Ask Dr. LJ, Dental Edition

[mizarchivist]

So, because it's a hassle, I didn't look into this thing I'm about to explain until now, a week before my dentist appointment. 

I have no dental insurance.
Gentle Dental does not take anything but Big Name insurance. 
I know I'm not the only one who's had to make due with dental discount situations, which is my current plan. I'm looking for recommendations for dentists in the Boston area who will do this. I know they exist because the really horrible office that I had in Lexington that did my root canal took it. 

ETA: oh, bonus-- I really feel like this whole jaw clenchy thing will have to be resolved on this round. GD wanted me to get a mouth guard. I'm not 100% sold that will solve anything and I know they're upwards of 400-600 dollars.  Anyone who has successfully dealt with this issue, separate or including the insurance shit- please do chime in.

Comments

Aww frell

[drwex]

Just no other word. Frelling frell.

[tikibar]

Dunno what you need done, but if it's something more than a cleaning you might try Dr Casey Cook in Davis. He's f'in awesome, but that means his client list is longer than a.. well it's really long. Also, I have no idea what insurance they accept. But he's really, really awesome.

I might be grumpy

[mizarchivist]

Yeah, they book something like 5 months out for non-emergencies. IF I had been very clever and decided after the last cleaning that I staying with Gentle wasn't an option, then I'd be all set, but I'm stoopid avoidy and now I get to scramble around like a jackass.

The Yelp folk way love Dr. Cook, though.

[pir.livejournal.com]

I loved him too, he was awesome when I lived in Davis.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

This might sound weird, but seriously, Omnidentix (http://omnidentixandassociates.com/), the dental practice at the Meadow Glen Mall, is actually pretty awesome. I went there when I was in your situation because they took the discount plan I had and got great reviews when I researched, and I'm still going there even though I have dental because I like them enough that it didn't seem worth the hassle of switching.

The front desk crew is a bit of a mixed bag and tend to reek of cigarettes if you go in just after lunch, but the actual practitioners have all been wonderful. They also love babies.

[ETA: And fwiw, in a previous life of dental insurance, I used to go to Casey Cook.]

[arianhwyvar.livejournal.com]

My regular dentist recommended me over to Tufts Dental School for my expensive dentistry, because they would do it for half the cost of a private practice. My experience with them was extremely good. I had the simultaneously both most thorough and most gentle cleaning I've ever had, and all the prosthodontics etc people were great. They basically don't take insurance -- if you have coverage, you need to apply for reimbursement on your own -- but the good side is that they tell you exactly how much things will cost, and that is how much they cost. My cleaning was $70. My crowns were a little under a thousand each. Once they've given you a cost, you talk to the finance dept person about payment plans.

[randysmith]

I have heard good things about Tufts Dental School as well (from a friend who used them, i.e. only one hop away from me).

Thirded

[sweetmmeblue.livejournal.com]

Also, when I had no insurance and had trouble I went to BU's school of dentistry and they were great.

[mizarchivist]

OK. I've been leery of going to a dental school given the time requirements and what if I get a bad one? But I could just as easily get a bad one who's graduated, eh? And if it's half the cost of standard practices, that's about the same as getting the discount plan. Thanks.

[cutieperson]

not a dental school, but IME cheaper than the dental schools, is Fenway Health's dental department. they do sliding scale if you don't have coverage (not sure which plans they take, but they accept Medicaid so chances are high they would take yours).
i see Dr. Dempsey and she is amazing.

[mizarchivist]

Thanks- that's an interesting lead.

[mizarchivist]

Update: Fenway's not taking new patients. So... that. Ah well, worth a shot. On to Lally, maybe she'll have someone answer her phone today.

[catness.livejournal.com]

Thirded. Used to take patients here.

ETA: Also, I *think* my dentist teaches here.

[desiringsubject.livejournal.com]

There are also two types of over the counter mouth guards. The one that looks like this: http://sharoncol.balkowitsch.com/18093c.jpg worked much better for me for nighttime teeth clenching and grinding. Unfortunately, it seems that ANYTHING in my mouth keeps me awake, but this worked much better than the boil-n-bite kinds.

Also, do NOT go to Pleasant Street Dental. Ever. It's not quite a recommendation, but hopefully this anti-recommendation will help. The dentist is a moron. The front desk and hygienists are great though... :( But in a dentist you kinda want... a good dentist, y'know?

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's worth trying one of the OTC guards first, just to see how it feels.

I've had the expensive, custom-made kinds for like 2 decades now. They do help, but they are frakking expensive and never covered by insurance, not even a little bit.

[mizarchivist]

I did the OTC ones and they made things worse. Either they kept me up because they didn't fit right and the drool was epic, or were too gummy and my subconscious brain saw it as a threat and I bit down harder. I'd wake up with headaches rather than just some jaw pain. So, yeah. I'll very likely have to go the custom made for me route.

[mizarchivist]

Not Pleasant St. Not pleasant at all, I bet. I've had my share of shite dentists, and I won't tolerate another.
I had that kind of mouth guard for a while and my subconscious brain treated it like a foreign invader and I'd wake up with raging headaches from gnawing on it all night. This is why I'm not convinced that a bite guard would be good if that's what I'm doing with the "good" kind. I'm willing to hear their arguments, but that' s a lot of money to dole out if it doesn't. :/

[asciikitty.livejournal.com]

I'm about to say something insane, but maybe chiro or acupuncture for the jaw clenching?

Yes I know. Also, I will hit this doll with a therapeutic hammer for you.

[mizarchivist]

chiro or acupuncture - not a bad idea. Definitely a step up from doll-hammering.

[lifecollage.livejournal.com]

If you're interested in acupuncture and don't have access to it through health ins., try Acupuncture Together in Cambridge on Mass Ave. You know the office - the one Matt M has his space in. I went there when I was trying acupuncture for the tendonitis and they're great and work on sliding scale.

If I knew that my dentist took your discounty stuff, I'd suggest them as well, but I think the dental school or Fenway suggestions are probably better. I did BU Dental School when I was just out of college/before grad school and it was fine.

Thanks

[mizarchivist]

I've been contemplating on the dental school path, and I just don't think I can manage 3 hour stints, you know? That's a lot of sick time out the door. I've been looking into arora's suggestion, but that office has yet to answer its phone. Somehow in reviewing things, the Fenway bit fell off the screen for me. Will look into that again.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

I don't know about discount plans, but I left Dr Cook in favor of Dr Lorna Lally, also in Davis, because I couldn't deal with the long wait times at Cook's office. I am happier with Dr Lally and her team than I have ever been with a dentist in my adult life. Might be worth a call, at least.

[mizarchivist]

Hey, thanks. I'll call them tomorrow to see what my options there are. I called Dr. Cook's office and I'm not willing to wait 5 months. Just, no. If I had planned ahead and gotten rolling on all this as soon as I was through my last cleaning... but no. Procrastination.

If Dr. Lally's office is more reasonable, I may bend my decisions to getting insurance they take. We'll see.

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

I'm incredibly cranky about Dr Cook's long lead time; I feel like it's lousy practice to effectively be nonresponsive, and he should stop taking new patients if he can't get people in the door within a month.

Which is to say: I hear you on the frustration there.

mouth guard

[evila.livejournal.com]

I have been using a mouth guard for 15 years when I sleep and it has really helped with the clenching and grinding. It also made it so I do not wake up with my jaw hurting. I just got a new one made and for me it has been really worth the money

Re: mouth guard

[mizarchivist]

Thanks for the assurance. I really don't want to crack a tooth.

[42itous.livejournal.com]

My dentist wanted me to get a mouth guard (okay, still does), and he recommended I get one of the cheap ones from CVS to see if I could handle it. I tried two different kinds and they made my gums so sore I couldn't eat crunchy food, so finally my dentist stopped bugging me about it and I clench my teeth in peace.

But you could try the drugstore ones to start with -- maybe they'd work for you. There are two or three different kinds, and iirc they range from $20 to $40.

[mizarchivist]

The conversation I had with the hygienist last time discussed otc vs. custom-made. I have used the OTC ones and it was absolutely a nightmare. Her argument was that those are often too gummy, that they pull the jaw out of alignment very easily. Alternatively, the custom ones are going to be an exact match and harder. So, there's that. I'm definitely never going OTC again. :P