Scan Medical Insurance

extraction or root canal?

I was seen by a dentist who thought my cavity was going to be a simple filling but ended up being bigger then he expected. So he recommended a root canal...only problem was that the company I worked for went under and I am unemployed. Fortunately I have MetLIFE dental insurance through my wifes employer but we are on a very tight budget. Do I have to pay for the root canal in full? Even half may be difficult to pay up front because of our mortgage and after school child care fees. Should I have it extracted? I don't want to as it is one of my molars but at the same time I would like to get back to some normalcy. in pain) Honolulu, HI

Public Comments

1. when you get a root canal, 99% of the time that tooth is grinded down to a stump and covered with a cap, so, for expense reasons I suggest you get it extracted and when you have the funds, get a false tooth put in if the empty area bugs you.
2. Extraction is cheaper. I had a root canal 6 months back, and I STILL cannot eat from that side.
3. If you had consulted further with your dentist, you would have learned that having a tooth extracted is definitely not the way to go, as it can cause imbalance in your mouth and more risk of infection. Not to mention a host of other problems. I don't know what town you live in, but you should seek out another option. Have you thought about going to a dental school? Where they train aspiring dentists, ususally the cost is next to nothing and won't cost as much as going thru your dental. Sry, but root canal is the only option you have, times are hard, so go w./out a luxury you can do with out! DO SOMETHING....just don't sit on it.....Welll??? Get crackin'
4. I guess you need a root canal because the dentist has carved your molar to the nerve point. If you don't have a root canal- that extracts the nerve- your molar will be so sensitive you will want to kill yourself. But other than that, any bacteria that will enter the cavity can cause a big time infection. you need to close the hole yes or yes. To extract the molar is NOT NOT an OPTION. Your will enter even more expenses and more dear ones. If you extract any tooth, you must put something to replace it or all your teeth will be messed up. Remember, teeth move inside the mouth, believe it or not, and an extraction is the main reason why they will move! I would recommend try to find an inexpensive doctor, a free service, or try to make payments arrangements with your dentist. You can not leave your nerve like that's for sure. You might be poor, but this is the body your have for the rest of your life. Take care of it.
5. Do what you can afford because you can always find a solution for dental care later on when you have better insurance. Extractions are cheap and solve tooth pain fast but leave open spaces in your mouth making it harder to chew and the teeth adjacent to the space can shift. You can always get a bridge or an implant later on when you get good insurance and a new job. A root canal will save your tooth and take care of the pain but are costly, and the tooth will need to have a crown placed which is also costly. You don't have to worry about missing a tooth with a root canal. Good luck!
6. pull it out. cheap , quick, and easy.
7. I think you'd be wise to have the root canal done. It will give you a useful tooth for many years. If you get the bad tooth extracted just to save money, your bite may be messed up. In order to prevent this, you would need bridgework or even dental implants not too far in the future. Those are much more expensive than a root canal. Most dentists' offices are willing to work out an installment payment plan for you. They will contact the insurance company to obtain a "pre-determination of benefits" so you'll know how much your cost will be before the work is begun. I have had fillings, root canals, a permanent bridge that turned out not to be permanent enough, and two implants. All this work was done over the years on the lower left. The root canals lasted fifteen or twenty years before the teeth deteriorated too much to be saved and we had to go to bridgework and finally implants. The implants were done about ten years ago for $1200 each. They have given me no trouble at all since that time. You would need an expert oral surgeon to install an implant, and it takes a number of months for the process to be complete. You can probably find out more about root canals and dental implants via www.Google.com Advanced Search.
8. Get it filled. Apart from being cheaper (a filling), even if it means 2 visits, a filling means you keep the tooth. It's not ground down to gum line. The dentist will actually use pins and rebuild the tooth so it fits in with your bite. Removing the tooth means you have a big gap in your mouth. Not good for crunchy foods. If you are not happy with the dentist, go to another one, they are a dime a dozen. The best dentist is the one who wants to keep the teeth as long as possible. I've just had 7 fillings over the past 2 months and I've still got 2 more appointments. I've only got 21 teeth left in my mouth. My dentist is removing old stained fillings and fixing decay and chipped teeth. It probably would have been easier for him to just remove the whole lot and give me dentures which I refuse, by the way.. I'm hanging on to my teeth as long as I can, even if it costs me $500 dollars a year to maintain them. In the past, I had 5 root canals. Two of them have decayed into slush and I had to have them extracted - $200 per tooth and the most terrifying experience in my life. I'd rather be mauled by a lion than have a molar extracted. You can arrange part-payments with your dentist on a weekly basis. Otherwise just go without those bare essentials like alcohol, for a month.