Dental Issues and Questions

[The empressof all]

I recently found out that I need major dental work in excess of $10,000. Obviously I'm going to be doing a lot of shopping around for prices. I'm concerned though about finding a dentist who I'm comfortable with and having do go through the diagnostic nightmare again.

Has anyone here just said F-it and had their teeth extracted rather than go through the nightmare of major reconstruction work with no guarantee it will last for more than a few years anyway?

Do you have dentures? What's it like? Do you have a hard time eating certain foods? Does your mouth feel weird?

Tell me your dental story!

[bobbobbins]

1. my granddaddy always used to say, take care of your teeth

[The empressof all]

3. Unfortunately that doesn't always work

I'm cursed with bad teeth genes. Both my sister and I have been cursed with very weak teeth. I brush three times a day and floss religiously. I also have damage due to an accident.

[commander bunnypants]

2. no but

that could be an idea. Then get some replacements it could be cheaper

sorry friend

CB

[tjdee]

4. Ten thousand dollars?! Lord!

If you get them extracted, is it cheaper?

Makes me worried...haven't seen a dentist in forever and I have at least 4 cavities that I can tell, and I don't know anything about teeth.

Ten thousand dollars.
:scared:

[Kelvin Mace]

5. I would get a second opinion

for major dental work. You own teeth are always a better choice than dentures, but some dentists look into a mouth and see a gold mine.

David Allen
www.thoughtcrimes.org


On edit:

You can get the x-rays and other work from your current dentist to show a second dentist to avoid a second round of diagnostics.

[ihaveaquestion]

6. Don't do it!

My mother allowed her dentist to convince her to do this as a young (30ish) woman and has regretted ever since. The dentist convinced her it would be easier and cheaper, but it's been nothing but trouble.

The biggest problem showed up years later (in her 50s) when her jawbones, particularly the lower, had deteriorated to almost a sliver. This happens when there are no teeth in the jaw applying pressure to the bone. The bone gets slowly reabsorbed into the body and eventually it would dissappear. She had to have bone grafts and implants inserted to hold a permanent lower plate in place. This was painful and very costly! Her upper plate is removable, but the upper boney ridge has also shrunk which means it doesn't always keep the plate in place.

She still can't bite into anything very hard without danger of actually breaking her brittle lower jawbone. Add to that the (painful) anoynance of getting bits of hard food caught under the lower plate. Awful!

Keep your teeth, even just the roots, as long as you can. It's much healthier overall.

Hope this helped you,
Sharon

[candy]

7. A friend of mine lost her teeth in her twenties----

and that was many years ago and she is doing just fine. She could care less.

I,personally, would try to save them-----when they're gone,they're gone.

Be sure to get a second opinion anyway.You may not have to spend as much or they may come up with another,less expensive, treatment plan.

[sam sarrha]

8. dentures will only take about 20 to 30% of the pressure of teeth depending

on the quality of the work... everyone tells me it is absolutely the last resort...

my dentist took over an hour to extract a molar..he flint knapped it out.. removing the bone around it and flaking it out chip by chip, i had to go the chiropractor to have my neck fixed twice afterwords.. he made a hole the size of a pencil into my sinuses, and i got an infection. he said if he had to do that again he wasn't going to get any sleep the night before.

i grind my teeth at night and the bone density is helatious...

i just got the bad ones capped, although i needed $12,000 of work to fix my bite to cure the TMJ.. i just kept what i could and got a TMJ apliance... take care of your teeth

get some second apinions..third opinions..ask around..

[readmylips]

9. You just hit a nerve!

This morning I called my dentist to have it out with him. I have no dental insurance, I must pay in cash. Before Cxmas he told me I needed a root canal on a good tooth, somehow my tooth broke in half and I was in pain. I paid $600. for a root canal, 5 days after, the temporary feeling came out and I got no tooth left except the root canal material. Now he tells me that I need to take everything out and need an implanted post for a tooth implant. Instead of the root canal, he should have said that my tooth was not salvageable.

I already have four lower implants at $5 thousand dollars each. Now I need another four implants for my upper molars. I had my upper implanted posts done but one failed and need to have the operation again. It's been almost two years and I still don't have all my upper dental work done. I have too much pointy bone structure in my mouth and can't be fitted for bridges. My insurance only pays if I remove all my teeth and get dentures. I do have naturally perfect beautiful teeth.

I told my physician about my frustration with my dental work. He told me, he gets his dental work done in Mexico at half the price of US dentists. That's where I'm going to Mexico.

[The empressof all]

10. So you know a good dentist in Mexico?

I'm ready for a vacation! I'm so damned freaked out about all this. I'm confident I need all the work done - and I have confidence in my dentist. I just can't afford to have this done without getting a second mortgage on my house which I'm really not that hot on doing. It's gotta get done soon because the longer I wait the more of a basket case I'll become.

So how do we go about finding a good Mexican Dentist? I'm closer to Canada. Are Canadian Dentists Cheaper? Canadian DU's how much is your dental work? What do you pay for a root canal, crown, extraction, or bridge.

[ldf]

20. a co-worker of mine's dad

went back to russia to get his dental work done at a fraction of the cost. he is very satisfied with the work, and ecstatic at the money he saved, even after the plane ticket.

i will certainly consider going elswhere, when i can afford it.

[elfin]

11. Do you have a dental school

within reasonable driving distance? That would save $, and as long as the work is overseen by professionals, it could be another alternative.

I just made an appointment today with a new dentist - my last one died and it has been THREE years since a checkup. I am very squeamish and talked to many friends beofre choosing this one. Also, no dent insurance and this one takes 5% off if you pay in full, check or cash.

I told them they would need a jackhammer for the tartar and a lot of handholding.

I have terrible teeth, but have been spared any need of major overhaul - good luck to you.

[The empressof all]

12. I'm extremely particular about certain things

I just would not feel comfortable going to a student for the amount and kind of work I need to get done. It's funny, I don't mind working with PA's, ARNP's or residents for my medical care but when it comes to my mouth I need to feel like the person really knows what they are doing. I also prefer women dentists as I have a small mouth and I find that an individual with smaller hands is just more comfortable for me. I know they don't stick their fingers that far in but it's a weird quirky thing with me.

[pdx_prog]

13. wow...

10,000 is a whole lot for work.....

I would look at having them all extracted and getting implants....will last you much longer

[ohio_liberal]

14. IMO...

Keep your teeth, whatever it takes. I had 12 teeth knocked out in a car accident and I would do anything to have all real teeth again.

[RagingInMiami]

15. I went 10 years without seeing a dentist

But I visited one in Bogota, Colombia last week when I was down there and I learned I had 12 cavities. He's been the family dentist for more than 20 years and he is very good.
He charged me $200 for filling the 12 cavities and cleaning my teeth.
He is also looking for clients and I'll be happy to hook you up, if you're willing to invest a few hundred dollars in plane fare to Bogota.

[amazona]

16. where do you live?

A friend got a quote for over $25K in the U.S. and he had the same job done at a top dental clinic in Tijuana, Mexico, and now he has TV televangelist teeth. And it was only $8K. Both the Implant Center and Pacific Dental in Tijuana seem to be good?

I needed only minor work which I had done in Tijuana but I have been very happy and minor work there is super-cheap.

I know Tijuana has a poor reputation for cosmetic surgery but they have a good one for dentistry so you may want to consider it.

[Behind the Aegis]

17. oh the pain!

I am in a similar boat! I shop around. I also have to know exactly what they are doing and why! Sometimes, they get "drill happy" when some extra fluoride will do the trick, or at least hold off on the need for work. There are ways to prevent that spread of dental problems, but many dentists will not advise you of those options. You can also go to a dental school and get some work done there, but that is also like going to a barber college and getting a haircut...you take your chances!

I wish you luck! I know how your feeling (my bill is supposed to be almost $8000)!

[Mr.Green93]

18. Is there a dental school

near you? You can save a lot of money and get first class work done.

[n2mark]

19. Too bad you don't live in Phoenix

You would love him. My dentist is from Iran, is great, he graduated the top of his class. He saved my teeth, I also have gum disease and that is being taken care of now. He asks me if I want to save the teeth or pulled, but believes in saving the teeth. I work between my family dentist and a periodonist. They are fantastic. My one dentist did some scaling, never experienced any pain, while he did this I watched movies on the vcr. My one dentist had to extract a tooth, never had a problem. My cost for the total of having my teeth taken care of was $10,000, I am now at my $3000 level, but worth it. Thank goodness I have dental insurance which doesn't pay that much, but it is of some help.
We do one job at a time within my time and money.

Root canals? No problem, no pain. After the numbness wears off, I couldn't tell I was at the dentist.

Before I met this dentist, I was so afraid, wouldn't go to a dentist because of the fear, my dentist took all the fear away. He is awesome.

[miss_kitty]

21. I see by your profile you are in WA

If that is WA state and you live near Seattle, check out the UW school if Dentistry. They have one of the few schools for fixed orthodics (bridgework). If you have something they really want to work on, you might get a really good deal from them, and the work is good. and if you need bridges, it is dentists, not students that do the work.

[AlCzervik]

22. Can you work out a pmt plan with your dentist?

i had a whole restoration done 3 years ago that i needed for years, i explained my story and he worked it out ith me and it was a little over $12,000.

[yardwork]

23. Whatever it costs, it's worth it to your overall health

Many studies are showing that poor dental and oral health leads to poor health in other parts of the body. Infections that hang out in your mouth can end up in your heart, liver, and other parts of your body, causing even more serious problems.

I'm sorry that you have this problem, but I think you are wise to get it taken care of, no matter what it costs. Hugs to you!

[MercutioATC]

24. Go to Costa Rica for dental work.

It's first-rate work and usually costs about a third of what it would in the U.S.

Just look into it.