WILL THE ARMY FIX MY TEETH?

Question

ive been wanting to join for years and the time seems right.

the only problem is more than half my teeth are cavities and decayed, falling apart..i have severe pain daily and my wisdom teeth pushed all my front teeth together..i want to join but fear i wont make it through basic training because of the pain of eating.

will they be willing to fix them before basic?

my mother served in the 80s and had all her teeth replaced so i imagine it might be possible..i would prefer having them all replaced.

serious answers please..thank you

Answer 1

The Army will fix your teeth, but only after Basic Training. You might decide to change your mind and not join if they fix them before Basic. You have to give them something before they give you something.

Answer 2

You would have to ask the recruiter, the military is cutting costs like everyone else, and may not have a specialist that could do that for you handy.  They probably are only at the larger hospital complexes.

They definitely would NOT do any work on you before basic.  Why invest all the money if you don't get through to actually serve??  :)  If you come in with any pre existing medical problems that's just a reason to wash you out and discharge you.

Answer 3

not before basic.   only once you have shipped.   the wisdom teeth WILL come out, that's standard.  as for everything else.. while rare, it is possible to be denied enlistment due to dental health.  sounds like you may be one of the rare ones... severe pain daily is probably a DQ.  

but yes I know someone who had all his teeth yanked and got a full set of dentures .who enlisted in the Army.  he's currently driving trucks in Afghanistan( he was 40 when he enlisted).  

Answer 4

Hi -- I don't know, but I wish you good luck.  Even your avatar looks like he has dental pain!

Also, remember, a recruiter may tell you what he thinks you want to hear, and may not have the information or may not be authorized to make commitments like that.

Answer 5

More than likely, yes!

My husband got braces in the army - which required pulling of some teeth. His best friend and this guy's gf both got eye surgery just a few months ago.

The army takes care of their own!

Answer 6

Yes the army will fix your teeth for free, but it may not be until after basic training and AIT (advanced individual training) and defiantly not before basic training. If you have severe pain they may fix your teeth while you are in basic or AIT, but it has to be a real emergency. Just keep in mind that the army uses the lease expensive means available to fix your medical and dental problems, so things such as white colored fillings, and laughing gas are not usually used.

Answer 7

not before basic, but yes they will in AIT  they wont even let you leave ait if there is any thing wrong with your teeth, they will fix it all, and they will take your wisdom teeth out. theirs a guy here with my husband and it sounds like you guys have the some problem's with your teeth, and there fixing every thing for him. and my husband has to have all his wisdom teeth out, they said they do that to all they soldiers in ait. good luck.

Answer 8

NO - You are right now Disqualified.

If what you say is true, then it would be pretty obvious to the MEPS doctors that you have severe dental problems with decay.  If the decay is that bad, then you most likely also have gum disease. The pain your probably feeling is probably Periodontitis (untreated gingivitis that has advanced and grown below the gum line).

It's like any other medical problem.  If you have it, you need to get it fixed before going in.  

Having Wisdom teeth is not Disqualifying.  All you need to do is get your mouth back in order.  Cavities filled, the gum disease cleared up.

Having crooked teeth is generally not a disqualification unless it severely interferes with the function of speaking/eating/breathing.

Once you are in the Military, many options for dental care (Like Braces) will be open to you, but those options are only when you start out with a clean slate going in and the problems occure when you are already in the service.