Tooth extraction

[FelixDeCat]

 

[wiredspider]

$1000, holy crap, that's crazy. I wonder what my insurance coverage is for root canals, now I'm curious.

95% covered, apparently.

95%? My coverage is always 50% or less and a $1k max a year

 

[rcpratt]

95%? My coverage is always 50% or less and a $1k max a year

My max is $1850 I think. But they say 95% for fillings too and I don't get that coverage on that because getting non-silver fillings on molars is apparently "cosmetic." I'm not sure how they'd possibly apply that to root canals, though...

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

As you may know things have not been a barrel of monkeys for me healthwise lately and so far Ive spent over $100,000.00 (insured) this year on surgeries (next one is December 28th), monoclonal antibodies, other medications, etc on various maladies that have long plagued me.

Now I have the choice between a root canal or getting the tooth pulled permanently. The root canal procedure on the upper left molar in front of the wisom tooth has an OOP of $1000. Or I can get an extraction for $80. The extraction would not be wise as most food is chewed with the back teeth.

In the meantime, Im looking for ways to setup payment plans or negotiate the fee down by shopping around. I already have three gold crowns and at least 20 fillings going back a couple of decades. Just when I think I got a handle on things, one damn thing after another pops up! D:

Has anyone had one of these things?

I paid £0 for my root canal but that is not the most important part of the procedure...

I've been shot and would rather be shot again than have another root canal, the pain is the most excruciating pain you can possibly imagine.

I suggest 60mg's of oxynorm and a couple of tramadol 100's for good measure.

 

[rcpratt]

Sounds like some of you just have crappy dentists.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

Modern root canals do not hurt unless the Dentist serious screws up.

Unless your nerves are rotted out of you tooth (at which point a root canal is a bad idea anyway, at that point you want an implant) it will hurt as HELL, he is actually sticking a needle into the nerve ending and brushing it out of your tooth, if it didn't hurt, he's doing it wrong.

It hurts so bad that being shot is preferable IME, it hurts so much that molten lead dripping on my balls would be less painful.

I don't know how else to describe it, you'll arch your back and whatever you do, don't clench your jaw or the needle will punch right though, which doesn't feel worse, but will bring pain when they try to pull it out. Lidocain won't help either, not even directly sprayed into your tooth when it's open, it will still hurt like fucking hell.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

Sounds like some of you just have crappy dentists.

Sounds to me like some people have rotten teeth, at that point, it doesn't hurt.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Unless your nerves are rotted out of you tooth (at which point a root canal is a bad idea anyway, at that point you want an implant) it will hurt as HELL, he is actually sticking a needle into the nerve ending and brushing it out of your tooth, if it didn't hurt, he's doing it wrong.

It hurts so bad that being shot is preferable IME, it hurts so much that molten lead dripping on my balls would be less painful.

I don't know how else to describe it, you'll arch your back and whatever you do, don't clench your jaw or the needle will punch right though, which doesn't feel worse, but will bring pain when they try to pull it out. Lidocain won't help either, not even directly sprayed into your tooth when it's open, it will still hurt like fucking hell.

Wow. After reading this, I took some Hydrocodone.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

Wow. After reading this, I took some Hydrocodone.

I don't know the dosage for those but about 60MG's of oxynorm, which is pure oxycodone does work wonders, it'll still hurt as much as fuck but you won't care, you can couple that with some tramadol to keep the effect if needed or you can go with something like a couple of grams of acetaminophen or 100mgs of Diclofenac, otc in the UK, dunno about the US though.

Oh, and if you are prone to bleeding, skip the diclofenac or take some 1mg b12 tab beforehand.

 

[kitchiku]

I had one 10 years ago, it hurt as hell. luckily my company paid for it.

 

[Anubis]

$1000, holy crap, that's crazy. I wonder what my insurance coverage is for root canals, now I'm curious.

95% covered, apparently.

95% is pretty awesome coverage, mines 80% with like a 2k limit per year

 

[mrblotto]

I'd always heard horror stories about them but had two last summer and they were absolutely painless. Once the novacaine wore off I didn't even need an aspirin.

This. I spent maybe an hour 'in the chair'. All of the sudden the dentist is like "ok, that's it". I was like 'what? you're done already?'. Was on my 3rd from back on the bottom. I couldn't believe I hardly felt anything.

The weeks/days before the actual appt/procedure seemed far worse. You sit there thinking about it over and over, and hear/read all sorts of horror stories. Nervousness takes over and imagination fills in the rest w/worse case scenarios lol.

My jaw was kinda sore for maybe a day. No painkillers needed. Todays procedures are definitely not 'your fathers root canal' lol.
I had mine done about 9 yrs ago. Still going strong too!

Good luck!

 

[IGBT]

once they numb you up wit the good juice you don't feel a thing. If you don't have dental insurance..that will hurt like hell.

 

[Jadow]

Ive had two done, both were painless because they used a lot of anasthetic. afterwards, no pain either since they nerve is gone.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

once they numb you up wit the good juice you don't feel a thing. If you don't have dental insurance..that will hurt like hell.

lidocaine doesn't do sheit for a proper root canal.

I assume you are referring to morphine, which would mean a field emergency, if so, what unit and where?

 

[FearoftheNight]

if the root canal is a front tooth it's not so bad...i had one of my molars and it was pretty excruciating..apparently it's an awkward spot and the front teeth have 1 nerve ending whereas i think the rear have 4...OUCH

 

[RaistlinZ]

I had a top, rear most molar pulled years back. I've had no issues since with chewing on that side or having other teeth move toward it. And now, I don't ever have to worry about it.

There's considerable more money to be made in saving a tooth than pulling it ($1,200 vs. $80). Just do what will be best for you in the long run.

 

[shortylickens]

Yes, two. Previous dentists had done such horrible work that I needed it redone. In the process the whole tooth had to be tunneled out and then a crown put on.

If they use the Novocaine properly it doesnt hurt any worse than a filling job. And afterwards it hurts less cuz the nerves are gone.

 

[ShawnD1]

Now I have the choice between a root canal or getting the tooth pulled permanently.

My parents each had a root canal done where it was not done correctly and it left the tooth extremely sensitive and painful. In each case, they went back and had the tooth pulled. This was about 10 years ago.

 

[daishi5]

Unless your nerves are rotted out of you tooth (at which point a root canal is a bad idea anyway, at that point you want an implant) it will hurt as HELL, he is actually sticking a needle into the nerve ending and brushing it out of your tooth, if it didn't hurt, he's doing it wrong.

It hurts so bad that being shot is preferable IME, it hurts so much that molten lead dripping on my balls would be less painful.

I don't know how else to describe it, you'll arch your back and whatever you do, don't clench your jaw or the needle will punch right though, which doesn't feel worse, but will bring pain when they try to pull it out. Lidocain won't help either, not even directly sprayed into your tooth when it's open, it will still hurt like fucking hell.

This is so wrong. A modern root canal uses anesthetics so that your nerves do not relay any pain information. I have only had one root canal that hurt, the endodontist tried to numb me up, but the nerve was so inflamed that he couldn't neutralize it. He ended up drilling the tooth open, and applying more anesthetic directly to the nerve. Even that did not hurt that much because I of everything he had already injected. The worst pain is the big needle they use to numb you up, and that isn't all that bad.

If you are going to have one done, make sure you check up on the person doing the root canal. My first dentist screwed up 3 times doing root canals, I have a new dentist now. I went to an endodontist to have the two teeth my dentist screwed up retreated, and he has done one oother tooth, and none of them have had a problem.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

lidocaine doesn't do sheit for a proper root canal.

I assume you are referring to morphine, which would mean a field emergency, if so, what unit and where?

If they do a digital block of the nerve (can be accomplished with lidocaine or electronic stimulation) you won't feel a thing. I've had major surgery on my right arm 6 times, and I was awake for three of them. Didn't feel a thing except "tugging" because the anesthesiologist blocked all nerve signals from my shoulder down. Hurt like hell after the block wore off, but that is a different matter.

Seriously, if you have been shot, you need to man up and stop scaring the op. A root canal is not akin to getting anally probed with a rusty rasp.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Sounds to me like some people have rotten teeth, at that point, it doesn't hurt.

Is it ironic to anyone else that a Brit is calling people out for having rotten teeth?

 

[CrazyAznDriver]

I had 1 and it wasn't too bad, crown and all. I have had a few fillings that were worse imo. The relief I got after it was done was worth it.

 

[BudAshes]

I got a one up on. I had to get a root canal about 10 years ago cause I smashed up my bottom teeth. Now there is a large abscess at the bottom of the tooth where I got the root canal. So they are going to have to open up my gum, chop off the bottom of the tooth and surgically remove the abscess. That's gonna feel good...

 

[mjquilly]

I wouldn't say I have an extremely high pain tolerance, but I had one and had no pain during the procedure or even after the Novocain wore off.