A rant about dentists, dental care, dental insurance and TEETH!

[Sharon1964 2,530]

AAARRRGGGHHH!

For several years, through several dentists, I have complained about one tooth in particular, in the back. When I floss, it feels like the floss gets stuck on something, like there is tartar there. Every dentist has said, no, it's just the way your tooth is shaped.

So I was at my dentist getting a cleaning, and he poked around that tooth with an instrument. It started bleeding profusely. He decided to send me to a gum specialist.

I saw the gum specialist, who took xrays from different angles than I had before. He showed me a bump under the gum line on that tooth, and said it was a piece of tartar. He then said I had a chronic infection because that bump was causing food to get stuck under the gum line. I also had bone loss from the infection.

Astonished, I told him I had been complaining about that area for years. Jeez.

So he tells me the procedure he wants to do, in order to save the tooth. It involves cleaning the tartar, then doing a bone graft.

Yesterday their office calls me and tells me they have authorization to do the procedure. The bone graft portion is not a covered benefit of my plan. My copay for the entire procedure is $910.

SERIOUSLY???

Now here is where I check myself. I pay nothing for my insurance premiums. My boss pays for my health insurance, dental, vision, chiro, and acupuncture. My portion of those premiums is zero. Yes, I am very lucky.

Just not the way I wanted to spend $910.

[Babbs 14,681]

You're preaching to the choir.

I have had horrible teeth my whole life. My dad was Irish, so my mom used to call our teeth "potato eating teeth" because they were so soft and prone to decay.

Well, they seemed to get worse after my surgery. Although my fronts are still great, I ended up breaking off one of my last good molars on an almond. I was only chewing on one side as it was. I really wasn't interested in being on a soft diet for the rest of my life.

I looked into implants. $30,000 to replace molars. Yeah, no. I had to opt for partials so I could at least chew again property. Even with insurance, $6,000 later. Thank goodness for credit and some savings!

Well, at least I can chew now. And it really forces me chew slower, too

[KristenVSG2014 1,872]

You're preaching to the choir.

I have had horrible teeth my whole life. My dad was Irish, so my mom used to call our teeth "potato eating teeth" because they were so soft and prone to decay.

Well, they seemed to get worse after my surgery. Although my fronts are still great, I ended up breaking off one of my last good molars on an almond. I was only chewing on one side as it was. I really wasn't interested in being on a soft diet for the rest of my life.

I looked into implants. $30,000 to replace molars. Yeah, no. I had to opt for partials so I could at least chew again property. Even with insurance, $6,000 later. Thank goodness for credit and some savings!

Well, at least I can chew now. And it really forces me chew slower, too

I almost spit my tea out when I read "potato eating teeth".

[Sharon1964 2,530]

Update: Had my dental surgery at 8 am today.

Oh. My. Gawd. Injection to the ROOF of my mouth to numb it! I started shaking so much the dentist asked if I was okay. I told him it was adrenaline, fight or flight, and I couldn't do either one!

Once he got everything numbed up, it wasn't too bad. So the postop instructions include an ice pack for my face, and the assistant dentist told me I could get a cold drink and when I take a drink, hold the cold liquid on the surgery side before swallowing.

Now, I'm thinking, won't it be sensitive to cold? But in my adrenaline-induced shaking state, I do it anyway. HOLY MOTHER OF GAWD. I should have listened to my inner voice. I'll skip the graphic description of what it feels like, and just say, I hate her.

Side note: The dentist himself is super hunky, smooth velvety voice, and amazing eyes. Hey, I'm a sexual being, what can I say.

[Kindle 8,667]

Glad you made it through and that you finally found a doc that was able to help.

And if it makes you feel any better, I pay over $300/month in insurance premiums that DOESNT include dental or vision (or WLS), so there are a lot worse places you could be spending a lot more money....."Affordable" Care Act my a$$ !

[Julie norton 2,850]

My wonderful insurance. No dental. No Vision. 5 k deductible. $1110/ mo

I will be changing shortly

To silver affordable.

We shall see which worked best

[honeybunz 139]

Omg, you were awake for your bone graft? I was put to sleep for mine. Felt nothing. It was actually quite pleasant. Except for the $800+ it cost! I'm having an implant in about 3 months (root canal that became infected) and that will be an additional $1,200. Will be nice to finally be able to chew on both sides tho! I feel ya on the costs tho. Can't imagine not having insurance!

[Sharon1964 2,530]

I go in this morning to have the stitches out.

@@honeybunz How long did it take for the pain to go away? It's been 9 days since my surgery, and it still hurts. I had most of my stomach yanked out and it didn't hurt for this long!!!

[honeybunz 139]

I don't think you should still be hurting. I only had pain the day of my surgery. I had my stitches & membrane out last week. It bled and was gross feeling that day but better by the next day. Hope your pain goes away!

[Sharon1964 2,530]

So I went and had the stitches out. Holy Mother of Gawd. I think I saw little stars.

It wasn't my oral surgeon that took them out but his partner. He reviewed everything and said they opened up my gums quite extensively and he was not surprised it still hurt. He said it may hurt for another took weeks.

But I'm OFF ORAL RESTRICTION! Oh yeah, I don't think I mentioned that, nothing was allowed in my mouth except food and drink! LOL! No kissing or nuthin!

Not that I want any of "nuthin"... dangit, pain is a mofo.

He is going to check me again in four weeks.