Affordable Dental Care Unavailable To One-Third Of Americans: Report

[bhikkhu]

16. Regarding pain, bad teeth, and poverty -

In the last four years I had two bad problems with a broken molar that kept getting infected, and with two wisdom teeth that were heading the same way. Nothing ruins your day like a toothache, and one that keeps you from sleeping can send a person into addictions and depression...the first molar problem I had dragged on for 2 months of pain. Nowhere near the money for a crown and no other solutions - I finally had it yanked, for $75.

The recovery was quick and I never missed the tooth, and I wondered why in the world I didn't have that done to begin with. The next problem was with a wisdom tooth, so the decision was easy - at the first sign of trouble I had both yanked on one side, for $130. Not that losing teeth is great, but it does work.

Currently I have another bad molar, but this one I have some money put away for a $1000 crown. Which I don't want to spend on a stupid tooth, but it is a useful one, and I have a choice this time.