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I just had a molar and an impacted wisdom tooth removed this week. I've still got 26 teeth in my head. But I've decided to have any more teeth that need root canals and crowns just pulled, and we'll see how that goes. I know people with a gap or two. Most of my teeth are pretty good, but I don't see the point of being buried with very expensive set of artificial teeth. If the teeth get too bad, I'll just get dentures. I have a friend who has a full set, top and bottom and has no problems. $5000. That makes a lot more sense to me than implants.
Root canals are horrible. They may have come a long way since I had one done but I will not go through another. I did get a crown and that is okay. As people have mentioned the lowers do not actually stay in with suction. The uppers can but assistance with a powder or paste helps maintain that. If you have to have lower denture as Math said do those with implants if possible. I have a partial so my lower dentures stay in with friction from my remaining 7 teeth.
Oh be careful on gaps between teeth. That is partly what made my teeth go loose. It was the removal of three teeth Two top and one lower that sent me down the path to dentures.
The money spent with implants are mostly on the implants themselves. The teeth that cover them are cheap in comparison. I am not a dentist but I have had my share of visiting them. I ask questions and get other opinions.
Oh oddstray I agree with you. You being in SoCal though makes Mexico a viable option. Being up here in the northeast, Mexico is kind of a bit out of the way. Lots of extra factors to consider before doing a Mexican dental run. You are right though in that there are horror stories from both and good stories as well. it just isnt for me.
I read a Care Credit brochure while I was waiting in the dentist's office recently, and it looked to me as though the deferred interest was pretty well spelled out there. There was even a chart listing the expected minimum payment for the amount borrowed and the timeframe for paying it off to avoid the interest. And they did indicate that the interest rate was around 27% ( I forget the exact rate) for loans not paid off within that timeframe.
Kind of in the category, IMO, as there being no free ride. Why would a credit card company offer a no-interest loan? I see date of the linked article is December 2013. I read that brochure during my December 2013 visit to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned. Seems to me that all one needs to do is to read through the brochure to get the information about the deferred interest, which looks to me to be well disclosed, and clearly explained in the brochure
Care Credit is not offering you a free loan. Your dentist is getting paid up front for all your work and CC is getting 5% from the dentist. If you don't pay on time they collect more interest from you.
I was not willing to pay my dentist up front to save the 5% that was included in my total bill.
I read blogs of people who have dental work done in Mexico. Once in a while they report a problem. I read blogs of people who have dental work done in the USA. Once in a while they report a problem. *shrug*
At least a couple of the dentists in Algadones trained in the USA. It's less costly for them to set up a practice in Mexico, and there are plenty of customers for them.
Just sayin'
My neighbors, young people in their early forties, take their family to Nicaragua for dental work. They say that even with travel expenses, its much less expensive. They were missionaries there and trust the process.
They all have great looking teeth
OP, how high is your high blood pressure? We know you have stress. I would make getting my mouth healthy a priority because it most likely won't get better on its own, and problems there can have a very negative effect on your quality of life. Sorry this is happening to you now.
Care Credit is not offering you a free loan. Your dentist is getting paid up front for all your work and CC is getting 5% from the dentist. If you don't pay on time they collect more interest from you.
I was not willing to pay my dentist up front to save the 5% that was included in my total bill.
I've never heard of a dentist around here who will take a payment plan. You pretty much have to get Care Credit or else be able to pay up front. They have signs in their offices that say--Payment must be made at the time of treatment. I use CC and the dentist supposedly gives a 10% senior discount. It breaks the bank every time I need a crown or root canal but the other option is losing your teeth.
Root canals are horrible. They may have come a long way since I had one done but I will not go through another. I did get a crown and that is okay. As people have mentioned the lowers do not actually stay in with suction. The uppers can but assistance with a powder or paste helps maintain that. If you have to have lower denture as Math said do those with implants if possible. I have a partial so my lower dentures stay in with friction from my remaining 7 teeth..
How long has it been since you had a root canal done? Was it done by a general practitioner or by an endodontist? I had one two years ago, done by an endodontist, and it was no different that having any other dental work done. There was no pain afterwards, and the tooth is fine two years later. Modern dentistry in the popular imagination seems plagued by old wives' tales from the past. There is really no reason to avoid or fear a root canal.
How long has it been since you had a root canal done? Was it done by a general practitioner or by an endodontist? I had one two years ago, done by an endodontist, and it was no different that having any other dental work done. There was no pain afterwards, and the tooth is fine two years later. Modern dentistry in the popular imagination seems plagued by old wives' tales from the past. There is really no reason to avoid or fear a root canal.
I've had several root canals, and they all were painless, both during the procedure and afterwards. The only thing I didn't like about it was having to hold my mouth open for a long period of time -- that was tedious. But I was listening to music on my headphones the whole time, and that helped.
How long has it been since you had a root canal done? Was it done by a general practitioner or by an endodontist? I had one two years ago, done by an endodontist, and it was no different that having any other dental work done. There was no pain afterwards, and the tooth is fine two years later. Modern dentistry in the popular imagination seems plagued by old wives' tales from the past. There is really no reason to avoid or fear a root canal.
Well to answer your question many many years. 1976 and they made it worse so they had to dig it out.
Point made after by WellShoneMoon about having to hold mouth open being tedious is part of my problem.
In all honesty I will not have to deal with it again. I have so few teeth left that if I lose those I will not feel sad either. They have been a problem all my life.
That's a really good idea, the four cleanings a year. Unfortunately most people don't have dental insurance--I don't know anyone who has it now that we're retired. Even the 6 month check up and cleaning is expensive. Oh well. Floss, floss, floss.
I also use mouthwash (usually Listerine) twice a day as recommended by my dentist....
I've had several root canals, and they all were painless, both during the procedure and afterwards. The only thing I didn't like about it was having to hold my mouth open for a long period of time -- that was tedious. But I was listening to music on my headphones the whole time, and that helped.
I had one root canal done by an endodontist about five years ago- believe it or not while I was on vacation ( I call it my "souvenir" root canal). He did an excellent job, and while it hurt, it wasn't any more painful than the abscess I had under the tooth root which was the reason for the root canal at the time it was. That was one of the most excruciating pains I've had in my life...
I also use mouthwash (usually Listerine) twice a day as recommended by my dentist....
I think I'm going to go and brush my teeth. Right now.
My dentist recommended Act. But I'm skeptical and always wonder if they get a kickback for recommending things. A long time ago, back when I was in college, the dentist recommended hydrogen peroxide. He recommended a paste of baking soda and peroxide for occasional brushing instead of the toothpaste all the time.
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