Good Single Fake Molars

[jc1199]

Does anyone know of a source for good quality single fake molars? I'm looking for something that is like a kit type of thing where I would be able to get a few single fitted fake molars.

What I really need is are few implants but I'm am in the working poor category and I can't possibly afford to go anywhere near a dentist. So I'm looking for an alternative that will work that I can afford.

 

[honestdoc]

I don't recommend any kits or DIY dental systems. They can be a choking hazard, damage your bite & TMJ, gums, bone, etc. If costs are prohibitive, try a teaching facility like dental schools or community dental clinics.

 

[jc1199]

Unfortunately community clinics around here pretty much just do extractions. We have one here that is a free clinic but things like actually having teeth to eat with are considered "cosmetic" and "non-essential". They only do essential stuff like pulling your teeth out.

I've looked into the nearby college (MUSC in downtown Charleston) but they would charge a serious amount of money for implants. Far beyond my capacity to pay.

I understand why an actual dentist would never recommend DIY kits. But, so far that has been the only option I have found that I can actually get.

What I need is something I can afford like this Temptooth Unfortunately they state that it is entirely cosmetic and won't work as a molar. What do you think of one of these?
Molar option 1
Molar option 2

If I had the ability to go to a dentist I'd go asap. But that's just not an option for me financially. When I look at prices for dental care I get very depressed. It makes me feel like I'm browsing around a private jet dealership.

 

[MattKW]

Unfortunately community clinics around here pretty much just do extractions....

No, those options you link to are for temporary crowns to fit over OVER a tooth that has been drilled back for a crown. They are only for dentists, and have no use for laypeople at all. The simplest way for fake teeth are plastic (acrylic) dentures. Why not investigate that option at a community dental clinic? Community dental clinics will never do implants.

 

[jc1199]

No, those options you link to are for temporary crowns to fit over OVER a tooth that has been drilled back for a crown. They are only for dentists, and have no use for laypeople at all. The simplest way for fake teeth are plastic (acrylic) dentures. Why not investigate that option at a community dental clinic? Community dental clinics will never do implants.

What about these?
Dentures

 

[MattKW]

What about these?
Dentures

No, you can't use those; they're for lab technicians to use in dentures.

 

[honestdoc]

I understand your financial difficulties. What area do you reside? What teeth are you missing. Could you provide images of the missing areas as well as the opposing? Implants will never be financially friendly, even in developing countries. Like Dr. MattKw mentioned, you can look into partial dentures. They will feel awkward at first but they are more economic than implants. I would stay away from bridges if possible since they involve drilling on good teeth.

 

[jc1199]

I'm missing two upper middle molars (left/right) and one lower rear molar (right). The placement is just right to make it as difficult as possible to chew anything solid. I have 3 other molars that I know will be a problem in the future. Being poor is extremely expensive, I don't recommend it to anyone, ever. There has to be some way I can replace them without being a Walton heir or a drug kingpin.

I reside in the Charleston, SC area. If I had the money to escape, I would in a blink of an eye. It's a place that has a very high cost of living and extremely low wages.

 

[honestdoc]

I looked it up. Your city has a dental school. Hopefully you can get all your teeth checked and get a thorough treatment plan. What is your occupation? Hopefully you can establish a solid career path. Working for any gov't entity provides good dental insurance. Unfortunately there is no such thing as a DIY dental restoration. Remember, you can develop TMJ, gum, bone, teeth, oral mucosal damage if attempt unsupervised. Look up mouth damage.

 

[jc1199]

I know about MUSC. I looked into them early on. They charge $275 to walk in the door of the dental school. Price tags rapidly increase from there. In general MUSC is savagely expensive for anything. If you so much as walk in there and say hello you'll walk out with a bill for $10,000. I had a seizure several months ago and ended up unconscious in a parking lot. I was ultimately taken to MUSC. I basically laid in a bed there for 3 days. No surgery or anything like that. They sent me a bill for $50,000. I laughed. They may as well have sent a bill for 800 billion.

I've worked in two different fields. At times as a tech in electronics at the industrial and manufacturing level, mostly in designing and building communication systems like broadband networks and satellite communication systems. And there were times that I worked in media production designing graphics, animation, 3D models, building sets and props, video/audio production, and web design.

At the moment I work for a small business as a tech consultant for solar power installations and energy monitoring systems. Low pay and no benefits. I make it a goal to apply for a job every day. I monitor job posts daily. There just isn't a whole lot going on right now. Well, there are tons of job postings but most pay even less than I make now. If I could get a government job I would take it asap. I've actually applied for one recently.

I looked into dental insurance and it seems to be mostly a scam. You pay for insurance that doesn't really cover any actual dental care.

I know there are risk in the DIY route, but as far as I can tell it's either that or nothing.

 

[honestdoc]

I'm sorry I don't know of any solutions. I just know that teaching facilities can be a less expensive but good option for dental care. Not sure if you can apply for state assistance.

 

[jc1199]

SC is a blood red state. The primary function of the state government is to transfer as much money as possible from the people who work for a living into the pockets of the rich. If you aren't wealthy all you'll get from the state is a giant FU. If you're really lucky they won't decide to take a massive dump in your mouth.

I find it baffling that there is no reasonable solution for a missing molar. Obviously I'm not the first low income person with this problem and I'm sure this is something that plagues lower income people more than anyone. How can there not be an affordable fix for this?

What is the most common way a dentist would replace a missing molar?

 

[honestdoc]

It is difficult to justify "most common." Most of my patients are poor and they just leave the missing area. Sometimes when the middle molar is missing, over time, the posterior molar tips forward and bites into the opposing molar. The second option is a partial denture. It is more conservative with minimal teeth drilling. The disadvantage is it is removable and awkward feeling. If you are missing more than 1 teeth in an arch, it may be more economical. The 3rd option is a bridge. I don't like bridges because you have to shave both abutment teeth down resulting in more sensitive and weaker teeth. I've seen bridges fail too many times and you lose additional abutment teeth. Some dentists place bonded "Maryland" bridges in that the pontic is bonded to abutment teeth. The result usually is failed bonding and it becomes a choking hazard. Bridges are very expensive as well costing close to $3,000 (3 unit bridge). Then you get into the implants.

You seem to not accept the options. The only way for you to realize is to try DIY despite my recommendations against. Soon, you will understand. I'm not trying to rip you off or get greedy on you. The reason dentistry is expensive is that it is very labor intensive and there is only one market for dental supply and equipment companies to sell their marked up products. For most dental clinics in the US, dentist only takes home about 10 to 20 cents on the dollar after staff, insurance, and overhead. That is why my wife won't let me own one.

 

[jc1199]

Grinding/drilling down my good teeth will never, ever be an option... period done, over. I guard my good teeth like gold plated platinum bricks. Under no circumstances will I allow any damage to my current functional teeth for any reason ever - no matter what.

Everything you mentioned is extremely bad. I feel like rolling the dice and fixing this myself is by far the best way to go.

There is a reason I seem not to accept the options. We are trapped in a system that runs on money. I don't have money. Therefore I am totally effed in the A.

I'm looking for an option that is closer to $40 than $3000. An Option that I can actually get. There has to be one. It's too much of an necessity not to be. Who in the hell doesn't need teeth to chew food?

If this is true. If there is no practical solution to replacing a molar. Then I will create it -- do or die. Because I really need it, and I know there are millions of others who really need it.

 

[honestdoc]

You have a good entrepreneurial spirit. I'm sorry I have no advice suitable for you.