i am absolutely shocked. well there goes any vacation money or money to help my sister.
i thought i just broke a crown, but oh no, the dentist said it was a three unit permanent bridge.
i broke the last tooth section off and one tooth has a hole in the middle, so he has to replace the entire bridge.
now instead of using porcelin he's going to use some kind of dental metal. i said i was beyond vanity and who cares, just make it cheap.
i'll have to have two more appts. one on monday to take off the old bridge and take fittings for the new bridge. then another appt on september 9th to put on the new bridge, fill the tooth, etc.
oh yeah, right, 3 grand. well at least i can make payments.
they're going to submit to bc/bs but everybody knows they won't pay a cent.
i really didn't need this....
Posted by merrygirl (Member # 12041) on :
holey moley. SO sorry to hear this. I fear the day that someone needs dental work.
I just dont have that kind of money.
I pray that it is cheaper for you.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
egads, i know. i told them to call 911 because i was having a heart attack.
man, i'm in shock....3 grand, 3 GRAND!!!!
OH MY HEART!!!!
Posted by merrygirl (Member # 12041) on :
hugs
I am so sorry. Can you get another estimate somewhere else?
I also think there is a credit card called care credit that you can use at some dentist offices and vets.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
i've beenn going to this dentist for about 20 odd years. he's the best in this area and i trust him.
oh well at least they are willing to take payments. some don't at all.
Posted by cordor (Member # 9449) on :
That's about the going rate for that type of dental work around here in lovely New Jersey.
Posted by linky123 (Member # 19974) on :
I feel your pain. I've had some extensive dental work lately myself, root canals pulled and cavitations.
The bills are killing us.
At least he is willing to do payments. There are plenty of them out there who won't.
Still, the 'sticker shock' is bad enough.
Posted by lymednva (Member # 9098) on :
I had a similar estimate for some dental work. When I heard the price I decided to get another opinion, from my nephew, who happens to be a highly regarded dentist. He asked me a bunch of questions, looked at the x-ray and said I didn't need all they wanted to do.
So I decided to go to another local dentist for a second opinion. I went in and told them nothing about what either dentist had told me, just that I was getting a second opinion.
That dentist said almost verbatim what my nephew told me. I went with him., and really like him and his staff.
My dentist for 30 years recently retired. My new one is younger than me, a good idea at my age!
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
randibear,
So sorry to hear this!
Question though: what kind of metal? And do you already have metal in your mouth? If it has mercury---no! If not, but you already have a different metal in your mouth, that's not good health-wise either. It can set up radio waves in your mouth.
Second opinion? Sounds like a good idea. Whew!
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
unfortunately, you can look in my mouth and see the broken section in the back. this was a three unit bridge and i've broken the entire back section off exposing the tooth underneath.
looks like i'll just charge it on my mc. that way i can control the payments at least.
you always think you're getting ahead and then BAM!!
Posted by organictexan (Member # 27653) on :
I learned recently that you have to be very careful about what you have placed in your mouth. Paid $500.00 for a gold crown on a molar because I kept breaking the porcelain crown by grinding, or so that's what the dentist said. So anyhow I shell out the money for the gold crown and then developed an infection in that root canal a couple of months later. Most important thing I learned is that you should avoid getting a root canal like the plague as regardless if there are no symptoms, there is always an infection going on in a root canal and those bacteria etc cause systemic diseases. Second most important thing I found out was while the dentist may have touted this as a "gold crown" the biological dentist said that I should find out what percentage is gold and what percentage are "other metals." She said typically other metals are used on all types of dental work and contain nickel which is a neurotoxin. So beware of what you put in your mouth. As for this tooth, I'm having it extracted by an oral surgeon. Won't every get another root canal! http://www.newswithviews.com/Howenstine/james34.htm Posted by carly (Member # 14810) on :
randibear, if your going ahead with this treatment with him, it may be better for you to do the payment plan through the office.
Putting it on your mastercard may be convenient, as you're not going to be getting another bill, but you will have the interest charges.
Those will almost certainly be higher from the credit card company than from a private office that will probably charge lowers fees for a payment plan.
Something to think about.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
i had a root canal done and yes it got infected.
i went to this other doctor because stupidly mike doesn't like dr. h, so i caved and went to his friend's dentist.
well, i went on vacation to albuquerque and my face was so swollen i was miserable. i got back to dr. h, and he threw a complete fit. i had to go to an oral surgeon who ended up tearing it out and scraping the bone, it was so bad.
i was really sick.....
so i never, ever want to go through that again.
but unfortunately i've sharp points right now sticking up from that cap where i broke it.
hey, my mc is the best bet right now, cause i need cash to go to my sister's house and will be gone two weeks.
at least with the mc, i can make partial payments but if take 3 grand out of my checking we're sunk for the month and i asked the dentist today about payments.
they want half in one month and half the next. some payments huh?
so i'd rather just bite the bullet and charge the damn thing.
Posted by kidsgotlyme (Member # 23691) on :
Sorry Randibear. That just stinks!
It makes me thankful for dental insurance.
Posted by tickalert (Member # 7033) on :
Second opinions can be good however, you have to go where your comfortable.
Twice I've had two different dentistis tell me my daughter whose 13 has cavities and she didn't although your case is very different.
You could get a referral from friends to get a second opion.
Best of luck. So sorry to here about the price tag.
I just had to pay an attorney $4,000.00 regarding a custody case last week. I feel your pain.
Posted by TxCoord (Member # 9204) on :
So sorry about your situation kid. It's a bummer that bc/bs won't help much. Hang in, hang on!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Check out Golden Rule for economical and GOOD dental insurance.
I've been really happy with them. It's costing us about $30 each per month.
[ 09-01-2010, 01:19 PM: Message edited by: Lymetoo ]
Posted by snaps (Member # 25104) on :
i agree with organictexan. be careful what you let them put in your mouth!
there are holistic dentists in your area if you want that second opinion, especially about the metal issue. you don't want to create a bigger problem than you already have.