Losing all my teeth - medical card

GameOfMahomes

Right, so.

Ever since I was a kid I've had this phobia of dentists. When I was 6 I had the gas mask and had 4 teeth removed and i woke up from the anisthetic spitting blood and that one abiding memory has always stuck with me and put the fear of god into me, and since that day I swore to myself I'd never visit the dentist again.

My last visit was in June 2001, 17 years ago, to get a filling and again, I was traumatised by the entire event. Between 16-19 I had an eating disorder, was constantly throwing up, mostly acid, which messed up my teeth up even more, and then add the problems with drinking and smoking to the vomiting acid, being hospitalised on numerous occasions due to poor diet, not eating or drinking in excess. going months without brushing my teeth etc, really put them in bad shape.

Then during the summer being hospitalised for 2 months, i dont know whether it was to do with the medication they were giving me or the lack of potassium and calcium in my body but 2 front teeth fell out. Jesus, I'm sweating and having a panic attack typing this. Then today another front one fell out while I was eating.

I have been putting off going for years, my ex was constantly at me to go and said she'd support and go with me, but obviously that isn't an option anymore. I have the medical card but I don't know what that entitles me to. I read somewhere it only covers you for 2 fillings and 2 extractions a year. Then I read implants or false ones are like 1,500 euro each. Then my cousin who has been in a similar situation to me health wise told me the medical card covers everything including dentures and cosmetic work. I dont know what to believe. Im sure I could get letters from my GP and consultant and his team or whatever to cover me, explaining the situation, but something needs to be done.

It's really affectiing my self confidence. Im slowly but surely getting back on my feet with the new place, working out, getting back in shape, but im so insecure at the moment. I can't return to work until it's sorted. My mouth is my money maker, im a sales man, but i have zero confidence, my speech is impaired, im slurring words, i find it difficult eating. My doctors and consultants know this. I have no shortage of job offers and am good at what I do but I cant return to work like this. Im getting illness benefit at the moment and can get certs and letters to state the physical and emotional/psychological effect this is all having on me.

Im so ashamed and embarrassed . right now im stuck in limbo until i get my confidence back which will only come from fixing my teeth. I want to be able to attend interviews and interact with people but now all i feel like doing is hiding away in my apartment getting depressed.

Can someone please advise me. I have zero savings, spent my last bit of money on a place to live, am happy to commit to a payment plan, but I need to get out of this rut im in, I cant even look in the mirror and worry if my next meal will result in whatever few bad teeth that are left to fall out

helimachoptor

Hi there, firstly i'd like to state i'm not a dentist.

You say you have no money but are not short job offers, perhaps this is a case of taking a leap and taking the job and then having the money to get the work done?

One of the dentists can testify to what the medical card covers, from previous posts I'd assume its pretty basic dentures.


take it from experience, the job I'm currently in I went to the interview with the most ridiculous contraption in my mouth, with a painted of tooth with a funny lisp. I look back now and laugh. People care more about if you can do the job and with sales jobs, will you bring in the cash. Your dental affairs will be a distant thought and frankly people getting major dental work at all ages is pretty damn common these days.


I assume a credit union loan or similar isnt an option?

SuziXX

Hi GameofMahones,

Sorry to hear this is affecting you so much,

The medical card covers 2 fillings a year and as many extractions in a year as is necessary, it covers acrylic dentures on a case by case basis (In my experience if you are going to loose your anterior teeth and are on social welfare it’s usually approved). It doesn’t cover implants.
If your cousin has been in a similar situation and he was happy with his care maybe you could start with that dental surgery. Ring the receptionist and tell them you have a medical card, make an appointment for an exam and see what the dentist suggests.
A consultation with a general dentist should be covered and you can take it from there. Anything that isn’t going to be covered should be communicated to you beforehand, example if the plan is the remove teeth and fit a denture they will apply to see if the denture is covered before they commit to this treatment plan.

Hope this helps!

sullivlo

My mum had the same problem. She lost nearly all of her teeth. She was out of work for a while and got a medical card and I convinced her to go to the dentist, and to use her redundancy money to get her teeth sorted. The dentist was able to apply to the health board on her behalf and she was approved for dentures. So she got her extractions done and she got new dentures about 2 months ago. Took about 2 months from start to finish.

GameOfMahomes

What constitutes an emergency?

II still have 11 days to go until my appointment - the majority of my fronth teeth have fallen out or there are only stubs left, im finding it difficult to speak/developed a lisp, eating is a chore and theres only a select few foods I can eat like soft pasta or soup, and I am super depressed about the whole situation

Dianthus

It's sounds more annoying& frustrating & embarassing than anything else. Also factor in that you're probably quite hungry!

Ring to ask if they can put you on a short-notice cancellation list. & also consider ringing around lots of other practices to see if they have any earlier appointment.

GameOfMahomes

Dianthus wrote: »

It's sounds more annoying& frustrating & embarassing than anything else. Also factor in that you're probably quite hungry!

Ring to ask if they can put you on a short-notice cancellation list. & also consider ringing around lots of other practices to see if they have any earlier appointment.

And how do dentures work? can they extract and fit that same day? I don't want to be walking around for weeks looking even worse than I do right now

Dianthus

For dentures, you'll need to have impressions (moulds) taken of your teeth, in order for the dental laboratory to cast plaster models of your teeth/mouth, from which immediate acrylic dentures can be made. That all takes time. Technicians usually charge extra (approx 25% on top of standard fee) for "express" - ie: last minute/short notice/urgent- work.
Ring your dental practice, explain everything as above, they may be able to give a ballpark estimate & extend/prebook further appointments as required.

GameOfMahomes

Dianthus wrote: »

For dentures, you'll need to have impressions (moulds) taken of your teeth, in order for the dental laboratory to cast plaster models of your teeth/mouth, from which immediate acrylic dentures can be made. That all takes time. Technicians usually charge extra (approx 25% on top of standard fee) for "express" - ie: last minute/short notice/urgent- work.
Ring your dental practice, explain everything as above, they may be able to give a ballpark estimate & extend/prebook further appointments as required.

Thanks a lot, i'll ring again tomorrow. When I called 2 weeks ago to see if there was a sooner appointment, the secretary was adamant that they were already going above and beyond the call of duty to fit me in within a month, so I don't want to seem ungrateful, but as I said, it's ruining my life, between work, socializing, going out, meeting people, self confidence. I just feel like crap, and I'm normally full of life and confident, the life and soul of the party, not a wallflower