'I didn't get multiple opinions, which is what I should have done'
A self-described “toothless babe” is sharing her story about how she got dentures at just 20 years old.
On June 23, Cheyenne Dunn (@cheyssmilejourney), a 31-year-old server, wedding photographer and content creator, took to her TikTok to speak candidly about “how she lost her teeth” at a young age.
@cheyssmilejourney Replying to @Hammnado definitely bad luck. I couldn’t afford the work that I needed to save my teeth, so he recommended I get dentures. I should’ve gotten multiple opinions, but I was young and scared and vulnerable and was taken advantage of. This is why I tell everyone, GET A 2ND OPINION. There’s always options. And save your teeth if you can! He knew I had a small jawbone to begin with so dentures at 20 should’ve been a LAST RESORT. #storytime #dentures #howilostmyteeth #cheyssmilejourney #toothlessbabe #dentaltok #teeth ♬ original sound – Chey 🦋
Dunn explains that her teeth “weren’t super straight” by the time she entered high school, which is why she decided to get braces. This decision, however, is one she’s come to regret.
“So I had braces for about a year and a half,” she says. “And then I got my braces off and I had some stains. I was a smoker during the time that I had braces. I did drink soda and things like that, but I didn’t lose my teeth because of drugs and I did not lose my teeth because of not brushing them.”
“I had some stains which turned to some decay and things like that,” she adds, noting that all her teeth could have been saved. “But I just needed a few root canals, OK. I needed a few root canals and I needed some crowns.”
‘He should have recommended that I save my teeth.’
Dunn visited a dentist after getting her braces off, who told her she needed “extensive work” done to correct the decay.
“He should have recommended that I save my teeth. Instead, he recommended I get dentures,” she says. “I had got all of my upper teeth pulled under no sedation and got my immediate upper denture.”
Her biggest mistake, Dunn believes, is that she didn’t seek out other professional opinions.
“So the problem was, I didn’t get multiple opinions, which is what I should have done,” she admits. “And the dentist that I had was not willing to work with me. He should have absolutely recommended a payment plan alone, anything to save my teeth, but instead, he recommended that I pull my teeth.”
According to Dunn, her dentist didn’t seem inclined to work with her long term.
“It was quick money for him, you know, and instead of going through extensive work…he’s an older dentist,” she says. “I don’t think he wanted to go through all of that with me.”
Dr. Aubrey Baudean, a dental practitioner based in Marrero, La., urges patients to seek a secondary opinion in a series of situations, including when “you’re unsure if the recommended treatment is necessary.” Baudean suggests asking the following questions when speaking to a dentist you’d like to use for a second opinion:
Do you agree with the diagnosis my dentist has made for the suggested dental treatments?
Are there any other treatment options I should consider other than the recommended treatment?
How much would each of these treatment options cost?
How much of the treatment costs would be covered under my dental insurance plan, and how much would be the out-of-pocket cost?
Will the recommended treatment improve my dental health?
What are the risks of each treatment option?
How long will the treatment benefits last?
Will future treatments be necessary for correcting the problem if not treated?
‘oh my gosh I’m so sorry! I have NEVER heard a dentist not try to save the natural teeth!!’
“Im a dental hygienist and my heart is pumping,” @boitumelokoopedi wrote.
“oh my gosh I’m so sorry! I have NEVER heard a dentist not try to save the natural teeth!!” @witchy_vibes85 commented.
“This is absolutely wrong! You HAVE to sue this dentist! Dentures at 20 is malpractice break their code of honor,” @corazondepina wrote, to which Dunn replied, “It’s too late now to sue unfortunately 🙁 been 11 years. But as far as I know he is no longer practicing dentistry thank god. He sold his practice.”
After successfully raising $33,000 via GoFundMe, however, Dunn is getting dental implants.
On June 29, she took to TikTok to reveal that she was finally going to see Dr. Simon Oh at SmartArches, a facility that specializes in dental implant treatments, to receive a customized set of permanent teeth.
“So the next time I see you guys, these will be gone, and I will have a permanent bridge, like, permanent teeth that don’t come out of my mouth,” she says. “Which is just wild for me to think about. Wish we luck.”
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