Merian's Dental Crisis: A Call for Aid

I have finally come to terms that I need to ask for help from friends, family, or anyone who is willing to help me. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Merian and I was diagnosed with a rare condition called Plummer-Vinson Syndrome back in 2020. To be honest, I may have had this since high school or birth, but I didn’t show any severe symptoms until 2020.

Plummer-Vinson Syndrome (PVS) is a rare condition characterized by three key features: iron deficiency anemia, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), and the formation of esophageal webs. I showed signs of all, with the addition of acid reflux. I had an endoscopic procedure in 9/2021 to remove the esophageal web from my throat.

Prior to having this procedure, I had been experiencing a lot of dental issues. I kept having tooth decay, fillings, root canals, and crowns.

Unbeknownst to me, the acid reflux had been the cause of all of my dental issues. I am now at the phase where I have infections under some of my crowns, and I can no longer get any more fillings on some of the teeth as there is not much tooth left to even crown them. The teeth that have infections will need to be removed and then replaced with implants. My primary dentist advised that at this point, with all of my dental issues, I should consider removing all of the decayed teeth, getting implants, and then a zirconia bridge on both my upper and lower arches. I left that day in tears. I couldn’t imagine the thought of having to remove all of my teeth, and to top it all off, my mom was diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s around the same time. Needless to say, I definitely was and am going through a lot that has taken a toll on my body physically and mentally. Although I wanted to take care of my needs first at that time back in 2023, I did have to put some of it aside to help my mom. Thankfully, with the help of my sister, we are now in a place where we both can finally start to think about ourselves again.

In my research/search, I met with a total of three dental implant surgeons with quotes as high as $90,000 and as low as $45,000. Thankfully and finally, I have found a match with a provider who has not only provided the lowest rate I have seen, but also advised me that I won’t have to remove all of my teeth. We have come up with a plan to remove all of my upper teeth, which are at higher risk due to infections, with a procedure called 3 on 6 dental implants. With this procedure, they won’t have to shave down any of my bone, and I can keep my natural gums. For my lower teeth, we will be crowning them all and only placing implants on the teeth that absolutely need them. Total cost for the procedure will be $45,000. I know this is a lot of money to ask for, and I understand that some might say to just go out of the country to find cheaper options, but sadly traveling out is not an option for my situation. On my own, I won’t be able to do this, so even if I can’t make all of the money, every little bit counts and will help tremendously. I take my dental hygiene very seriously, and losing my teeth will be devastating and detrimental to both my physical and mental health. If you can't afford to donate, please repost or share. Anything helps!