Help Give "Shrimp" a New Smile

Dear family, friends, and friends we have yet to meet,

Please help me give my fiancé, Carlton “Shrimp” Roberts, a new, beautiful smile. As anyone close to him will tell you, Shrimp has struggled with cracked, broken, and decaying teeth for many years, exacerbated by years of not going to the dentist due to a lack of dental insurance. Shrimp and I have been together for ten years; my last pictures of him smiling with a genuine toothy grin are from 2013 and 2014. Now he smiles with his lips together to hide his teeth, which also hides his full happiness.

His goal has been to get implants before we get married so he can smile in our wedding photos. The expense has just been too big of a barrier, and his dream kept getting pushed further and further down the road. He recently learned, however, that he couldn’t put off fixing his teeth any longer.

On September 29, 2022, Shrimp complained about a toothache. He’s had them many times before, but this one felt different. He said it was the worst he’s ever experienced (coming from a man who had previously pulled out his tooth because of the pain). The next day, he said the pain was unbearable, and he had hot flashes and chills indicative of a fever. I found an emergency dental clinic advertising a $99 exam for new clients and made an appointment for that afternoon.

At his appointment, the dental hygienist attempted to take x-rays, but the pain was so bad he couldn’t open his mouth wide enough to insert the sensor. The hygienist opted for a CT scan, which revealed a massive infection extending into his maxillary sinus, leading to significant bone loss. The dentist and hygienist both stressed that it was imperative to act now before it was too late to remove the infected tissue and repair the bone... that honestly, he should have been seen three to four years ago. We decided to heed their advice and hoped to find a way to pay for the treatments. Below are the initial CT scans of Shrimp’s teeth along with the immediate treatment plan (Phase I):

CT of healthy teeth for comparison:

Immediate Treatment Plan w/ Associated Costs (Phase I)

• CT Scans $512

• Oral Evaluation $97

• Extraction of 14 teeth - all remaining top teeth and two lower premolars $5,068

• Collection and application of adult stem cells $6,300

• Bone grafts for ridge preservation $9,100

• Membrane placement for tissue regeneration $7,700

Subtotal: $28,168

The dental clinic offered a 30% discount for paying upfront, so I nervously put the charges on my credit card. I was able to transfer the balance to a personal loan later the next week to avoid accruing high interest.

Total Paid After Discount: $20,519.10

Shrimp had a follow-up visit on October 20th to assess his healing progress and to consult us on the subsequent phases of the treatment plan. The infection was clearing up, and the bones were healing nicely. The dentist informed us that the condition of the bone in Shrimp’s jaw was good enough to place two implants that day. The hygienist went over the itemized treatment plan and explained the next steps. Below is the breakdown of treatments and their costs:

Final Treatment Plan w/ Associated Costs (Phase II)

• Place two lower implant screws (completed 10/20) $4,400

• Create temporary upper denture (in progress) $2,346

• Place four upper implant screws for All-On-Four dental implant $8,800

• Place implant abutments (2 lower) $1,700

• Attach implant crowns (2 lower) $3,000

• Attach hybrid denture (upper) $9,753

Subtotal: $29,999

Total Cost Assumed: $50,518.10

We discussed financing options and were told we could secure a CareCredit loan for $10,600. They asked if we would be able to pay half of the remaining $17,400 balance at Shrimp's follow-up appointment in November. I said we would, but it's literally everything we have, and we’ll still owe the other half shortly after, in addition to repaying the loans. I genuinely don’t know how we will make ends meet.

Update: CareCredit could not approve our loan request due to our high debt-to-income ratio.

Can we count on your help?

Our immediate need is to raise $10,600 by mid-November to cover the amount we thought we would get from CareCredit.

Shrimp and I know how challenging the current economy is for everyone, and we certainly don’t want to put anyone in a bind. Can you spare 5, 10 or 15 dollars? Even the smallest donations will go a long way to help us pay down this huge unexpected expense.

Please share Shrimp’s story with your friends and family.

What your donation means to us:

First and foremost, your donation gives us financial security in a very uncertain time. Second, it means that Shrimp can live and eat without pain. Finally, your donation will help us get back on the road to realizing our dreams. Shrimp and I have been putting off getting married and starting a family while we work to pay down our debts and save money.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read Shrimp’s story and donating to our cause.

Graciously,

Laura Yurka