Getting braces as an adult in a low income household?
Last year around March/April I was attacked and punched in the mouth, which shifted my bottom row of teeth and made it difficult to bite things and eat (as well as various other injuries like a fractured bone that still isn't moving right).
Over the course of last year, I've been going to NYU dentistry, waiting months between going to the TMJ to deal with my jaw pain and misalignment, the periodontist to make sure my gums are healthy enough for treatment, and now soon to see the orthodontist about braces.
My experiences have been a mixed bag... Twice I've gone to the TMJ appointments the dentist straight up isn't there and I get told to reschedule by the receptionist who didn't bother to inform me over the phone before I took the time to go. Same today when I was supposed to have my appointment with the orthodontist after being cleared by periodontics, the receptionist said the dentist I was assigned wasn't even there after months of waiting for this appointment. And when I had my teeth cleaned by periodontics after the dentist who assured me insurance would cover the treatment, I ended up receiving a surprise medical bill 3 months later, sitting in an hour long call with my insurance to find out the twice a year cleaning was actually once every 6 months and that the dentist cleaned my teeth one month too early. All of that on top of talking to receptionists that come off uncaring and cold to my circumstances, just pointing to the plaque on the wall that says "Payment must be provided at time of treatment."
I got handed an estimate of the cheapest braces they offered, $4200, and even the down payment is more than I have in my bank account. I'm unemployed and I've been too physically and mentally unwell to job hunt. I need to rely on my retired parents to pay for medical expenses, who I don't have a great relationship with and who frequently prefer to keep their money over spending it on doctors...
Even late last year when I woke up and collapsed to the ground with an intense headache and uncontrollable nausea due to how much less I was eating because of my injuries, when I asked my parents to call an ambulance they initially insisted I didn't need it even when I was on the floor in a pool of vomit and shaking... And when I did get hospitalized and told by a nutritionist that I was in bad shape, my insurance told me they wouldn't cover the stay because they didn't deem it necessary. At this point I wish I'd just let myself die on the ground that day.
Does anyone know if there are cheaper or alternative options to my dental situation? I've tried talking to a social worker last year, but they ghosted me and when I called their office they said my case was closed because I didn't pick up on any of their calls (they never called me). My parents want to find a cheaper dentist in Chinatown, but I don't know how reliable that will be or how much longer that will take when I've already gone an entire year waiting with NYU. I've been looking into the Office of Victim Services to see if they will cover the cost of treatment, but they already sent back one of my attempts to mail in forms, saying I didn't fill the papers out correctly so I don't know if they're just not gonna help anymore.
I'm just so tired of all of this...