Why Going To The Dentist Can Save You Money
I hear many people tell me that going to the dentist is so expensive they stop going altogether. Without insurance, the cost for a checkup (x-rays, cleaning, exam) falls somewhere between 200-300$ around the New Jersey area. If you have dental insurance, this would be free (twice a year).
Let’s say you have a cavity, that would have been detected early on at a checkup by a dentist. Detected while still small, the cavity could have been halted in its tracks from forming, as the dentist could have advised special attention to the tooth thru extra flossing. The cost of a filling ranges from 100$ to 300$ depending on its size, if you don’t have dental insurance. With dental insurance this ranges from no cost to $200 depending on your benefits.
You ignore the warnings from your dentist and don’t want to pay. The cavity gets bigger and now you are in pain. You need a root canal. This cost ranges from 1,000$ to 2,500$, if you don’t have dental insurance. With insurance, you’re out $500-1500 . When a tooth has a root canal it typically needs a crown- which costs $1000-1500 without insurance. So all together you may owe around 3,000$!
“I don’t need the tooth, just take it out- its cheaper.” Ok, let’s say you didn’t listen to the dentist and now get the tooth removed. To replace the tooth you would either need an implant or a bridge which costs around 4,000 to 5,000 dollars without insurance.
“I can live without one tooth, who cares?” When you lose a tooth without replacing it, it can cause a host of serious issues which can lead to more tooth loss. You put more pressure on the rest of your teeth, can damage your bite, and increase your risk of periodontal (gum) disease.
So, if you had just spent a couple hundred dollars for a checkup, you could have saved a lot of money and stress in the long run. This is just in terms of cavities! Gum disease and grinding/clenching follow the same path.
At Tenafly Dental Associates, we do our best to educate our patients on what they can do to prevent expensive dental treatments. More-so, if an issue arises we diagnose it immediately and present solutions with the most honest and cost-effective mindset.