The expensive stuff seems to involve desperate rearguard actions to salvage damaged teeth with good cosmetic result. The old approach-simple extraction-remains a less-expensive alternative compared to root canal, extraction/bone graft/implant. That leaves one with a sub-optimal smile, but does simplify flossing, and minimizes unwanted attention from the opposite gender, while having only limited impact on nutrition, based upon empiric observation of chubby, toothless folk in various rural healthcare settings.

The other issue is the impact of dental health on general health, synopsized here, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.