Justin took Nathan to the dentist Tuesday. A different dentist, I might add. Not one with the or else attitude. As things would turn out, I think what happened was by me not calling her back, she retracted his referral to the dentist that ended up seeing Nathan on Tuesday. Anyway - whatever.....
Justin took Nathan to the dentist and I had NO idea this would be the report. Natey told me the other day that when he chewed on one side it hurt. I knew that wasn't good. I'm almost positive that nothing could have prepared me for what Justin was told.
Natey needs $2,869 worth of work done - to his BABY TEETH. Do you need to read that again? Go ahead. I'll wait.
Are you with me?
$2,869 on BABY TEETH. SERIOUS?
Let me break it down for you. He needs:
4 tooth colored fillings for $170 each
1 regular filling for $123
4 pulp treatments for $148 each (I hear this is like a mini root canal)
4 stainless steel crowns for $210 each
2 extractions at $115 (these are actually optional)
3 sealants at $48 each
an off-site care charge of $260
They want to put him under and do this all at once. Now, keep in mind that some of this could be done while he's awake. I realize that. However, for Nathan it's different. He has a horribly sensitive gag reflex. He's gagged so hard while getting his teeth cleaned that he threw up.
So. People. Tell me what you'd do about this. The $2,869 price tag is before insurance pays what they'll pay. However - this is going to be done at a hospital with him knocked out. Dental insurance doesn't pay for anesthesia. I'm not even positive that it's going to pay for the hospital.
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Thursday, October 16, 2008
I'll say it again - HOLY HORSE BALLS!
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17 comments:
second opinion?
(May I add that when I saw a new post on bloglines, I shuddered thinking of your fb comment - hoping I'm not tomorrow's topic of blog posts) So sorry!
Did they explain why they needed to do this on his baby teeth? I know you're supposed to keep baby teeth healthy so the permanent ones come in healthy, too. But all that work seems a bit much.
I know what I would do: Get a second opinion, but end up getting all the work done anyway.
I think I'd get another opinion. That sounds pretty extreme for a little guy with baby teeth.
OMG - I can't believe it! I would get a second opinion just to make sure this is the only option, not just because of the expense - that's a lot for a kid to go through. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and Nathan!
Hang in there!
And once again...that is Experiencing Life Kerrie Meyer Style.
Seirously I can't beleive it. I'd get a 2nd opinion and then see what the price differce is.
I would wait and see what the total is after insurance tells you what they'll pay. Maybe it's not as much as you are thinking.
I am sure the dentist could write a letter to your insurance company stating that Natey needs to put under for this work. Sometimes that's all they need. We've had to do it twice for crowns for Mark and I. The dentist needed to write a letter and then they ended up paying for their portion.
It's worth a try...
It's too bad that genetics are against Natey. YOU know how it feels to have bad teeth. ~sigh~
I totally agree with everyone else - SECOND OPINION. I once had a dentist tell me that I had 8 cavities (EIGHT!!), and that made me leave and never come back again without having the fillings done... About 4 years later (I kid you not - and no, I'm not proud of that...), I went to a different dentist completely prepared to have tons of fillings, and he told me that all of my teeth looked just fine even in the x-rays. I still wonder what that first dentist was high on...
Anyway, my point is, this could totally be an opinion thing. Especially since they are baby teeth, for goodness sakes (and he's old enough now where some of those teeth won't even be around in a couple of years). If the second opinion dentist agrees with the first one, then yes I would do the work.
Good luck with this one! (And poor Nathan - it's so sad when they're in pain, especially tooth pain!)
They are baby teeth = teeth that will fall out soon. I know...there are health problems that could occur, but seriously, I get so sick of some of the crap they can put parents through.
first off, why tooth colored fillings if they will be in teeth that will fall out? why spend the extra $ on that?
secondly, i know that my parents would have had to let some of it go, as we never had any insurance. we lived. you can only do what you can afford.
I would definetly get a second opinion too.
Yes, why white fillings when they are teeth that will be falling out in a few years. I would say you would prefer silver fillings as they aren't as expensive.
I do know that some dentists are switching to white colored fillings only. Maybe go to a dentist that does do silver fillings.
Call around and check on all the pricings of the different procedures.
And why crowns...I would try for just the fillings maybe.
I know when we took Derek one time he had 4 cavities.
The dentist suggested a pulpotomy, filling and a crown on one tooth.
I said seriously this tooth is going to fall out in a year or two.
She we had them just pull it.
I thought $300-$400 on a baby tooth was a bit much when it was going to fall out anyway.
Could you go to a local dentist that is much more reasonably priced?
What about...using some type of sedative and trying it at a local dentist. I've seen that done.
The dentist writes a prescription and you pick up at the pharmacy.
Maybe with his sensitive gag reflex that wouldn't work. Maybe the hospital is your only option.
But that would save you the hospital fee.
One other thing is that Derek had one cavity that was pencil point - very small and the other dentist we went to for a second opinion said he could just leave that one in...as it was very small and going to come out in a year or so.
It hasn't bothered him at all with a toothache. That was probably very bad of us as parents...but it hasn't hurt him at all and is loose now. We remind him to work on wiggling it so it comes out soon.
I agree with the others maybe check and see what the insurance covers first.
Good luck.
I would have to get a second opinion too. I had a dentist in Colorado tell me NEVER put a crown on a child. He told me that if a dentist ever told me that to leave and don't go back. That's his opinion...but I liked it! It's not only the money but what poor Nathan would go through. I'm an adult and I can't imagine that. I don't know. It just sounds like too much work on one kid and on BABY teeth. Every dentist has a different opinion and maybe you'll find an opinion you like somewhere else!
I agree with everyone else, Second opinion. And if that dentist says the same I would check with your health insurance too, to see if they would cover the hospital portin. Or like Tracy said get the dr to somehow make it so the dental isurance to pay.. Doctors can word stuff the right way that insurance company's have to pay. Otherwise I agree with why do they have to do all that work to baby teeth, when like everyone else has said are going to fall out soon anyways. Not that you want this but maybe they could pull the worst one's rather than do all the work. At least you know that he will eventually get teeth back. I hope you find the least invasive and least expensive solution to the situation. For you pocket book and for Nathan too. That is an experience you don't want to put a young person in. It will only leave a bad taste in his mouth for the future.
Second Opinion is definately my suggestion!
If he hasn't started loosing them he soon will, and I also agree to check on what insurance will pay as well!!
I say second opinion.
Try Pediatric Dentistry in SF. They do everything right there...no HOSPITAL.
I would so the things that are MOST critical.
We are in the same boat. We just had to put our foot down after putting over $3 grand into Marissa's mouth. They wanted to remove 4 more teeth at her next appt. We said NO! We are going to wait and see how the last 4 that were pulled come in...they are not even close to coming in yet.
Jamie - He was at the Children's Dental Center in SF.
SECOND OPINION! We have a few really good dentists in Watertown that I would feel really comfortable taking my children to if they needed extensive work!
Wow, That is a lot of work. I don't think a second opinion would hurt if you can get in ASAP.
I just think if he needs that much work, then he must be in pain. That can be NO fun at all.. It is one of those things, that you if he needs it he needs it. I would do it.
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