The Unexpected & FINAL Stretch of Rusty’s Dental Journey!

TW: blood, wound (there's a photo of the surgery/hole in my jaw in one of the updates)

I had to upload the photos in the updates.

***edit*** I would like to hit this goal by June 1st, any remaining funds will be used towards paying for intralymphatic immunotherapy shots (ILIT) for my severe environmental alleries.

Hey y'all, this is Rusty. I’m extremely embarrassed but I’m reaching out for help once again in restoring my smile and my well-being. I never thought I’d have to ask for assistance with my teeth a second time. Some of you have been following my tooth journey/total mouth reconstruction that was completed on September 21st, 2021 in Nogales, Mexico. Since then I have been chronically sick, finally having to have emergency dental surgery on August 30th, 2022 due to a severe infection that caused a hole in my lower jaw as a result of 5 failed root canals. I had to have a couple more root canal retreatments with a tooth having to get extracted in May 2023 because of another hole developing in my jaw. Later in May 2023 I was referred to an immunologist and hematologist/oncologist due to having abnormal beta2 microglobulins (they did a serum protein electrophoresis test) to rule out multiple myeloma. Everything ended up being ok with my bone marrow biopsy results but I was still really sick and unable to work. I had to take multiple rounds of different antibiotics because I kept getting infections. Fast forward to a dental checkup mid January 2024 and I had more root canals that failed. The infection was so severe that they immediately extracted a tooth at what was supposed to be a check-up and I had to give myself penicillin shots afterwards.

I’ve had temporary crowns on my teeth for 2 years; I am missing a crown that fell off on my cuspid and my remaining temporary bridge is cracked, making it difficult to eat comfortably. My permanent crowns were guaranteed for 2 years but because the hole where they placed the dental membrane took so long to heal & all the failed root canals, my guarantee expired. The total cost to have my crowns put back on is roughly $3,000 and $1150 for the root canal retreatment and 2 crowns on tooth #15 #30. (new information in updates) and I’m doing everything I can to make ends meet, but it’s just been too overwhelming to handle on my own. I have 2 part time jobs and have been piecemealing my income with odd jobs for years. I’ve been selling baked goods to cover the dental appointments I’ve had to pay for this year. I was recently hired at a company on a more regular basis but the company stopped communicating with me after they placed me on their payroll so I’ve been scrambling to make up for the work I thought I had.

Living without these crowns has affected me in more ways than I can express. It’s not just about appearance—it’s about my health, my ability to eat, and even my confidence. My health has improved tremendously but I was devastated when I had to cancel my appointment on Thanksgiving. I was only given the estimated cost the evening before the appointment to put my permanent crowns on, and I do not have thousands of dollars in the bank. I live paycheck to paycheck and have been looking forward to finishing my teeth so I’m not in pain every day and struggling to eat.

There are multiple associated expenses, including a new mouth guard for the permanent crowns, 3 wisdom tooth extractions that have been put on hold because of my jaw, medications, transportation, etc. That is why I’m asking for over the amount of my crowns.

I am only paying for the lab cost to make the 13 crowns (that is including 2 permanent bridges) and the materials to install them. My dentist is not charging me for his labor. I will provide receipts for all of my dental visits.

I don’t think I can bake and sell 1,500 cookies to cover this expense. I deeply appreciate all the love and support I’ve received over the years. If you’re in a position to contribute, it's greatly appreciated. If not, there’s absolutely no pressure. Sharing means so much to me and is extremely helpful. I am so ready for this dental journey to be over with.

With deep gratitude,

Rusty