root Canal

Ok I don't know if this is the right place to post this, but i am sure the mods will move me if its not.
I have had a sore tooth since i was pg 4 years ago.. Had it filled twice but have been in pain with it for over 18 months. Finally got to go to the dentist today, and was told that there was nothing he could do today, but instead I would need a root canal. The tooth is dead, and there are abcesses in my gum from the bacteria. he couldn't believe that I had waited so long to come in as I must have been in heaps of pain! Well Doh!! But he doesn't have kids to look after and no one to help! Plus has he ever tried to make an appointment with himself - he is booked out for weeks!!!

Ok I can handle this tooth pain for another few weeks, except for the price he quoted me to get ONE tooth fixed!!!!!!!

All up the root canal, a scale and clean, and to seal two of my teeth that apparently are not getting cleaned properly, it is going to be $1,300 and that is before i claim anything on my private health insurance. Not that that makes a big difference as I am only covered for normal dental as I only have basic extras.

Is this price normal? Has anyone else had this done? is there another way to have this done, but without the heafty price tag?
I asked him about pulling it out, but he won't as it will mean the teeth next to it, which as perfectly straight at the moment, will move to fill in the hole and send them crookered.

I ask my hubby what he would do and his answer was that he would just let the tooth rot in his mouth until it fell out naturally. unfortunately he wasn't joking!!!!!

So girls I need your help. Can i justify this money on one damm tooth!!!!! We live week to week, so we would have to pay this damm thing off anyway.
happy to have the procedures - just not the price!! Any suggestions?????

I have three root canals...the first one failed after about 8 yrs and I ended up having the tooth pulled out...my big upper molar.....haven't really missed it. If it is only the one tooth that is potentially worrying and you can't see it you can live without it......but if you potentially have other teeth that may go the same way....well you don't want to have them all pulled if you get what I mean. I am not sure about the price because you said you are having them sealed etc as well...it was abut 450 before any rebates for each of the teeth I had done just before christmas last year so I guess his price does seem a bit steep. BTW contrary to popular belief a root canal is not painful...you hear horror stories and people wince when you mention the word but given the right amount of local there should no pain or discomfort....just a sore jaw from hlding your mouth open for nearly an hour!! Good luck whatever decision you make.

I haven't had one done but I have a friend who had a root canal recently and his cost around the $1000 mark. My BIL who hasn't been to the dentist for at least a good 10 years, has to have 3 root canals and the dentist is doing them equally over 3 appointments. He is having a lot of other work done, $7000 worth actually, so I have no idea on how much he is paying for his root canals.

The IL's neighbour has been rather sick for ages, in and out of hospital and no one could figure out what was wrong with her. In the end she went to the dentist and she had a rotten tooth, that had gotten infected and was making her sick! After hearing this, I'm not sure I would want to let your tooth rot and fall away like your DH said.

Will your dentist allow you to start making payments towards it now. Have you called your private health insurer to find out how much, if any, you will get back?

Nic

I'd say pull it. So your teeth aren't perfectly straight... who cares? (Yes, I am a Brit LOL!) I've had various teeth pulled and now my mouth is too weak for any corrections, but usually you don't notice the gaps, even the loss of a canine tooth - oh, I had 3 teeth pulled from one spot over the course of 2 years, last pulled out 9 years ago, and there's still a gap: despite being told my teeth would move to fill in the gap, there's still a good-sized hole there. If it's not a front tooth, get it pulled. You can always get a fake tooth to put in there.

Of course, you could do a charity-style event to raise the money, like a 20-mile walk or something and get friends/family/neighbours to sponsor you... or the children, people sponsor children!

Hi, I had the same thing happen to me. I was quoted around $1100 for the root canal which I couldn't afford as I didn't have health insurance. I asked them to pull it out and the dentist said he didn't want to do it as it would affect the tooth above it and my bite so I went to another dentist who said that the roots were to close to the nerve and to see how it went so I lasted 1 week more and woke to the most excrusiating(sp) pain that ran from my jaw through my ear and up to my head. I ended up ringing another dentist on a saturday and begging them to see me. I finally got in and managed to find someone to look after liv as I was on my own and they pulled it out. It ended up costing $165 and I have a big gap but it's one of my back teeth so you can't really notice. I find going to the dentist claustraphobic and almost passed out when they pulled my tooth out. I had all this done just 2 months after having Olivia and the nerve pain is way worse that giving birth. My dentist asked me to describe the pain, child birth being a 10 and I went for a 20, lol. Definately get it fixed if you can, even if you want it pulled try different dentists until you find one willing to do it. Maybe you could also work out a payment plan with the dentist. I'd hate for you to go through the pain that I went through.

Root canal... Been there done that twice. And two crowns. I think all up it cost about 1K for each root canal and then $1,500.00 for each crown. Almost enough to buy a small car.... Needless to say the last time I went to the dentist a year or so ago just before I fell pg, I had decay in the tooth that had the root canal therapy done and the crown put on. Go figure.

My advice? If it's a tooth that is not that visible. Don't waste your money. Dentists charge like a wounded bull.....

About the pain ..... have you tried putting some clove oil on it with a cotton bud? It taste revolting but it really works.

good luck..

I have no idea on the price of full root canals but if it's not a front tooth then i would get it pulled. I had a bad tooth when i was about 11 and most of the tooth was rotton right down to the nerve. Got it filled but all that was left of actual tooth was the ourside of it. Was told it would prob need to be pulled later on. 5 years later i started to have excrutiating pain(100 times worse than birth) so went to the dentist 5 times in one week and got a first stage root canal but in the end just begged for them to pull it out. It was a back one and now, 3 years later, the gap is almost gone and my top teeth are actually not as bunched up now. Anyway, for the 5 trips tot he dentist and 1st stage root canal it cost over $1500..

Update girls,
Thanks so much for the advice
I now have an abcess in the gum of the tooth!!
rang the dentist and the earliest I can get in is wendesday. So annoyed as its two days away and its not even with my normal dentist!!
Rang h.insurance and out of $1338.00 I can claim $350 - that is so annoying. If i go to a 'members choice' dentist I may be able to get more back so may try and find one again tommorow who can do it cheaper - feel like i am getting a quote to get my car fixed - not my tooth!
So as much as I don't want to lose the tooth, I cannot come up with the money in two days- grrr
Does anyone know if there is anywhere to go to get the procedure done cheaper? I have a health care card as well - so i am hoping that there must be somewhere out there to get it done - especially seens as there is an abcess there now.

This damm tooth must be paying havoc with the rest of my body!!
Thanks again all

Odette, are you in Melb? You could present to the Royal Dental Hospital and it wont be of cost to you (as you have a health care card). They have an emergency dept which is open 24hrs (I think) so you could just go there and tell them your in terribel pain etc and at the least they might clean it up for you and get rid of the abcess before you can go and see your normal dentist. Worth a try.

BOL,
Lisa

thanks Lisa
The dentist I normally go to rang at 9.00am this morning and i got a 10.40am appointment to start the root canal.

I just had to bite the bullet and go with him and credit card the cost.
He was great. I ended up having 4 roots canalled and the stench that came out and the taste from the infection was vile. I can only imagine what it was doing to my body!
He was also a legend with the cost and instead of the first part being $500.00 - he did it for $350.00 - and the way that he did it meant that i go $150 back on my health insurance - so out of pocket so far $200!!! What a champ!!!
Got 3 more visits to go - but he is going to try and do the rest in two visits as well.
So glad that it is done and that I went with my original man that I trusted.
thanks so much for the advice everyone!!

That's great Odette! Glad you got into your normal dentist.

Nic

Hi Odette,

How much did it cost u all up? Plus did u get a crown?

I usually get my teeth done when I go overseas but im not leaving for 11 months and I cant wait that long. Its killing me!

Thanks

my dentist was great and i ended up out of pocket around $700
Man what a difference not being in pain!!

I didnt end up with a crown- he said to wait until i was working- that he capped it and it should last me around 5+ years
I think however that the cap has come out as i can feel the deep crevis in my tooth again, but i cant go and get it done again as i am Pg again!
another thing to do when i have a chance in 9 months times

Hth this info helped

odette