by Ashley
For any new readers out there (hi!!!) this is now my third or fourth post about dentistry/dental health in just a couple months. Our family has been plagued with dental issues as of late (see dental-related posts here, here, and here).
To be fair, husband’s issues were not new nor were they surprises. But mine were definitively unexpected….
Remember when I went to the dentist a couple months ago?
Well the x-rays turned up a “fun” little surprise. My front tooth is dead. Yep. Apparently at some point (could have been years ago as a child) I must have been hit in the mouth hard enough to kill the root in my front tooth.
When I went to the dentist he said the gums look good (no disease or abscess), but the tooth would continue to darken over time (eventually turning black if nothing was done) and would need to be replaced. His suggestion? A porcelain veneer. But, of course, I don’t want to do my one front tooth by itself – that would just look silly and out of place. I would need to do at least the front two, though it would be better if I just did the front four or six.
No worries!, said the dentist.
We’ll get you a quote printed right up! We’ll even give you a discount! *smiles*
Well that sounded downright ridiculous. Everything I googled said that a dead tooth required a root canal (since there’s often infection) and a crown. NOTHING even so much as MENTIONED a porcelain veneer.
I got on a little facebook Moms group in my neighborhood and asked for dentist suggestions. Someone recommended a little family-owned and operated dentists’ office within walking distance of my home (I’ve walked by it to go to the park many times and never even noticed it!)
WOW – what a difference a second opinion makes!
This dentist said it was perfectly fine to simply take the “wait and see” approach. Since there’s no sign of infection an immediate root canal is not necessary. Of course, should infection occur in the future I would know it by a number of signs (pain, sensitivity), and would need to have a root canal at that point. But infection is not imminent. It could never happen! So I just need to be mindful of potential signs of infection and we will have a front tooth x-ray done every couple years to make sure everything still looks good. Easy-breezy!
Also recall that since my last dental appointment I also chipped my back tooth. The dentist said it’s a relatively small chip but does need to be filled in to prevent decay from setting in (I’d googled this in advance and this is precisely what Dr. Google had recommended, too).
I scheduled an appointment to have a filling done next week. The cost is $190, but they will give me a 10% discount (= $171). The quote from Nogales, Mexcio my husband had received had put fillings at $100 each, so I think $171 is a fair quote. What’s more? They gave me the day’s appointment for free! Even though they’d had to re-do some of the x-rays (the old office had only sent over the Panoramic photo), and the dentist gave me a full examination, they said today would be considered a “consult” and would be no cost!!! I was anticipating spending at least $100!
So I think I’ve found our new family dentist!!!
On my last dental post I’d asked if we should consider getting actual dental insurance. I hate it because its very expensive and there’s a long “wait period” for many of the services (basically everything my husband needs, for instance, would have to be a 9 month-1 year wait). I understand why they do this, but it’s still annoying!
Booo! Buy dental insurance or no?
I’m leaning toward putting it off until after the car is paid in full. I just really, really want that car debt gone and want to avoid taking on additional monthly payments until after it’s been eliminated. What do you all think?
Hi, I’m Ashley! Arizonan on paper, Texan at heart. Lover of running, blogging, and all things cheeeeese. Freshly 40, married mother of two, working in academia. Trying to finally (finally!) pay off that ridiculous 6-digit student loan debt!
Great second opinion! At my last dentist appointment the new dentist in said there was the beginning of a cavity and they could do it right then. I didn’t have time for the work (or get in the right mindset – fear of dentist here) and passed. Went back in for cleaning 6 months – that dentist is gone – my regular guy looks – everything is OK. Stuff like that makes me more nervous about going!
Dental insurance – make sure you find exactly what the dental insurance will cover on the specific precedes your husband needs and what the maximums (year and life) are. Dental insurance is notorious for paying very little.
I know! I don’t want to group them all together because I know there are plenty of dentists of upstanding moral character (I’m friends with a couple dentists from back in Austin), but I swear it seems like so many dentists these days have the “greasy mechanic” type thing going on. They lie about all kinds of things that you don’t really need and try to up-sell in every way possible. (Side note: I’m not saying all mechanics are bad, either, but I think this is a general stereotype and I totally think many dentists fall into the same category, too!). I’m glad I found a dentist I believe I can trust!
My thought is that if your husband needs a lot of work done, you might want to get him insurance soon to start the clock, and find a dentist that can do things on a timeline and work with what you have in regards to the deductable. It might be wise to speak with the insurance biller for your dentist, s/he might have some good insight about insurance companies and maximizing your options.
Good for you! Too many people are too reluctant to get that second opinion. I think a lot of the time it saves money, but is perceives as costing more money to get more opinions. One of my pet peeves. I’ve mostly always had a *GREAT* dentist. (Saw some REALLY scammy dentists when my first dentist retired. Eventually found a stellar dentist). Anyway, it amazes me how much people will blindly pay for dental work.
Dental insurance? Never had it – the math doesn’t make any sense. No matter how I run the numbers the insurance just doesn’t really cover much. Makes more sense to find a dentist who caters to the uninsured. Every dentist I have ever had gives us cash discounts and/or discounts for not having insurance. Some seem to cater more to the uninsured crowd (by charging very little). I also don’t like the idea of having to limit my dentist search. It is hard enough to find a good dentist, without making sure said dentist is covered by my insurance plan. I had some work dental insurance plan for one year at my last job. It was completely worthless.
I’m confused about the dental insurance and waiting periods… wouldn’t you be eligible for 100% the benefits upon enrollment, assuming you enroll for a certain period of time? (Like a 1yr contract or until their open enrollment). If they’d make you wait anyway, then I would have to opt out of it… I have dental insurance. This year is my very first year getting it, and it gives me 2 free cleanings a year (I was paying $80 per cleaning), and it brought a $1500+ wisdom teeth removal surgery down to $330. I would chat with your new dentist (congrats with finding the right one for you!) and see what he thinks. Sometimes their payment plans are more affordable than some of the lousy insurance options out there.