I have a bit of a problem. I got hit with a pool cue right in the front tooth at full force. Don’t ask. It’s been a while and since then the tooth turned an ugly brown. I went to my dentist and he told me most of the root was gone so I would need a dental implant. He also told me I had three back teeth that needed fillings. I can’t afford to have all of that done and fix my ugly tooth. Do you know of anything that will help me?

Penelope

Dear Penelope,

I am going to suggest that you change dentists for a couple of reasons. One is the root resorption. If your dentist had treated your tooth when it first experienced the trauma, he could have saved the root, which would in turn have saved your tooth. He should have done a root canal treatment. Unfortunately, now that you have no root left, there really isn’t anything that can be done to save the tooth.

This does not necessarily mean you will need to have an expensive dental implant if you cannot afford it. There are other tooth replacement options. This leads me to the second reason to get rid of your current dentist. He or she is legally obligated to give you all your treatment options, even if he prefers other options.

Some possibilities for you include:

• A dental bridge: This is a false tooth suspended between two dental crowns
• A removable partial denture: This is just like it sounds. It will clip to your adjacent teeth.
• A dental flipper: This is your least expensive option. It’s like a cheaper version of the denture.

Find another dentist who has the integrity to look after your oral health and give you all your options. Then, ask him or her to triage the needs so you can start with the most urgent. This can make it easier to deal with financially.

This blog is brought to you by Marietta Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.