Dental insurance??

I don't understand... what options do you have other than to get to a dentist, now!!  Do anything to save the tooth... even sell the bike. 

Don't let them pull the tooth.  Do whatever you need to save it... root canal, etc.

Teeth first, then bike

oh and try to cough up $100.00 (if you are doing tri's, you've got $200.00 to spear a year), and get to the dentist every 6mo for a cleaning... that way you won't have any surprise cavity's that turn into something worse.

I don't think a lot of people understand...I and my partner have been in this situation before...even with dental insurance, what the insurance doesn't pay can be very costly, most dentists want the money up front or WILL NOT WORK on you....So there may not be a choice of going.  If you don't have the money to pay for it. 

My suggestion, look up the dental schools in the area...see if they can help...also, there are some time low cost dental clinics that you can find.  I would examine those to options.  The pain is not going to stop and if you take too many IB you can cause stomach bleeding, so be careful there too...  Sorry to hear this... Like I said, I am in the same sit.

I'm a dentist IRL and I don't usually like to play dentist on the internet, but I want to suggest very firmly that you get your tooth taken care of IMMEDIATELY, regardless of your insurance situation.  I am not making a diagnosis online, but it is extremely likely that you have an infection, and it's not going to get better by itself. If you were my patient and you called me with those symptoms, but you couldn't get into the office, I would definitely prescribe an antibiotic.  Please DO NOT take any antibiotic that you or a friend has "left over" in the medicine cabinet and try to put off seeing a dentist. Please see a dentist today.

As far as the financial part goes, runningwoof has a good idea about dental schools. You are in LA, so you have UCLA and USC there. Also, most dentist I know offer financing through a credit company.  I know ours has a few options, including things like 6 months no interest.

Good luck, and again. please see a dentist immediately. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Anthony

I don't think my dental insurance sucks. I pay $9 per month and it covers 2 cleanings. 80% of fillings, and 50% of anything else. I have double coverage with my husband's dental insurance, which pays the same. The deductable is like $50. We pay $14 per month on his for both of us.

I am double covered because I expect to have to get a porcelain crown on a front tooth this year. And this will mean I only pay around $100-$200.

I am lucky in that both of our employers offers good insurance. But please, looking into runningwoof's suggestions. You don't want to have to get that tooth pulled down the road and the pain won't just go away.

my mother negoiated 10% off her tooth implant by paying cash avoiding the MC/V transaction fees for the doctor's office.

no other advice other then get to a dentist ASAP... it can only get worse and worse means loosing the tooth all together.

My friend just had ALL her teeth pulled and she looks different with her dentures... not a pleasant experience.

 Have you considered driving down to Mexico? I've heard more than one person from around here in SA say they were going down to Mexico to get dental work done. Lots of them are trained in the states and the work is affordable. I grew up in South America and had some dental work done as a child by a dentist in Ecuador. Both fillings lasted 20+ years.

 It might be a last resort option but I would ask around and see if anyone you know might be able to recommend anyone down there. Take some friends on a road trip to TJ and ge that sucker fixed.

Almost all respected dentists accept CareCredit now, it is a credi card/loan  type financing for all your dental needs. My sister financed her implants and it was very usefull. Check it out.

http://www.carecredit.com/dentistry/whycc.html

Don't you still need to get approved, like with a credit card?  Not everyone gets approved...unless they have changed the last few years.

Sure you need to get approved, it's a loan. But is gives you an option to spread out otherwise very large payment. 

That's right, folks.  He is here all week.

Many dental insurance plans are seriously out-of-date. When I first got dental insurance back in the 1970s, it paid as you describe above. The caveat you failed to mention is that many/most plans only pay out a maximum of $1000 annually. They paid $1000 back in the 70s and it has never changed! Meanwhile, like everything else the costs of dental care have risen substantially - meaning the $1000 maximum can be used up very quickly in the current world.

However, as you mention, dental insurance is fairly inexpensive and it is certainly a good idea to at least have some coverage rather than nothing at all. The OP has done a foolish thing in not adequately getting such insurance. When it comes to budgeting money, it makes more sense to provide yourself with proper medical and dental insurance than paying for extravagances like cable TV/cell phones/broadband, etc.

Did you ever see Castaway with Tom Hanks?  I suggest you go to a thrift store and buy a rusty ice skate.   Find a nice large rock and a safe place to pass out for a day and you are set.   

Honestly, though, every day you wait is 15 more seconds of deep drilling waiting for you.   It is not something that will fix itself until the tooth falls out in 2 years.