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My regular dentist recently noticed a little discoloration in my tooth and attempted a filling. Apparently, the decay went pretty deep so she stopped after drilling all the way down to the root and recommended that I see an endodontist for a root canal. I met with the specialist today and she took a few x-rays, did a bit more drilling, some plunging with the small needles and then stopped to tell me that there was too much decay and the tooth would have to be extracted. I was in there for about 45 minutes to an hour (if you count the 15 or so minutes that she waited for my mouth to numb). The total came to just under $800. I know she did some work—and i fully expected to pay something—but does $800 seem kind of high just to tell me that i need to have the tooth extracted and sent me back to my dentist?
My wife told me that our dentist recommended an endontist for her a couple of years ago and he was unable to help her (after working on her for almost an hour) but he didn't charge her anything for the visit.
The endodontist I saw also said she noticed the tooth beside the one she was working on also looked like it needed to be "evaluated" and asked me to come back to have that one checked. I'm worried that she might really run up a bill on me though.
Has anyone found themselves in a similar situation? I just feel like I'm getting ripped off. To make matters worse, I'm paying out of pocket for all this. The extraction is going to be around $200, so this whole experience has cost be $1,000 so far just to have a tooth extracted.
This has been tough as I've always had routine checkups and kept up with my dental hygiene. Apparently, as the endontist said, "sometimes x-rays don't always pick up the decay"
I can understand your complaint, but as you said, the endo did work on you and time is money. What concerns me, however, is they did a lot of work before determining the tooth was not salvageable. They should have a better idea than that before getting to the stage they did. In that regard I think you are being overcharged. Tell them so and see of they will accept $400.
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure what to do—and didn't know if you could negotiate with dentists—so I ended up just paying the $800. I was really turned off by the whole process. In fact, the receptionist came over to me and asked for my credit card while I was in the chair waiting for the local anesthesia to numb my tooth. It just seemed so low class. Is that normal?
Also, the endodontist wanted to set up an "evaluation" of some of my other teeth because she said she saw some shadowing on the x-ray. I can't help but feel as though she's just milking me of more money. Shouldn't my regular dentist be able to identify these shadows? Then again, it seems as though no one caught the decay in the first place and it cost me a tooth. I'm still considering canceling my "evaluation" appointment with her though.
I thought they could determine thru x-rays how bad the decay was.
Actually decay is caused by a bacteria. It is "catching". You get it by kissing.
You give it to your children when you kiss them on the mouth or share eating tools or drinking vessels.
Seems like they could do something about that.
I thought they could determine thru x-rays how bad the decay was.
I thought so too, and I went in for my checkups twice a year every year. They only acted when the tooth started showing a little discoloration. Apparently, by that time, the damage had already been done. I never would have guessed I would have been at risk for a tooth extraction. I've taken really good care of my teeth. Now I'm so paranoid as to whether any of my other teeth are at threat. I've been brushing, flossing, and swishing like a crazed person.
I thought they could determine thru x-rays how bad the decay was.
Actually decay is caused by a bacteria. It is "catching". You get it by kissing.
You give it to your children when you kiss them on the mouth or share eating tools or drinking vessels.
Seems like they could do something about that.
Not all decay is caught on x-ray and sometimes not at all. The only way to know how much decay is present is for the doctor to remove it. Often decay goes deeper than the x-ray shows.
As to giving your kids bad teeth by kissing them, that was good for a belly laugh. I am sure proper oral hygiene of flossing and brushing makes kissing a relatively safe practice.
It is true that parents pass many of their oral flora on to their babies when kissing and other similar practices that swap spit. Some of those bacteria are normal and healthy and aid in digestion & serve other important purposes. Others are cariogenic, or capable of causing cavities. Some people have a higher proportion of cariogenic microbes than others and are consequently more at risk for getting cavities.
As Blazer stated, good oral hygiene, regular checkups and eating healthy can offset the risk posed by the higher proportion of unhealthy microbes. No need to stop kissing your baby lol.
My regular dentist recently noticed a little discoloration in my tooth and attempted a filling. Apparently, the decay went pretty deep so she stopped after drilling all the way down to the root and recommended that I see an endodontist for a root canal. I met with the specialist today and she took a few x-rays, did a bit more drilling, some plunging with the small needles and then stopped to tell me that there was too much decay and the tooth would have to be extracted. I was in there for about 45 minutes to an hour (if you count the 15 or so minutes that she waited for my mouth to numb). The total came to just under $800. I know she did some work—and i fully expected to pay something—but does $800 seem kind of high just to tell me that i need to have the tooth extracted and sent me back to my dentist?
My wife told me that our dentist recommended an endontist for her a couple of years ago and he was unable to help her (after working on her for almost an hour) but he didn't charge her anything for the visit.
The endodontist I saw also said she noticed the tooth beside the one she was working on also looked like it needed to be "evaluated" and asked me to come back to have that one checked. I'm worried that she might really run up a bill on me though.
Has anyone found themselves in a similar situation? I just feel like I'm getting ripped off. To make matters worse, I'm paying out of pocket for all this. The extraction is going to be around $200, so this whole experience has cost be $1,000 so far just to have a tooth extracted.
This has been tough as I've always had routine checkups and kept up with my dental hygiene. Apparently, as the endontist said, "sometimes x-rays don't always pick up the decay"
That does not sound right to me at all. Tell your regular dentist what happened and see what he/she says. If you went in to the endodontist and they told you the tooth was not restorable, maybe they charge you $100-200. Why it took them over 30 min to determine the tooth was not restorable is also not typical. Tell your regular dentist ASAP.
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