I had 6 molar root canals and a crown for each one, all done not by a specialist but just a regular dentist. Average price per tooth was around $700 total, for everything. In the +40 years since I've never had a single problem with any of those teeth.
In the last few years I had a couple more root canals (and crowns), each requiring a trip to an outrageously expensive $pecialist where the staff practically gasped when I pulled out a credit card instead of a dental insurance card. Their reaction was as if I was trying to buy a BMW, or even a house. After a flurry of keyboard clicking, no doubt checking to see if it was fraudulent/stolen/overdrawn/badcredithistory/whatever, followed by signing papers to give them my first born male if payment was somehow not processed, then they let me through to get the root canal. Whew.
I still have occasional pain two years after where the $pecialists did the root canals. The dentist was clueless as to why. Another of the more recent crown hurts if there is lateral pressure put on it. Another clueless dentist said he can't find anything wrong.
Last month I had to have another root canal when I cracked a tooth. At least I found a place open on weekends as I was in extreme pain. Expensive as hell, even though they were moving people through like cattle. Some 30 booths (not kidding!) manned by 3 dentists...excuse me, $pecialists, running from booth to booth as needed. Sort of fast-food type dentistry. The over crowded waiting room was like being at the DMV. Then I had to wait 3 weeks for the crown, which didn't fit right, so I have to wait another 3 weeks. The temporary cap has fallen off twice in the last 3 days. I told them I'll just leave it out.
From my perspective, dentistry not only has become way too expensive, but has actually gotten worse. For all their new high tech gadgets, dental care is declining instead of improving. I'm now glad I got those 6 molars done right way back when.
In the last few years I had a couple more root canals (and crowns), each requiring a trip to an outrageously expensive $pecialist where the staff practically gasped when I pulled out a credit card instead of a dental insurance card. Their reaction was as if I was trying to buy a BMW, or even a house. After a flurry of keyboard clicking, no doubt checking to see if it was fraudulent/stolen/overdrawn/badcredithistory/whatever, followed by signing papers to give them my first born male if payment was somehow not processed, then they let me through to get the root canal. Whew.
I still have occasional pain two years after where the $pecialists did the root canals. The dentist was clueless as to why. Another of the more recent crown hurts if there is lateral pressure put on it. Another clueless dentist said he can't find anything wrong.
Last month I had to have another root canal when I cracked a tooth. At least I found a place open on weekends as I was in extreme pain. Expensive as hell, even though they were moving people through like cattle. Some 30 booths (not kidding!) manned by 3 dentists...excuse me, $pecialists, running from booth to booth as needed. Sort of fast-food type dentistry. The over crowded waiting room was like being at the DMV. Then I had to wait 3 weeks for the crown, which didn't fit right, so I have to wait another 3 weeks. The temporary cap has fallen off twice in the last 3 days. I told them I'll just leave it out.
From my perspective, dentistry not only has become way too expensive, but has actually gotten worse. For all their new high tech gadgets, dental care is declining instead of improving. I'm now glad I got those 6 molars done right way back when.
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