Im in bad shape...dental questions needed ASAP

[Kaymanism]

Sooooo...as my best friend say "Murphy, you are the dumbest smart kid I know."

Riding my bike home today, yes in the snow before you ask, I took a corner pretty sharp and lost control of my bike. It literally just slid out from under me. I am sure it would have been hilarious to watch. On moment I am banking hard right...then next I am in the same position I was in before but no bike...no bike meant a quick plunge to the ground.

Long story shot I hit my chin on my arm (thank god and sadly the only positive in this story because the impace on my chin would have surely shattered my jaw bone) but ALL of the shock and pressure went directly to my teeth. The following damage has occured

I have instantly broken, and I mean to the gum line, 2 teeth
I have cracked 3 teeth of which one can be saved the other 2 need root canals
One tooth has been driven into my jaw socket and no if ands or buts about it...will have to be removed...of course this is my front insicor (sp?) and i will look like hell now

I have been to two dentists now and I REALLY like the second dentist...the bad news is that it is going to cost roughly 9 grand to fix my teeth. Needless to say I DO NOT have this. I have 2k in cash and my camera gear that I can possibly sell. Not working this was going to last me until my ship of date of March 20th.

I absolutely HAVE to get the impacted tooth fixed ASAP. If I wait too long then there is a chance of deep infection and it will hit my brain (yeah imagine getting that bit of news) and best case I hit a coma and they fight the infection or worst case I pretty much die.

THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION FOLLOWS:
What are my minimum requirements to STILL get into boot camp. I know there is a dental exam WHEN I get in there. Is this an exam where if I fail they pack up my bags and tell me to go home. Or is this an exam where they look at all the work that needs to be done and determines if I can do boot camp or not. What am I working with here? My priority is getting into and staying in boot camp.

The reason I ask this goes as follows...if I have to enter clean as a whistle then I am going to lose 2 of my front teeth. It will cost approximately 3k a tooth to repair, build up, put a post in, and then a crown. I dont have that. An extraction is 325 dollars. Obviously we can ALL do the math there. IF however I can still get into boot camp needing a root canal and they will do it there...then yes I will ignore those (the pain is easy to ignore but it come to a head in about 6 months time according to BOTH dentists) and save my front teeth.

My second plan of attack is to borrow a little bit of money...get the FIRST part of the root canals done...ie get the roots extracted and then a temporary filling put in...then I can get the two teeth done...no pain...and up to a year of comfortability and save my front teeth as well with a bridge. Is this acceptable?

How extensive is this exam? Is it just some tech taking xrays and looking for glaring mistakes or hot spots to fail you? Or if I have all temporary stuff done, get through boot camp and get more money in my pocket, can I get it done right?

Please...this is very important to find out (and yes I have done my google searches on everything and its all about preventative care) because my work starts Thursday (the latest they would let me go) and I need to have a plan of attack.

Chief you have my number still...please call me as soon as you get this if you dont have time to type back. I will wake up first thing and check it often throughout the day.

Thank you everyone for the help and sorry to those awaiting responses from me. You can see why I have been absent from helping some out and giving the youngin a hard time about the Patriots WINNING!!!!!

[Kaymanism]

Found this...

http://www.bordeninstitute.army.mil/recruitmedicine/RM-ch19.pdf

Of course the Army has a plan to fix everyone coming in...and the Navy...well the Navy states the following:

Recruits whose extensive dental needs will impact negatively on their ability to maintain a training regimen and/or delay entry into regular military service may require evaluation for early separation from military service.

So I am hoping this means that IF I can show I can complete training and not have my mouth impact it in any way...then like all of the other services then I can have a scheduled plan made out to have it all fixed by the time I graduate AIT. The report also goes on to give training days that are set aside to fix certain conditions.

A bit of a comfort and maybe enough to let me go to sleep now :P

[popsie]

Are you Irish? If they let you in. Find a way to carry a guardian angel with you 24/7. I don't think would stand next to you or even associate with you. Anyway , Good Luck with your endevors. I think you require it. I thought I had some bad days, But then again I never tried riding a bike in the snow. Too bad you didn't get it on film and send it to america's funniest videos. Win the cash and fix the damage. Your accident sounds like something you would see on Jack**s. Didn't mean to kick you when your down, but damn. Here's a hand to help you up. Again good luck.

[HMC-FMF-PJ]

I guess we learned that sharp corners, hard turns, and snow don't mix very well -- especially on only two wheels. Class, were you paying attention here? It is very import that you learn from the mistakes of others so you do have to learn from your own mistakes...;)
DOD Directive 6130.3 (http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/html/61303.htm), Physical Standards for Appointment, Enlistment, and Induction
DOD Instruction 6130.4 (http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/html/61304.htm), Criteria and Procedure Requirements for Physical Standards for Appointment, Enlistment, or Induction in the Armed Forces.


However, you'll probably need to contact the local MEPS for guidance. Or maybe RTC Medical
http://www.nsgreatlakes.navy.mil/rtcreceiving.html
http://www.nsgreatlakes.navy.mil/recclinics.html
http://www.nstc.navy.mil/rtcgl/contact.html
http://www.nsgreatlakes.navy.mil/phone.html

Of course I am NOT A DENTIST and you should DO NOTHING WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR DENTIST, but

Is that a hole in your tooth (ie. cracked open, chip missing) and are you leaving it exposed to the world?

If it is, you should call the dentists you have already visited and ask for advice about a temporary band-aid to keep koodies out while you're waiting to get it fixed.

When I lost half a tooth, I cleaned the hole appropriately (mouth wash/dental rinse, light brushing) and then filled the hole with dental wax until I could get to a dentist. It keeps crap out of the tooth, air off the root (cold air & warm drinks hurt!), and reduces chances of drying out. Of course you also know to watch what you eat and only use the healthy teeth to chew (soft food, bland diet, no acidic sugary or spicy stuff, avoid extreme heat/cold, sticky foods, no tobacco, etc.)

If the tooth is really loose or cracked so that half of it wiggles and might fall off, you can spread the wax across neighboring teeth as a "splint" to help immobilize the tooth. Dental wax is available nearly anywhere dental supplies are sold. How are you handling pain management? Some OTC products do real good.

What state do you live in? Assuming you are uninsured, don't have money in the bank, and might be a student or unemployed: see if you qualify for free aid or a discount program. If you're a student, visit the school's health services office. Stop by the community clinic, "free clinic", or an urgent care facility and see if they can guide you in the right direction. A quiet ER might have a few tips or contact info too if they aren't busy with patients. Do you have a dental college in the area? Family help? Usually if you're under 24 you can go on parent's policy but I'm not sure how they'll like the "preexisting conditions" or what the delay for coverage would be.

Were you returning home from any sort of Navy function (ie. DEP meeting) when you crashed your bike? I’m curious if it was that a bicycle or motorcycle? Have you already signed an enlistment contract?Have you contacted your Recruiter for guidance? If you're worried about telling your Recruiter you broke your mouth, call another Recruiter to ask for some guidance but you are going to have to come clean relatively soon.