Cost for crown or to pull tooth almost same

mellba · #1 02/15/07, 08:04 AM

Yesterday at the dentist I found that my number 3 tooth is cracked. The dentist recommended a crown for $750, or he said he could refer me to an oral surgeon to get it pulled. I called the oral surgeon to get a price and was told it would be $615 to get the tooth pulled--I know, the people at the dentist's were horrified I'd consider pulling the tooth but we don't have dental insurance any more. I'm getting the crown but have to wait two weeks as my dentist is going on vacation. Hope I don't get a toothache before then. The dentist pulled a tooth for DH a few weeks ago and it was $168, but he said he couldn't pull this tooth because of the roots. It wouldn't be so bad if I thought this was a permanent fix but the tooth DH recently had pulled had a crown and he lost it anyway. It makes me wonder how people who get dentures afford to have their teeth pulled. DH also needs a build up and a crown, so by March 1 we will have spent $1998 so far this year for dental work on three teeth.

Silvercreek Farmer · #2 02/15/07, 08:28 AM

Gee, I am going to the dentist today, havn't been in 5 or more years, I know I at least need a filling. Now I am really feeling good... I still think dentists "make their own work", fortunatly I know the guy I am going to personally, so I don't think he would shaft me. The DH went to a guy that rushed a filling and screwed it up, ended up having to have a root canal on a tooth that didn't bother her a bit to begin with. 750 for the crown sounds alright , but you might want to shop the extraction, you may be able to get a deal if you offer to pay cash! Good luck!

Bearfootfarm · #3 02/15/07, 08:33 AM

Oral surgeons are often covered under medical insurance rather than dental plans.

Ramblin Wreck · #4 02/15/07, 08:41 AM

What Bearfootfarm said, but I'd save the tooth with a crown if possible. I've had this happen to me twice, and I'm glad I still have those teeth!

HermitJohn · #5 02/15/07, 08:56 AM

If that crown includes root canal, that is very cheap for an American dentist. That is outlandish for tooth extraction. There are cheapo cash only dentists especially along AR/OK border that do tooth extraction/dentures super cheap, package deal. Think as cheap as $200 to $300 if you go for the bargain basement dentures. They also will do just tooth extraction. Unfortunately they wont do root canal or crowns.

Medical/dental prices are only as high as they are because of widespread medical insurance and government coverage. If they have to compete for actual hard earned direct consumer dollar, prices drop fast.

Thats why I keep saying best thing we could do as a country is not nationalized medicine, but the outlawing of all medical/dental insurance. Nobody is as concerned about price when its some third party paying.

Probably a good reason we should ban public education, just watch how many efficient low cost private schools pop up when those that have kids have to either homeschool or pay for their little darlin's education out of their own pocket instead of their neighbor being taxed to pay for it.

Cheryl in SD · #6 02/15/07, 09:18 AM

I just had a tooth pulled yesterday. $79 + $21 for the xray + $45 for the office visit.

Beeman · #7 02/15/07, 09:25 AM

Do all that you can to keep your teeth. I had a crown a year ago and it was about $600.

SteveD(TX) · #8 02/15/07, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beeman

Do all that you can to keep your teeth. I had a crown a year ago and it was about $600.

Cheap. Mine cost me $1100 a little over a year ago, without a root canal. I think I need a new dentist.....

AngieM2 · #9 02/15/07, 09:50 AM

Is the oral surgeon puttingyou to sleep to pull the tooth? I just had some out, and the being put to sleep was $300 of the price.

Go for the caps if you can. Otherwise you may be looking at bridges or inplants or similar to make it where you can still eat solid food.

Angie

Junkmanme · #10 02/15/07, 09:58 AM

When I got dentures, the oral surgeon cost $3,000.00. The dentures cost another $1,000.00. If the teeth had been worth saving, a large cap/bridge would have been a better choice and cost only a little more.

just my $4,000.00 opinion,
Bruce

e.alleg · #11 02/15/07, 10:08 AM

I had one pulled a while back at the public hospital dental clinic, $90 out the door, no insurance. A couple shots of novacain and some pliers and it was all gone. I have dental insurance now but getting them to do a crown is proving difficult, I need to keep some teeth in my mouth

GrannyCarol · #12 02/15/07, 10:14 AM

I'd go for the crown. I had a lot of work done on my teeth a few years back, some of it cosmetic, and had quite a few crowns. My dentist is expensive (we have good insurance, it was still expensive), but very good. I've had practically no trouble with my crowns, I can eat comfortably and my teeth look great. I'm very happy with the work I had done.

agmantoo · #13 02/15/07, 10:47 AM

Determine if there is a dentist in your area using this http://www.cereconline.com/ecomaXL/i...ec_PatientInfo
I know there is one in Greenville SC (www.crownsnow.com) and the cost is approximately $400 for a crown and the work is guaranteed 5 years. I have a friend that had work done there and his teeth look the best ever. The work is done in one trip and it takes about an hour. The crown is made on site using a computer.

Tricky Grama · #14 02/15/07, 11:31 AM

Is Feb Dental Month??

Just had a tooth crack & part fell out. Not lucky enuf to have the whole thing fall out. Was a Sunday so called & left a message w/dentist. They got me in the next am. Spent nearly an hour, removing the loose pieces, cleaning out the area & put in a temporary.

Charge? $16.00. Now the bad news.

Could do a crown but it would be a 'lenghtening crown' w/some other mumbojumbo stuff & may last 10 yrs. $2800.00 Yikes.

Or how about an implant?? Lasts forever, unlike the rest of my body. Only $3500! Have to do bone build up, root canal, & whatever else costs a lot of dough.

So-bit the bullet & did the implant. Or in the process of, anyway. Had the rest of the tooth pulled, prep done & 'screw' put in the hole after the bone graft. All done day b/4 Valentine's.

No steak dinner for Valentine's Day.

Patty

sidepasser · #15 02/15/07, 11:44 AM

My son is getting a root canal Monday - cost - 975.00. The crown will be 900.00. I have insurance and I paid in cash my part for the root canal - 234.00. I am paying 450.00 for the crown out of pocket. After spending 5,000.00 on braces, I am not about to let a dentist pull a tooth that doesn't need to go for a medical reason. On the other hand, the child is getting four wisdom teeth extracted...$1500 - insurance will only cover 1/2 - so there's another 750.00 out of pocket. I remember getting a tooth pulled for 25.00 back in the 1985..and paying only 300.00 for having two wisdom teeth extracted with an oral surgeon and anesthesia in 1988. Things sure have gone up since then and I didn't have insurance back then...

maybe insurance does play a big part in how much dentists/doctors/surgeons charge?

tink67 · #16 02/15/07, 11:58 AM

I would check into getting insurance. I didn't have any dental insurance and my dentist recommended me getting it before having my work done. I was able to get DeltaCare insurance for $120/yr. It saved me a TON in the long run. Their site is www.deltadentalins.com. (Click on Plans, then click on Individual/family and senior dental plans.) They aren't available everywhere but you can always talk to your dentist's office to see what they recommend.

mellba · #17 02/15/07, 12:37 PM

Thanks for all the information. I've been going to this dentist for a long time and really like and trust him. Before going to him I was terrified of going to the dentist so I don't really want to go anywhere else. I talked with the dental office when we were about to lose our dental insurance after we retired and they said there was no plan they'd recommend, so if I want to keep going there I guess I'll just have to pay the price. Thank goodness he didn't say I needed a root canal or it would have been even more money. Angie, I suspect the oral surgeon had planned to put me to sleep since they said nothing to eat or drink after midnight and to have someone drive me. I have to say I'm relieved not to be having the oral surgery. Just hope the tooth doesn't break or hurt between now and March 1.

AngieM2 · #18 02/15/07, 01:19 PM

melba - sounds as if you are going to sleep, I had the same instruction.
Much better not to know what is happening if you're anything like me and my reactions.
Also, I had more out. And make sure you don't get nausa from the pain meds, if you do- make sure to get Phenagrin or something or you'll feel lousy longer than necessary.

Angie

mightybooboo · #19 02/15/07, 01:30 PM

Time for a Mexican vacation and have all your dental work done.

You can go to India and have your open heart surgery done too.I kid you not,and you will get the same educated Indian DR. you get here.

Outsourcing medical is the wave of the future.

The politics? Who cares,America is down the tubes,its a done deal.See Walmart if that bothers you.

BooBoo

fishhead · #20 02/15/07, 01:45 PM

I agree. Keep your tooth spaces filled to prevent massive shifting of the remaining teeth.

I have gotten cavities filled in Matamorous Mexico for about 1/10th what it would have cost me at home and the dentist was trained in the US. Normally I would shop at home but I don't have any sympathy for someone who is stealing my billfold.

My current dentist wanted to repair a blemish on a tooth that can only be seen when she lifts my lip. It was insulting that she would look at me as an open check book so she could buy the kiddies some $100 jeans. I'm going in this spring but if she pulls that crap again I'm walking and telling her why.