Jenn ([info]kalliejenn2) wrote,
@ 2008-03-06 16:46:00
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Current mood:upset

birfaday

well, i was having a *lovely* birthday until just a few hours ago.  i got lots of cards and calls and lj posts wishing me happy b-day, and i felt very loved.  i even got surprise cupcakes from kicka** delivered by the lovely ms. a. lee (i was very confused when the bell rang, as i had been napping, but it was totally!! worth waking up for)...they were delicious and covered in pretty sprinkles with little candles on them and b-day flags!  

as i said, i WAS having a lovely b-day.  and then i went to my dentist's appointment.  now, normally, dentists make me shake a bit with fear and nervousness. i get incredibly tense just *seeing* metal instruments, let alone having them go in my mouth.  this dentist (on college ave.) was lovely as far as dentists go, but he didn't bother to even be SLIGHTLY gentle when breaking it to me that i have 9 - NINE - cavities.  NINE FUCKING CAVITIES.  now, when they scrape my teeth...i get shaky, freaked out.  but the prospect of having nine cavities drilled was more than i could take...i started weeping in his office.  he kept asking if i had any questions (which of course, i did), but i couldn't get anything out of my throat as i was way too choked up.   if i had been able, i would have been screaming - but as it was, all i could get out were big, gulpy sobs. 

as if that weren't bad enough, the lady at the front desk tells me that (EVEN WITH INSURANCE, MIND YOU), it is going to cost me about $640 to have all this work done.  OH MY GOD.  i do NOT have $640 to spend on my teeth, or anything for that matter.  i don't know where i am going to come up with that money.  also, according to her, having a 2-surface cavity filled with the white porcelean filling - $124 - having it filled with silver - only $25 for the same filling.  a $100 difference!  if i got silver fillings only, i'd save about $400, possibly more.  

she says that getting the silver fillings instead is a really bad idea, though, as many people have problems with them and have sensitivity for a long time with hot/cold due to them.  still, i don't know...$400 is a huge chunk of change that i really don't have.  has anyone else had experience with this? 

i am totally freaked out by all this, and can't seem to stop crying.  i don't understand how my insurance, which is supposed to pay 75% of costs after a $25 (yearly) deductible, is paying for so little.  i am really, really upset about this. 


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[info]v_cat
2008-03-06 10:24 pm UTC (link)
fist of all happy birthday!
secondly, that really sucks.
and thirdly, i have the silver fillings, and have had them for many years with no problems other than with batteries or tinfoil. biting down on tinfoil or AA batteries is rather unpleasant (dont ask me why I was biting down on batteries, its just the sort of crap I do apparently). The only really negative thing about the silver fillings is that they look kinda fugly.
anyways, hope your day gets better.

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[info]lillibet
2008-03-06 11:02 pm UTC (link)
First off, I would call your dental insurance company directly and find out what the deal is. I've never had a dental bill anything like that and I've had some fillings in my day.

I've had both silver and porcelain fillings and never had any problems with the silver ones, although I've had some of them replaced with porcelain when my later dentists nudged me to (and since they were free with my insurance).

I'm sorry your birthday got spiked so nastily. Listen--you had those cavities yesterday, you'll have them tomorrow, it's not an emergency, just one more hassle to deal with some other day. Not today. Today's your birthday.

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[info]ayelle
2008-03-07 02:40 am UTC (link)
I've definitely had dental bills like that... in fact, I've NEVER had dental insurance that wasn't basically crap when it came to coverage for people with actual dental problems, in all the places I've worked (which includes different paces in PA, NY, and MA). I love how preventative care is FREE! but if you need actual work you're generally screwed. And this has been true for my whole family, too -- my dad last year paid $40,000 (not a typo) for basically a whole new mouth (SERIOUS dental problems run in the family, I'm actually pretty lucky compared to my dad and sister). So though I'm not saying ALL dental insurances are like that when it comes to paying for expensive procedures... I've never encountered any other kind, myself. They're really not interested in paying for anything that's actually expensive for them; but what can you do?

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[info]kalliejenn2
2008-03-07 03:23 am UTC (link)
apparently delta dental will cover the cheapo silver ones (for 1/5 the price of the porcelain) but the costly porcelain they don't help with one bit, which really bites.

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[info]ayelle
2008-03-07 03:38 am UTC (link)
That's exactly how it was for me. Maybe someday you will have an insurance that will cover them for free, like [info]lillibet's does...

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[info]surrealestate
2008-03-07 05:47 am UTC (link)
When I had coverage, I had the top-of-the-line dental, and I was always shelling out-of-pocket. They only fully covered the resin fillings for certain fillings, pretty much the more visible ones. Though I also don't recall the resin being quite that much more expensive than amalgam -- I think they still covered part of it, anyway.

On the upside, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

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[info]vanguardcdk
2008-03-06 11:41 pm UTC (link)
Yeah I had a very similar experience with the dentist this year. Six fillings each costing $100 not counting the $50 copay. Ack!

Frankly I'm spreading it out and doing it in bursts. It sucks but that's the only way to do it (and my parents offered to pitch in as well...)

The cost took me totally by surprise, I do not remember fillings being that much ~after~ insurance.

I would actually go with the porcelin..the heat sensitivity sucks. But you're right that is a lot of money.

~hugs~ Ummm...We still love ya...

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[info]mattsachs
2008-03-06 11:48 pm UTC (link)
Bah, bad teeth. You should punish them by drinking your cake through a straw -- if they're not going to be nice to you on your birthday, they don't get any cake.

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[info]joyeous
2008-03-07 12:25 am UTC (link)
First of all, Happy Birthday.

Second of all, don't panic just yet.

When they first detect a cavity, usually there is some time before it becomes dire. A lot of dentists jump the gun, not necessarily because they're trying to rip you off, but because preventative care is the best care and they like to take care of them before they get worse. However, you don't *have* to have all the cavities filled at once. I'd concentrate on maybe the two or three that they think are the worst and get those done first.

Also, have you heard about the Tufts Dental School (down by NEMC)? You can get dental students (3rd or 4th year) to do fillings on your teeth as part of their practice, and it's very cheap. It's not like these are incompetent people. These are just people trying to complete their residencies, which require actual experience. I've known a couple people who have done it and said it was fine. Now, in terms of scheduling an actual appt, I don't think you get to be that picky, it's kind of like you go when they can take you. But apparently it's ridiculously cheap. I'd at least look into it.

Third of all, *hugs*.

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[info]kalliejenn2
2008-03-07 03:24 am UTC (link)
dental schools scare me - i'm already very paranoid/scared at dentist's offices, and i think a dental school would send me over the edge (especially because i've heard some horror stories)

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[info]spwebdesign
2008-03-07 12:34 am UTC (link)
Look on the bright side: even with all those cavities, you still have far, far better teeth than your average Brit! ;)

Okay, maybe that doesn't exactly cheer you up. Still, happy birthday! Try to put the medical expenses out of your mind for the rest of the day and just focus on how awesome you are and how you deserve to have fun on your birthday!

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[info]jkvalentin
2008-03-07 12:53 am UTC (link)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! i just got out of work, so that's why i'm so late. i hope you have a great one, jenn.

as for the teeth...that sucks! i have notoriously bad teeth, i've had two root canals (porcelain crowns) and i have more fillings than i can remember. the only thing is i get all my dental work done in dominican republic because my cousin is an insanely great dentist over there, so i've never had to deal with the cost. but don't worry about it, babe, as long as things don't get so bad that you need root canals, you should just save the money up little by little. i would advise against the silver fillings because they're not very attractive, but maybe that's a temporary option until you can afford the porcelain later on. and talk to your insurance, too, and see if something has been calculated wrong.

good luck and don't let this crap ruin your birthday...it's YOUR DAY! hugs!

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[info]ayelle
2008-03-07 02:52 am UTC (link)
Other people are right -- you DON'T have to get them done all at once. In fact I'd be shocked if your dentist even *wanted* to do them all at once, or suggested it! Do it slowly, stretch it out for as long as you need money-wise and confidence-wise. Two or maybe three at a time. The smaller ones can wait and it'll be okay.

I have silver fillings instead of porcelain, and it actually really makes me sad. Some were from the dental school where I went when I had no insurance and no money (which is why I wonder if you'd be able to get porcelain fillings if you went to Tufts Dental School, but that's not where I went and also you have insurance), others were from Dr. Shick (I don't even think I was offered a choice -- I remember my insurance would help cover the cheap ones, but if I wanted the more expensive ones, I'd have to pay the whole cost myself).

I don't really have problems with sensitivity (unless I bite aluminum foil, OW) -- but even though they're on back teeth, you can still see them, esp. if I open my mouth to laugh about it. That's a personal thing. One possibility is that you can get silver fillings now and have them replaced some day in the future when you have more money. I hope I get to do that some day.

The other bit of comfort I can offer is, if you ARE seeing the same Dr. Shick on College Ave -- his fillings are SUPER SUPER FAST. I've never been ANYWHERE else where they were so quick (in a good way, not a "I wonder if he's doing a shoddy job" way -- with him there was no waiting around, not before, during, nor after; I think that's the difference). I put on my headphones and turned on an audiobook, closed my eyes, concentrated on the book... and was in and out of the building in I think under 30 minutes, and that was for two fillings, each time.

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[info]ayelle
2008-03-07 02:55 am UTC (link)
P.S. Fillings do suck, but crowns (which I've had) and particularly root canals (which I have not had, but most of my other family members have) are MUCH worse, both in terms of inconvenience/unhappiness in having the procedures done -- they all take multiple visits and can take a while -- and in terms of money. Not to downplay the problem; I think I cried a little when he told me I had six at once, and one of them needed a crown. It absolutely sucks, especially on your birthday. But if you haven't had serious problems or lots of cavities before now, it'll probably be a good long time in your life before you have anything more serious than a filling to worry about. And that IS a good thing.

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[info]ayelle
2008-03-07 02:56 am UTC (link)
p.p.s. So sorry I woke you up, but I'm so glad you liked the cupcake(s)!!! I hope you like the decorative tape, too -- I thought it seemed like something you might enjoy playing with.

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[info]kalliejenn2
2008-03-07 03:26 am UTC (link)
i am seeing dr. shick. he seems like a great dentist, but totally lacks tact. i think the plan is to do them 1/2 and 1/2 - the right side first, then the left. about $320 each time, which horrifies me. my problem with going in so many small appts is that my panic level gets high at the dentist's office, and i don't think i could deal with five or six smaller appts. i think two is about all i can mentally manage.

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[info]ayelle
2008-03-07 03:36 am UTC (link)
I think you're right, but part of the reason he may not have seemed too tactless to me was that I have had experiences with dentists who were irritated when I asked questions and actually yelled at me for reacting with fear to the needle, as well as Harvard dental students who panicked more than I did when they gave me a numbing med that I reacted badly to (an interaction with my antidepressant, their teacher said when he came and looked at my charts... the dental students can be much cheaper but mistakes do happen). The students generally weren't so good with the bedside manner either.

My dentist growing up was like a dream when it came to reassuring his patients, making them comfortable, and trying to ensure an almost pain-free experience; but so many experiences I've had since leaving home have shown me just how rare that quality is. Dr. Shick's better than many, and his receptionist has been particularly WONDERFUL, whenever she's helped me deal with the finances and the insurance.

There is a lot to be said for getting it over with, I admit. And with Dr. Shick, even if you're having 4 one at once, it still won't take too long because he's so fast -- and even better, that does mean significantly fewer total times having to get Novacaine, which I hate so much I even did a couple fillings WITHOUT any, back with that dentist who yelled at me for being afraid of the needle, making it basically impossible for me to calm down enough to handle it. (The experience wasn't pleasant, but once they were done, I was DONE -- no hours of annoying numbness.)

I strongly, strongly recommend an audiobook, or music you know you can get really absorbed in. It made a world of difference for me.

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[info]eclecticavatar
2008-03-07 02:46 pm UTC (link)
Most insurances, even the best, sadly, will cover work in one or two quadrants of your mouth at a time and anything in other areas is over what they cover. I've had the same problem, before. What I've done is asked what will be completely covered, have it done and then find out how long I'd have to wait to have the rest of it done and be covered.

It sucks.

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[info]journeystar
2008-03-08 06:41 am UTC (link)
I think Dr. Schick is great and VERY FAST. When I've got my fillings from him ,it's taken less than 10 minutes each time and discomfort is minimal. I would definitely go with the porcelain fillings...less sensitivity, plus they are a little nicer from a cosmetic point of view. Unfortunately, the price you quoted seems about right for porcelain fillings,even with insurance ( I have Delta Dental, too). It would be much easier to space them out, but I can understand your anxieties (I am the same way with the gyno and eye doctor). I needed three fillings and I got them every three months, which made it easier on my pocketbook.

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