I don't have dental insurance and need gum tissue graft!?

How safe and common is this procedures? From what l've read,it's scary ...stitches,pain killers, swollen.What are the side effects?What's the best options for me? I had the assumptions that dentists that participate in insurance plans/dental groups are not going to be very decent. They charge at a discounted prices, why would a good doctor charge less. What about groups like Western Dental? Are they dependable? How are the dentists going to treat me if they find out l don't have insurance? Dental school is out of the question, the closest one is 6 hour drive.
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I was going to mention dental school until I saw your last sentence. I had 5 gum tissue grafts done at a dental school for $300 each. I had dental insurance, but I'm a healthcare teaching assistant and I enjoy having students practice on me. In the gingival graft procedure, tissue is excised from the roof of your mouth and stitched onto your gums. My thoughts on my 5 procedures: 1. Even after the "numbing shots", the excision of tissue from the roof of the mouth burns a little during the procedure. 2. The "numbing shots" themselves, of course, hurt. 3. The grafts feel bulky. You must fight the urge to stick your finger in there and clear all that bulky junk out. 4. The gums around the donor site must be flayed raw so they will accept the tissue. 5. My grafts were done one at a time. 6. One of my grafts failed. A student broke off a stitch in my gums and had to dig it out, causing swelling and lack of circulation to the graft area. 7. Painkillers are your friend. There is much pain for about 24 hours afterward. 8. Depending on the cause of your gum recession, the grafts may need to be redone after a period of about 10 years. If the original cause (i.e., crowded teeth, bad hygiene) isn't resolved, the gums may simply recede again. One source for your questions about which dentists to choose and what prices may be is the American Dental Association http://www.ada.org/public/index.asp. This may save your having to call dentists to find out their prices and whether they will even accept a noninsured patient without payment in advance. Yes, dentists who participate in insurance plans/dental groups have discounted prices. They even have to "write off" some of their charges. Some insurance companies say, "We will only pay (this amount) for (this procedure)" and the dentist simply has to accept that amount. I have always had dental insurance and have never had bad care from any dentist. Please try contacting the American Dental Association.
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