WOO HOO! I made it through another root canal treatment today!

[Radio_Lady]

Tooth #2 (12 year molar) just decided to start acting up a few months ago -- painful when I was drinking iced tea. It had a beautiful gold crown on it, but the dentist just drilled through that sucker. So, nothing is perfect forever.

Tonight I am a little bit sore but no big problems. Just another $1,000 for the procedure today, followed by more cash outlay when I get a final filling.

The BAD NEWS is that over the long weekend, I lost or misplaced a $1,000 partial lower dental appliance that I have had since 2003. My fault completely. I just have no idea what happened to it and LOOKED EVERYWHERE for it all day Sunday and Monday. I called the movie theater and two restaurants where I went -- and it has not been found. So that's another bunch of money for replacement.

To add to the misery, Grandpa is facing a molar tooth procedure in late September, expensive as hell.

But, in light of all that's happening in the world and even here on the DU, this is small potatoes.

Thanks for reading through this rant and I apologize for all the self-centered stuff.

[bigwillq]

1. Hope you feel better.

:hug:

Doesn't sound like you're going through much fun right now. :hug:

[Pool Hall Ace]

2. Good for you for getting through another treatment!

I had a root canal a year ago, and I got a card in the mail from the dentist saying it's time to check on that tooth. I didn't even know there were one-year follow-ups on root canals!

[KitchenWitch]

3. Sorry you are going through that pain.

:hug:

[REP]

4. I freaking love my dentist

I had a RCT on #31 - the one that opposes #2 - and not only did it not hurt the next day, the charge was under $800.00! I'm in the SF Bay Area, too! Good thing he's so good and his charges so reasonable - I've had 3 RCTs and four gold crowns since April.

[Blue-Jay]

5. Root canals are the long passages full of soft tissue deep within the dentin of a tooth

In dentistry, a pulpectomy is an endodontic treatment to cure an infection of the root canal; informally a root canal. A root canal, coupled with internal tooth bleaching, is also used to fix teeth that have blackened because of infiltration of decayed soft tissue into the dentin in the teeth, most often seen in frontal incisors that have been injured through a sudden impact.

[uppityperson]

6. Congrats. I signed up for AARP dental insurance yesterday 'cause I have 1 coming soon.

Cheek is swollen by nose, either sinus going down or tooth coming up, but infection (on antibiotics). Teeth are tender due to grinding jaw, dentist I saw said that teeth shouldn't be tender from grinding and wants me to see an endodontist (i may be weird, but my teeth get tender for a wk after a good jaw grinding). I'm getting an appointment in a wk, hopefully teeth pain will have settled down and where the infection is coming from might be more apparent.

So, I signed up for AARP dental insurance to cover it all for a bit. Argh.

Glad you are feeling better and hope you find your partial soon. Would you, as a partial owner, recommend we keep our teeth, paying over $2000/tooth, or is a partial ok? I struggle with the numbers and try to not panic, but I can put little more money into my mouth and everyone at dentist always says "oh you WANT to keep your teeth", so I'm asking a partial wearer, how is it?

[Radio_Lady]

9. Uppityperson, check your PMs.

[uppityperson]

10. got it, thanks, off to read. appreciate it.

[sniffa]

7. if this isn't a caLL for universaL dentaL care, i don't know what is

no justice! no peace!

[Radio_Lady]

13. Good idea! Do other countries have it?

[ironflange]

8. I've had a few, it's not as bad as people think

It's just really really boring.

[lizziegrace]

15. I've had 14 done

I usually fall asleep as soon as the novacaine kicks in. It's such a good feeling not to be in agony.

[Radio_Lady]

17. My endodontist is very chatty and friendly. Not many like him. I wanted to smile

under the "rubber dam" -- but before I wrote him the check!

[wildhorses]

11. i had my first tooth pulled today. left upper molar. $250.oo

dang. what a big hole is in my mouth :wow:

[Radio_Lady]

12. Sorry to hear this. Was there any way to save it, WildHorses?

You need something to oppose it in your mouth, and to guard the space that is left (other teeth can "drift" and/or "tip" into the area, causing bite problems).

[wildhorses]

14. it was the very last tooth. in the back.

it was planned to be crowned. i have been with out insurance for a year now. the tooth has been hurting for a month now. last night, it was unbearable...nothing i took relieved me. i could have put $800.oo for the crown on my cc. since it was that last tooth, i decided to have them pull it. i had my wisdom teeth cut out when i was 19 and now this tooth. in a way, i regret my decision, in a way NOT. had it been a middle tooth i would have definitely gotten the crown. i let the pain interfere with my judgment. even with insurance the crown would have been $400.oo out of my pocket. dr does not take monthly payments so, i have to put it on a cc.

i dunno...only tooth i have lost. i am now considered an old person in this country. so, i guess i am not doing too badly.

:shrug:

[Radio_Lady]

16. Wow. The prices are ridiculous... and you have no medical/dental emergency funds.

Well, I look at it this way, after spending thousands of dollars. "It's only teeth!"

I finally told myself after the expenses and the pain... from injuries to nerves in my jaw after two dentists, two endodontists, and one crazy oral surgeon who was just using me for his guinea pig... all worked on me.

[wildhorses]

18. after a certain age...you are right. they ARE only teeth.

i have spent all my emergency funds. i am at fault for not working. i don't want just ANY job. so, i am partly at fault for this predicament.

this country needs to restructure its health care system.