Dentist, again.

[juldea]

Dentist consultation today.

Crown is going to cost, at the least, $280. If I need to have gum surgery to set the crown right, add $150 (dentist said she was over 50% sure I'd need this). If things go wrong the prospects are even more fun: if they have a problem preserving the post from my current root canal and have to put in another, $96, and if they have to redo the whole root canal, $252. These are all added on top of the crown.

Two of my fillings need to be redone, but those are covered 100% by insurance. One was done today. :P Therefore half of my mouth is numb! Yay! It's been an adventure talking and eating.

The crown procedure is scheduled for mid-April, giving me over two months to save up the money. I really don't want to use credit for this.

Comments

[skybabie.livejournal.com]

No fun :( I know that well, our insurance doesn't cover anything serious like that - was over $1000.00 when I had to do it and they dont even cover a total filling its like 50/50 so it always is super expensive to go :( and they request to see the husband every 3 months and he believes it and goes in and pays 120 every 3 months - I can't beat it into his head we need a new dentist :(

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Ew! That's totally expensive. You need to find a new dentist!

[skybabie.livejournal.com]

I'll give you his email address and you can explain it to him, he tells me it isn't everyone pays that and I'm going "uhh yeah, dad paid 35 to get his teeth checked last month, i think your just wasting money as always.."

[juldea.livejournal.com]

My checkups and fillings are completely free with my insurance...

[kishpa.livejournal.com]

I remember the numb feeling. I've only ever had work done at a dentist twice (outside of the every 6 month cleaning) and it was the same thing both times - I had bonding done to my front two teeth - first time because I broke them in 3rd grade the day before thanksgiving. The second time because I chipped one of them and had it repaired 17 years later - the day before thanksgiving :P I was driving back to work afterwards (the second time - I wasn't quite driving yet the first time) and went to take a drink of water - well with my lips being all numb - I missed my mouth and spilled about half of a 32 oz bottle of water on myself. It was pretty graceful :P
My favorite was when he kept telling me to smile - UHM my lips won't move! they're numb! I felt like Bill Cosby from his standup routine on dentists.

[scirocco.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's CHEAP for a Crown! I just had two done, and they were over $1000 each! Granted, they're SUPERBLY crafted ones, but still... your $280 and change is a bahgain!

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Well that's good to know then. :)
It's probably so cheap because my dentist is actually a grad student (I think), I go to the dental school for all this work... they have "real" dentists on hand all the time of course, but it's the students doing the work.

EEK!

[rmoonsong.livejournal.com]

Scary much? I so could not let just a student do heavy work on my teeth... I see it kind of like a med student doing heart surgery... brave girl you are :)

Re: EEK!

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Hey, it's cheap, and if they fucked something up it's just my teeth and I can get replacements and sue their asses. :)

And really, I trust students. These aren't freshmen... they've spent years studying, and they're trying to prove themselves good.

Re: EEK!

[kishpa.livejournal.com]

uhm. Med students do perform heart surgery - its how they learn :) There's always a veteran surgeon right there, though, just like the dentists :)

[scirocco.livejournal.com]

Ah, yeah, I used to do that when my MOther worked at Harvard Medical School. Very cool. :)

[ex-sleek838.livejournal.com]

I had to replace 8 fillings and it costed me $1200 out of pocket, insurance covered the rest. Matt has to get at least 3 root canals, 1 wisdom pulled, all his fillings redone, his last dentist estimated cost at least 5 grand. I have two cracked teeth and need to redo my top which will cost me another $1000 after insurance, not including the sleeping plate i need to get put in so i don't grind my teeth to dust $400. :) dentists suck.

[sammid.livejournal.com]

Holy shit!A sleeping plate costs that much?!? I need one badly,but screw that!
For all you folks talking about needing root canals,think long and hard before spending that money.Root canals are a dentist's way of say "I'm going to take you for as much money as I can possibly get away with",in my opinion.My dad was given a root canal,or so he thought,when he was much younger.As an adult he went to a new dentist...the other guy didn't even give him one really-just took his dough.
From the many people I've spoken to,it seems most of the time,root canals are pointless,or don't even work.
I dunno,I think people are better off just gettin he teeth yanked,and getting a partial or those permanent ones that get screwed in.The latter is what I would love to have, but those are very expensive.
But,actually it probably would equal out to getting a bunch of root canals,and work on the messed up teeth so *shrug*
Anyways,for now I'm stuck with my partial,but they're not so bad really.

[ex-sleek838.livejournal.com]

I was quoted at $400 because it's custom fit, that's in Hawaii though, could be less in another state. :)

[skybabie.livejournal.com]

My son just threw away my sleeping plate :( they want 800 to replace it, I guess im just gonna let my teeth fall out as I cant afford that.

[sammid.livejournal.com]

Oh wow,that sucks

[juldea.livejournal.com]

Ouch!!!

[christhegeek.livejournal.com]

Blix just had three crowns and about four cavities done on monday...lack of dental insurance for 8 years = BAD!

Each of his crowns was $800, btw. Sounds like you're getting a good deal. We're lucky our dental insurance covered more than half, but we still came out around 1500, which was thankfully covered (and sucked down) our tax return.

[juldea.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear from everyone that I have a decent insurance plan. *phew* I won't complain too much about the prices then!

I'm glad you had a way of covering it.

[skybabie.livejournal.com]

We were told our insurance plan was "good" we have over a thousand we have to pay alone before any deductible comes out period then after that with everything it isn't anything more then 50% - makes me wonder how we could even have another child with the fact the first was at least 7 thousand...

[eor1312.livejournal.com]

i just got braces (those new invisalign things) a few days ago. they are expensive as hell, but i suppose i chose them and didnt NEED them. but they hurt and are expensive so i thought i would complain too! :)