Where Is The Affordable Dental Care?

Without insurance or a discount plan, a root canal alone can cost over $1,000, and receiving a crown can cost just as much! Fillings and bondings are also quite expensive. However, an extraction is typically $1-200 out-of-pocket. For this reason, many people try to receive more affordable treatment by simply getting a tooth pulled whenever they are in pain. An extraction can save a patient money and some pain in the short run, but if the patient desires a tooth implant later to fill the hole, the implant will cost more than a root canal and crown combined!

The actual cost of a tooth extraction is truly just the beginning. Whenever one of your teeth is removed, your surrounding teeth will begin to shift overtime towards the empty gap. This shift will cause additional strain to rest of your mouth. In order to keep your surrounding teeth from shifting, your dentist will recommend that the missing gap should be filled with a replacement tooth. A removable partial denture, which can be quite inconvenient, can easily run $1,500-$2,000. A fixed bridge, permanently attached in your mouth, typically runs at least $2,500. Implants are also quite expensive, costing $1,500-$3,000.

When you add the "lower" cost of a tooth extraction to the cost of a replacement tooth, most people end up spending more money getting a tooth pulled and replaced than they would've paid to get a root canal and/or crown in the first place. Although a simple extraction may initially seem like a shortcut to affordable care, it often leads to more problems and higher costs long-term.

Here are some tips on how you can find an affordable discount dental plan on-line.

Compare each dental plan's list of participating dentists in your area. Be sure that any plan you consider offers an adequate selection of dentists for your needs.

Next, compare the discounts or savings that each plan offers. Beware of plans that only publish exact discounts on 10 or 20 of the most common procedures, but promise a percentage discount on most others. This leaves too much uncertainty. Insist on a plan that provides you with published discounts on about 100 or more dental procedures. This way, you know exactly what you are buying and what to expect when you go to a participating plan dentist.You can get some information about dental instruments such as dental curing light from dentists.

Compare the total cost of the plan for you and your family. Most plans require that you pay for the entire year upfront. However, some websites such as 1AffordableDental.com give you the option of paying for your membership on a more affordable monthly basis. You still have the choice of paying annually, which will save you 10% off the membership fee.

Look for a plan that has been around awhile and enjoys a large membership base. Older plans have had time to build a large network of participating dentists. In addition, a larger membership base allows a plan to negotiate better discounts on behalf of its members. Careington dental plan is one of the oldest and largest in America. Founded in 1979, Careington has grown to over 8,000,000 members and is a good choice for most people.