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A week ago, I was brushing my teeth, and my tongue felt something odd. I rushed to the bathroom ,and was shocked to see an entire corner quadrant of my back molar was completely gone. The silver filling was exposed on the side.
I rushed to the first dentist that would take me in on a Friday. I joked with a friend that I felt like I was in Saul Goodman's office. It was definitely low budget. Sitting there in a waiting with basically folding chairs and watching General Hospital on an old 19 inch tv. lol
The dentist examined me for like 15 seconds, and told me I would need a crown. I had no tooth pain, and he said there was no need for a root canal. The nerves weren't exposed. They quoted me $795 for the crown.
I didn't feel good about the place because of the low budget vibe, and also the dental chair practically had no headrest.
I've been shopping around, adn the prices have been disheartening. One place wanted $1600 plus another $300 if I need a build up. I did find one place that quoted me $761, but they didnt say if anything about a buildup. In the meantime, the tooth has been hurting some.
Now my fear is I spend all this money for a crown, and then I need a root canal. No telling how much that will be. This has been a hard year financially, and 2K would wipe out half of my savings. My family says just have the thing pulled and be done with it. But everything I read online is horror stories about teeth shifting and my life would just be ruined forever!
But if the teeth shifting isnt immediately, I could at least save up for a couple of years and get an implant done. Does that sound like a better option? My choices are potential financial ruin vs teeth shifting.
The dentist examined me for like 15 seconds, and told me I would need a crown.
I had no tooth pain, and he said there was no need for a root canal (or implant).
The nerves weren't exposed. They quoted me $795 for the crown.
Sounds like he knows his trade and offered his work at a good price.
As to the dentist in particular... contact the closest major dental school.
Ask for a referral to 3 or 4 active practitioners (10 years?) in your area.
You probably need other catch up work.
Last edited by MrRational; 11-15-2013 at 09:34 AM..
Any chance you have a digital copy of the radiograph? These questions are so hard to answer without seeing what's really going on.
They had my xrays as digital files on a computer. When I asked for a copy, she printed it out on a plain piece of paper, and blacked out the area where I'm having a problem! This came across as really shady to me, but since they offered free consultation, I guess they don't want to lose business.
Do the crown and keep what's left of the tooth intact since it gives support to the nearby teeth. If you pull it then you'll have a gap that would eventually close and move the surrounding teeth and then you'd really have a mess to deal with. Crown price you quote is really fair. I've had 2 gold crowns and both cost nearly $900.00 each.
Well, no, these dentists are not at all a "ripoff". Have you had any car repairs done in the last several years? How about major plumbing work?
As for your idea of having the tooth pulled and then having an implant "later", do you realize that you'll be spending more money in the long run? (Implants are at least two or three times more expensive than crowns). Even having the tooth pulled will cost something.
Bite the bullet and get the crown. I have crowns that are more than 30 years old.
Well, no, these dentists are not at all a "ripoff". Have you had any car repairs done in the last several years? How about major plumbing work?
As for your idea of having the tooth pulled and then having an implant "later", do you realize that you'll be spending more money in the long run? (Implants are at least two or three times more expensive than crowns). Even having the tooth pulled will cost something.
Bite the bullet and get the crown. I have crowns that are more than 30 years old.
I agree with this.
Implants, even for one tooth are expensive and it can be a long process. It can take up to a year for the actual implant to heal and then after that the prosthetic tooth put on. In some cases you can get a crown done same day, depending upon the dentist. The prices those dentists have quoted you do not seem unreasonable at all. Yes, you still have the option to have the tooth pulled but if there is no decay and no infection in the tooth then it's silly to pull it as it would still be technically sound.
It's very common for teeth to fracture like this one did when you have a large amalgam filling in it.
I can't believe anyone would balk at a crown vs pulling a tooth! I have several crowns, some 20 years old, with no problems! Now the oldest one needed replacing because of some decay above the gum line. It's a middle molar, 2 back from the eyetooth (don't know the #). There is some trouble fitting a new crown because of the tooth structure but my dentist is having me see a specialist because a new crown is the VERY BEST outcome here. Loosing the tooth is the only other option and no matter how I deal with that it's a major bummer for me. There is no option to just leave the gap, it's visible when I open my mouth and I need that molar, due to major orthodontic work as a child I only have 3 molars (lost the wisdom teeth + 1 due to overcrowding). I really really really don't want to loose this tooth. There is nothing more scary to me.
I can't believe anyone would balk at a crown vs pulling a tooth! I have several crowns, some 20 years old, with no problems! Now the oldest one needed replacing because of some decay above the gum line. It's a middle molar, 2 back from the eyetooth (don't know the #). There is some trouble fitting a new crown because of the tooth structure but my dentist is having me see a specialist because a new crown is the VERY BEST outcome here. Loosing the tooth is the only other option and no matter how I deal with that it's a major bummer for me. There is no option to just leave the gap, it's visible when I open my mouth and I need that molar, due to major orthodontic work as a child I only have 3 molars (lost the wisdom teeth + 1 due to overcrowding). I really really really don't want to loose this tooth. There is nothing more scary to me.
20 years ago, implants weren't a common solution to dental issues. But over the past couple of decades, oral surgery has improved, implant materials, education, tools, have all improved. So now, there aren't only two choices (crown or lose the tooth). There are three (crown, implant, or go toothless). Well plus a bridge if there's a tooth on each side of the gap.
Implants are sturdier than crowns, tend to be longer-lasting, have a lower failure rate (see, your oldest crown needs pulling due to decay - this wouldn't happen if it were an implant - get ready for a couple of the others to follow suit).
If a crown fails, or a tooth beneath the crown fails, you end up pulling the tooth anyway and still have to decide between being toothless, or getting an implant.
Loosing the tooth is not the only other option. Replacing the tooth with an implant is another option, and it's a much more viable and durable option than it was 20 years ago. I wouldn't have opted for it when I had my first bridge put in after my car accident in the 1980's. Even the idea of it would've freaked me out. But if I had that accident in the last 10 years, I would've saved myself a *lot* of trouble and expense and time by getting implants from the get-go.
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