insurance products are governed by the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions set forth in the applicable insurance policy. Please see a copy of your policy for the full terms, conditions and exclus.

Average Cost of Dental Insurance in Ohio

Average Cost of Dental Insurance in Ohio The average cost of dental insurance in Ohio is currently $998.57, which is cheaper than the statewide average of $1,114.21. While it is not significantly more than in 2017 (about $160 per year), dental inflation is currently the largest source for premium subsidies to the upper-income tax payers. About a third of Americans over age 35 have no dental care at home. As a result of an increasingly expensive tooth replacement surgery, many Americans are paying upwards of $400 per month for dental insurance. As with dental insurance, however, dental insurance can help reduce this additional expenditures on dental insurance. Dental insurance coverage by state, by type of vision insurance, by company or plan, and by location can also be combined to reduce dental insurance costs in any amount. Although not technically insurance, Dental Insurance is a form of financial assistance for users who receive a certain financial policy, such as health insurance. It only serves individuals, not corporations or employers, and is.

When is Vision Insurance Worth it?

When is Vision Insurance Worth it? The answer is that it protects against losing sight, hearing and hearing that is related to lost sight or hearing. It also protects against the cost of having to call the car even though it has a lost mileage car for a long time or having too many miles for the car when you want to move. It is a great feature you can see for your car, but some drivers choose to opt for a low mileage vehicle. Is Auto Insurance Best with a Dedicated Car? Mostly people say no, but when do you know if your vehicle is covered with auto insurance with a dedicated vehicle insurance plan? Sometimes, though.  See more information about auto insurance with a dedicated trailer Why Do Insurance Companies Always Don t Pay for Your Car Insurance? You always want to ensure you understand your own insurance needs, so you can help yourself with any need that comes your way. The good news is, you know which type of coverage is going to save you money, and.

The Best Dental Insurance in Ohio is:

The Best Dental Insurance in Ohio is: DentalCosts.com, Inc. (Dentalcosts.com) and DentalChoice.com, LLC (d/b/b/k/e DentalChoice.com) provide dental insurance products. These services are provided as is without compensation. Any no-fault policy will cover your dental care expenses regardless of who was at fault in the accident. We’ve been in the insurance industry for over 100 years. Our goal is providing customers with great insurance at a great price. We want to be your trusted insurance advisor since we are not your insurance. If you’re looking for personalized service and a great policy, we’re just a phone call away. For our customers, good dental insurance coverage is an essential part of getting insurance coverage in the event of an accident. If you are.

An Overview of Vision Insurance in Ohio

An Overview of Vision Insurance in Ohio Vision Insurance is not an insurance policy, but is available as an option. Individuals that qualify for Vision Insurance include children ages 16-69, and those that are over 70 (over 75%) have not enrolled in a qualifying vision plan (i.e., their vision plans are not available to them outside of OH). As a general guideline, it is suggested that the individual that buys Vision Insurance only has a special needs eye. While there are several other types of vision care that individuals may need, the vast majority of Americans do not have these services. If the individual has a vision problem, then they need to enroll in a plan that meets the health care requirements in their state. In the same way that a child with Autism gets covered by another parent s plan for the plan years because it will be free from any waiting period, it will be free from any waiting period when another children or other children are at school. The key difference is that the amount of coverage the child might need for.

[dentalinfotoday]

On the search for a good dentist, it’s important to consider your dental insurance. Is s/he in your network? What will be covered? How much will you owe?

I worked for two dental offices as the office manager and was responsible for insurance billing and patient communication. And let me be the first to tell you—dental insurance (and all insurance, for that matter) is complicated.

That’s why I’m here to unravel all the myths, misconceptions, terminology, and coverage for you.

Whether you’re looking for a way to understand your current dental insurance plan, deciding which one to choose, or anything in between…I’ve got you covered.

(See what I did there?)

But first, let’s talk about what dental insurance really is—and what it’s not.

The True Cost of Dental Insurance [+ Common Myths]

The word “insurance” implies an understanding that you’ll be financially protected if the worst case scenario arises. However, you may not be aware that dental insurance is vastly different than most other insurance programs in place.

Unlike medical, life insurance, and home-owners insurance, dental coverage maximums are not hundreds of thousands of dollars. So, when (not if) you end up needing care, your dental benefits will only get you so far.

Most dental insurance plans have a $1500 annual maximum. This means if you get two teeth cleanings per year and a filling or two, you’ve maxed out your dental benefits until your plan renews.

Healthcare is considered (by some schmuck who developed the system) to be a completely separate entity from dental care.

This would only make sense if your mouth was not intimately intertwined with the rest of your body.

Thank God we don’t have to buy car insurance and a separate plan for the steering wheel, right?

Assuming you have a PPO (more on that below), most plans follow a standard 100/80/50 rule.

Preventive procedures are covered at 100%

Basic care, such as fillings and root canals, are covered by the plan at 80%

Major services like crowns are covered at a 50% rate.

The majority of dental health plans also require you meet a $50 deductible before they contribute to basic or major services.

The cost of procedures is also not standardized. If you live in Arizona, your crown may cost hundreds of dollars less than a person getting the same type of crown in Boston.

If you go in for your bi-yearly cleaning and find out you need a root canal and crown, your benefits will certainly be maxed out for the rest of the year. You would be left with hundreds of dollars of out of pocket costs. 

That’s the opposite of medical insurance, which typically requires you pay only a small portion of costs after your deductible has been met.

For this reason, I think of dental insurance as more of a discount plan, rather than an insurance.

Finally, many dental insurance plans have waiting periods before certain work will be approved. Need orthodontic work? Your dental plan options may stipulate you be on their plan for six months before a dime can be paid out.

How Different Types of Dental Insurance Work

While they look very similar on the surface, the type of dental insurance you get will drastically impact how much you pay out of pocket. Some of them offer very little benefit to anyone other than the insurance company. Before you pick a plan, make sure you understand your options.

Medicare/Medicaid

Medicare and Medicaid are US taxpayer-funded health plans that require specific stipulations to be met in order to qualify. Instead of being run by a private insurance company, they’re controlled and regulated by a governmental agency called The Department of Health and Human Services.

Medicaid provides medical health coverage for some with low-income, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

Sadly, dental services are limited and primarily covered only for those under the age of 21. 

Since each state is able to set their own coverage limits for those over 21, about half of states offer ONLY emergency dental visits and no preventive care, such as routine cleanings.

As a dentist, this greatly concerns me. Once you’re feeling pain, you’ve likely missed your window to prevent costly treatment—that’s why prevention is vital.

For children, Medicaid is quite comprehensive. However, this is where you have to use your best judgment when consenting to an overzealous dentist’s treatment requests.

I’ve come across a number of instances where parents agreed to treatment since it didn’t cost them anything out of pocket, only to find out later that it was unnecessary, or worse—not performed at all. I encourage my patients and readers to listen to their intuition when consenting to treatment and ask for a second opinion if they feel unsure.

You should be completely aware of what’s caused you or your child’s dental concerns and have multiple options for how to fix it.

Take your time looking over treatment plans and as many questions you need to feel confident in your decision.

A general rule of thumb is this: If you feel rushed into agreeing to a lot of treatment on the spot, seek a second opinion or wait until you’re able to ask all the questions you need to feel more comfortable.

Since it’s very uncommon for Medicaid procedures to be denied, having an understanding of your child’s needs is paramount. You should feel empowered to ask all the questions you need to understand their needs and how to improve their oral health in the future.

Medicare, on the other hand, is intended for those over 65 years old and are citizens or legal residents of the US, or people under 65 years old with a legally recognized disability.

This benefit primarily covers medical procedures and leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to your dental health. According to Medicare.gov, “You pay 100% for non-covered services, including most dental care.”

Unfortunately, the connection between your mouth and the rest of your body seems to be lost in this system of care. 

Medicare and Medicaid are not dental insurance plans in the commonly understood form. Your dentist MUST be in-network, so for adults, you could be in for quite the search.

Think of these more as bare minimum entitlements that can come in handy, but with some kinks to work out. If you’re on Medicare, you may want to consider a supplemental plan to help prevent a dental emergency in addition to your regular coverage.

HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations)

HMO’s look great on their face!

If you’ve ever started a new job and the HR Coordinator sat you down to show you your dental insurance options, you’ve probably been tempted to check the HMO box.

After all, HMOs are so much more affordable…Right? 

Satisfaction with an HMO is, sadly, very uncommon. People who speak positively of their HMO experience typically didn’t use their insurance plan.

The way a dental HMO plans like Deltacare USA work is through a “capitation” system.

To receive care, you have to choose an in-network dentist. This means the dentist has agreed to sign a contract with your insurance company in exchange for being assigned a list of patients who can only use them for dental care.

Each month, that network dentist will be sent a check for a few bucks for each name on that list, regardless if they walk through the door or not. 

In the case that you do make an appointment for preventive services (hopefully at least twice per year), your out of pocket cost will be pretty low. However, the dentist is also very poorly compensated for this type of appointment, only making a few dollars for a cleaning, exam, and x-rays.

This type of reimbursement would not even cover the cost of materials used. Dentists may then resort to charting more extensive treatment for issues that may be addressed in a more conservative manner. (If you think this sounds sketchy, you would be correct.)

For example, say you plan to only take advantage of routine cleanings to prevent decay and plaque build up. During this visit, your dentist or hygienist may find areas of concern that the typical dentist may think needs a filling.

Since s/he needs to make money to keep the doors open, you may find yourself with a root canal on your treatment plan instead of a filling. And since you need a root canal, a crown is also necessary to regain your tooth structure.

While this would be bad enough without the dishonesty factor, an HMO plan would pay VERY little of your procedure.

This may leave you with hundreds of dollars of expenses out of your own pocket.

The HMO system is great if you don’t need it, or if you follow my nutritional recommendations to keep stop decay before it starts. The monthly costs are minimal, and as long as you don’t need any additional treatment, you will probably be quite happy.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)

The other option you may see from your HR Coordinator is likely a PPO plan. This plan is a more expensive option that’s often overlooked, but once you dig a little deeper and see the complete details, you’ll find PPOs generally cost less in the long run.

Similar to an HMO, a network of dentists is available for your dental care where coverage is least expensive. A PPO plan costs more per month, but if you end up needing dental treatment, you’ll see the savings are well worth the monthly cost when compared to an HMO plan.

For example, if you end up needing a crown, your PPO plan will likely cover 50% of your crown as opposed to about 10% or less on an HMO plan. 

If you add up all the money you’ve saved on the monthly premium and added it to your out of pocket costs, you’re very unlikely to come out on the good side of the equation if you had chosen an HMO.

This option is much preferred if you may need more extensive treatment than just preventative cleanings. And, although it’s a sad way to think about it, you’ll be somewhat less likely to get ripped off at the dentist because your dentist is also being paid more fairly.

Delta Dental PPO is one of the largest PPO networks available to employers in the US. If this is an option for you, it means you’ve got the largest network of dentists from which to choose.

Marketplace (Obamacare)

The Marketplace is a month-to-month dental insurance plan that has more stipulations than a traditional public insurance plan. In my experience, unless you are eligible for a tax credit based on income, they are not necessarily less expensive, however.

In order to use your Obamacare coverage, you must use a dentist that is part of their preferred provider network, and there is no coverage for out of network providers.

I’ve found that how many providers you’ll have to choose from depends on where you’re located. If you’re in New York, for example, your ability to find a provider may be easier than in a rural community with only a few dentists to choose from.

On a positive note, there are plenty of plans to choose from that are managed by common insurance companies that you would recognize, including Cigna, Guardian, and Humana.

While they are big names in the medical insurance system, their dental insurance networks are on the smaller side. Before picking a plan, it’s best to ask to see the full details, including in network dentists and exclusions.

Supplemental Dental

If your spouse is also offered dental coverage through their employer, you can join each other’s plans as a secondary insurance.

Supplemental plans are even more intricate than primary ones, but some can end up saving you most (if not all) of your out of pocket expenses.

However, since they’re notoriously difficult to estimate ahead of time, I’d recommend budgeting as if the 2nd plan will pay nothing. That way, you’ll have a pleasant surprise when they cover more than you expected!

4 Hacks for Affordable Dental Insurance

1. Ask your dental office if they accept bento dental.

If they don’t, encourage them to sign up! I’ve been using it for my own employees and have been quite impressed with the financial savings and ease to use.

Bento Dental is a modern alternative to traditional dental insurance. Their network of 90,000+ dentists can join at no cost.

As a private user of Bento Dental, you pay a 7% fee for services through the Bento app. However, the benefits include:

Flags for procedures that don’t match up with your records: This kind of oversight from insurance companies is one way to avoid getting ripped off or overcharged.

Guaranteed pricing: Dentists in the Bento network commit to pricing that matches many major employer dental insurance plans. This is important, because if you’re going to a dentist out of your normal dental network, there’s no guarantee whatsoever that you’ll pay a fair price.

See your cost before your visit: The Bento app shows you the cost for any scheduled procedures before you go in the office so you don’t get taken off guard by a massive bill.

Your employer can also purchase Bento Dental for you and your co-workers at only $5/person per month, which saves you the 7% cost fee you’d otherwise pay. Plus, employers can individually customize Bento plans to match whatever coverage they choose.

Bento is a great alternative for people with no dental insurance, too, since they offer many of the benefits of an insurance plan that will help you save money.

2. Customize your plan to remove coverages that you don’t need. 

It may save you some dough—often, plans include extra coverages you may never use. Removing these can save you on monthly premiums.

3. Look into joining your spouse’s plan as a secondary insurance. 

It’s very difficult to estimate benefits ahead of time when using two insurance plans, but they’re generally very helpful if you end up needing treatment. I’ve even seen some patients pay nothing out of pocket for extensive treatment using supplementary insurance this way!

4. Talk with your HR Coordinator to find out if your company offers HSA or FSA accounts.

These are accounts that you and/or your employer can contribute to for unforeseen health care expenses. The money will be put into an account monthly before taxes are withheld, making your tax burden less. Plus your out of pocket contributions go further.

For example, if you choose to contribute $100/month into your HSA ($1200/year), you’ll have $1200 available to you on the first day and your contribution will be taken out of your paycheck.

It’s somewhat like getting a negative interest loan (costs less than you borrow) that you don’t have to qualify for and you can use on health care expenses. It’s not limited to dental care, but might be a great alternative when you need extensive treatment not otherwise covered by traditional dental insurance.

The Best Dental Insurance Plans [2019]

The best dental insurance plans actually depends on how much dental intervention you’ll end up needing.

My best recommendation is always to avoid cavities by working on your nutrition. Since cavities turn into the need for fillings, crowns, root canals and extractions, prevention is the best chance of oral and overall health. 

If you end up needing dental treatment, and do not have savings to cover the costs, choose a plan that works best for your dental needs and budget.

PPOs are more comprehensive but also cost more upfront, while HMOs cost very little monthly and provide very little coverage as well.

Medicare/Medicaid and Marketplace plans are incredibly limited in scope and coverage, so these kinds of dental insurance should be used only if no other option is available.

A supplemental dental plan can help cover costs if you and your spouse both have accessibility to dental insurance.

Delta Dental is the largest dental insurance provider in the US. Their network contains more than 190,000 dentists, which allows them to keep prices low—theirs is the lowest fee schedule.

As a general rule, the larger the insurance company, the less you’ll have to pay for your treatment. Large companies like UnitedHealthOne, Humana, Cigna, and Ameritas all offer reasonable in-network pricing for PPO plans.

The most important thing to know about dental insurance, no matter the company, is that all plans have a very small maximum payout (usually between $750-2000 per year). 

If you need major work (orthodontics, bridges, root canal and crown, etc.), expect to be left with a significant cost after insurance has paid out. In these cases, an HSA or FSA is probably a good alternative to save that money if you can.

Look into Bento Dental. They offer employer plans as well as individual plans that cost nothing unless you end up needing dental services. I’ve been using it for my employees and it’s a great way to save us both some money on group plans.

Bento works similar to the big insurance companies, except you don’t pay monthly premiums but you still get access to the discounts that dentist’s give their “in network” patients. In many cases, this comes out to the same you might pay with a huge company like Delta. This saves an average of 30% for most procedures.

One thing I like about it is their mobile app. It’s simple to understand, and if you sign up as an individual, you only pay if you end up using their service. Think of it like the Uber of dental insurance.

Dental Insurance for Seniors

Dental insurance for seniors is an important topic that has been put on the backburner in our healthcare system for some time.

As we age, gum disease becomes more prevalent and in turn our health suffers. Since gum disease is linked to Alzheimers, diabetes, heart disease, and more, it’s important to keep up with your oral health into your golden years.

Its best to consider a supplemental plan, margarita fund, or Bento Dental since you’ll need to keep up with your preventive services and it’s likely you’ll need dental treatment at some point. But as always- prevention is your best defense against painful and expensive dental work.

Should I get dental insurance?

Having some form of dental coverage is the best decision for most. If you’re self paid at any doctors office, including a dental practice, there’s no guarantee you’ll be charged fair prices.

“In network” patients save an average of 30% over patients with no coverage.

For this reason alone, it’s a great idea to have coverage if it’s available to you. However, if you’re good at saving your money and don’t want to pay monthly premiums, there are alternatives out there that get you the network rates without being tied down to yet another monthly bill.

Remember, dental “insurance” is truly more of a discount plan to keep up with preventative care. All conventional dental insurance plans cover just a small portion of what you might pay for extensive work.

People who benefit most from the savings from dental insurance include:

Employees with very low-cost insurance options (preferably for PPO plans)

Children who qualify for Medicare and need regular preventative care

Those with access to an HMO plan who are able to keep additional funds in a savings account, FSA, or HSA for dental care (since the HMO will cover very little)

People who need a great deal of dental work in the next 1-2 years and want to save some of the up front cost

If, on the other hand, you fit in one of the categories below, joining Bento Dental and foregoing normal dental insurance might be the best route:

Employees who can afford to save money in a savings account, FSA, or HSA for dental care

Self-employed individuals

Those who follow proper nutrition and habits to prevent cavities and gum disease

Anyone looking to save on a dental insurance premium who only needs bi-yearly cleanings and no major work

Employees not offered dental benefits

FAQs on Dental Insurance

Q:

Which is the best dental insurance to choose?

A: The best pan to choose really depends on your particular situation. What you eat, your current dental health, and your financial situation all play a role into which option is best for you.

Q:

Do I need dental insurance?

A: Do you follow a strict oral health supporting diet like the Paleo diet, make sure you get the proper nutrition, and implement a savings plan for unforeseen dental procedures?

In that case, you will likely have no problem skipping a traditional “dental insurance” plan and opting for something like Bento Dental instead.

Q:

If I end up needing treatment, will I know how much my out of pocket costs will be ahead of time?

A: With some plans, it’s possible to submit a “pre-authorization” before you get any treatment done. In my experience, this is not without its risks.

I’ve seen numerous times where an “approved” treatment was completed, only to find out that the insurance policies “changed,” which raised the patients out of pocket contribution.

Additionally, waiting for pre-authorization to be completed by an insurance company can take weeks, which can cause unnecessary pain and risk to the patient.

It’s best to read your policy thoroughly and consult with your dental office’s insurance coordinator for their expertise. S/he works with insurance companies day in and day out and knows how to decipher your plan to offer valuable insight into your options.

Key Takeaways: Dental Insurance

Dental insurance, like health insurance, is a broken system that many times negates the pursuit of health altogether. However, it’s beneficial in the unfortunate case you need costly treatment.

Your best option is to become intimately informed about your plan’s limitations and take advantage of every prevention measure available to you, including reversing and preventing cavities naturally.

Got more questions on dental insurance? Send me an email at angela@askthedentist.com!

Read Next: No dental insurance? Here’s what to do.

The post The Real Cost of Dental Insurance: Best Plans, Myths, and Benefits [2019] appeared first on Ask the Dentist.

from Ask the Dentist https://askthedentist.com/dental-insurance/

[spaci1701]

About 15 years ago I dropped a 500 pound hunk of metal on my left hand. Ripped the skin open from mid-palm to second knuckle across the entire hand and broke all 4 fingers. Very lucky the grill bounced the way it did or I would have actually severed all my fingers.

Had a not great wait at the local ER. Waited with a bag of ice and a wad of bandage for over 3 hours before I was in and then spent another 3 hours getting x-rays, having my crushed ring cut off, getting drugged up, getting stitched up and getting a referral to a plastic surgeon.

That was on a Friday. Saw the surgeon Monday morning and was in surgery on Tuesday. 4 weeks later I got the pins out and 2 weeks after that I started physio.

Where they immediately discovered that my ring finger was healed wrong. I'd had a muscle spasm that pulled a pin out of place and hadn't realized. I had x-rays that afternoon and surgery the next day.

Physio carefully worked the rest of my hand for the next 6 weeks then went to town on everything for another 6 months before we realized that my ring finger wasn't responding properly. We tried splints and sonics and many other things but eventually I ended up back in surgery. The tendon had adhered to the bone and wasn't able to stretch properly anymore.

All told, it was just shy of two years before my physio and I agreed that I wasn't going to get any better. I had use of my entire hand but my ring and little finger had atrophied with all the extra stuff and they only came back about 75%.

I had 2 years of dedicated physio, 3 surgeries, an ER visit, immediate service from the top plastic surgeon in the area (was shocked to learn that he was one of the most expensive cosmetic surgeons around for elective procedures - he used it to fund his trips to third world areas to fix cleft palates, burn victims, etc) and numerous splints.

My cost? I think the painkillers and antibiotics may have come to $100 all told. And parking at the hospital for my physio wasn't cheap, although there is some political noise being made that they shouldn't be allowed to charge at public hospitals so that may change in the future.

That's it. And I live in Vancouver, BC. Cross-border shopping is a big thing here - we have people who exclusively buy their gas across the line. Yet the only people I know who choose to go to the States for any kind of medical treatment are for treatments that aren't available here. I know my mother went to Seattle for her PET scans because it was a lot easier than going to Toronto, even though she had to pay by choosing Seattle.

Our system isn't perfect. There are many issues with wait times and a number of things either aren't covered at (dental & vision) or are called elective so they aren't covered. But I've talked to people in the States who have had similar stories with much longer waits than I dealt with and a lot of medical debt that I never had to stress over while I was worrying about losing my hand.

I get really confused when americans, when talking about universal health care are like ‘yeh but it’s not free sweaty :) :) you have to pay it through taxes :) so gotcha!!’

and I’m like ….???? That’s the whole point??? Everyone pays their fair share so that no one has to be turned away because they don’t have insurance??? And no one has to set up a Fundraiser page just so that they DONT DIE???? So people don’t put off going to the doctor because they’re scared of going bankrupt?? Because healthcare is a RIGHT and should be free at the point of access?!?