After many years of severe depression I have finally decided to get my teeth fixed.
I have one broken back tooth (1/4th of the top broke off), who is black on the inside. I also have black lines on some of my other teeth. On my two upper front teeth I have 2 faint greyish lines in the middle. Some of my teeth in the hurt sometimes when I take a bite (the pain feels similar to when I broke my tooth). Other than that, I have some cavities and my wisdom teeth who need to be pulled.
So, what can I expect the dentist to do? Am I going to need to have some teeth extracted? Are my front teeth rotting? I’m really nervous because I have never been to a dentist before. :o
Never been to the dentist? I’d say you can expect to fork over at least $5000.
The one that has a broken-off top might be fitted with a crown depending on how much is still there to work with. Black lines and other discolorations will probably have to be fixed with cosmetic bonding or porcelain veneer laminates. Last time I checked, those were going for about $700 per tooth. And it sounds like you might have a dozen or so cavities.
It is hard to say without being your dentist. Modern dentistry is a wonderful thing. The wisdom teeth will likely be the worst part but it can be anywhere from moderately unpleasant to terrible (more likely closer to unpleasant). They could do anything with the rest of it. Having cavities filled isn’t really that bad although you might feel some discomfort during the drilling (or maybe not). You sometimes need root canals for sensitive teeth. Those have a bad reputation but the modern techniques make it no worse than a filling. Dentistry has advanced just like medicine has so, if you want your teeth saved badly enough, there are lots of things they can try to help you keep them but it may cost more money.
I have had some version of all the things you listed and I don’t have any flashbacks. I think the key is to know there is going to be some discomfort but it will never be that bad and you can always ask your dentist to numb you more. People that have dental work phobias can have the work done under full sedation but that is pretty drastic if you aren’t terrified and you have a modest tolerance for discomfort.
Have them throw in some fancy whitening treatments at the end so you can be truly proud.
If you do, and live near a major city, I’d recommend a university that has a dental school if you need lots of work done.
Most use the latest equipment, the dentist assigned to you is in his or her last year but their work is still checked over by their professor. You can get top notch dental care at a fraction of the cost. You don’t even actually pay for visits but just the materials they use.
Plus, if your a little nervous, it’s not so intimidating being treated by a usually very nice young student.
Plus- Less expensive, latest techniques, equipment and materials. Dental students aren’t paid, so your not talked into having anything done that’s not really necessary. They usually do a consultation and offer several options as well as payment plans.
Minus- It takes much longer to have work done because they are students and all of the work is inspected. Hours are usually 9- 3 or so, no weekends. Less expensive by more time consuming route.
The dental schools won’t touch anything really complicated (more advanced than cleaning and fillings-- root canals, crowns, etc)-- I’ve tried. They looked in my mouth and chuckled and sent me on my way.
I’d tell you that it’s much better than it was 10 years ago but that wouldn’t mean much. There will be discomfort but no serious pain-- mostly unnerving with some guy/gal in your mouth yanking away and whirring machine noises. The most painful part for me is always, surprisingly, the dental dam fastenings biting into the gums and holding my mouth open for so long (I go without the blocks to make more room for the dentist). It is also expensive–not a big problem if you’re insured. Big problem if you’re not.
Oh, the glorious thing I forgot to mention, is being able to chew on whatever you want afterwards without having to immediately floss to avoid a crushing toothache, and even have cold food like ice cream, or drink ICE WATER with no pain! Drinking a. . . a. . . sodie pop! Eating raisins! Imagine!
(ex-slave/grad student in US who got a real job with insurance and had a pile of work done at once after several years of need)
I had a tooth pulled last year, it was somewhat harrowing but more from mental than physical stress. My dentist filled some cavities but my back top right molar was a goner. So he sent me to an oral surgeon who numbed me up and went in with some pliers. There was no pain but a grinding sound that made me shake all over. When the tooth came out I told him I didn’t want to see it. They filled my mouth with gauze but after five minutes I wasn’t bleeding at all (the nurse said I clotted faster than any patient she’d ever had!). They told me my wisdom tooth would grow in after about six months to replace the lost one, and sure enough, the little sucker popped through about a month ago.
DAMN STRAIGHT! Since getting a crown on the right side I want–WANT!–one on the left so I can chew anything!
“Fine. That one’s root is still alive so you won’t even need a root canal.”
“But I want stainless, not gold, so it’ll be even tougher.”
“A gold crown is, surprisingly, tougher.”
“And looks better!”
However, don’t get frustrated and start getting teeth yanked willy-nilly unless you replace them with implants. Otherwise your jaw bone erodes as it heals and the teeth start falling out like dominos–I’ve seen jawbones like that.
Had to have a root canal last month (broke a filling, got a bad replacement, dentist ruptured the pulp, emergency! argh!). It took two 2 hour sessions and cost $900. My craptastic dental insurance covered $200 of it. That was for one tooth, no cap, just a RC and replacement filling. The worst part of that was having to have my mouth jacked open for all that time. Also, don’t watch when they take out the root… looks like an alfalfa sprout. :eek:
Had two wisdom teeth out about 7 years ago. I got knocked out for that one because one of the teeth needed to be broken up before it was taken out. Swelled up a lot, stayed home from work for two days. Got good pain drugs. So good I don’t remember how much the bill was. I had better insurance then.
Had a cap done in front of a root canaled tooth that had had darkened. Had my teeth whitened first to have the color be uniform. The bleaching cost $400, the cap way more than that. Came out good, though, painless and I really liked how it looked afterwards.
Yeah, I have cruddy teeth. It’s not due to neglect, though. Just genetics. Fortunately, they look good because of all this expensive maintenance. Brace yourself for a big, BIG bill. You might have to make a plan then do it in phases. It’s worth it, though. Good luck.
Gah! I hate going to dentists. I’m having a lot of problems with my teeth, too, and I really just want to get put under and everything pulled. I have no problems wearing dentures…my parents both had them by the time they were my age (35). The only thing that worries me is that “jaw erosion” thing. Why does that happen and is it inevitable?
It will cost some money, and the procedures may cause some discomfort, but you’ll be far better off with your teeth fixed. Bad teeth are painful and can cause other health problems. The longer you wait, the more expensive the dental work will get, and the more likely it is that you’ll have a real emergency (like an abcess).
Dentistry is far less painful than it used to be. The most painful part will likely be the extraction from your bank account. You can view this as an investment in your future - if your teeth are as bad as you say they are, it’s unlikely you’ll find anything better to do with your money.
Over the past two years, I’ve had several thousand dollars’ worth of dentistry. I’d had such bad experiences with dentitst in the past, I went years without seeing another one out of fear. I waited too long. My new dentist had to make several extractiions, and now I have nine crowns including a rebuilt bridge. At last, I have teeth that work!
I was terrified going in, but I guess through sheer luck, I found a dentist who was really good. She made sure to get me good and numb, and her needle-sticking technique was painless. I rarely experienced any discomfort after the freezing wore off, everything healed nicely. A couiple of times, when she expected me to have recovery pain, she prescribed antibiotics and narcotics, which seem to really do the trick. After several visits, I wasn’t leaving claw marks in the armrests. It’s true, modern dentistry has come a long way.
I was able to go to the dentist because I was covered under my wife’s plan. It still cost us several thousand dollars in addition to what was paid for by insurance. If not for that plan, we could never have afforded for me to go. That would have led to an emergency situation where I had no choice but to go and pay through the nose. We also discovered that the dentist took the Care Credit card, which we got from the veterinarian’s office. It allowed us to put some of my procedures on that card, which has a very small interest rate.
You have to face up to it, it’s time to go get your teeth fixed. It won’t be that bad, but it could be quite expensive. Having broken and decaying teeth is embarrassing and painful. I urge you to find a way to go. Good luck!
Wow! I’m about to do the same thing and had put it off for much too long for the very same reason. I was thinking of starting a thread just like yours but was a little afraid of what people might say. It’s nice to see that the responses here have been supportive and that wardor and I are in good company. I hope your experience goes as well as possible, wardor.
In my case, I’d attempted to get work done on my teeth quite a while ago–twice, in fact–but my depression took a steep nosedive both times. Intellectually, I knew the depression wasn’t triggered by having to get dental work done (I don’t fear going to the dentist) but emotionally, they got linked. Dentist=bad depression. So I kept putting it off.
In the last year or two I’ve been doing much better. So finally, I’ve decided to take the plunge. I’ve gotten the X-rays done and have had the dentist poking about in my mouth and this Tuesday the fun stuff starts. Eventually, I’ll have an upper plate and several root canals to claim as my own.
One thing I’m glad that has changed since the last time I’ve had dental work done is the X-ray machine. At the place where I’m going, they’ve got a new one where you stand with your chin on a support and you bite down on a stick-thingy while the X-ray machine moves from one side, around the front and over to the other side. It takes a panoramic picture of your teeth all at once. Pretty cool! I still had to get some X-rays taken the old-fashioned way with the cardboard things that you have to bite down on while the edges dig painfully into your gums, but not as many as I was expecting.
I’m not looking forward to the drilling and the teeth getting pulled but everyone tells me that it’ll be worth it and that I’ll feel better about myself in the end. I’m sure they’re right but you know what I keep wondering? I keep wondering if I’ll still be able to whistle when I’m wearing my new dental plate. Silly me.
It may depend on the area or school. Univ of Penna, the school I’m familiar with does everything from root canal, caps, crowns, implants to orthodontics and periodontics. It’s worth investigating if you need a great deal of work done. Or you can get minor work done there and save a bit of money if your uninsured. http://www.dental.upenn.edu/patients/dcn/dcn.html
Here’s a tip, when you’re having any procedure that involves drilling, it’s nice to have an iPod or Walkman with you. Then you can listen to whatever music you find soothing instead of the sound of the instruments. Between nitrous oxide and novocaine you probably won’t feel any pain, but the sound can be unnerving.
I was in a very similar situation a few years ago. I am extremely dentist-phobic and had neglected my teeth far too long. A friend recommended a dentist who prescribed valium for me for the night before and the morning of the appointment - he said he did it in self defense so I wouldn’t rip the arms out of his exam chair. It really made a big difference for me - I was able to actually sleep the night before having root canals done. I have soft teeth, inherited from my mother, and have actually kept most of my teeth ten years longer than she did.
Only a dentist can tell you what treatment you’ll need. I’m not one, but it sounds like you need a lot of work. If so, you’re going to shell out a lot of money.
The ADA has a great page for finding a dentist. Even if you’re not in the USA, most points should apply.
I have only one more thing to add. Considering your circumstances, unless you really, really like the first dentist, you should see another for a second opinion. You’ll need to compare treatment plans and cost. Even a third opinion might be a good idea.
wardor, I hope you’re still with us after all those delightful stories. The best way to find out what kind of work you need, and how much it’s likely to cost, is to have a dentist examine your teeth. She’ll look everything over, probably take some x-rays to see if there are problems that aren’t on the surface.
If you can’t afford to have it all done at once, ask what part is the most urgent, and have that done right away.
