Am I over-reacting? (dental experience)

[RogerWilco]

Sounds like alot of money to me. I had a root canal a couple of years ago and i think it was about $1500.00. I don't see how 3 could cost 12 grand?

[Sheva #7]

not to hijack this thread but can anyone else recommend a good dentist that tells you exactly what actually needs to be done and what can wait as it's not as severe? My experiences have been so bad where they are trying to sell you everything possible if they know you have unlimited insurance and I don't feel like getting my whole mouth redone at 26 just for the sake of doing it ))

[billybob123]

These unfortunate expensive dental procedures are probably going to happen more now that the idiots on council removed fluoride from the water supply.

As for the OP, I'd definitely consider another dentist. They're not specialists that require a referral... They are a (few thousand) dimes a dozen. Find one who makes you comfortable. When my wife and I first got to Calgary, we had to pick a dentist. Luckily we found a great one, but it was really fortuitous. Good luck!

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by billybob123

These unfortunate expensive dental procedures are probably going to happen more now that the idiots on council removed fluoride from the water supply.

As for the OP, I'd definitely consider another dentist. They're not specialists that require a referral... They are a (few thousand) dimes a dozen. Find one who makes you comfortable. When my wife and I first got to Calgary, we had to pick a dentist. Luckily we found a great one, but it was really fortuitous. Good luck!

Why are they removing flouride from the water supply? Anyone know?

[ken0042]

I also say to get a 2nd opinion. I had a dentist who had a pretty good chairside manor, and pretty assistants. He also direct billed to insurance; so seemed great.

Then he started talking about gum grafting to take care of receiding gums. They called me and asked if I could come in early; and I asked if I should eat something first. They said not to worry. However I couldn't really eat anything solid for a couple of days. (Red flag #1- they seemed to want to rush me in.) A few months later I underwent the next proceedure and afterwards the dentist said I needed about 20-24 more proceedures. (Red flag #2- seemed excessive.)

The next week I was doing a service call for an othodontist and asked his opinion. He looked in my mouth and said "Yeah, go see another dentist." He then implied that some dentists were making a lot of money with the gum grafting. I went to see another dentist and he said we should wait and see if further grafts were needed. His assistant also went over how I was brushing wrong. 10 years later my current dentist says my gums are fine.

[GGG]

I go to a young guy at somerset family dental dr Chang. He does a good job explaining options for treatment. I had one root canal that was boarderline and so he recomended trying just a filling first to see if it worked. It has for th past two years. He also did a great job going through the xrays and explaining what you were seeing.

[Rollin22x]

Best dentist I had was a guy from the Canadian Navy. Straight forward and nothing fancy.
He retired and the guy that took over his practice has all the best stuff and the price to go with it.
I had major pain 2 nights ago. Went to see a dentist in Okotoks and needed a root canal. He was very good at explaining the options for short term and long term. Cost me just over $1600. I've had 2 root canals before this one and this one was the most painless experience yet. I have to go back in for the consultation for a crown.

[Rubber Ducky]

I always keep in mind that dentistry is a business - they`re in it to make money. And up-selling - whether urgent or not - is part of the business.

Definitely worth having a second opinion.

[FlamesAddiction]

One of the dentists in the town I grew up in had a reputation for always telling parents their kids needed braces even if they didn't. I'm sure he made a tonne of money preying off them. I've always had trouble trusting them because of that.

The dentist I have right now is good. I had a problem with one of my wisdom teeth a couple of months ago. He said that I could get root canal but that it would be cheaper, quicker and less painful to just get it pulled - which I ended up doing.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Why are they removing flouride from the water supply? Anyone know?

They stopped putting flouride on the municipal water supply in May 2011. The reason has more to do with money than anything else. The annual cost of putting flouride into Calgary's municipal water was around $750,000. In addidition to that there would have had to be about $6,000,000 in mechanical/system upgrades that would have been required to continue putting flouride in the municipal water supply.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by keenan87

The same thing happened to me. Being a student, I simply cannot afford 10 thousand dollars for a couple of root canals.

Then they tell me how dangerous it is and how I can end up in the hospital. The receptionist told me she will follow up with me in 4 days but seriously, 10k??! How does a starving student come up with that cash

If you're a student then you should check what your student medical coverage will cover. If you're going to the U of C you pay student medical premiums every semester for coverage. Have a look.

[Buff]

My wife had a problem with her dentist telling here that she had bad teeth and needed a tonne of work done. (I don't remember specifics). She decided to get a 2nd opinion and the new dentist told her nothing was wrong.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Anti-Dentite

No not at all but a couple of guys that I went to high school with that were really socially akward both went on to become dentists and some of the dentists I have had over the years have lacked people skills.

[Ashartus]

Originally Posted by Byrns

Definitly get a 2nd opinion. I was going to one such "deluxe" dentist that wanted to remove all my amalgam fillings and showed me videos in the consultation office about why they're so bad. I got a 2nd opinion and switched dentists, and my cleanings dropped in price by a lot. I also still have my amalgam fillings, and the new dentist has never brought it up and its been almost 3 years with him now.

Slightly off-topic, but much as there are issues with amalgam fillings, the health risks from mercury in existing fillings are pretty low (presuming the dentist was basing this on mercury toxicity). The risks from taking them out are far higher, so you're better off leaving existing filling alone in my opinion. It's really more the dentists and dental assistants working with amalgam on a regular basis that are at risk, and I think it's reasonable for dental practices to be going mercury-free for future work because of that.

[Sinny Darino]

I see that a few people are asking for a good dentist.

I recently moved to Calgary, and having not gone to the dentist in maybe 8 years or so, I decided to find one in Calgary. I got a number from my friend and made the appointment for a Cleaning/Checkup.

After about an hour, the dentist comes in and she shows me my x-rays. I had about 10-12 cavities, and I feared the worst as I had not been to the dentist in ages. I had a especially bad one in the front that I was sure was going to need a root canal.

She did her consultation with me and mentioned the possibility that I may need several root canals, but we were not going to explore that option yet.

Over the next month, I had all my cavities fixed (NO ROOT CANALS) and my teeth are doing fine. She told me if I ever had a problem with any of them to come back ASAP.

In her opinion, doing a root canal at that point in time where I had no problems with pain was pointless, and to only explore that option when and if I needed it.

I hated dentists before I went to this new one (For most of the reasons listed in this thread).

Anyways, the dentist that I reccomend is...

Dr. Rita Soin and she works at the Signal Hill Dental Centre.

[troutman]

IIRC, my dentist quoted me $2000 for a new dental night guard (teeth grinder). Seems to me similar hockey mouth guards are $20 at Canadian Tire.

http://health.costhelper.com/dental-night-guard.html

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by troutman

IIRC, my dentist quoted me $2000 for a new dental night guard (teeth grinder). Seems to me similar hockey mouth guards are $20 at Canadian Tire.

You can not compare a mouthguard for grinding to one at CT. For starters the ones @ CT are thicker and designed to be worn while playing sport oh and they are also a huge POS!

[DuffMan]

I skipped the Dentist for about 10 years awhile ago also. When I first went back to various Dentists I kind of got the impressioin that they weren't going to worry about my teeth too much if I wasn't going to. Meaning they weren't overly friendly. I found one I liked in BV3, and had a good dentist/patient relationship with him until I was no longer in that area.

My kid just got an estimate (complete with payment plans)for Dental work from an Orthodontist for 8K of work. I'm thinking of doing it myself. Frick I never had any of that done when I was a kid and my teeth are fine.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

I skipped the Dentist for about 10 years awhile ago also. When I first went back to various Dentists I kind of got the impressioin that they weren't going to worry about my teeth too much if I wasn't going to. Meaning they weren't overly friendly. I found one I liked in BV3, and had a good dentist/patient relationship with him until I was no longer in that area.

My kid just got an estimate (complete with payment plans)for Dental work from an Orthodontist for 8K of work. I'm thinking of doing it myself. Frick I never had any of that done when I was a kid and my teeth are fine.

So the genetic problems stem from your wife then?

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Count me in on the anti-Dentite camp. Freakin crooks