Dental Treatment Options for Low-Income Patients
By Robert Rutner | Published on December 7, 2010 | 0 Comments
Dental work does not have to be prohibitively expensive, especially if patients heed the advice of their dentists and come in regularly for semi-annual checkups and exams. According to Rutner Dental‘s Dr. Robert Rutner, a cosmetic dentist in Mountain View, CA, patients can significantly reduce their dental bills by coming in once every six months for cleanings.
Dr. Rutner says that the best insurance a person can have against oral health issues is maintaining those regular six-month visits with the dentist. When people come in once every six months for cleanings and exams, and once every year for x-rays, they significantly decrease the chances of any major dental problems coming up.
If nothing else, a person who visits his dentist once every six months will have a better understanding of what problems may arise during the next year. Dentists who work with regular patients are more likely to help those patients anticipate potential problems down the road, thereby catching minor issues before they get larger and become more costly to repair.
As Dr. Rutner explains, patients who wait too long to get minor dental issues fixed – either because they are trying to save money or because they have skipped previous checkups and do not even realize that problems exist – will inevitably face more expensive and invasive procedures than those who catch and repair minor issues early on.
In some cases, Dr. Rutner says that patients may wait so long that they actually reduce their treatment options. If a patient fails to get a cavity repaired quickly enough, for example, then having a basic filling put in may eventually cease to be an option, leaving him to choose between a root canal or a full extraction.
So then what can low-income patients do to protect themselves from similar situations? According to Dr. Rutner, even low-income patients need to maintain their regular checkup schedules and visit the dentist every six months. This is the best way to prevent major – and often costly – dental issues from arising. However, if further dental work is ever required, then Dr. Rutner says that a cosmetic dentist like himself will usually be able to work around the patient’s budget and offer both higher-end and lower-end repair options. This way, those who can’t afford to pay for premium treatments can at least resolve their issues in a manner that preserves their oral health.
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.