Just got home from the dentist. No insurance. Doc wants $2865.

[Mugsy]

I just got home from the dentist. Found out I have an abscessed tooth. I have no insurance and live on less than $1000/month (rent eats $680).

The dentist wants to charge me $2865. I have no savings.

"Hospitalization" is not the only healthcare coverage we need, nor is it the only medical expense than bankrupt people.

[Junkdrawer]

1. Any dental schools near you?

:shrug:

[moc]

55. My recommendation exactly. I note the OPs profile says Texas.

If you're in DFW, check out the Baylor College of Dentistry. I had a bunch of crowns and a root canal done there a few years back. The care is excellent and the cost a fraction of what a private dentist charges.

[DURHAM D]

2. Does that include a root canal and a crown?

[mrreowwr_kittty]

7. Probably not.

My root canal and crown ran me about 4 grand. Luckily, I had insurance to pay for some of it.

[LostinVA]

12. It has to -- an extraction would be under $300, even at an oral surgeon

[CountAllVotes]

15. that may or may not be true

In my husbands case they said the cost to extract 7 teeth would be between $300-$400 per tooth!

What a fuggin' outrage!!!

:mad:

P.S. Try OIL OF OREGANO!!! It may help!

[LostinVA]

17. That's insane

I went to an oral surgeon for an extraction (complications -- the tooth couldn't be saved). It was a mess -- he had to break it apart with a chisel and "scoop" it out. My health insurance paid for most of it since it was considered a "surgery," but the actual cost was $275. And, that was at a specialist's office.

[xultar]

3. You need antibiotics right? Did you get a script? IF I come up with any ideas

I'll PM you.

[CountAllVotes]

4. you think you have problems?

The dentist I go to wants $7500.00++ to extract and make plates for my husband! :grr:

I'm pissed as all hell!

:kick:

[Warpy]

14. Find a new dentist

because that is outrageous. Plates should be less than $3500, at most. Extractions depend on how they are done, local anesthesia in a chair versus general anesthesia in a chair versus general anesthesia in the hospital. Find a dentist who will do the extractions in the chair.

[CountAllVotes]

16. yes he has an oral surgeon lined up

and he called on the phone and wanted us to come in to discuss this with him and "make impressions". My husband said he did not want to ruin his summer and he wasn't going anywhere near the place until Oct.

He has NO pain. He has NO symptoms really.

I'm pressing hard for a 2nd opinion!!

:kick:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

5. That's horrible

You're right, Americans need dental coverage. I fell and damaged several teeth and I'm now paying off whopping $11,000 bill.

Get another opinion and check around for local programs that may help you out. Also, as mentioned above, check for dental schools and see how long the wait is to get in.

[followthemoney]

69. you could probably get to Canada or France or England for that kind of money

get the work done and come out ahead even after adding in jet fare.

[raccoon]

6. Are you close to Mexico? Dental work is much cheaper there.

Maybe some other DU'ers can point you to where to get started.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. He's In Texas

eom

[Richard D]

21. I'll second that . . .

. . . I had a 10K estimate for an extraction, implant, crown, and gum surgery. I went to a dentist in Tijuana who did a full exam, spent over an hour saving the tooth that "needed" extraction and then an implant, and had a full consult with a gum specialist who said I didn't need the surgery. All for under $200.00.

[raccoon]

8. I feel your pain. I had a tooth extracted about a decade ago.

At the time, I had no insurance and no income.

[LostinVA]

10. You can get it pulled at an oral surgeon for about $200-250

As much as it sucks not to keep the tooth. Any dental schools near you? They will do it cheaper, but not for free.

Even with insurance, I would pay about $2,200. It sucks. The cost of dental care in this country is outrageous.

[petersjo02]

11. Get a prescription for antibiotics right away

That should quiet the immediate infection and buy you some time. A dental school would be a good option, if you're close enough. Don't know where you're located, but dental work is very reasonable if you can cross the border to Mexico. Another idea is to call around to other local dentists and get price quotes. They might even be willing to evaluate the problem without charge and give you other treatment plan options. Good luck to you as you deal with this problem.

[Wildewolfe]

13. Just make sure....

...that no matter what you get on antibiotics now....

They at least are cheap, typically amoxicillan if you can take it. My ex went from minor abcess to near death in less than 12 hours from that and it took 3 months of a PIC line and IV antibiotics to save her. We had health insurance thankfully, but the full bill was probably over 100 grand from a dental abcess. Dental abcess is not minor, it can be life threatening if not treated and promptly.

[Tracer]

18. Absolutely get antibiotics -- they may work (or not).

Last summer my daughter came down with an abcessed molar. She spent three days in the hospital on intravenous antibiotics to no avail. An oral surgeon finally decided to pull the tooth, and that solved the infection.

As for dental insurance? If you are self-employed (as I am) you can kiss that idea goodbye. Doesn't exist.

I need a bridge replacement. One prosthodontist wanted $6,000 to do it. My regular dentist will do it for $3,000. And all of it will come out of my pocket.

[tech3149]

19. Welcome to my world, went through the same thing last month

My mother tricked me into going to the dentist. I needed root canal, crown, and new bridge. Price was about the same, but I haven't worked in four years, that made it a bit uncomfortable. Just watching the bank account egt smaller and smaller.

[Nutmegger]

20. Yet another shining success story in today's Amurika.

:patriot:

I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I was ill in the spring with no insurance. I'm still suffering the consequences of that illness. :(

[Wiley50]

22. Why do Dentists Charge so much for so little? I don't get it

I have recurring abcesses at least once a year and have to fight them back with antibiotics.

Living on $623/mo I can't even afford even the local dental school

[StarryNite]

58. Because they get get away with it.

The medical field in this country is loaded with parasites that suck you dry.

[CTyankee]

74. Can you pay the dentist in installments? That what my husband did before he

got his job with the city (wonderful health care plan; he's in AFSCME). A wonderful dentist in town did the work and let him pay it off monthly. Thank god he's got a great plan now, which includes dental and prescriptions. As his spouse, I pay $74 a month.

[Blue Diadem]

23. You're right, we need dental included with medical care.

We do have dental insurance but last fall, when I broke a tooth just a few days before my son's wedding, I had to have it pulled. We couldn't afford 50% of the cost for a root canal and crown. I don't remember the exact figure but our cost would have been over $1,000. As it was, with having it pulled, we paid a couple hundred by credit card while the insurance picked up the rest.

The dentist was not the most understanding man either. I doubt he's ever faced not being able to afford something he needed. He tried his best to convince me to to keep the tooth(like I didn't want to!) and repeatedly asked me if I would have the money in a month or two.

Dental care is just as important as medical care IMO and everyone should be able to be taken care of without worry of cost.

Mugsy, I hope you're not in pain.

:hug:

[Mugsy]

24. Dental is every bit as big a problem as Medical.

I haven't seen SiCKO yet (promised a sick friend we'll see it together), so I don't know if he talked about "dental" in his movie, but dental care can be more frequent and every bit as devastating to low-income people like me (like many of us seem to be on here) that it needs to be included, and I hear lots of talk among the candidates about "doctors visits" and "hospitalization", but not dental... which has cost me FAR more than the doctor over the past few years!

They already charged me for the X-rays ($92), and the prescription for Penicillin was just under $10. Over $100 gone in under an hour. Yeesh.

I don't live near a dental school (as someone asked), but I wouldn't trust them anyway. And it's more than a bit disgusting that anyone would even have to consider something like that.

I'm going to see if I can't get the subject of "dental insurance" injected into the Presidential race. I encource everyone reading this to do the same. Email a question on the subject to your favored candidate.

[Tracer]

25. Mugsy, don't dismiss dental schools!

It's unfortunate that you don't live near one, but it can tell you from personal experience that they do a very good job.

The same daughter as I mention upthread, went to a fine young dental student (in his final year at Tufts Dental School) while she was in college.

The students are ALWAYS monitored by certified dentists, and the work they do is of the highest professional quality.

[Saphire]

32. I agree...I have used the Dental School near me for almost a year.

it has cost me less than $2000.00 for about $8000.00 worth of work. The students are assigned according to their skill and your need and are always supervised by the teachers (who are dentist themselves).

[moc]

57. Totally agree. I had 3-4 crowns plus a root canal done at the Baylor College of Dentistry

in Dallas. The care is excellent - in some ways better than private. For example, my student had to make a complete impression of my teeth, and he made my crowns. Each crown fit exquisitely with very little adjustment needed after it was put in.

Also, something like a root canal is done by graduate student dentists - those who've been in private practice and are coming back for advanced training.

The only downside of getting work done at a dental school is the time. For each step along the way with the student dentists (not the grad student dentists), the student must wait and have his/her work reviewed/graded by the supervising faculty. So, a crown appointment that would take about an hour in a private dentist's office can easily take 3+ hours at a dental school. I got very good at sleeping in the chair. ;-)

[CountAllVotes]

26. you are so right!

So many people just do not go to dentists because they cannot afford it. Then comes the infected/abscessed tooth. The poison from the infection travels throughout your body and the rest of "you" begins to get sick with other problems as well.

As one ages, the chances for what sicknesses may arise multiply like wildfire!

You might try "oil of oregano" on the tooth to see if it helps.

I feel sorry for you as I myself once had three abscessed teeth. However, at the time, it was no $3,000.00 per tooth! The cost was something like $400.00 to deal with all of them.

We need MORE than Medicare for All! We need health care that covers everyone 100% from the time they are born until the time they die IMO. No ifs, ands or buts about it!!!

In the meantime, here is a healing :hug: for you!!

:kick:

[hedgehog]

27. Dental care is a first line component of preventive care.

Setting aside that minor infections in the mouth can lead to heart disease, having bad teeth makes it harder to eat properly.

[Junkdrawer]

28. I used dental schools when I was in my early 20s and the fillings...

held up until they were replaced with composite fillings a few years ago -- almost 30 years.

Remember, senior dentists (that trained every dentist you've ever gone to) supervise everything.

But I agree, it's an issue right up there with medical insurance. Remember that kid in the news that died from an abscess?

[stranger81]

29. Sympathy and a suggestion . . . . .

I'm so sorry to hear your story, and have definitely been in your shoes before. I remember having to leave classes regularly during my first year of law school because the pain my teeth were causing was so bad. First thing I did when I graduated was go to the dentist, and believe me, it cost a small fortune.

But what saved me during law school was a company called Care Credit that allowed me to go to the dentist w/o insurance and to put the payments on an installment plan. It was a pretty low interest rate, and my monthly payments were small and manageable. I'd definitely check them out to see if they can do anything to ease the pain of the bill you just got -- http://www.carecredit.com/.

Hang in there . . . . . .

[CountAllVotes]

30. thanks for that!

The dentist we've been going to doesn't take credit cards. I was thinking I'd have to take out a loan from the bank to pay for this.

Sh*t is all I can say.

:kick:

[bicentennial_baby]

52. Yes, we used them for our Dog when she got hit

:thumbsup:

[joeunderdog]

73. Dentists make, on the average, more $$$ than doctors in yearly salary.

How 'bout a cool $300K?

Go to Costa Rica and get it all done in a quality way at an 80% discount. And you can't beat the scenery.

[catmandu57]

31. I had a hell of a good dentist

Old Tom White, he was a true Liberal Democrat from the sixties, there were photos of him and the Democratic movers and shakers in our state all over the walls in his office. When I was completely and totally broke in both body, spirit, and wallet he'd cut me some slack and give me cut rate care.
When I finally got disability approved he pulled out every nasty stub of a tooth I had and made my dentures. He retired a few years ago, he was a great dentist, and a hell of a good humanitarian.

Has anyone noticed that since st. ronnie more and more people have dental problems, missing rotting teeth it's everywhere around here, a problem that is creeping up into the mc.

[Progressive_In_NC]

33. $5700 here for full oral surgery (bone loss and bacteria) ...second opinion was $7800

I was told to stay where I was and I was getting a deal. I spent an hour and 20 minutes in that chair. That's over $3,000 PER HOUR to work on my mouth.

Those prices were AFTER my dental insurance maxxed out my $1000 max benefit for the year.

[Mugsy]

35. Deductibles and "ceilings"

You bring up an important point: Even if you have insurance, you still have deductibles and "ceilings" (annual coverage limits) to worry about.

I've already sent a message on the subject to Bill Richardson, and mentioned the issues everyone here is bringing up. Hope everyone else does the same.

[CountAllVotes]

39. and don't you sort of wonder?

What if you have no insurance? Is the price still the same? Is the cost still the same? Is the "work" in fact really necessary?????????

Good for you for writing to Sen. Richardson. I like him very much and may very well vote for him in fact.

:kick: again ...

[drbtg1]

49. (Warning - dentist posting) Wanna hear something scary as hell?

(Please note the DU donor star, not all of us are complete scumbags.)

The price for the person with no insurance may be HIGHER than the person with insurance!

Technically, the dentist should have a set fee for a given procedure, each procedure given an ADA code number for convenience. However, if the dentist is a "participating provider" with an insurance company (thus, the dentist is given the status of an "in network" dentist to the people who have dental insurance with that insurance company), the insurance company gets to CHANGE any procedure fee. This changes what the dentist can collect from the insurance company and the patient combined. And yes, the insurance company fee will be lower than the usual dentist's fee.

Oh, it gets worse!

Let's say there's a dentist who has sympathy for people without insurance and decides he/she will set a lower fee for those patients without insurance. Or maybe the dentist sees an insured patient who needs a lot of work and the insurance benefits have a $1000 annual maximum (which hasn't changed in 35 years, unlike everything else in the world) and the dentist decides to not collect the deductible or co-pay from the patient. Sounds like a nice thing to do for patients who need a little help, doesn't it?

Too bad it's completely illegal!

It's considered insurance fraud. When the dentist submits insurance claims for any procedure, the dentist is certifying that procedure's fee is his actual fee in total. If it's really isn't, it's fraud, which would be one regularly scheduled insurance audit visit (or one disgruntled employee) away from being discovered. And something tells me HIPAA won't protect the dentist from deep shit.

It's a completely fucked system.

I know there's no sympathy for dentists here and I expect none. But after dealing with landlords, bankers, insurance companies, attorneys, practice management shitheads, contractors, town hall fuck-ups, and other morons, I'll tell you there's plenty of scary stuff on this side of the drill too.


edit: typo

[Arkham House]

51. Thanks for sharing...

...I know there are decent dentists...one may have literally saved my life a few years ago, by stretching a rule or two. God--doesn't the system suck? But thanks, for being a decent part of it...keep up the good fight...

[drbtg1]

54. I'm trying, thanks.

Oh, I should have added dental school to my list of "other morons". God, that was like four years of fraternity hazing, filled with assholes I had to call "professor" or "dean" or some other title that required major sucking-up, taking board exams that 60 Minutes should investigate because of all the blackmail that goes on there, and ended with a hefty six-figure student loan debt I'll have for the rest of my life.

Like I said, plenty of scary shit on my side of the drill.

[napi21]

46. Yea, no kidding! Two years ago I needed to get a new upper

plate. WE HAVE INSURANCE! We had a realtively small list of dentists who were part of the plan. I went in for my appointment and was told that MY PORTION of the bill was going to be $3800! I walked out!

I had to do a lot of calling around, but I found a dental group about 45 minutes from here that charged $300 WITHOUT INSURANCE! Theeir dentists did the impression, and their on-site lab made the plate the same day. I had the impression done in the morning and got the plate at 4:30 that same day.

While we were there I read their brochure. They charge $150 for a crown. My husband had to pay $550 AFTER THE INSURANCE PAID THEIR PART at their recommended dentist!

It's all a damn scam!!!!!

[CountAllVotes]

36. jesus!!!!!!!!!!

That is as bad as the situation being faced here! What is this $3,000.00 an hour sh*t for 1-1/2 hr. or less of actual "work".

I have much to say about dentists.

I was told when I was 29 years old that I'd likely lose all of my teeth by the time I was 40 years old due to gum disease (not the case!). I am now in my mid-50s and I have all of my teeth (albeit they are not "perfect").

I was told by another dentist I needed oral surgery for receding gums over two teeth. The gums have always been this way; I was born with them like this.

Hence, I went to ... A DENTAL SCHOOL and got another opinion. The dental school told me that I was born with the gums as they are and that no surgery was necessary for any reason to correct the way they were.

Another dentist told me that one of my upper front teeth was doomed to drop out. That was 20+ years ago.

I found out that he'd lost his ass in the stock market crash in the late 1980s and had a load of bucks invested in HORSE RACING.

A RAN away from this guy after learning this. These dentists can tell you anything and only hope you will believe it.

I always get a second opinion personally anytime one of these greedy SOBs tells me that I need surgery or some other costly procedure done (and yes, they are indeed greedy SOBs IMO; they can and will tell you anything for a buck!).

However, in the OPs case, there is indeed a serious problem and it must be dealt with ASAP is my belief. I don't know if the OP has the means to get a 2nd opinion but I'd sure try to find a way if at all possible.

:kick:

[rockymountaindem]

34. Yeah, but don't you love how the rich don't pay high taxes?

And that we're on the verge of eliminating the "death tax", which actually taxes people simply for being dead?

That should assuage the pain of your abscess.

[SoCalDem]

37. "death tax" does NOT tax people for being dead

The ESTATE/INHERITANCE tax taxes (FINALLY!) the rich offspring/heirs as they receive the windfall freebie from their recently-deceased robber-baron relative.

MOST people do not become super-rich by being "super-nice" and volunatrily paying all taxes all the time. Their accountants shield most of their money from those pesky taxes...and only when they died, did the piper show up to collect his/her due..and now that will end...

The majority of people in the US would NEVER have felt the sting of the inheritance tax anyway.. This was just the "Paris Hilton Relief" Bill....

It's always struck me as odd, that the people who favor bootstraps as the way to prosper, are so willing to give a closetful of gold plated boots, tax free, to the rich...and are perfectly content to flog the barefoot poor, and blame them for their own shoelessness.

[rockymountaindem]

41. I know. I was being sarcastic.

The whole "taxing people for dying" thing is obviously a crock. Your last line there is a perfect way to describe it. It's not a tax on death, it's a tax on *wealth transfer*, just like every other type of tax on wealth transfers. If my dad was to write me a giant check and say "thanks for being a good boy", I'd get taxed. Why should it be any different when he dies (may that day be far away)? It's not my money, I didn't earn it. It's being transferred to me. Besides which, my family doesn't have enough money to qualify for that tax anyway.

[EFerrari]

38. You went to a dentist?!

:wow:

[Disturbed]

42. Why Dental Insurance is a Waste of Money

http://www.savondentalplan.com/InsuranceIsAWasteOfMoney.php?gclid=CPLH6r31-owCFQzDYgodHiyKDA

Research various Dental Plans on the Net.

[Mugu]

40. I recently had to have my two lower front teeth pulled.

The damage from an accident nearly forty years ago finally got them. It cost $60 for the office visit and $75 each to have an oral surgeon pull the teeth. Then $1500 for an orthodontist to straighten the rest of the lower teeth and narrow the gap to just one tooth. Then back to the oral surgeon for a $1500 implant. Finally, it will be $1500 for a general dentist to mount a crown the implant. Once it's all said and done it will have taken over a years time, and cost over $5000. As an added bonus, I get to wear a retainer at night for the rest of my life. All for one damned tooth.

Several years ago I cracked a molar. The surgeon cost $700 for a root canal and the dentist charged $900 for a gold crown. No doubt about it, dental work is expensive, but dental insurance premiums are so expensive that I feel that I am still better off paying the dentist as needed.

Regards, Mugu

[HeeBGBz]

43. $2865 for an absessed tooth? How can that be?

The price I was quoted for having all my teeth pulled and new dentures was about $3000. He didn't offer you antibiotics to relieve the infection?

I'm in the same boat about needing dental care and having no money. My teeth are constantly dragging my health down.

But really, you need to find a different dentist because something isn't right about that.

[Disturbed]

44. Dental Plans are a better alternative.

Look at the prices on this page.

http://www.dentalplans.com/dentalplans/ca90home.asp?zipcode=

[drbtg1]

50. Interesting business model.

What you're linking to isn't insurance that pays benefits on behalf of patients, but rather a discount plan. The patient still has to pay the discounted rate IN FULL to the dentist. Better than the full fee, but the patient should know what their getting and not getting.

The only thing the plan does is get dentists who are desparate for patients (maybe a dentist just out of dental school, maybe a dentist starting a practice from scratch, maybe a dental mill that has a high number of patients who leave the practice) to sign up and agree to discount their fees for patients the discount plan refers to them.

OH, and they do one other thing: they collect fees from patients to join the plan. They pay nothing in benefits, but they collect fees from patients. Maximum business income, minimum business expense. That's one hell of a business model!

Every day that goes by causes me to think HR 676 makes more and more sense.

[MiniMe]

45. That amount has to include an extraction and a bridge

But that is an outrageous price. Although, I must admit, I have pretty good dental insurance, and I had to have a tooth out. The extraction was covered, but I decided to go for the implant instead of the bridge. Insurance covered zero, zippo, nothing on the implant, and it was $2,000. Insurance will help me with the crown that I still need to get placed on it. So if it is an extraction, implant, and crown that might make sense.

You need to find out exactly what his plan is. What tooth is it? It isn't as important to replace right away if it is an upper tooth, and get a second opinion.

[earthboundmisfit]

47. Most dentists in my neck of the woods (OK) REFUSE to see uninsured patients.

And the ONLY dental school in the state is over 100 miles from here.
Luckily for children 18 and under, there are free dental clinics with the city-county health department here, and they do pretty much whatever the child needs, and there are great dental clinics for kids on Medicaid, too. There are some dental assistant training schools that will do cleaning for adults, but if you're over 18 and need anything more than cleaning, you're screwed. Dentists around here quit taking payments many years ago and I haven't found any that will see uninsured patients at ALL. I guess if you're abcessed so bad it's systemic, you can go to the emergency room - if it ain't too late.

I remember when I DID have dental insurance finally provided with my one "corporate" job several years ago - I hadn't been to a dentist in several years, and once I got the insurance, I was so glad to finally get to go in. The damn dentist started bitching at me about not having been in (to a dentist) in so many years, lecturing me about it. I told him I hadn't had any insurance for a while and asked him if he took payments from people who couldn't pay all at once - and he promptly shut up. I've heard from several friends and family members who've had the same experience when seeing a dentist for the first time in a long time - the fucking lecture, etc. what is up with that, anyway??? They price care out of people's reach and bitch at 'em when they can't afford it????

[Lydia Leftcoast]

48. Dental bills are half the reason I'm no longer debt-free

I've had two crowns and root canal in the past two years.

The other half is car repairs: after not having had a car for ten years, I suddenly have to deal with replacing hoses, rebuilding exhaust systems, cracked radiators, and replacement of window glass, all on a car that I supposedly received for free.

[qanda]

53. I just got back from the dentist also

My 9 year old daughter needed a baby tooth pulled and it cost me $253.00. We have no insurance and I'm not sure how we're going to pay for this. I hated to put it on a credit card, but my daughter was in pain and so it had to be done. I hope you find relief soon. Can you find a dental school to get the work done? The dentist today was telling me about that option for future reference.

[Sancho]

56. Even if you "have insurance", you'll see a big bill...

My wife and I are covered by the employer and paid extra for "dental insurance". My wife needs surgery. NONE of the local dental surgeons would take patients under the insurance we have (Cigna)! She finally got a dental surgeon who is a parent of kids she teaches to take the insurance plus about $1000...

It is a WAR over the $'s collected for medical care in the US. My father was an MD, and I grew up hearing about the horrors of socialized medicine. Now, 40 years later I can't agree more with SICKO! When I travel to other countries - even some "third world" countries, I get free and usually excellent medical care. It is past time for the US to have basic, free medical care for everyone.

[Pachamama]

59. Even with insurance you can find yourself with a similar bill....

First of all, I completely agree with you about healthcare coverage needing to cover more than just "hospitalization" and to include dental coverage as medical coverage. But I have dental insurance and I found out recently with an absessed tooth I have, that my most viable option, includes extraction of the molar, a bone graft and then after 4 months of healing, to get a titanium implant to which a new crown would be placed. Price tag was $3800+ here locally and $2800+ (a thousand less for the same procedure and implant) just about an hour north in Santa Rosa. This doesn't include the crown which gets placed on it after the implant is in place. Of that expense listed above, I will only get about $500 from insurance towards the extraction and bone graft. The implant is not covered at all. And when I get the crown, which will run me close to a $1000, only 50% is covered up to a max. of about $400. So, in the end, I'll have to spend around $2900 even with insurance to take care of my dental health. There were some cheaper alternatives...I could have done a surgery on the tooth and possibly a crown in the hope that would treat it, but that's no guarantee and I likely would lose the tooth eventually anyway. Alternatively to an implant, I could get a bridge, but that requires two neighboring teeth to be ground down and that affects their health. So, even with cheaper options that ultimately would only save about a $1000, they aren't the best for my health. Not really an option, is it?

The reality for you is that your dental health is vital to your health and you have to take care of this. Not sure where you are located, but just like I found a peridontist one hour away from my area that is a $1000 less for the same procedure, I wonder if you could shop around and find the same thing. Where I live in Ross, CA, rents are real high. Where the Peridontist in Santa Rosa is, they are cheaper and its reflected in his fees. If there is a dental school near you (ie. if your in Los Angeles, go to USC or if your in Philadelphia, Univ. of PA's Dental School) which are outstanding and can do the job for less with just the same effectiveness.

Good luck...Also, since your on a fixed income and expenses, find a dentist who is willing to work on a payment schedule. $2800 broken up over a 12-18 month period is easier to swallow and it makes sure you don't delay getting this surgery that is necessary.

[w8liftinglady]

60. here's an old post of mine maybe something here will help

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1032433

[OzarkDem]

61. Sorry to hear this

take care of yourself and follow some of the great advice that's been posted here. Wishing you the best.

[lonestarnot]

62. Still paying out the nose!

[ben_meyers]

63. I don't know where in Texas you live

and I wouldn't pretend to diagnose from here, but I can agree with and recommend trying Mexico. My family uses a dentist in Rocky Point MX. (Puerto Penasco). Yahoo or Google.

[DarkTirade]

64. My job offers free dental after a year of working there...

unfortunately I don't earn enough to take advantage of it. :( And the one procedure I need (I was born missing two teeth, and I'll need implants at some point), they don't cover. They only cover full dentures if it's necessary, not just two missing teeth.
Kinda pointless to offer free health insurance and free dental if we don't get paid enough to take advantage of them. I'd almost rather just be paid the amount they pay in premiums every month, and then once I have enough money to go to the doctor, switch back to getting insurance. :)

[stillcool]

65. Teeth are becoming...

the new status symbol. You've got to get on the horn and see what other options might be available to you...that's insane.

[dflprincess]

66. My niece just had a root canal, it cost $1300

She will need to get it crowned, but the endodontist says that can wait a while - like until after the first of the year when she'll have dental benefits again - the root canal pretty much ate up this years. Her problem was with a molar, I don't know if capping the tooth is more urgent if it's in a tooth with only one root but, if you can swing just the root canal do it and get the crown later.

[GodHelpUsAll2]

68. Be very

careful of root canals with no crown. I had one of those and it failed twice and ended up costing me a bundle only to loose the tooth in the end. I just recently went to a dentist with an abscess. I woke up at 3AM on a Saturday morning in terrible pain. My regular dentist is not open on Saturday so I called that 1-800-Dentist. They found me a Saturday dentist. It cost me $74.00 that day for the visit. After the dentist was done he had a woman in his office escort me to an office where she could schedule me for the work that needed to be done and discuss his "treatment plan" with me. I almost fell out of the chair when she handed me the paper work and said it would be $5875.00. He was wanting to take 2 molars that had previously had root canals and "re-work" them and put new crowns on. Apparently one of the root canals that was done 18 years ago did not have the entire nerve removed.

To make a long story short I left his office. Went to the pharmacy and got my antibiotic and pain prescriptions (he at least gave me those). Then I called my regular dentist on Monday morning who said he would see me if I came right then and an hour after I talked to him he had the one tooth extracted, notice I said 1 tooth and not 2. He could find nothing on the ex ray that warranted any more work on the second tooth as there was already a crown, there was no nerve and once the bad tooth was gone I had no more problems. And the total was $180.00. It's a shame but you have to search and search for a reasonable reputable dentist that isn't out to screw you.

[dflprincess]

71. There's no doubt it will have to be crowned within the next several

months, but her endodonntist was willing to put a filling in it to tide her over until she can afford a crown. As I understand it, the big problem with teeth that have had a root canal is that they get brittle and break fairly easily. I've only had one done and that tooth already had a crown on it. They were able to drill through the crown to get to the infection and then put a filling in the crown. That was several years ago and I've had no trouble with the tooth.

[Phrogman]

67. Come here to the Philippines for a "Dental Vacation".,...

Theres several excellent dentists with offices along the beach's in the resort areas.

For the price of standard dental work in the US, many people decide to make a make a holiday over here, get their dental work done and fly on back and still save money.

Good dentists too, some still give gas.

[killbotfactory]

70. You should of thought of that before you became poor!

:sarcasm:

US healthcare is a ripoff to most Americans. Change is long overdue.

[IronLionZion]

72. With insurance, it will still cost you a lot

so it looks like whether you have insurance or not, you are not going to treat that abscessed tooth...because we don't have free universal health care.

Contrary to popular belief, we do have single payer. YOU are the single payer. You pay for premiums, then you pay for co-pays, then you pay for drugs, then you pay some more, and it's pretty much just YOU paying because you are the single payer in this country.

Unfortunately, that infection can spread if left untreated. And the cheapest option is pulling the damn tooth. I had root canal therapy recently and it cost me like $600 with insurance. Without insurance it would have been around $2000. Why does it cost so much? Because in this country, dentistry is a scam and dentists are very wealthy.

[DemGa]

75. I had a $1000 crown/ no insurance

I paid three-hundred, then had to apply for credit at the office for the rest. When my credit passed muster, I was informed that "I may now continue treatment." Pity me had it not.