Something to get your teeth into......

[LB]

I know that in the greater scheme of things (world famines, floods, earthquakes, etc etc) this isn’t a big deal, but it’s a big issue with me at the moment.

Late yesterday I was eating a peppermint and broke a HUGE bit of tooth off. Let me add at this point that my teeth are more filling than tooth. So I rings up the dentist and make an appt for 8.30am today.

NOTE: my dentist of the last 15 years has just retired, so I went to “The Gentle Dental Centre” in Dixon Street, after recommendations from a couple of people at work. I'm a real sook when it comes to dentists and having teeth worked on.

The dentist is a young bloke, very nice. The long and the short of it is this.

The tooth that broke has only filling left, all the enamel has gone. The nerve in said tooth is dead (hence I didn’t feel any pain).

Several options as to what can be done with it:

- a root canal, followed by a crown

- remove the tooth and leave a gap

- remove the tooth and put a false one in

HOWEVER - there are several other teeth that are virtually all fillings, and the fillings have been in for many many years and are about to need either replacing, or preferably crowning.

So if I have all the work done that they are recommending, I’m up for the best part of $5,000 (that’s not a typo, that’s five grand). Not to mention heaps of time spent in the dentist chair.

I have known for some time that sooner or later my teeth were going to cost me big time, but I’m a bit shellshocked. I guess I’m after some sympathy really.

Anyone else got anything similar going on in their lives?

[James Deuce]

Anyone else got anything similar going on in their lives?

Yes. Two Kids.

[Hitcher]

Been there, done that, got eight crowns. At about $700 a go that adds up! Get as many done in one hit as you can afford -- that reduces the numbers of moulds and temporary crowns, and the amount of time you need to spend in the chair!

[Motu]

I'm sitting here with one or two sore teeth,thinking I better go to have them looked at - but I'll give it a few more days....they might fix themselve eh? Spent $1800 about 12 yrs ago,there's not many left in there,but they still let me know they are still around.

[merv]

Nothing similar going on, but I feel sorry for you. Does that help?

No wonder you couldn't have lunch with us today.

[MikeL]

Been there, done that, got eight crowns. At about $700 a go that adds up! !

You either got them some time ago, or your dentist is very cheap.
I've lost count of how many I've had, but I know that none of them cost less than $900.
My wife is due to have an implant next month. The cost of that (for just one tooth) would buy quite a nice bike...
At least it's some consolation to know that my 2 sons have got well past their teens without any dental work to speak of. Fluoridatation, perhaps.

[SPman]

Pull em all out I say..

Have you considered a set of false choppers..?

[k14]

Ohh that sucks bigtime. Yeah dentists do charge big time.

When I was 10 or so I fell off my push bike and broke off half of my 2 front teeth. Only had the permanent crowns put on at the start of this year and that cost about $500 on top of the around $1200 ACC paid for them. Can't say I am happy with the job either, it doesn't sit right and in a different color to my other teeth, but I am stuck with that. Ohh well it's only money.

Maybe you could sell one of your dukes

[sAsLEX]

Go the free dental from work!!

[wari]

IFit doesnt hurt pullit out with some pliers yourself ... :spudwave:

POp a penut inits place ... works a treat ... fits perfectly.

TRust me on this one ..

I didit myself by accidint once when I losta wisdom tooth.

...

TRue story this ...

I was tenhsioning up a wire fence with the wire thredded through the claw of my hammer ..

... hmmm

THats all i've got to say about that ...

[Pickle]

Crikey 5 grand, think of all the carbon fibre goodies you could buy for the Dukes for that much. Do Ducati make carbon fibre teeth??

Get falsies -- teeth I meant

[Ms Piggy]

I have known for some time that sooner or later my teeth were going to cost me big time, but I’m a bit shellshocked. I guess I’m after some sympathy really.

Anyone else got anything similar going on in their lives?

Ouch!! I have a pretty average set of noshers too and I know that they will end up costing me a bit. I am a bit slack & unless it's causing me pain I'll just leave it, of course this meant I I had to get a bridge false tooth thingamee and that cost lots.

So lotsa sympathy from me.

[Redstar]

If the tooth nerve is dead you won't need a root canal? a Crown will cost $850 to $950 or a Bridge for $2000 or $40 at A&E for a plier job.
Geddis offer terms and take all major credit cards.
You could buy a half decent bike for $5000 but we want you to look good!

[LB]

Thanks for the thoughts guys and guyesses.

I'm kind of getting a bit more used to the idea now, though still rather terrified about all the work to be done. Will be ringing the dentist today to get him to pull the broken tooth so that will be (hopefully) the worst bit over with.

Yes Doug, a bit of a delay on carbon fibre goodies for the Monsters.....

[Paul in NZ]

I remember sitting in my dentists chair in our home town.

Our family dentist had retired and passed the practice onto his daughter (very nice lady btw)..

She was a bit grumpy as she had been having words with her husband (an expensive type of doctor) while they were driving back from their new place they had just built at Wanaka (seen the photos, their holiday house is worth about as much as my entire neighbourhood).... She had needed a new car (why? dunno) and had bought a new (as in brand new) BMW... He got sniffy about her having a better car than him and so traded his in on a new (as in brand new) Range Rover....



I tell you......

Nothing she did that day hurt more than paying that account.....