Why is dental work so expensive?!

[caitycaity]

I grind my teeth, too. In fact, I had one of those guards and broke it....that's how hard I grind my teeth.

You could try a sporting goods store and get a mouthguard there....or even a pharmacy/medical supply place that might sell them.

I never replaced my guard (it happened about 10 years ago)....I haven't suffered any permanent damage - yet.

taking this thread in a slightly different direction... that's good to know. i am a nighttime teeth grinder. it drives dh crazy. i know there is no way i could sleep with a mouthguard though.

 

[OhMari]

And how many people (not you) I wonder would take the trip instead of getting health care and STILL complain about the high cost?

It should be a crime? Really? What should the punishment be? What do you think will happen to healthcare if such a thing actually happened?

I can't believe someone actually posted this. I just paid the dentist all our WDW vacation money for my dd. She needed 2 caps put on after her Ortho work was done. She had 2 minerature teeth and if we didn't cap them, all her teeth would have shifted. The caps were $1100 a piece-Ins might pay half, they don't know, they think it might be cosmetic. $20 x 4 =$80 anthestic that wasn't covered. She had 5 cavities (Yikers) after braces too.
I paid $1625, for my portion of caps, plus some dental work that I had done and they said ins. didn't cover. This last time for the cavities and sealants and fluoride treatment that wasn't covered $245. I paid $145 in March for the intitial check-up and cleaning-because she just had her teeth cleaned in November and you are suppose to space it every six months.
My dd has to go back in June to finish 2 more cavities and the other side of her mouth for sealants, I'm guessing it will cost $200.

So yep, my WDW trip went to my dentist. When the dentist brought my dd out to show me her new caps-which are a little more whiter than her teeth, I pointed to a large Mickey Mouse he had sitting on a ledge and said her dental work was more important than our vacation this year. He laughed and said, WDW costs a whole lot more than this did.

 

[AllyandJack]

taking this thread in a slightly different direction... that's good to know. i am a nighttime teeth grinder. it drives dh crazy. i know there is no way i could sleep with a mouthguard though.

It was hard to sleep with it...I eventually just cracked it. My dentist was shocked to say the least.

Ironically, I have had some pretty severe dental problems unrelated to the grinding. I had a huge cyst growing in my jaw. It took 2 surgeries and one year of a rubber tube sewn into my face to fix. I have to go back every year to make sure it doesn't grow back. I switched insurances (it was covered under my health insurance) and my doctor didn't take the new insurance, but the group (Mass General Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery) did. So, I had to pay out-of-pocket for my yearly visits. He gave me a deal ($115.), so it wasn't too bad. But, if anything ever happened - if it grew back - I'd be in big trouble. I'm changing insurance AGAIN in August...back to the first plan, so my doctor will be covered again. I just have to make sure there are no pre-existing conditions. It's so complicated.

 

[DisDuck]

I basically have stopped seeing dentists. I found their recommendations somewhat self-serving. Back in 1973-4 I went to a dentist and he told me that I should have all my wisdoms out even though none were impacted. His reason was that to take them out later would be harder. I said no thanks. Fast Forward approximately 15 years and another dentist said the same thing. This after 3 of my 4 wisdoms erupted so that I have 4th molars (1 bottom; 2 upper). The hygenist complained about the difficulty in cleaning them. He also mentioned periodontial issues and sent me to a specialist. The specialist said you have some 'pockets' with gingivitist(sic) but otherwise just keep cleaning them. Nothing had to be done. Fast Forward another 15 years and a 3rd dentist also recommended removing wisdoms but made no mention of gum problems. So far I have done nothing about the wisdoms as they are not a problem and have had 4-5 cavities over 56 years. Currently haven't been to a dentist in 7 years or so and don't plan to go in the near future. Dental work is important if problems do exist but if none exist this is not like yearly physicals where preventive dentistry seems to be more of an 'art' than 'science'.

Now of my 4 children(ages 20-30): 2 had an impacted wisdom so removed as a teen-agers; 1 has my type of teeth and I think has 1-2 cavites; and 1 has needed braces which are still on after 4-5 years plus will need an implant to replace a tooth that never existed. For this one we paid off the orthodonist on a plan (3 year payment schedule) and now receives free othodonist care as still part of original assessment.

I think you can tell that I am not a dentist supporter or user unless absolutely necessary.

 

[tinaluis]

The new mouthguard the my DH got was nothing like his old one. His old one basically went over all of his teeth whereas his new one fits over his front teeth only. He says it's much more comfortable.

 

[Bob Slydell]

I can't believe someone actually posted this. I just paid the dentist all our WDW vacation money for my dd. She needed 2 caps put on after her Ortho work was done. She had 2 minerature teeth and if we didn't cap them, all her teeth would have shifted. The caps were $1100 a piece-Ins might pay half, they don't know, they think it might be cosmetic. $20 x 4 =$80 anthestic that wasn't covered. She had 5 cavities (Yikers) after braces too.
I paid $1625, for my portion of caps, plus some dental work that I had done and they said ins. didn't cover. This last time for the cavities and sealants and fluoride treatment that wasn't covered $245. I paid $145 in March for the intitial check-up and cleaning-because she just had her teeth cleaned in November and you are suppose to space it every six months.
My dd has to go back in June to finish 2 more cavities and the other side of her mouth for sealants, I'm guessing it will cost $200.

So yep, my WDW trip went to my dentist. When the dentist brought my dd out to show me her new caps-which are a little more whiter than her teeth, I pointed to a large Mickey Mouse he had sitting on a ledge and said her dental work was more important than our vacation this year. He laughed and said, WDW costs a whole lot more than this did.

You're lashing out at the wrong person, though. It's not the dentist's fault that things weren't covered under your insurance.

 

[floridafam]

I don't think the cost of dental work is too much for most things. I treat my dental visits just like any other medical visit.

We have United Concordia. I just had to have an emergency root canal and they paid 85%. They pay 80% for cleanings, fillings, etc.

They don't pay anything for cosmetic dentistry.

We have a $1,500 per person maximum per year.

 

[Crankyshank]

I have Delta Dental of RI. Their coverage is excellent, but I wish they covered more than 60% of crowns because that's where my money has been going.

I have chronic sinus issues, which actually effects your teeth. Plus I inherited soft teeth from both sides of the family. I'm really anal about brushing and flossing but I still break my teeth and have problems with cavities. It's so frustrating.

Between my parents, myself, and my brother I think we paid for the family dentist's all 5 kids to go to expensive private schools. We joke my brother's $5000 in dental work this year paid for a cruise

 

[Sandy22]

I remember a report on dateline/60 minutes or 20/20 about dentists and it was shocking! The were worse than mechanics! The show sent in undercover reporters to different dentists and the results were depressing...completely different diagnosis, recomendations, costs. They were trying to sell the most costly and sometimes unnecessary procedures.

 

[magicfan]

I remember a report on dateline/60 minutes or 20/20 about dentists and it was shocking! The were worse than mechanics! The show sent in undercover reporters to different dentists and the results were depressing...completely different diagnosis, recomendations, costs. They were trying to sell the most costly and sometimes unnecessary procedures.

I saw that (or something similar), too. They visited something like 20 dentists undercover, and got totally different diagnosises. This is one reason why I stress out when I go to the dentist. Am I being told the absolute truth? Can I get a less expensive, and truthful, diagnosis somewhere else? It's time consuming to "shop around". Plus, they all want to take thier own x-rays, even if you already had some elsewhere. Some will take your other x-rays, others will not, or claim they can't read them and need more.

My kids both had to be put under to have thier dental work done because the pediatric dentist refused to do the work otherwise. That was very, very expensive in itself. Insurance does not cover that---not my dental coverage, or health. There is nothing I can do about that. We had a choice of only two pediatic dentists (a lot of adult dentists don't want to do kids). One of those dentists was not accepting new patients. I do like the kids' dentist very much, but I still cringe every time I see the estimate.

We have only one choice of dental insurance with my husbands employer. My work does not offer it.

I went to one place because they were offering a "free $500.00 bleaching kit with a check up. I went in, got the check up and x-rays, then they refused to give me the bleaching kit. He said he wanted me to get $2,000 worth of work done, first. The worst part is that he wanted to replace all my old fillings because "some day they will need to be replaced anyway". I explained to him that I could only afford to do the truly necessary work at the moment (if I needed a filling, cap, etc..) and would replace the fillings at a later date. He refused. I did not have him do anything to me. They kept calling me to see when I was coming in, so I finally told them I thought it was unfair that they did not advertise that you have to have all this work done before you get your free bleach kit. And, asked again if I could just have the couple cavities filled, which was all that was necessary at that time. They refused. It was all or nothing. So, it was nothing.

 

[Winka]

Why is dental work so expensive?!

Bc who would want to do THAT job?? (no offense to dentists-more power to you.)

But, there are those who love their jobs:

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

i know there is no way i could sleep with a mouthguard though.

Got the thinnest possible nightguard from dentist so i wouldn't feel suffocated. 3 mm? Best nightguard i have ever had.

 

[Mandabella]

I don't understand why lots of dental insurance pays 100% of the cheap stuff like cleanings and only a percentage of the big stuff. I can PAY the $75. for the cleaning, but I CAN'T pay $1,000 for more extensive work. It's so backwards.

Well for my teeth, I am glad it is this way. I only have two cleanings a year and have some pretty darn good teeth genes. No cavities/fillings, no braces were needed, no problems, etc. If I am paying for dental insurance, I want it to cover the cheap stuff like cleanings since that is all I ever use it for...(knock on wood).

I had 4 impacted wisdom teeth removed in college, but that was covered under my mother's medical insurance.

DH on the other hand didn't get good teeth genes I don't think. He routinely goes through his yearly allotment in dental insurance quickly. I wish I could roll over what I don't use and give it to him. However, it doesn't work that way.

 

[Galahad]

I can't believe someone actually posted this. I just paid the dentist all our WDW vacation money for my dd. She needed 2 caps put on after her Ortho work was done. She had 2 minerature teeth and if we didn't cap them, all her teeth would have shifted. The caps were $1100 a piece-Ins might pay half, they don't know, they think it might be cosmetic. $20 x 4 =$80 anthestic that wasn't covered. She had 5 cavities (Yikers) after braces too.
I paid $1625, for my portion of caps, plus some dental work that I had done and they said ins. didn't cover. This last time for the cavities and sealants and fluoride treatment that wasn't covered $245. I paid $145 in March for the intitial check-up and cleaning-because she just had her teeth cleaned in November and you are suppose to space it every six months.
My dd has to go back in June to finish 2 more cavities and the other side of her mouth for sealants, I'm guessing it will cost $200.

So yep, my WDW trip went to my dentist. When the dentist brought my dd out to show me her new caps-which are a little more whiter than her teeth, I pointed to a large Mickey Mouse he had sitting on a ledge and said her dental work was more important than our vacation this year. He laughed and said, WDW costs a whole lot more than this did.

I'm sorry that happened to you and I'm sorry if you were offended. You'd be amazed about how many times on these threads that people complain about how much something as important as their health costs but think nothing of spending that money on something much less important. That's all I meant. High prices for important, or even non-important things, are usually not a case of somebody trying to rip someone else off.

 

[tiggersmom2]

My family has been in Dentistry for four generations.....I am a dental hygienist and my father and both of my brothers are dentists. That being said, I do believe that most people don't truly understand dentistry and can think they are being ripped off when they are not.

We have what we call the hyundai plan, the cadillac plan and the rolls royce plan. We are well aware that not everyone can afford expensive dental work. Teeth are not like vital organs.....there is USUALLY more than one way to restore a tooth, whether that be with restorations (fillings), crowns, veneers, bonding, etc. The best way to permenantly restore a tooth that has been badly decayed IF it doesn't require a root canal is with a crown. However, the tooth CAN be restored with restorations but a tooth with a four surface restoration is more likely to break down later on in life whereas the crown is not likely to break down. So if one dentist says you need a crown and one says he can fix it with filling....they can both be right, but the crown will last you longer.

Also, I have seen some DISers complain that their dentist was a scumbag because he charged them two times for filling the same tooth. Well, a tooth has 5 surfaces (mesial, buccal, distal, lingual and occlusal) and it is possible for that tooth to have MORE than one cavity. If a tooth is decayed on the mesial and distal then the dentist will have to drill and prep and fill two separate surfaces........hence the charge twice. Insurance companies know this and pay accordingly.

Someone said that yearly visits to the dentist are self-serving for the dentist...oh please! Most people do NOT floss regularly and calculus builds up around the teeth next to the salivary glands. This build up of calculus can not be removed by the patient at home and will gradually migrate beneath the gum and help cause peridontal disease. Regular cleanings keep the gums healthy and the teeth calculus free.

Finally, we have to charge all patients the same price. Galahad is right that it is against the law to do otherwise....atleast in my state it is.

 

[magicfan]

I'm sorry that happened to you and I'm sorry if you were offended. You'd be amazed about how many times on these threads that people complain about how much something as important as their health costs but think nothing of spending that money on something much less important. That's all I meant. High prices for important, or even non-important things, are usually not a case of somebody trying to rip someone else off.

Nobody even mentioned ANYthing about spending money on expensive things and neglecting thier health. And, it has absolutely nothing to do with us being unhappy about the high cost of dental work. Whether I spend $5k going to WDW, or don't take a vacation at all, does not change how I feel about dentists and how much they charge. And, I happen to think they do rip people off. I know they do, in fact. If you saw that 20/20 special maybe you'd have a different opinion. And, as for your previous comment to my post about how is should be a crime to charge such high rates, it was just a figure of speach, me venting, etc... I think *most* people know that.

 

[magicfan]

My family has been in Dentistry for four generations.....I am a dental hygienist and my father and both of my brothers are dentists. That being said, I do believe that most people don't truly understand dentistry and can think they are being ripped off when they are not.

We have what we call the hyundai plan, the cadillac plan and the rolls royce plan. We are well aware that not everyone can afford expensive dental work. Teeth are not like vital organs.....there is USUALLY more than one way to restore a tooth, whether that be with restorations (fillings), crowns, veneers, bonding, etc. The best way to permenantly restore a tooth that has been badly decayed IF it doesn't require a root canal is with a crown. However, the tooth CAN be restored with restorations but a tooth with a four surface restoration is more likely to break down later on in life whereas the crown is not likely to break down. So if one dentist says you need a crown and one says he can fix it with filling....they can both be right, but the crown will last you longer.

Also, I have seen some DISers complain that their dentist was a scumbag because he charged them two times for filling the same tooth. Well, a tooth has 5 surfaces (mesial, buccal, distal, lingual and occlusal) and it is possible for that tooth to have MORE than one cavity. If a tooth is decayed on the mesial and distal then the dentist will have to drill and prep and fill two separate surfaces........hence the charge twice. Insurance companies know this and pay accordingly.

Someone said that yearly visits to the dentist are self-serving for the dentist...oh please! Most people do NOT floss regularly and calculus builds up around the teeth next to the salivary glands. This build up of calculus can not be removed by the patient at home and will gradually migrate beneath the gum and help cause peridontal disease. Regular cleanings keep the gums healthy and the teeth calculus free.

Finally, we have to charge all patients the same price. Galahad is right that it is against the law to do otherwise....atleast in my state it is.

Thanks for explaining a little of this mystery to us. However, why can't dentists give us an option. Can't they tell us that we could get a filling, instead of a crown (if that is an option, of course) but that the crown will last longer? Filllings are covered 80% under my insurance. I'd rather have the filling, even if later on I have to replace it with another. Or, to postpone paying $900.00 for a cap (50% of that with insurance). I don't understand why they never tell you there is another, less expensive option.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Thanks for explaining a little of this mystery to us. However, why can't dentists give us an option. Can't they tell us that we could get a filling, instead of a crown (if that is an option, of course) but that the crown will last longer? Filllings are covered 80% under my insurance. I'd rather have the filling, even if later on I have to replace it with another. Or, to postpone paying $900.00 for a cap (50% of that with insurance). I don't understand why they never tell you there is another, less expensive option.

Well, we do explain to our patients different options....we even describe them as the hyundai, cadillac and rolls royce plans! The best advice I can give is to either talk with your current dentist and tell him you want ALL options on how this tooth can be fixed or find another dentist. Always let the dentist know that cost will be a major factor in your decision.

 

[Galahad]

Nobody even mentioned ANYthing about spending money on expensive things and neglecting thier health. And, it has absolutely nothing to do with us being unhappy about the high cost of dental work. Whether I spend $5k going to WDW, or don't take a vacation at all, does not change how I feel about dentists and how much they charge. And, I happen to think they do rip people off. I know they do, in fact. If you saw that 20/20 special maybe you'd have a different opinion. And, as for your previous comment to my post about how is should be a crime to charge such high rates, it was just a figure of speach, me venting, etc... I think *most* people know that.

For the record, I said on "these threads" not on "this thread". But I guess my point was missed because I've agravated you. For that, I'm sorry.

 

[kikif]

I am also a Dental Hygienist and agree with Tiggersmom, you could see 10 different dentists and get 10 different opinions. There are often a few options to repair a tooth...I really like the Hyundai, cadillac and rolls royce options. The best advice I can give is to find a dentist that you can trust and who you feel comfortable with. Some people only want the cadillac treatment and wouldn't be happy with a hyundai treatment. Keep looking for someone you can trust. There are many good honest dentists out there!