dental crowns

[simpleSimon]

Random observations:

1) Err.... Delta Dental IS my dental ins co.

2) Lemme clarify a wee bit here-- I get that the dentist has *probably* not asked me to get a crown if she does not think it necessary that I do get it, but, like it or not, having ascertained that the ins will pay nothing towards it, the basic reality is that, well, I cannot afford this.   Not even in the ballpark of affordability pour moi.  Any financing schemes that the dental practice may offer me, moreover, would be also just unaffordable.   It is what it is.   A look-see around here in Rusty City, in any retail store or similar public place, further, will doubtless demonstrate that many adults here have not, ahem, seen a dentist in the 21st century, and that won't be changin' anytime soon.  It is sad to acknowledge that dental issues, those that apparently are real health issues, are apparently just not dealt with the way other health issues, covered by real medical insurance are, but it is what it is.

I am a bit confused.  You have dental insurance, but it will not pay anything toward needed crowns?  It sounds as though you have a bare minimum policy; you obviously need to reconsider that the next time your plans offers open enrollment.  When I signed up for dental insurance with my school/employer we were offered plans at three different levels. Better coverage was, of course, more expensive but you were given a choice. Based on past experiences I chose the highest level of coverage.  Even in the absence of such choice you have the option to buy supplemental coverage—which I did for my health plan.  Have you seen those Aflac commercials with the quacking duck?  That is the supplemental insurance offered through my employer and I purchased it.  While I had to jump through hoops to make a claim it did cover everything my regular insurance did not cover.  I highly recommend it.

When you are twentysomething insurance may seem like a waste because you are mostly healthy and have little understanding of real illness and the financial costs associated with it.  By the time you are fifty+ your perspective changes.  Invest in the insurance.  Having it is essential for you—and especially for your family!  This includes life insurance.

As for your present situation, you will have to tighten your belt, finance the cost, and engage in whatever side hustle is necessary to retire that debt.  No, you should not be in this situation, but you are.  So deal with it; do what you have to do.

[clean]

I too have Delta.  Im not a huge fan.  I wrote that they pay very little toward anything. However, My Bride uses a dentist that is in their network, and I may have to change to that dentist, and I would certainly visit if I had to have any major work done.  While I have used and liked my dentist for 20 years, he long ago stopped taking the insurance, and I have paid what the insurance doesnt cover.  I have made the difference up by making sure that my Health Care Saving account was adjusted for the need and postponing the treatments until the new plan year.

However, that is not an option for you as you indicated that you dont have the option of the health care savings (from what I remember as I type).   You DO have the option of visiting a dentist in their plan!   IF you have the same plan I have with Delta, you are allowed 3 visits with a dentist a year.  So perhaps you can schedule one with a dentist in your area that takes the plan.  (Even if you have to extend 'your area' to include 50 or more miles from your house!) 

Crowns are expensive, there is no way around that, but the plan does provide some coverage for them usually, but at a very low pay rate (from what I remember about mine).

The rest will have to be financed, though, and that will mean a change to your financial plan.  You will need to save a few hundred more a month until the cost is saved up.   Ask the dentist, who seems willing to arrange financing from an alternate source, if there is a 'cash discount'.  Certainly, if he has arranged to have a finance company as part of his practice, he is not getting paid 100% of what is financed, but a fraction.  How big is the fraction, or how much can be discounted off the list price? 

Then call around and tell the other dentist offices in your area that you want a second opinion on a particular job, get a copy of your records from the current dentist's office and get estimates of a.  how critical this need is, b. how soon it should be done - how long can you put it off, and c. what they will charge for the service.  They may not charge you for a visit, or at least find out what they will charge to 'bid for the job'. 

(maybe that is the way to approach it.  "I want to give you an opportunity to bid for the job of crowning this tooth. I will provide you with the charts and x-rays and make myself available to see my tooth in person, and discuss with you the price you will bid for this work". 

[kaysixteen]

Hmmmm....

1) I will indeed, after the first of the year, investigate alternative insurance options, and the in-network options the letter from Delta suggests might help me.  What I will not do is alter my 'plan' in order to allocate a couple hundred bucks a month towards a crown, because.... ahem... err... where the hell am I to get a couple hundred uncommitted for essentials bucks?

It is perhaps necessary to reiterate here that, well, many if not the vast majority of those folks I mentioned, those who have not seen, obviously, a dentist in the 21st c., do not seek such services because THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO SO. 

2) As to calling various local dentists and seeing if they will see me, preferably without charge, to 'bid on the job' of a crown, am I alone in thinking this an unseemly act, akin to seeking estimates from contractors on remodeling the bathroom?  It would of course also be the case that any dentist agreeing to see me under such circumstances would bid on the job, and would be therefore highly unlikely to say that in fact he did not think a crown was warranted...

[nebo113]

am I alone in thinking this an unseemly act, akin to seeking estimates from contractors on remodeling the bathroom?

Better than awful pain and then having your teeth fall out.

[Wahoo Redux]

I think our friend Kay is looking for some way to justify not paying for the procedure.  It's a roll of the dice, K16, just immediately seek help if it gets bad. 

[Hegemony]

I wouldn't ask for free bids. I would ask for second opinions and estimates, though. Ideally go to dentists recommended by friends or colleagues, so you know they're reliable.

[simpleSimon]

Hmmmm....

1) I will indeed, after the first of the year, investigate alternative insurance options, and the in-network options the letter from Delta suggests might help me.  What I will not do is alter my 'plan' in order to allocate a couple hundred bucks a month towards a crown, because.... ahem... err... where the hell am I to get a couple hundred uncommitted for essentials bucks?

It is perhaps necessary to reiterate here that, well, many if not the vast majority of those folks I mentioned, those who have not seen, obviously, a dentist in the 21st c., do not seek such services because THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO SO. 

2) As to calling various local dentists and seeing if they will see me, preferably without charge, to 'bid on the job' of a crown, am I alone in thinking this an unseemly act, akin to seeking estimates from contractors on remodeling the bathroom?  It would of course also be the case that any dentist agreeing to see me under such circumstances would bid on the job, and would be therefore highly unlikely to say that in fact he did not think a crown was warranted...

You say you cannot afford to have this dental work done.  With respect, I am trying to understand what you are spending your money on that is more important than your (oral) health?  I realize we all have different priorities, but I cannot think of anything more important than my health, eye health, oral health, hearing, etc.

That said you do have options—even if you do not necessarily like them.  At my university we have a dental school.  They routinely offer low cost or free service to needy patients who agree to be worked on by students (under the supervision of dental faculty). Perhaps you can investigate that at a nearby school if you own institution doesn't have a dental school and clinic.

[nebo113]

I suggested this a few pages back, as did someone else, but crickets from K16.  And to give him credit, there may not be a dental school easily accessible to him.  In my little corner of the world, I would have to drive @80 miles to a dental school.  And perhaps Wahoo Redux has a good point.

[kaysixteen]

Errrrr.....

1) I confess I am trying to ascertain why exactly it is that it is so hard for many people here to grasp the reality that I cannot afford such work, even if I thought I needed it (I've no dental pain, and no visible cracks, etc., nothing really much different from my last physical a year ago).  I will be, as I said, looking into various options after the New Year, but I will not be placing my teeth out to bid, not the least reason for which is that such bidding will doubtless encourage dentists to say that they would do the work for $x, whether the work needs to be done or not, since they'd make exactly nothing from me if they said other than that.   My dental health is of course important to me, and I do acknowledge being somewhat surprised that my dental ins co will pay exactly bupkis for this pretty standard dental procedure, whereas of course my regular med insurance certainly pays something, usually the vast majority of the cost, for all needed med work my docs seek.   In no real sense is this dental coverage 'insurance' akin to the regular health ins, and this is an issue we do need, as a society, to address, esp since I am absolutely correct to note that here in Rusty City you will indeed regularly spy out normal, hardworking people (not just street meth addicts) who have crappy teeth, because they cannot afford to do anything about it.

2) The nearest dental school is probably 60 miles away.  I could go there, I guess, but I ain't willing to become a practice guinea pig for trainees, like it or not, and have such students be drilling into my mouth, perhaps to make a mistake before their teacher/ supervisor could intervene, any more than I would ever permit such a trainee ophthalmologist to perform the laser treatment or eyeball injections I have needed for my eye condition.  I get that such trainees need to be trained in order to be able to do these procedures going forward, but respectfully, they are going to have to find other test dummies.

[simpleSimon]

Errrrr.....

1) I confess I am trying to ascertain why exactly it is that it is so hard for many people here to grasp the reality that I cannot afford such work, even if I thought I needed it (I've no dental pain, and no visible cracks, etc., nothing really much different from my last physical a year ago).  I will be, as I said, looking into various options after the New Year, but I will not be placing my teeth out to bid, not the least reason for which is that such bidding will doubtless encourage dentists to say that they would do the work for $x, whether the work needs to be done or not, since they'd make exactly nothing from me if they said other than that.   My dental health is of course important to me, and I do acknowledge being somewhat surprised that my dental ins co will pay exactly bupkis for this pretty standard dental procedure, whereas of course my regular med insurance certainly pays something, usually the vast majority of the cost, for all needed med work my docs seek.   In no real sense is this dental coverage 'insurance' akin to the regular health ins, and this is an issue we do need, as a society, to address, esp since I am absolutely correct to note that here in Rusty City you will indeed regularly spy out normal, hardworking people (not just street meth addicts) who have crappy teeth, because they cannot afford to do anything about it.

2) The nearest dental school is probably 60 miles away.  I could go there, I guess, but I ain't willing to become a practice guinea pig for trainees, like it or not, and have such students be drilling into my mouth, perhaps to make a mistake before their teacher/ supervisor could intervene, any more than I would ever permit such a trainee ophthalmologist to perform the laser treatment or eyeball injections I have needed for my eye condition.  I get that such trainees need to be trained in order to be able to do these procedures going forward, but respectfully, they are going to have to find other test dummies.

It sounds as though you must have some better alternatives, which makes me wonder why you posted here to begin with. I am sure it will all work out for the best.  Good luck to you.

[Wahoo Redux]

1) I confess I am trying to ascertain why exactly it is that it is so hard for many people here to grasp the reality that I cannot afford such work, even if I thought I needed it (I've no dental pain, and no visible cracks, etc., nothing really much different from my last physical a year ago). 

We get that.

Peeps here have expressed concern for you.  The bacteria in your dead tooth do not care if you can pay for a crown or not.  They have their own agenda which may be very damaging or even dangerous.

Get the tooth pulled.

[apl68]

1) I confess I am trying to ascertain why exactly it is that it is so hard for many people here to grasp the reality that I cannot afford such work, even if I thought I needed it (I've no dental pain, and no visible cracks, etc., nothing really much different from my last physical a year ago). 

We get that.

Peeps here have expressed concern for you.  The bacteria in your dead tooth do not care if you can pay for a crown or not.  They have their own agenda which may be very damaging or even dangerous.

Get the tooth pulled.

We are kind of worried about you, kay.  This sounds like a serious situation.  Prayers for you as you seek a solution.

[kaysixteen]

On further reflection, I recall that, last month, when I had this annual dental physical, w. x-rays, the dentist immediately noticed the two teeth that had the cavities needing to be filled, and arranged to do so, but then also noted the tooth that she thought might need a crown, saying something to the effect that she would have her staff ascertain whether my ins would cover that.  This does not fill me with inordinate confidence in the necessity of such work.  Truth be told, though I have the tooth number that supposedly would be crowned, and of course I could look up where this tooth is in my mouth (dentition numbers are apparently standardized), I see no cracks, feel no pain, and notice no substantive difference from last fall.   IOW, this cannot possibly be urgent, esp since, when the dentist office called up to confirm that my insurance would not pay for this, and I told the person I was not going to have the work done at this time, she just acknowledged this (admittedly she is a receptionist/ secretary, rather than any sort of med professional), and I have not received any follow-up calls from the office saying that the dentist feels this to be essential work at this time, an attitude pretty consonant with her original remarks last month.

[nebo113]

this cannot possibly be urgent

Well, good then.  Now you can eat all the chestnuts you want to over the holidays.....and move on to other complaints.

[Langue_doc]

Hope you found a dentist who is not only affordable, but also quite professional. Here, in the big city, I've had to contend with very greedy and unscrupulous dentists who wanted to pull out several teeth, among other dishonest recommendations. On one occasion, immediately after the extraction of an impacted wisdom tooth, the dentist suggested that I have one of the teeth on the other side of the mouth extracted then and there. I refused, as I never make medical or financial decisions unless I'm sitting up and fully awake. This was an expensive dentist, and the teeth that he wanted pullled are still there, six or seven years later. I subsequently found a good dental practice, and have been happy with them because they recommend treatments, but leave it up to me to decide.

Just chiming in to reiterate that dental issues should be treated promptly, not all dentists are honest or scrupulous, and that going to the dentist is quite expensive. I would suggest asking for referrals.