Chipped, crooked, plaque stained bottom teeth

Oren67

Reaching out for some help here as someone who's just overcome quite a damaging fear/anxiety over visiting a dentist. My bottom teeth as the title says have become quite chipped and stained in the last 3-4 years due to smoking and poorly maintaining my teeth, I'm only 24 years old too.

The crooked state of the teeth doesn't bother me too much, but the stains and chipped tips have to be sorted.


People who have or have had the fear I experience probably also feel the embarrassment and shame when breaking a smile and noticing people's eyes flick straight down to your teeth. Well this is now driving me to get something done about it and to keep my teeth maintained.

If anyone in Limerick or Cork would have any advice about a dentist to visit here. I work in Limerick Monday- Fri. Spend my weekends in Cork.

I was recommended to visit the CUH dental hospital. Anyone here have any experience there? I feel like my issues relating to the chipped bottom teeth could be considered cosmetic and rejected by CUH?

I'm open to many options and new to Limerick, I'd also happily travel to Dublin for treatment if there was someone good and cheap anyone here is aware of. As you can probably tell I was looking at CUH because of how reasonable the prices seem. I can spend money but hoping to only spend €500-€600.

I would spend more if need be under some form of payment plan. I'm feeling quite desperate.

davo10

You might be surprised about how easy and cheap it is to fix what you describe. While of course it is impossible to know what precisely you need done, a visit to a Hygienist and a couple of composite/white fillings may go a long way to improving the appearance of your teeth. You will receive excellent treatment in CUH but you would have to take days off work as they are mon-fri and the progress may be slow. Book an appointment in a clinic near where you work/live and go from there.

Oren67

davo10 wrote: »

You might be surprised about how easy and cheap it is to fix what you describe. While of course it is impossible to know what precisely you need done, a visit to a Hygienist and a couple of composite/white fillings may go a long way to improving the appearance of your teeth. You will receive excellent treatment in CUH but you would have to take days off work as they are mon-fri and the progress may be slow. Book an appointment in a clinic near where you work/live and go from there.

Really appreciate this reply.

I have this in mind yeah, getting to CUH is going to be very difficult for me. The reason I'm so reluctant to just walk into a local clinic is being drained of funds. But I think I should.

The last time I managed to overcome my fear was the mentioned 3-4 years ago but my experience put me back into hiding. I had a composite tip attached to one of my teeth, along with a composite filling in another and an x-ray. The fella charged me €345 along with berating me for not seeing a dentist in the years prior.

I was a student at the time, spent about a months worth of my income and had my confidence with dentists damaged again.

Dianthus

The reason I'm so reluctant to just walk into a local clinic is being drained of funds[/quote]

All dental practices are obligated to display their fees. You'll find them online, or in the practice, or you can just ask over the phone. You should really have a fair idea of fees before you even set foot in the practice.
When you book for an appointment, specify that you are booking in for a checkup/examination, xrays(these are vital for a comprehensive diagnosis),& treatment plan *only*. Ie: no active treatment on that day.
Then you decide on whether you like the dentists personality or not,& also what is affordable&/most urgent.
As for the comment made by a dentist about attending earlier, a car mechanic prefers to service cars regularly too; it saves on big problems& resultant big fees amassing - I don't know of any car owner who'd be offended or hurt by a mechanic saying something like "you should have come earlier, this would have been more straightforward then"....

Oren67

Dianthus wrote: »

As for the comment made by a dentist about attending earlier, a car mechanic prefers to service cars regularly too; it saves on big problems& resultant big fees amassing - I don't know of any car owner who'd be offended or hurt by a mechanic saying something like "you should have come earlier, this would have been more straightforward then"....

I'm afraid a comparison to cars doesn't add up when it comes to anxiety with a dentist. Its like ridiculing someone who requires therapist for not turning up to their therapist. Merely telling the person "You shouldn't have done that" has nothing but a negative effect. The person is already well aware they shouldn't have, telling them again doesn't change a thing.

Big difference between going to get your car fixed and your physical appearance.

Dianthus

Oren67 wrote: »

I'm afraid a comparison to cars doesn't add up when it comes to anxiety with a dentist. Its like ridiculing someone who requires therapist for not turning up to their therapist. Merely telling the person "You shouldn't have done that" has nothing but a negative effect. The person is already well aware they shouldn't have, telling them again doesn't change a thing.
Big difference between going to get your car fixed and your physical appearance.

I was referring in the main to the associated financial cost, but I really can't imagine the dentist meant to "ridicule" you- & I meant no offence to you either!
As regards physical appearance, believe it or not 99.9% of dentists actually like to see a case where they can make a tangible improvement to someone's appearance & self-confidence. They're not there to judge you, just to fix your teeth!

Oren67

Dianthus wrote: »

I was referring in the main to the associated financial cost, but I really can't imagine the dentist meant to "ridicule" you- & I meant no offence to you either!
As regards physical appearance, believe it or not 99.9% of dentists actually like to see a case where they can make a tangible improvement to someone's appearance & self-confidence. They're not there to judge you, just to fix your teeth!

No worries lad, I'm not offended. I appreciate your advice.

I guess it all depends on finding someone I can trust, was hoping someone here could point me in the direction of someone based in Limerick. The reason I am here is because its tough looking for the right dentist when you haven't gone in years but with my combined having just moved to Limerick a month ago I feel even more anxious than ever.

I feel like the money issue is falling into the back of my mind as I started employment. I wish it was the only issue.