I want to smile again....

I am a 47 year old single mom with older children and one 11 yr. old son still at home. I was 14 when my dad kicked me out of my home and have been working ever since till now. It was not easy but I made my way, eventually got married had kids, then divorced. I raised my kids as a single mom working very hard eventually rising to a good management position. Through the years my teeth have been getting worse,even so I had dental coverage I really couldn't afford my part of the cost as other bills like rent, food, my kids where a higher priority. Still I could smile, my situation was a lot better than others and my teeth were ok looking.

Like many Christmas is my favorite time of the year and always brought a smile to my face but Christmas 2005 was the beginning of me loosing my smile for good. My youngest son was diagnosed with Diabetes Type 1 for Christmas and that was only the beginning. My teeth were beginning to get really bad, already missing a few, more were breaking or beginning to rot. With my child's new condition there was even less money, and just like the absence of child support there was no help coming form my ex in dealing with this either. Bad changed to worse 4 months latter as my older son, 20 was admitted to the ICU in critical condition eventually being diagnosed with Diabetes Type 1 also. My work was less than understanding about my children's illness and even so I had been held up as an exemplary employee my work enviroment became very hostile. On the verge of mental exhaustion and physical collapse my doctor held me out of work and listed it as a workmans comp situation. While out on sick lease I was diagnosed with a tumor on my ovary and was operated on. I was wrongfully terminated and won my unemployment case, but the workman's comp case was set aside for lack of evidence and I don't have the funds or resources to hire/pay the attorney I need. Now out of work with even less money no insurance or benefits, left with a few bottom teeth and 1 and 3/4 of my two front teeth so that I am afraid to smile and I feel so insecure all the time that it is very difficult to get a new job. On top of all that I have now been diagnosed with Diabetes myself. I want to work and support my family and self, but it's extremely difficult and depressing with the obstacles I face. I have managed to take care of all the medical situations but my teeth, which are also holding me back from getting a job and allowing me to provide for my son and self. I have been told by dentists I need to have my remaining teeth pulled and get dentures. The rotting teeth and gunk in my mouth may even be the cause or contributing to my medical problems. If I could afford a slightly higher level of dental work, they said they might be able to save two of my bottom eye teeth and give me implants. Unfortunately I know that implants are beyond my wildest dreams. Now I just want to get these rotten teeth out of my mouth and get dentures, but that too is beyond my financial ability. I want to be able to smile at an interview and have people judge me on my skills and abilites, not my bad teeth. I want to be able to work again and take care of my boy. I want to give my son all he deserves and be able to smile back at him. He thinks I'm mad or sad all the time since I never smile.

I need help finding a way to pay for the dental work I need, and to be able to SMILE again!

UPDATE: I found a place that will pull my remaining teeth for $20.00 a tooth, (I still have a lot of broken teeth and roots besides the few full teeth left), but still cannot afford the dentures. So I'm still looking for help, resources, guideance, or any contribution of any kind which will all be greatly appreciated!

I want to smile again....

I am a 47 year old single mom with older children and one 11 yr. old son still at home. I was 14 when my dad kicked me out of my home and have been working ever since till now. It was not easy but I made my way, eventually got married had kids, then divorced. I raised my kids as a single mom working very hard eventually rising to a good management position. Through the years my teeth have been getting worse,even so I had dental coverage I really couldn't afford my part of the cost as other bills like rent, food, my kids where a higher priority. Still I could smile, my situation was a lot better than others and my teeth were ok looking.

Like many Christmas is my favorite time of the year and always brought a smile to my face but Christmas 2005 was the beginning of me loosing my smile for good. My youngest son was diagnosed with Diabetes Type 1 for Christmas and that was only the beginning. My teeth were beginning to get really bad, already missing a few, more were breaking or beginning to rot. With my child's new condition there was even less money, and just like the absence of child support there was no help coming form my ex in dealing with this either. Bad changed to worse 4 months latter as my older son, 20 was admitted to the ICU in critical condition eventually being diagnosed with Diabetes Type 1 also. My work was less than understanding about my children's illness and even so I had been held up as an exemplary employee my work enviroment became very hostile. On the verge of mental exhaustion and physical collapse my doctor held me out of work and listed it as a workmans comp situation. While out on sick lease I was diagnosed with a tumor on my ovary and was operated on. I was wrongfully terminated and won my unemployment case, but the workman's comp case was set aside for lack of evidence and I don't have the funds or resources to hire/pay the attorney I need. Now out of work with even less money no insurance or benefits, left with a few bottom teeth and 1 and 3/4 of my two front teeth so that I am afraid to smile and I feel so insecure all the time that it is very difficult to get a new job. On top of all that I have now been diagnosed with Diabetes myself. I want to work and support my family and self, but it's extremely difficult and depressing with the obstacles I face. I have managed to take care of all the medical situations but my teeth, which are also holding me back from getting a job and allowing me to provide for my son and self. I have been told by dentists I need to have my remaining teeth pulled and get dentures. The rotting teeth and gunk in my mouth may even be the cause or contributing to my medical problems. If I could afford a slightly higher level of dental work, they said they might be able to save two of my bottom eye teeth and give me implants. Unfortunately I know that implants are beyond my wildest dreams. Now I just want to get these rotten teeth out of my mouth and get dentures, but that too is beyond my financial ability. I want to be able to smile at an interview and have people judge me on my skills and abilites, not my bad teeth. I want to be able to work again and take care of my boy. I want to give my son all he deserves and be able to smile back at him. He thinks I'm mad or sad all the time since I never smile.

I need help finding a way to pay for the dental work I need, and to be able to SMILE again!

UPDATE: I found a place that will pull my remaining teeth for $20.00 a tooth, (I still have a lot of broken teeth and roots besides the few full teeth left), but still cannot afford the dentures. So I'm still looking for help, resources, guideance, or any contribution of any kind which will all be greatly appreciated!

I am in desperate need of dental implants.  I have around $500 dollars saved , but that will not even cover close to half of the costs of the procedure.  I am a single mother of two.  After the birth of my second daughter,  my teeth began to severly weaken.  I am a dentical recipient which makes me inelgible for the services that are needed to save my teeth.  As a result of this I am missing 2 teeth.   I was always told throuout my life that I had a beautiful smile.  Not anymore.  I am so ashamed of the missing teeth.  My oldest daughter says "Close your mouth mom!" if my smile reveals my missing teeth.  I would appreciate any help that could be offered, and also any advise of where I might attain this assistance. I am in CA.  God Bless

im looking for somewhere to turn for advise... i have had 3 diff. ohp dental plans...no one will help me with the horror im going through i cant even close my mouth all the way because of the swelling.  im on antibiotics my family doctor has prosribed and i cant seem to get in to see a dentist.  my molers are getting worse while i wait on the waiting lists. Today is the worst im in a world of hurt so bad nothing is releaving the pain. im so tired... i even had a missionary give me a blessing. if there is a dentist out there that would have time just point be in the direction of help i would be so greatful...

I am a 17 year old high school student in California. In February of 2008, I got hit in the mouth with a golf club at my high school. It was an accident by the other student but she did not even try to help me at all. My school called the ambulance after I called my mom! That is how slow their response is. A lot of my teeth are chipped and fractured. Part of my lip was cut off and part of it was stitched back together. It is extremely difficult to eat and really embarassing to smile and open my mouth. I found out that I need 3 dental implants, crowns and veneers. At first, I thought I was covered because my family and I had Kaiser and Delta Dental. The procedure for my teeth alone costs over $10,000 and they need a down payment of $3,500. This is already at a dental school. Well my mom and I talked to the principal at my school who acts hard because he used to be a cop and was a Vietnam war veteran. He said it was an accident, the school does not need to have insurance because it is a government entity. I was shocked at that response. I just want my mouth to be fixed before I enter college. I do not have the money to pay for this and my senior year in high school is already ruined because of my unfortunate situation. We have a lawyer but I believe he is pushing the problem until I am 18 to get more fees. Well I need to pay the down payment first for them to start work on my teeth. Please give me ANY advice that would help. Is there any type of assistance or loan for medical/dental treatment for under 18's. Please help me, anyone.

ted510@comcast.net

I am a stay at home mom of 3 babies.  I am also trying to open a portrait studio in the home to help pay bills.  I have one huge set back.  I am in desperate need of dental care.  Actually I could really use implants.  I am only 27 and was told that dentures would be worse on m y gums than do good.  I am losing weight and that would also make them not fit.  I need aproximately 3000.00 to get the ones pulled that need to be pulled and to get partial implants.  I do not have or qualify for insurance.  And we already live paycheck to paycheck.  Is there a dentist out there that would be willing to do this for me?  I dont even have a pic taken with my kids because i cant smile.  I also wont get married to their dad until i can smile walking down the aisle.  Please if anyone knows of someone that could do this, please let me know.  I am desperate and need a miracle.  Thanks and god bless.

I AM A 33 YEAR OLD WHO IS ABOUT TO GET MARRIED AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A SMILE BEFORE.  I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY GAP REPAIRED AND I NEED IMPLANTS..............I HAVE ALWAYS FELT INFERIOR BECAUSE OF MY TEETH.  I KNOW MY SELF ESTEEM WOULD IMPROVE TREMENDOUSLY AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO SMILE A FULL SMILE

Hi there

My name is nina and I had mastectomy surgery when I was 18

Its been 5 yrs since, and I havent had enough money to have reconstructive surgery 

I know beauty is only skin deep but I havent had a relationship since and I hide from people because of it

I have attempted suicide twice and I have hideous scars because of it  

I need $7,000 to fix it. I just hope there is someone out there who can help me.

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I just found out that my mother needs 34,000 dollors of dental work.  That is a lot more then I earn in a year.  She had lost teeth due to the actions of an idividual.  As a result part her jaw bone has atrophied. The partials she had worn damaged her other teeth.  She needs to have a bone gragh done and is no longer a canidate for dentures.  She also needs impants to prevent further bone loss and crowns on the rest of her teeth. Medicare won't cover anything.  If they had covered proper and nessessary dental work years ago, she would not be in this fix. (By the way,what Medicare deams proper is some of the worst things that can be done to teeth! It only causes loss all the more faster.) Her only option it to lose all her her teeth and that will lead to atrophy of the face.  There is no help for this in the state of Utah. So many people abuse Medicare. The government also ends up footing the bill for illegal Immigrants medical cost.  60 BILLION dollors are lost and wasted because of fraud. Yet honest tax paying citizens cannot get help when they need it.  My mom was also a imigrant, a legal one!!!

Feel free to participate in this public group space.

Two easy ways to do this:

1. Add a comment or a question here - on this page... or on any other page in this space.
   
2. Or, if you want to start a separate thread - make a new page.

Either way is good - the important thing is your participation. On Aidpage, people support each other by speaking out and by paying attention to each other - as simple as that.

Feel free to participate in this public group space.

Two easy ways to do this:

1. Add a comment or a question here - on this page... or on any other page in this space.
   
2. Or, if you want to start a separate thread - make a new page.

Either way is good - the important thing is your participation. On Aidpage, people support each other by speaking out and by paying attention to each other - as simple as that.

I am only 25 years old and have need of full dental implants. My insurance does not cover it, and my family struggles to get by paycheck to paycheck. I seem to have had an enamel calcification problem, which has simply caused my teeth to erode away. Many teeth in the front are practically non-existent. My two top teeth are half the size they should be. All my teeth have to come out. I can't even smile or talk without feeling very self-conscious.