When treating people’s teeth, dentists affirm that those people who see dentists on a regular basis generally have much better dental health. People who do not seek out dental appointments at least once every six months are far more likely to develop advanced tooth decay, gum disease and other problems that lead to costly dental treatments. In the worst of cases, entire rows of teeth might need to be removed. But in many cases, the odds are people who have put off seeing their dentists for extended periods of time wind up needed extended dental treatments that cost much more than a simple cleaning and occasional filling.
Root Canals and Crowns Are Very Common
People who don’t go to dentists for more than a year or so many times come in with aching teeth and advanced decay that requires a root canal and crown. Those procedures can be quite costly, running easily more than $1,000 in many instances and sometimes double that amount, depending on the availability of any dental insurance or dental plans that could offset the costs. In some instances, one or more teeth might need to be removed and replaced with implants, bridges and other types of reconstructive dentistry.
Shelf Life Of Some Treatment Options
When getting a crown, the repair work will last for only so long before the patient will need to have it replaced. Metallic-based crowns might last as few as five years while porcelain crowns tend to last a few more years. And new compounds are making it possible to create crowns that last much more than 10 years. But the younger the patient, the more likely yet more procedures will need to be repeated to maintain the health of teeth, which compounds the folly of not seeing a family dentist on a regular basis.
Do you try to see your dentist at least twice per year, and are your teeth in better health as a result?