I'm back from my $1,650 root canal.

[floridafam]

I had to go see and Endodontist after experiencing the worst pain known to man the past few days.

My Dentist did a root canal on this same tooth last year. .

I called the Endodontist that my DDS referred me too and they didn't have anything until next week. I called my DH and told him to come home and drive over my face or pull the tooth out with pliars.

After calling the Endo back in tears (they were real) from the pain, they said they could get me in.

I had to pick my DH up off the floor when he found out it was $1,650.

I had an extra canal in the tooth that was missed last year. As soon as he got in there, the infection just started flowing out. I was watchingon the tv screen and it was gross!

I never knew you could have extra canals. I've already had a $1,000 crown and a $1,00o root canal on this tooth. I've spent more on this thing than on my first car.

At least the pain is gone, though. It is truly worse than childbirth with no medication!

 

[ead79]

Oh goodness! I’m sorry about how much pain you were in, but I’m glad it’s taken care of now. You sound like you have the same kind of dental luck that I do. I have this one tooth that I had oral surgery on, then had it filled, then had it crowned, then had an attempted root canal on it, then had it pulled. Argh! Had I known I would just end up pulling it in the end (it’s a molar, so it’s not like I have a giant space or anything), I could’ve saved my parents all that money (all this happened when I was still a student). My dentist tried to suggest that I get a dental implant to replace the tooth. I asked him about that. Apparently it would’ve cost $4000 (NOT covered by insurance) and involved three separate oral surgeries. Ummm, no thanks! When I asked him what would happen if we just pulled the tooth and he said nothing, I went with plan B.

 

[Lynn CC]

I had an extra root in my canal too, I agree very painfull. Did they have to replace your crown? I have a temporary filling in mine right now, but they said I have to get a new eventually. There's another 1k or so.
They do get expensive, but they are worth taking care of!

 

[castleview]

I'm so sorry and hope someone is taking good care of your right now. I'd probably pay that much money to NOT have a root canal

 

[floridafam]

Yes, I have to get a new crown. The dentist had to pull the other one off the other day (that was not fun )

That will be another $1,000.

It kills me to think of what I could do with the $. Thank God we have dental insurance. They will pay for $860 of the $1650 and we will pay the rest. I'm not sure if they will pay for a second crown on the same tooth. I'm sure I'll find out.

Dh says he wants to be and Endodontist. $800 an hour is a bit more than what he makes.

 

[floridafam]

I just wanted to add. Both of the DDS's were completely against pulling the tooth.

I just wanted it gone but they said that creates a lot of problems. I'm not sure how problematic it would be but I should have just had it taken out.

 

[floridafam]

I'd probably pay that much money to NOT have a root canal

I know. I absolutely hated the Dentist when I was little but now it doesn't bother me.

I have had so many injections in my mouth the past 3 days. My entire jaw is sore and I can barely open my mouth. He said that sometimes that is permanent. I'm hoping it will go away soon.

I'm not afraid of needles in my mouth anymore. I would have done anything yesterday to get rid of the pain!

 

[Forevryoung]

Dh says he wants to be and Endodontist. $800 an hour is a bit more than what he makes.

My dad is a dentist and this quote made me I wish my dad made $800 an hour take home. Instead he has to pay for overhead costs first such as staff, electric, heat, malpractice insurance, phone lines, computer costs and equipment and continuing education classes and then he gets the rest. My dad works harder than most other people out there and carries his pager with him 24/7 (even on vacation ) for emergencies. I wish he was around more but he loves doing what he does.

 

[ead79]

I just wanted to add. Both of the DDS's were completely against pulling the tooth.

I just wanted it gone but they said that creates a lot of problems. I'm not sure how problematic it would be but I should have just had it taken out.

I think you did the right thing listening to your dentist. Before I decided to have my tooth pulled (the attempted root canal at the endodontist failed), I discussed it with my dentist to be sure it wouldn’t cause any problems or mess up my teeth (which I didn’t want to do after having had all that orthodontic work as a kid). Seriously though—I’m in the wrong profession!

 

[PixieDust32]

Oh tell me about it! I had a bad motocycle accident when I was younger so my front teeth were broken, I had crowns and later on they got infected. Well, then i had to have 4 Root canal on my 4 upper front teeth, and then on 3 more after that on the back. My insurances paid 80% of the RC and 50% on the crowns.
But the pain is horrible, not even having a baby can compare with the pain.
But I've never paid that much for a RC .

 

[floridafam]

forevryoung,

I can only imagine how much it costs to run a dental office. I wanted to hug the guy when he was done. I got there at 4 and didn't leave until 7:30 and the girl in the office stayed late, too. I'm so thankful.

There isn't one dentist in our town that is open on Friday so Thursdays are really busy days for emergencies.

I just hope this is the end of trouble with this tooth.

 

[monarchsfan16]

The pain from the infections is the worst I have ever experienced in my life. I chipped my front tooth when I was little (tripped over my own feet and fell face first onto a shopping cart rung, not one of my best moments), and it became infected November 2004. After 4 or 5 days of just tooth pain, my whole face swelled up (I looked like a monkey). So I landed in the dentists office. As soon as they got the x-ray showing it was an abcess the root canal was started. It was amazing to realize that all that crap was draining out of my tooth, but the relief was wonderful. Because it was a front tooth, with just one canal, they just went in through the back and put a filling over it. No crown

 

[MOM POPPINS]

Just had a root canal 3 weeks ago at that time I was 6 weeks pregnant now I am 9 weeks. It was the worst being so sick from the symptoms of early pregnancy. All the smells in the office and the hands in my mouth... uhhh.. I asked to go to the bathroom 3 times. I never actually "got sick" but I needed to get up and get away from the smells etc... I am so glad it is over and my tooth feels so much better It's time to go back for the crown but I want to wait another month will the temporary last that long?

 

[floridafam]

MomPoppins,

Oh my! I know how you feel. The root canal I had last year was done while I was 36 weeks pregnant. I ended up in the ER because the pain was so bad it made my blood pressure shoot up.

I was contracting the whole time during the root canal and kept having to go to the bathroom and sit up because I was lightheaded.

My OB wouldn't give me anything for pain-he said only my Dentist could. It was awful. I felt so bad taking anything while pregnant.

How did you manage? Is everything alright now? Did you have to take any pain medication?

 

[MOM POPPINS]

Hi I went without pain meds. I was given a prescription but told only to fill it if i really had to have it. I decided to stick it out and deal with Tylenol. Everything is great now! I have the temporary and I really want to wait until late March to go back again In hind sight I should fixed it when it broke last year. I just thought it could wait and then I found out I was pregnant. Then the pain started and just would not go away. I thought about having it pulled anything to get rid of the pain but I am glad now I got the root canal.. I can say that now that it's over!

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

I waited to long to put a crown on a molar with a root canal.
1000 for the root canal, 900 to extract a fractured tooth.
Double ouch!

 

[floridafam]

Have any of you had problems with teeth long after they have had root canals?

I talked to a few people and it seems like they keep having to go back and have more and more work done for the same tooth.

I'm just scared that this is not going to be the end of this.

 

[j's m]

I have a few teeth from ****. I have 3 teeth that have had second root canals.

One dentist did a root canal on the last molar, but never told me he couldn't find the last canal. Sure enough, it abcessed again and I had to go to the endo. He did a second root canal, but it abcessed again. Then I had to go to the oral surgeon for a root amputation, fortunately they knocked me out for it since it was the furthest back tooth. Then I got a crown.

One redo was after the crown, they drilled through the crown and then filled it. I've never replaced the crown, and it's got to be at least 15 years. Hopefully it will still last.

But I will pay anything to stop the pain. Charge what you want, just make it go away.

 

[kilee]

I know that we should take the dentist's advice-- but they are also known for being very much into marketing. There are some really good dentist's out there----but there are a lot that will push services hard.

That being said- I was in your situation. Called around in tears. The infection in the root and tooth was just awful. Anyhow-- I have to admit I had the tooth pulled. The dentist wanted to "save" the tooth w/ a 3 visit almost $2000 root canal. Did say it could be pulled but being a dentist he said he felt every tooth deserved a "fighting chance". Umm-- it was a mollar-nobody can see it's missing and it cost me $75 and no chances of it having a recurring problem. I know when you're in that much pain you'll do anything. Teeth are truly the worst.

I hope you feel better.

 

[LukenDC]

I had a root canal a couple of year ago. The pain leading up to it was the most intense pain I have ever experienced. I was nervous about having a root canal since I had heard so many horror stories, but the procedure itself was painless to all but my wallet. It cost $1,000 for the root canal and $1,000 for the crown---plus the time required for five dental visits! Thank goodness for insurance.