seafarer
Feb 5, 2009, 11:02 PM
I am 63 and have always had good teeth with few cavities. All of a sudden everything seems to be falling apart. First, I was told I needed scaling and planing. They originally told me it would be $2300 with our supplemental dental insurance. I was very assertive and they were just cheerfully charging me wrong and the bill ended up $900 only because I advocated for myself. Next they tell me I need crown lengthening on the back molar on the top. I couldn't believe it was $2100. I don't get how I had a serious undetected problem when I go to the dentist regularly. The worst of all is I go for the CL and only then discover that it is preliminary to getting a crown on that tooth--more big money!! The endodontist says I have to have it because there is still decay there that he didn't remove because that wasn't his job. As far as I can tell, the gum is just healing together over where this tooth was, so I guess pnly "lengthened" roots remain--and expensive ones at that. My main question is can I just get some kind of spacer for that tooth that will maintain the structure (since that was the reason they said it would be oh so bad to just pull it) and I don't really miss the tooth and it doesn't show? I assume a spacer would be a lot less expensive than a crown and I am very sick of giving the dentist all my money.
BTW, we have BC/BS insurance and it pays virtually nothing for dentists, so we also have a supplemental plan that has really bailed us out several times. It is only about $100 /year and is effective immediately. I feel so bad for people without dental insurance, and I suggest you check something like this out.
Thanks for any info,
BTW, we have BC/BS insurance and it pays virtually nothing for dentists, so we also have a supplemental plan that has really bailed us out several times. It is only about $100 /year and is effective immediately. I feel so bad for people without dental insurance, and I suggest you check something like this out.
Thanks for any info,