Broke a tooth today

[Hoosierdood]

I've been nursing a bad tooth for about 7 years. Dentist told me the last time I saw him that the filling was really deep, and the tooth was week. Said next time he saw me I may need a root canal. So, I showed him... I never went back. Anyway, I was eating a Riesen candy this morning and found something crunchy inside it. Yep, it was half of my tooth. Cracked right in half.

Saw the dentist today ($105 for 3 xray's and a 15 minute exam resulting in "Yep, it's cracked")and he said he could put some bondo on it for about $250. Of course, that would only last a year or two, and I would eventually need a $1100 crown. Root canal isn't ruled out either at an additional $900. Did I mention that I don't have dental insurance?

Extraction is $160, so I have an appointment for tomorrow to get it yanked. This is going to be fun.

 

[phylodog]

Went through something similar last year but I paid for the root canal, over $800 with "insurance" (my definition of the word is obviously incorrect). End result? Tooth still hurts.

Lovely thing about medical and dental treatment, no refunds, no money back guarantee, you get what you get but you're always free to pay more money for another try.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

Been there done that.

Had a crown... then a root canal...
5 years later, the crown broke off... upon xray and such, they discovered bacteria down in the root that shouldn't have been there due to the root canal. Sent me back to the root canal guy for a followup, and attempt to have him make things right.
another $150 for the root canal guy's exam, to be told 'sorry. you need a new root canal for $1000. New crown for $1200...
had it yanked for $150

 

[mom45]

Who are you getting to yank it for $160? My daughter had one yanked a year ago (similar issue...tooth broke). Dentist sent us to an oral surgeon in Warsaw and it was $300.

I had one root canal and it was a horrible experience. Tooth still bothers me. I will never have another one.

 

[ruger1800]

What kind of dentist you guys go to? Do they work out of a van or barn.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

W10th Dental group. Actually were pretty decent in the beginning... then they became a group.
Everytime I go, there are new names added on the glass door. Specialists to do various things... waivers n such... I need to find a smaller one size fits all guy

eta: the root canal was a specialist out near 38th west side.
extractions are now done by another affiliate in a separate office downstairs... oral surgeons of some sort, but just novacaine extract price. nothing fancy. you get to hear all the cracking, and kick your foot trying to gain leverage

 

[Harleyrider_50]

I've been nursing a bad tooth for about 7 years. Dentist told me the last time I saw him that the filling was really deep, and the tooth was week. Said next time he saw me I may need a root canal. So, I showed him... I never went back. Anyway, I was eating a Riesen candy this morning and found something crunchy inside it. Yep, it was half of my tooth. Cracked right in half.

Saw the dentist today ($105 for 3 xray's and a 15 minute exam resulting in "Yep, it's cracked")and he said he could put some bondo on it for about $250. Of course, that would only last a year or two, and I would eventually need a $1100 crown. Root canal isn't ruled out either at an additional $900. Did I mention that I don't have dental insurance?

Extraction is $160, so I have an appointment for tomorrow to get it yanked. This is going to be fun.

Pull yer own......saves a azzload.......

 

[RobbyMaQ]

That's a tooth? From ... your cat?

 

[Cameramonkey]

Who are you getting to yank it for $160? My daughter had one yanked a year ago (similar issue...tooth broke). Dentist sent us to an oral surgeon in Warsaw and it was $300.

I had one root canal and it was a horrible experience. Tooth still bothers me. I will never have another one.

Get a referral from a friend for a better dentist. When I was a teen I had a crotchety old guy who retired soon after I quit going to him.... he was 10+ years too late in retiring. He would get pissed off at me because he thought I wasnt brushing enough, etc., when working he wouldnt give me enough novacane and then would say "you're all right. I'm almost done.". 20 minutes later he would finish and I would get up with my back soaking wet from sweat. And thats absolutely no exaggeration. I would have to go home and change clothes. I avoided dentists for a solid 10 years because of him.

Turns out I metabolize that stuff fast. My last two dentists were/are awesome. I remind them and they put in some extra. If I start to feel, they add more during the procedure. Its not that big of a deal. I've had multiple root canals since, and they are a walk in the park if done right.

And I dont know why they call it insurance. More like a discount program.

 

[Harleyrider_50]

That's a tooth? From ... your cat?

.....
Not hardly.....or 1 the dogs, neither......

(WILL fork over the $$ fer theirs...... )

 

[mom45]

Get a referral from a friend for a better dentist. When I was a teen I had a crotchety old guy who retired soon after I quit going to him.... he was 10+ years too late in retiring. He would get pissed off at me because he thought I wasnt brushing enough, etc., when working he wouldnt give me enough novacane and then would say "you're all right. I'm almost done.". 20 minutes later he would finish and I would get up with my back soaking wet from sweat. And thats absolutely no exaggeration. I would have to go home and change clothes. I avoided dentists for a solid 10 years because of him.

Turns out I metabolize that stuff fast. My last two dentists were/are awesome. I remind them and they put in some extra. If I start to feel, they add more during the procedure. Its not that big of a deal. I've had multiple root canals since, and they are a walk in the park if done right.

And I dont know why they call it insurance. More like a discount program.

The regular dentist is fine, although I haven't been to him since the root canal either. That was done by some specialist he sent me to in South Bend. That guy promised me it would never hurt, wouldn't feel anything, etc. When I got home and was sure I was dying, I knew he had lied. I had some vicodin from issues with my back..took two and it didn't even start to touch it. I've given birth to two children with no pain meds. This was much worse.

 

[Cameramonkey]

The regular dentist is fine, although I haven't been to him since the root canal either. That was done by some specialist he sent me to in South Bend. That guy promised me it would never hurt, wouldn't feel anything, etc. When I got home and was sure I was dying, I knew he had lied. I had some vicodin from issues with my back..took two and it didn't even start to touch it. I've given birth to two children with no pain meds. This was much worse.

Then he failed. A proper RC eliminates all parts of the nerve in the tooth, and they seal off the bottom of the root with a solid material. Ive never taken anything stronger than ibuprofen afterward. And typically I take nothing.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

My experience with the root canal was very different. Little to no pain.
For me, the shock was when they hit me with (maybe) morpheine without warning, and my heart started to race...
only then he saw the look on my face and said 'Now you might feel a slightly accelerated heart beat for a moment'

Slightly accelerated? I went from like 90bpm to 200 bpm in 2 seconds flat?! WTH!

 

[mom45]

Then he failed. A proper RC eliminates all parts of the nerve in the tooth, and they seal off the bottom of the root with a solid material. Ive never taken anything stronger than ibuprofen afterward. And typically I take nothing.

I've been told that he may have "missed a nerve" or something like that. I know I felt every thing he did in spite of lots of stuff being squirted in there. I had told him prior to starting the procedure that novacaine does not work on me but he insisted it would. My overall experience with that guy was not good and my dentist was made well aware of that.

 

[phylodog]

Dentist sent us to an oral surgeon in Warsaw and it was $300.

It's all about referrals these days, must be some kind of frequent flier type program where they earn free trips to the Bahamas or something. That's how I ended up paying over $1000 for a cast on a broken arm. I watched them put it on and didn't see any futuristic technologies involved, pretty much done the same way it has been for years. I wouldn't have thought such a thing would require a specialist but I guess they gotta eat too, very well I might add.

 

[mom45]

It's all about referrals these days, must be some kind of frequent flier type program where they earn free trips to the Bahamas or something. That's how I ended up paying over $1000 for a cast on a broken arm. I watched them put it on and didn't see any futuristic technologies involved, pretty much done the same way it has been for years. I wouldn't have thought such a thing would require a specialist but I guess they gotta eat too, very well I might add.

Everybody sends you to a specialist. I just want a doctor and a dentist that I can see when I need to see one.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

It's all about referrals these days, must be some kind of frequent flier type program where they earn free trips to the Bahamas or something. That's how I ended up paying over $1000 for a cast on a broken arm. I watched them put it on and didn't see any futuristic technologies involved, pretty much done the same way it has been for years. I wouldn't have thought such a thing would require a specialist but I guess they gotta eat too, very well I might add.

Maybe it's because dentists shouldn't be putting casts on your arm... just sayin'

 

[phylodog]

Maybe it's because dentists shouldn't be putting casts on your arm... just sayin'

Wait, what? I thought that chair looked funny in the "Dr's" office....

 

[CountryBoy19]

Went through something similar last year but I paid for the root canal, over $800 with "insurance" (my definition of the word is obviously incorrect). End result? Tooth still hurts.

Lovely thing about medical and dental treatment, no refunds, no money back guarantee, you get what you get but you're always free to pay more money for another try.

I've looked at the option to buy dental ins. add-on for my health ins. Totally 100% not worth it. Most dental ins. doesn't pay crap and you still end up paying a huge sum out of pocket.

That being said, my dentist has a "money back guarantee" of sorts. You don't really get your money back; but she will re-do the work or even try something different/better. IE, I chipped a front tooth back in December, got it fixed and within 3 weeks the "patch" chipped off again. Went back in and for no charge she re-did the patch job with a better method (that normally would have cost additional money) and all has been great since. IIRC, total cost for the first patch job was well under $200.

 

[N8RV]

Ryan, you were told 7 years ago that the tooth needed treatment and you put it off. You had SEVEN YEARS to save the money, but you put it off. If you had seen me before I retired, I'd have hooked you up, bud. It would only have cost you a few guns ...

Only pointing out the obvious to rag on you and to put the blame where it belongs in this frenzy of dentist bashing. Just speaking the truth in love, my friend ...