I have four snap on dentures held with dental implants. I am on a very tight budget that has gotten almost so tight as to cause strangulation. Here’s my problem. I need the locator male retention caps. However, my dentist charges me $25 for each cap, which totals $100. I don’t really have that amount of money. I have noticed that you can get a set of four for only $20 online. The problem is that in order to order them you have to be a dentist. Is there any way to get these without being a licensed dentist? I’m in a really tough spot at the moment.
Danny
Dear Danny,
I think this is something we should be able to find a solution for. While I do understand that your dentist does have overhead and needs to increase the price on certain things, the retention caps for the dental implants make such a small difference in their profit margin that I cannot imagine they would be unwilling to work with you on this. I would start by simply asking if you can have them at a discount given your particular circumstances at the moment.
If for some reason your dentist is unwilling to work with you, there are still a couple of options.
First, you could try calling around to other dental offices and explain your situation. It is often the staff the does the ordering of supplies, including dental supplies and they just input the dentist’s information. You are likely to find a sympathetic office worker who can help you out.
Second, you could order them yourself. I noticed on eBay that you can order these parts without being a dentist. These are for sale from overseas dealers that are less strict about who purchases them. The only thing that is a bit more challenging about going this route is you need to know all the information about the order including the strength and resistance of the caps.
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