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My mom is in her 80s and has not taken care of herself in recent years. I’ve moved her in with me and noticed that she has been wincing when she eats. I asked her about it and she insists it is fine, that is it always like that. When I asked her how long it had been since she had been to see a dentist, she said she couldn’t remember. I asked to look at her teeth and she has some missing. She doesn’t remember them coming out. I’m on a tight budget and she has next to nothing so I don’t think dental implants are a viable option for her. Can you give me some affordable options that will help me care for my mother? I’m going to have a fight on my hands just getting her in to see a dentist so I want to know some options before I go.
Carol
Dear Carol,
I think it is wonderful that you are taking care of your mother. What a great *child* you are! It’s hard for the elderly as they lose their independence along with dealing their own fears as well. It sounds like your mother is dealing with some serious dental anxiety. We’ll get to that in a moment. Let’s address her teeth falling out first.
In situations such as your mother’s, this is generally due to advanced periodontal disease. If she doesn’t get this under control, she could lose all of her teeth. You have a few options here. Even if you could afford dental implants, they wouldn’t be a great option for her because without her gum disease dealt with the implants would fail. With loose teeth, a dental bridge is not a great option either. That leaves you with either complete dentures or partial dentures.
One way that she can have a more anxiety-free appointment is to see a sedation dentist, though this will add to the cost of the appointment. There is even a form of sedation called Oral Conscious Sedation, which will allow her to sleep through her appointment. It will be a pleasant appointment for her. That is not to put pressure on you just to inform you. Budgets are what they are and you can’t make them any bigger instantly. However, if you speak with a sedation dentist who also advertises as an affordable dentist, he or she will likely be willing to work with you on payment plans given your mother’s situation.
I hope this helps. Take a deep breath. You’ve got this.
This blog is brought to you by Youngville Dentist Dr. John Theriot.