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How much could i be looking at for all four wisdom teeth? (plus half a molar) They are giving me merry hell but reality is dh and i will need to save up for it... I know each dentist is differant with price but google isnt offering anything of use. We also have no PHI.
TIA
I'd say a good 2k
Otherwise find a surgeon who does sedation and have thm removed that way, will be cheaper with no hospital fees
I'd have a panic attack :/ im shocking with needles to the mouth... Had three to have a filling and was hyperventilateing... And i get the feeling they'll put up a fight.
I had the 4 wisdom teeth plus an additional tooth out under a GA and it cost around $3000 all up. That was around 5 years ago. It's not just the dentists fees its the anaesthesiologists that really add to the price.
Depends on whether the surgeon works through public or private system. Private you pay for surgeon and all the add on people - nurses, anaesthetist, bed for the day etc. public you might only pay surgeon..
Hmm so go with 5k...
Bg itd be public. Cant afford private. So im guessing the wait will be huge.
Its bad when to see a community dentist is $150(no hcc for me, dh or vic) , before the appt + how ever much after :l
My first wisdom was done in a chair for approximately $250.
The molar was the tooth that meant I *needed* surgery, according to my general dentist because the roots are very long as they are 'childhood teeth' it would have been too painful to remove them in the chair.
My initial consult with a surgeon was I think $170 and she could have me in the hospital with two weeks notice.
Looking at my actual invoice which was April 2012:
It was $425 for 2/4 teeth and I think $250 for the other 2/4 so extraction was $1350.
That will depend on the presentation of your teeth obviously. Mine were all erupted.
$305 out of pocket for the hospital (so that would be hospital dependent)
$450 to $550 for the anaesthetist with some claimable on medicare (depends on the anaesthetist an I think I got $135 from medicare)
$35 for meds on the way out - antibiotics to prevent infection, some mouthwash, mersyndol for the first few days and ibuprofen.
It's probably worth having a private consult and getting a quote. Medicare cover around $80 from memory and the quotes are valid for either 6 or 12 months.
As BG mentions below about PHI for wisdom teeth it is a 6 month wait, and I got about $1100 back for mine (80%). The hospital admission was OOP (was only 2-6.30pm) and as mentioned anaesthetist is claimable on Medicare. For top level family cover I pay about $400 a month, you could get cover for yourself I am sure it would be much less. With mine as the hospital was OOP as far as I am aware you could just get cover for extras.
I had two removed through twilight sedation (no needles in mouth - well at least whilst I was aware) just a face mask. Had about 4 fillings/repairs too and all up was around $2k. Most painful part was the cost, otherwise I'd highly recommend it - the in chair sedation that is.
If you're looking at a huge wait and still expensive is it worth considering taking out phi for yourself and seeing out the waiting period then getting it done privately? DH and I both had major dental surgery within six months (and then I had more six months later). For those first two surgeries we had out if pockets of about 1800. But the claimed amount through phi was over 17k. The third surgery was 50 for hospital stay for the day/anaesthetist, and 450 before Medicare and phi rebates for the surgeon.
Dansta, have your wisdom teeth erupted? Are they through the gums and in your mouth, or buried in the bone and not visible in your mouth? If the have erupted, this is generally a much simpler extraction than surgery to remove them if they have not erupted. Simpler also means cheaper!! If they have erupted, they can most likely be extracted by a general dentist as a day procedure under GA or in the chair if you are game. Unerupted, you will need to see an oral surgeon and possibly require an overnight stay in hospital. Much more expensive!
thanks guys... so around 5k+ *gulp*
BG- we cant afford PHI even just for me. since march this year anything that could go wrong has gone wrong and left us in the red... bright, bright bright red.
Nickle - no they're just bumps under the gum
The thing about sedation and being in the chair - if i'm anything like my grandmother they'll need to knock me out - he wisdom tooth at 85, after cancer took 3 hours to remove that just one that had tip thing brake off 0.o
I am interested in your replies Dansta as both me and my DH need dental work. And theres no way we can afford PHI, especially now.
May I add, I think it's DISGUSTING that dental is not covered by Medicare.
I had all four of mine out 7 years ago. They'd only just erupted and it was urgent as they were painful and were shifting my other teeth - which mum and dad had paid a lot of money for braces for!
We had no phi but paid out of pocket for a private surgeon. It was day surgery and I had the twilight stuff - in the arm like ga and next thing you know you're in recovery. To be honest, I'd really recommend the twilight! I felt amazing and recovery was practically non-existent, I was eating normal foods that night.
As for cost, apparently I had it cheap! It was $1,500 plus the anaesthetist fee, I don't remember what that was.
I ended up taking out PHI just for me - to have them removed. I'm seeing a dentist this week - the pain had gone for two weeks but started again tonight *sigh* hopefully its a simple "yep, out they come!" job but i think it'll e a total of 6 teeth out as two molars have now been damaged. its sooo annoying
Dansta, just make sure your phi will cover it immediately. Most funds have a waiting period or dental - many over a year for "major" dental work. I would hate for you to get it done and think you are covered and end up with a huge bill.
Similarly, check how much the maximum payout per year is on dental. You might have a maximum of, say $1000. Which is great, but if it costs $5,000 you are still out of pocket $4000.
I second being careful with the phi. I had my phi for 9 months when I got my wisdom teeth out and even though I had passed the waiting period for dental they classed it as a pre-existing condition which has a 12 month waiting period. In the end my dentist wrote a letter stating it was not pre existing and they covered it but this didn't get resolved till after the op so I still had to pay the whole amount up front then claim back.
yeah, its the only one who count teeth removal as "genral dental" and the only one who dont have a waiting period eather.
and they also dont have alot of registered providers out where i am. once i make a monthly payment (which will be tomorrow online) then i can start claiming. and from what the bloke said to me on the phone when i signed up though *vowl* select i can claim as much as needed and being so close to the EFY then i can get some more benifets too.
PHI are based on a calendar year not financial year
is that full PHI or just extras? becuase i only got the extras cover... if its callender year then i might change my mind as i was told Finachial year for extras :-/
For either, it's always been calendar year, not sure why you were told financial year.
Extras will only cover the cost of having the tooth removed, based on an item number, not the surgeons fees, anesthetist or hospital, who are you cover with and what level of cover???
Ahm and the highest level of extras cover.
i was told fin.year a fair few times and the bloke said it was all bar anithiests fees depending on item number - i could get it done in the chair...but i dont think i'd cope; at all.
Mmmmmmm I'm worred for you.....
Unerupted wisdom teeth are classed as surgical extractions... Not sure if they are covered under general dental/extractions therefore might have a waiting period (12 months)
I assume now you're considering having done in chair??
I'd ring oral surgeon nod ask for item numbers fr surgical extractions then ring ahm back
I'm with AHM. The cover is $190 per surgical tooth extraction.
I would say $190 per tooth isn't going to go very far Dani, if what N2L corresponds with your cover.
My total tooth extraction was as mentioned above about $1350 and I got 80% cover and had erupted teeth.
Honestly, I would pay for the dental visit OOP - they will likely refer you to a surgeon, then pay for them OOP and get the proper figures. Or in the meantime I guess your general dentist will be covered, but surgeon is covered by medicare for a consult.
Until you have the figures and the item numbers I don't think you will know for sure if it is worth it in the long term, especially if you are taking out cover *just* for this reason.
My advice is go to the dentist and ask exactly what will need to be done, the cost, the item numbers, extra costs (xrays, anaesthetic, cleans, etc) and whether you can have a payment plan. Explain funds are low and you really don't want to come out with a high bill.
Then ring AHM and get them them to tell you exactly how much you will get back for the entire lot of procedures.
I've re-checked the pamflit thingy they sent out, and yes its $190 per tooth - how ever there is no limit on the amount of teeth that can be pulled at that price. and if its in a chair its $70. when i signed up thats what i saw, im still looking into the fin, year or calender year but i will double check the item numbers and hopefully this dentist will be able to make it work with them.
Are you seeing an oral surgeon or normal dentist?
I can tell you now, a normal dentist will not surgically remove un erupted wisdom teeth due to the nerve that runs along the bottom jaw, you will be referred to an oral surgeon
ETA you'll also need to have an OPG done, can you request a referral form from your dentist to have it done prior to your appointment??
I will be getting OPG done at the appt tomorrow from what i gathered. And i think going by the pain right now that they'll see my gums nice and inflamed -.-
How did you go darl?
Got checked out and in three weeks i'll have my top right wisdom tooth removed - turns out my top ones came through but have decay thanks to how tighly packed they all are. So i'll also get 6 fillings too in the chair and then once a few things come to a head, i'll be getting the right top left and both bottom teeth done under GA as they are yet to brake through.