I just had a root canal and I want sympathy.

You should want some opiates.

Start paying attention to Polident commercials. OP.

I took an indica edible.

I had a root canal and crown back in the 70s. The total cost was $350.00. My group insurance paid 85% of it.

Well, at least there should be some tax relief, depending on your jurisdiction!

I'm in the UK and had a root canal a few months back. It needed further treatment at the hospital. Didn't cost me a penny. $4k for a minor dental procedure? What fucking world are you living in?

Murica.

That’s including a crown on the tooth.

Who is your dentist? That sounds outrageous.

I could go to the greatest private dentist on Harley Street and he wouldn't charge me that much.

I have had a few root canals, and they never hurt during or after the procedure. It was the pain before the procedure that was usually extreme, which is what prompted me to go to the dentist to have it dealt with in the first place.

[quote] I could go to the greatest private dentist on Harley Street and he wouldn't charge me that much.

So what accounts for the sorry state of English teeth?

My root canal in the UK didn't work as I had to wait too long for a follow-up appointment during COVID. The weakened tooth smashed and the whole tooth got removed. It's a back one but I'm looking into a dental implant so I can enjoy chewing properly

Root canals are nearly painless and often immediately remove the pain of an infection and abscess. I've had more than I remember.

Many communities have ways for people needing assistance to receive appropriate dental care, free or at a greatly reduced cost. People in places with a dental school, additionally, can contact the school about dental help. I've known several people who have had root canals, crowns and bridgework done this way. Local health departments also coordinate with non-profits and dentists/techs for dental-service programs that come to county seats and larger towns in a county.

Willful or phobic avoidance is behind poor dental outcomes in adults in the USA, additional to poor health education and, yes, expense and lack of easy access to care. My point is that poverty is not quite the sole excuse for Gums, Indiana.

As for your whining, get insurance/better insurance. And don't call it a "failed" filling, because no filling in a significantly damaged tooth is a sure fix and if you're bitching about the initial cost, if you paid more than $300 for the initial xrays and filling it's your own doing.

It's a myth, r12 luv.

I went in for a root canal and the dentist found two roots in a one root tooth. Double whammy but he didn't charge extra but it took twice as long. It didn't show up on the x-ray because it was hiding behind the other root.

I just had a root canal last week, and the most out-of-pocket I had to pay was $800. My dental insurance took care of the rest.

My insurance is maxed out.

It is more expensive to do a root canal on a molar because they have multiple roots and require a crown.

Medicare should cover dental for us oldies. The government claims it would be too expensive and don't get me started on that.

Well, don’t do anal tonight

Dental insurance in America is horrible. I think the max payout for any policy is $1500. If you have one major issue, that pretty much sucks up everything. Also getting a new crown can cost up to $2000

OP, maybe ask your CPA if you can deduct it as a medical expense (if you itemize)?

Same thing happened to me 15 years ago, but back then it cost $2K, not $4K. When I went to the bank to transfer funds from savings to checking to pay my bill to the periodontist, the little harpy of a teller said, "Going shopping?"

She didn't realize it, but she almost lost both her ears that day.

I just recently chipped a molar on a tiny sunflower seed in a piece of whole grain bread and needed to get a crown. Ended up being $340 out of pocket after insurance. Not cheap but luckily avoided a costly root canal to go with it. Even with insurance, maintaining your health is ridiculously expensive.

OP, I've had 4. Grow up.

It was done by an endodontist. They charge more

I had to take my partner in for two, separate dental emergencies, summer before last. They both became extractions. He is deathly afraid of the dentist and the pain so I had to go get prescriptions from dentist and have them filled before he'd allow the dentist to do his job. We had to get a hotel room both times so that he could recover. He was bleeding all over and choking on gauze. Out of pocket was a couple grand. This was all during Covid. You have my sympathy, OP!

[quote] You have my sympathy, OP!

Thank you.

I had seven root canals (or is it "roots canal"?), but only on six teeth. One of them had to be re-done because the endodontist missed a fifth root, hence the extra root canal.

But only one was "This has to be worse than having a baby!" painful. The endo explained that it was a "hot tooth." She gave me three shots of novocaine and was unable to numb the tooth. She told me the only other alternative was to give me a shot in the roof of my mouth, and that it would be as painful as the root canal, so I passed. She did give me a ball to squeeze and told me that it would be OK if I cried. [bold]That's[/bold] what you want to hear from a dentist!

It was horrible. And while I did howl, I did not cry. But I did pull over on the middle of the Howard Frankland Bridge (illegal) to take a pain pill.

To people who have never had a root canal (lucky you!). what the endo does it look at an x-ray of the tooth, drill it a little bit, and then take teeny tiny little metal files and run them in and out of your tooth until each root is completely removed. This is the painful part because the root is where the nerve of the tooth lives. Then when there are four or five long holes in the tooth, the endo packs the holes full of some shit the origin of which I am blissfully unaware, and then they glue on top of all that a temporary top for your tooth called a "crown." Hopefully they have taken an impression of the shape of the original top of your tooth so the temporary top fits. It can be extremely painful if the new crown is misshapen.

The thing is, the endo only removes the main roots. Your teeth have tiny roots that grow off of the main roots and they too are part of the nerve of the tooth. So that's what continues to be painful after the main roots have been removed.

Sorry -- I wrote a book here! But sadly, I am a veteran of this procedure. Here's hoping I never have to see the inside of an endodontist's office again.

I care about you OP. I would love to be your neighbor or your friend. Serenity now!

No Sympathy here rich bitch.

Why so expensive OP?

"Shingles doesn't care."

You need to keep ahead of the pain OP. Take an Advil or Motrin and 4-6 hours later, take a Tylenol. Keep alternating medications for at least 24 hours.

NSAIDS and Tylenol #1 combined with sorbet, gelato or popsicles will help you immensely.

I have good dentition but my gingiva and tonsils are another story.

OP it seems to be up late trolling about wokeness. I take back every kind word. 🚫

I was surprised at how physical the operation was, and I was very embarrassed by the horrible smell that came from that tooth once it was opened up. (I could never be an endodontist, oh god.) The guy I saw was great, very Mormon. I actually think the grinding down of the tooth for the crown, done by my regular dentist, was the worst part of the procedure.

Thank god for modern dentistry

I said progressives are serving a long-term right-wing agenda in attacking private universities, especially over something as meaningless as legacy admissions. If you consider that trolling, I’m happy to return your sympathy, unused.

No, cunty, you got all grumpy about "wokeness".

I used the word “wokedom.” I used all sorts of references to various political groups. I’m sorry you’re so sensitive to criticism that a you condemn me for the use of a word you don’t like , and follow me from thread to thread. Your issue, not mine. And an illustration of one problem with wokedom.

Actually, an illustration of several problems.

I got a dental implant molar, the last in the bottom row and it was probably the worst experience of my life. I really look after my teeth, but for a time I got lazy with my dental guard and cracked it in my sleep. Will NEVER make that mistake again.

My shitty flex benefits only covered the extraction and I was on the hook for $3,600. Still mad about that. Then there were 2 major surgeries (the extraction, then the installing the anchor or whatever it's called) fuck me to hell and back. I don't know which one was worse.

Like an idiot, I opted for local anesthetic because I'm a control freak. I will NEVER make that mistake again. I hope I never have to do another implant. It's hell.

Speedy recovery, OP.

I wasn’t offered general anesthesia. Just as well. I needed to drive.

Not sure they offer general for root canals, never had one. But with it you have to have someone who knows you pick you up. No Uber or taxi. So it can be hard for many people to opt for that.

Probably not. It’s not that different from a filling. Just more elaborate and time-consuming.

No real pain today. Just a little soreness and a mild ache.

I just tripped over a ups package and I want sympathy

Is the package okay?

My package is great!

Yeah, the smell is so gross. Rotten smell, like maggots are going to crawl out. "Excuse me, I made an involuntary smelly ". That's partly why they charge twenty times what they should.