First, don’t panic!  All is not lost.  Even though you don’t have insurance, you still need to address your problem, and there ARE solutions.

Lots of people wonder if they can get their tooth removed at the emergency room.  This is unlikely.  Emergency rooms provide urgent care.  Now, if you have chills, vomiting, an infection, or fever from a tooth infection, you should certainly seek emergency care!  Also, if you can’t swallow, or you are having difficulty breathing, seek care right away!

If you have inflammation and tooth pain, the emergency room may just give you a prescription for antibiotics or a painkiller.   In all likeliness, you will still need to find a dentist to remove your tooth.   Remember that the longer you delay, the worse it can get!    Try to address the issue before it becomes an abscessed tooth!

Emergency Tooth Extraction and Don’t Have Coverage?

Now, assuming you don’t have insurance, the cost of this procedure is going to run somewhere between $100 and $1000, depending on the complexity of the tooth extraction.  If your tooth is completely above the gum line, it is a less complicated removal procedure.  Many times, the dentist can perform the procedure in his office.    If your tooth is impacted, the dentist will need to make incisions in your gums to remove the tooth, and a lot of times you will need to see an oral surgeon.  Sometimes, the tooth might need to be removed in sections.  This type of procedure is more costly.   Keep in mind that if you need to have more than one tooth extracted, the cost goes up!  However, it is more cost effective to have multiple teeth done at once if possible, because you’ll save on things like general anesthesia.

It Makes Financial Sense

Even if you have the financial savings to pay the out of pocket cost, I highly encourage you to explore purchasing a dental discount plan.   It just makes financial sense.  Say your dentist would normally charge $500 for an extraction, but your discount program saves you 30% – that’s $150 in savings!  Dental discount programs usually have no waiting period – coverage is effective within a couple of business days, and also, they don’t exclude pre-existing conditions!

Aside from a discount program, you can try contacting your local health department – some states do offer assistance for low-income individuals.   Unfortunately, the system is so overwhelmed due to the economy that many find it a long wait to get help.

Are There Other Choices?

The other option is to attempt to work out a payment plan.   This is more likely to work if you already have a relationship with a dentist, or if you can at least put some money toward the procedure.

Again, your best bet is to pursue a dental discount program.   This will typically yield the most savings in the short-term.   Most importantly, don’t delay treatment!    Delaying treatment can result in a bigger problem down the road.

Read more—- > Emergency Tooth Extraction Costs