I need dentures but cannot afford them, so what can you do? It is something normal to get dentures as part of getting older. Still, few people expect to celebrate their remaining age with the complete set of natural teeth. The case is different right now. Most people think that retirement period does not mean you need dentures.
Need Dentures But Cannot Afford Them? Why Do You need?
We cannot deny the fact that there are more than 30 million Americans do get their dentures. Of course, they have some reasons even if regular checkups and good oral hygiene are the results of the natural smiles. For some reasons, people have the same problems; I need dentures but cannot afford them.
It is expensive to get regular and preventive care for your dental. On the other hands, people may not have any access to go to the dentist when they were children. Now, they are dealing with dental problems. Also, health conditions can cause dental issues such as diabetes. As a result, it can lead to tooth loss. Other possible reasons are accidents such as collision and sports injuries damage the teeth.
Additionally, some people need dentures because they only have a few natural teeth. Generally, the dentists will extract damaged or weak teeth. After that, they will replace it with dentures.
Why Do People Afraid of Having Dentures?
When people question about I need dentures but cannot afford them, they may think something they don’t know just because of the fear. In some cases, many of us afraid of getting dentures because it may look unreal or it can hurt you. Other than that, some of us think that dentures may not allow us to eat some foods such as corn or steak. Additionally, we just worry that the dentures may slip out suddenly out of our mouth while eating or talking.
Nevertheless, dentists can help you with the perfect set of dentures. Even better, we are living in a modern era with all advanced technology. Therefore, modern dentures are possible to give you a natural look, like you have natural and healthy teeth. So, what you should consider before getting the dentures are finding the types of dentures, choosing the right dentures, and avoiding the possible problems.
The question is now, what you should do when you need dentures but you cannot afford them?
At this point, you want dentures because you really need them, but your savings even are not enough. So, we provide you the best ways to solve this matter.
Dentures Without Insurance
If you have no insurance, of course, getting dentures can be really expensive. The average cost to do complete dentures is from $1300 to $3200. So, if you want to do tooth extraction, the price can be more than that. Also, if you have no insurance for the tooth extraction, the cost may go up to $350 for a single tooth.
So, there are many ways to get affordable dentures. For example, you can shop around. It is all about finding the possible providers and then look into the choices before choosing the right option. Additionally, you may have various price quotes. After that, you can choose the right provider that fits your budget. Alternatively, you can find your options. In fact, some dentures can be expensive than others. So, it is good to make your choices. This is important to reduce the cost.
Best Dentures Assistance for the Low Income
Back in 2009, based on the U.S. Census Bureau, they published the statistics and it shows that there are 43.6millions of people at the poverty level. Also, there are about 50.7 millions of people have no health insurance. For those who are in this category, it is almost impossible to have the capability to pay for dentures. Fortunately, there are some possible ways to help with the cost.
Government Assistance
First, there is government assistance. It can be the best option to get assistance through clinics. Nevertheless, you must follow their regulation, especially for the eligibility. Also, the eligible individuals will get free grants to pay for the dentures. For example, they can use Medicare or Medicaid to pay for the dental costs even though it does not provide the denture coverage.
When we talk about Medicaid, basically it is about the form of medical coverage. It is possible for you to check this program in your state. Doing this will help you whether you have any possible ways to pay for the dentures. Also, they can cut the total prices even though they do not provide it for free. So, the best thing you can do is to check the regulation by visiting the state office. If possible, tell them that I need dentures but cannot afford them.
Talking about Medicare, it does not cover any routine dental treatment such as checkups or cleanings. Also, it will not cover the cost of the dentures. Nevertheless, some Medicare plans may offer dental benefits such as denture coverage. So, it is better to check the details of the plan first to confirm the coverage. On the other hands, the dental coverage from Medicaid may depend on the state. Typically, they do not cover the dentures.
Additionally, it is good to try looking into the community of health centers. In fact, the Health Resources and Services Administration, which is popular as HRSA and Federally Qualified Health Centers or FQHCs have been funding some community health centers to try.
I Need Dentures But Cannot Afford Them – Use Local Resources
Can you pay the dentures over time? If so, then it is possible for you to take financing plans and get the dentures. In fact, there are many local organizations to help you. You can use Kiwanis Rotary club or Women’s Auxiliary since they can provide you resources and valuable help. Even better, there is the United Way with the directory to offer free and inexpensive cost dental services in your state.
Talking about charity organizations, you can take some charities that offer dental care and dentures for affordable costs. Also, individuals with low income can try for their eligibility. It is better to apply for any programs you think that you are eligible. You can use your dentists to find more information about affordable dentures, too.
If you have no ideas about the charities to go with, you can the following options:
- Dental Lifeline Network
- National Association Of Free & Charitable Clinics
- American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
The options above are great for individuals with medical risk, disabled people, and senior.
Visit Dental Schools
It is possible for you to get other alternatives such as visiting dental hygiene schools or dental schools. They have some financial assistance for those who need affordable dentures. This is more than enough to help you answering your problem, “I need dentures but cannot afford them”. For example, you can use the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, we call NIDCR. In fact, they have clinical trials and volunteers for free and for affordable dental treatment.
You can take this option as the ideal choice. It is because these dental school students perform the treatment under the supervision of the experts. Keep in mind that they are working under the control of professional and certified dental. The students will do every treatment carefully because they have to get a good grade on their performance.
If you have no idea where to find the available dental school near your area, you can use the list of dental schools. Additionally, it is simple to start your search. You only need to choose the state you want and then you will see the available dental schools to visit.
I Need Dentures But I Cannot Afford Them – Using Insurance and Discount
Another possible way when it comes to the question, like “I need dentures but I cannot afford them” is about using dental insurance. Typically, they can cost you from $200 to $500 per year if you have an individual plan. It also means that the cost is more than that if you have a family plan. For sure, you will get great coverage as what you have spent for. Nevertheless, they may not cover all procedure and service you have got.
For instance, some dental insurance companies will categorize dentures and dental implants as cosmetic. So, they will not include it as the necessary procedure as their commitment to a healthy standard of living. Therefore, they have good insurance plans but not for all people.
On the other hands, there are dental discount plans. For this option, they have a wider range of people. Even the starting fee per year is quite low, that is about $97. Also, there are no restrictions on the type of dental treatment to cover. In this point, you have the pre-existing condition and you still be able to have the maximum discount.
Additionally, you get no deductibles, paperwork, and time to waste It is a hassle-free choice. Simply, you can use your membership card and show it when you go to the dentist. By this way, it is possible to get a 60% off discount on all procedures you need. At the same time, you may solve your problem, like “I need dentures but I cannot afford them”.
Dental Insurance may provide you dentures coverage, but is not paying to replace the teeth that are missing or prior to the purchase of the insurance plan. So, this insurance means you need to wait even for a year to get the coverage. Also, most dental insurance plans give the limit of the annual coverage to $1500 maximum, the cost may exceed the dental insurance budget.
About the dental saving plans, generally they provide a discount from 40% to 60%. This offer is on dentures and on dental care treatment for senior. Even there are no limits on the pre-existing conditions. You don’t have to wait for the procedures once you have activated the plan. The period of its activation is within 72 hours even less. Also, there are no spending caps per year.
In the end, if you want to know how to find the right dental savings plan that can meet your needs and budget, it is better to find plans by savings, plans by a dentist, or plan by procedures. It is a kind of search tool that lets you compare the plans and the available offers when it comes to the savings on dentures.
I Need Dentures But Cannot Afford – Finding The Nearest
Do you need affordable dentures? The cost of permanent denture for the full upper part may cost about $1600. The cost of this type of dentures also depends on the location. If you go with upper and lower dentures, the cost may go about $3000. Also, immediate dentures are less expensive so you can go about $1400 for the upper. Keep in mind that you have to deal with the extraction cost, x-rays, and checkups.
Generally, purchasing dentures means that you will pay what you get. For example, you may find cheap dentures that are not more than $1600, but of course, there are some different things. In this point, the low-price dentures may one-size-fits-all or use the cheaper materials. So, it is easier to break or crack. If you go with the inexpensive dentures, what you must do is to check the available reviews online. It is better to know the reasons why they provide a cheap cost or a discount. Besides, there are many horror stories you should know on the consumer complaints when they go with the inexpensive dentures. Also, you should not buy instant teeth that you can snap directly. These instant fake teeth are far from natural teeth. Even more, they will not work properly as the natural teeth.
You can start by finding dentures near you. There are several possible ways on how to do so. First, you can call the Bureau of Primary Health Care. In this case, it is 1-888-Ask-HRSA. Alternatively, you can visit their website and start using it to find the nearest health center in your state or area.
Additionally, it is a great idea to go through the United Way. They will help you to find affordable denture services, especially in your community. For sure, you can call them at 703-36-7112. Otherwise, you can visit their official website.
Types of Dentures You Should Know
Once you have found the ways I need dentures but cannot afford them, you should consider what you need. In fact, there are types of dentures which are fixed and removable dentures. Here are all you should know about the types of dentures.
Removable Full Dentures
Talking about removable full dentures, it works with suction or dental adhesive, or even the combination of these things.
Any individuals wearing removable full dentures means that they can remove the dentures once or twice per day just to clean them. Usually, they will not wear dentures at night. Also, removable dentures are affordable tooth replacement. Even if the individuals have to deal with the reoccurring costs for over the years. It happens because the mouth structures may change by time. Therefore, they have to refit or replace dentures.
Besides, the individuals may need adjustments in the first year of using this denture. But, it also depends on the dental condition you have, including your age and other issues. Some people need less frequent and even more adjustments to fit the dentures properly.
On the other hands, bad dentures can cause some other problems such as pain, bone loss, and infection. Therefore, when you have dentures, it is crucial to make sure that the dentures fit correctly and it makes you feel comfortable.
Also, many dentists include the adjustments and perform it in the first few months right after you get the dentures. They will include the price in your treatment plan. Additionally, the treatment may include the reshaping dentures to give you more comfort, relining them so it gives you a snugger fit, too. Besides, the dentist along with the staff should be there for you if you have any questions to address your initial treatment.
Fixed Dentures Treatment
The next choice is fixed dentures treatment. So, it is about placing four to six dental implants to complete the dentures. The implants are the tiny screw to add into your jawbone. It means that you need to take a little surgical treatment first. Also, this type of denture provides better stability than the full removable dentures. Besides, it gives you shorter and easier adjustment periods.
By the time, the metal implants can fuse with the natural bone. Therefore, it provides a strong foundation so your dentures can adhere to it. Besides, having this type of denture means that you do not have to remove the fixed dentures at night. It is not necessary to clean fixed dentures. Also, it is important to know that the metal implants in fixed dental can stimulate the bone tissue. Therefore, it will reduce the possibility of bone loss.
Unfortunately, fixed dentures are more expensive than removable dentures. However, the cost may reduce by the time because the less adjustment you need to take for fit and comfort. But, it takes a few months to heal the implants. So, you may need a set of temporary replacement teeth in this period. Also, not all people have a good strong bone to support the implants. For this condition, you may need bone grafts to deal with the issue.
Immediate Vs. Permanent Dentures
Whether you consider removable or fixed dentures, of course, you need to accept the fact that the dentist will remove the remaining permanent teeth from the lower or the upper dental arch, even both if you have a full set of the dentures. Once they have performed the extractions, they will wait to let your gum heal and change for its shape. In this period that takes several months, there will be no permanent dentures. For this reason, it can waste your time and money.
In this case, you will go around without teeth. But, it sounds impossible so likely you will get the immediate dentures. So, you can wear it right after doing the tooth extraction. You will also wear the dentures while your gums heal and have the new shape. Well, it is possible to get dentures relined to fit the mouth’s new shape or to get a new pair of dentures in a year. It depends on how you are comfortable with the dentures and how well the dentures fit once your gums heal completely.
Usually, you can continue with your immediate dentures once you have had them relined. Even you may need more than a single reline to fit right. Alternatively, you may need a new permanent set because it is less bulky compared to the immediate. It is because the teeth are sharper and more defined than the temporary set of dentures you have. So, it gives you more natural look than the immediate. Of course, the choice is on your hands and your dentist can help you to choose the best option. If you need a new set, then the immediate dentures are for the back-up pair. Just in case you break the permanent.
See Also: All You Need to Know About Government Grants for Dentures
Conclusion
So, there are possible ways when it is all about your question, “I need dentures but cannot afford them”. You can choose the available ways above. You do not have to worry about spending your money to get natural new teeth. There are some available options to help you find affordable and free dentures or dental care. What you should do is to keep researching. You can use other valuable resources such as your friends and neighbors. If they have dentures, just talk to them about how they finally have it. This is a good way to try the best way so you have natural teeth.
Even better, there are many local organizations that you may use. They can help you even though they are not popular as other organizations on the Internet. These can be the local churches and other nonprofitable communities. Surely they will give you the best valuable information to help you.
References:
- Low-Income Assistance for Dentures
- How to Get Dentures Without Insurance
- Affording Removable Dentures
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