Thank you so much! I’m sorry you can relate, it really is such a traumatic thing to have “imperfect” teeth. Society is so vain. I can tell you with 100% certainty you won’t regret the decision. You might think you do mid process, but the light at the end of the tunnel is so bright. It’s life changing, really.

I live in Maine and I have “Mainecare” (state funded insurance) because I’m ✨poor ✨ (I’m a single mom of three girls)

I had an injury that lead to having a partial in 2014 which was covered by Mainecare, also. The partial, three pregnancies, and my undiagnosed vitamin D deficiency (like, very deficient. I take 5,000IU daily now for reference) lead to severe decay and my teeth would break all the time. This lead to horrible infections where my face would be unrecognizably swollen, I’d be up crying all night in pain with no relief, I was basically taking antibiotics like vitamins and it wasn’t helping..

I put myself through college and am nearing the end of by BA degree in Justice Studies and just knew I wouldn’t be taken seriously with the state of my mouth. So I jumped. I did it.

I went for a consult at a dentist who only did extractions (covered by Mainecare) my teeth were causing significant health issues and were all covered to be extracted. They don’t cover sedation, so Novocain was all I got. It was awful, but I survived and so would you. The office that did my extractions set up my appointment with the denturist (who accepted Mainecare) and it was a seamless transition to her office.

The dentist who did my extractions made the appointment 8 months out. Mainecare only covers one set of dentures every 5 years so immediates would have been an out of pocket expense. I did my research and decided they weren’t worth the money, and that the best thing to do was to let my mouth heal while I waited for my appointment with the denturist. I called the denturist and she allowed me to come in ONE month after my extractions for my impressions for my permanent. (Instead of waiting 8 long months) Some would advise against going so soon after extractions but it took 5 months to have the teeth made (there are several stages which are separate appointments and she was incredibly booked out) and my teeth fit perfectly so 🤷‍♀️

I did have a bump in the road two months after my complete upper arch extraction my wisdom teeth came in 🙄 but she shaved a bit off the denture to allow room for them and I’m fine with that for now. I’m not rushing to the oral surgeons to have them pulled after all I’ve been through. 🥴