Dental Problems and Rate Rises

intouch contributor DR ALEX HUSZTI BelleDental

As if Covid wasn’t enough, we now have inflation and the associated interest rate hikes to contend with. I know that many of my patients are dentally stable, to a point where they can minimise or even hold off on some of their treatment until they “catch up” around these crises. Considering the multiple factors that have struck our world simultaneously this month, I thought I would highlight one of the best ways BelleDental can reduce your dental needs (certainly in the short term) and hopefully keep your teeth.

If you know that you have dental problems, the best strategy you can have is to get an examination and formulate a plan. The object of the plan is four-fold:

1. Determine exactly what needs to be done – an overall scope of the treatment you need or want.

2. Determine the relative importance of each piece of treatment – that is: create a prioritised list of each treatment (including cost).

3. Determine all treatments that can wait – put these to one side.

4. Start working through the three highest priorities in your mouth.

Understand, I’m not suggesting neglecting your teeth. Instead, by prioritising your treatment needs, the most critical teeth can be stabilised first. This kind of planning is what BelleDental is known for. Most of my patients work through a treatment plan over a number of years anyway. Frequently, teeth requiring root canal therapy can be stabilised for 12 months – this takes time. Then, the money you would have spent on the root canal therapy can be used to fill the 2 or 3 most important teeth that require fillings NOW, while the root canal therapy is put on the ‘back-burner’.

At BelleDental, we believe that your journey to dental stability is just that: it’s a journey. By striving to generate stability in every single patient, we save teeth. But, more importantly, they are the teeth both you and BelleDental have identified as necessary. And ultimately, keeping your own teeth is the most costeffective way to a pleasing, functional dental capacity.