Shoot me now...I have to have a root canal AND a crown!

[IslandGirl]

I broke off a back tooth a couple of months ago. Not sure how I did it. It wasn't bothering me so I put if off. Went to the dentist this morning and I have to have a root canal and a crown done. Ka-Khing! That's what I get for putting it off. Next week is going to be fun.

[Lynn]

That hurts at two places....the mouth and the wallet.

I had a temp put in to get me thru the holidays but it was doing so well that I just forgot about it. I started having some issues and so called the dentist and went in this past November......it had been 3 years! Well now, once again my mouth has me in trouble ...... but not for the normal reasons. . . I need about $2500 MORE (as in in addition to the $1800 I have spent so far) in dental work.

[Loonbeam]

Been there, and have several t-shirts.

The crown part isn't bad, just expensive.

[CruiseExpert]

All is not lost; you can make this a more pleasant expereince by getting the Nitrous Oxide. I get it even for cleanings.

[Annette]

I had a root canal in October, still waiting to get the crown. Dentist is reluctant to do it right now because the tooth is still sensitive from the root canal!

[susanliber]

I never had to have a root canal but 2 years ago, I had 3 crowns done at the same time. I was in the chair for 3 hours. I made sure to have the dentist precribe me valium for it.

And I will be doing it again - on the other side - as soon as I have the Lasik paid for. My dental insurance pays about 50%, my husbands about 1% and I pay for the rest. I am lucky in that my dentist is very nice and he gives me a break on the price. (My patient number is 19....I have been with him since he first came to town.)

[Loonbeam]

If your insurance covers it, and you have a ride, you can ask about oral conscious sedation. I had it for my extraction and bone graft, it was wonderful, I don't remember a THING.

[Gesualdo]

Fortunately (and NOT due to good genes), I have never had to have any dental work more complicated than having a cavity filled or a tooth pulled. (My poor mother had her entire row of top teeth taken out before I was born. I can only imagine what THAT was like.) However, I did have to have my wisdom teeth pulled and some fillings replaced recently, so I've been in the dental chair a lot lately. When I went in December, he replaced 3 fillings and pulled my last wisdom tooth. I was in the chair 3-4 hours. He had me so doped up I swear I almost went to sleep with that drill whining in my ear. And that was just from the deadening injection - no nitrous oxide for me.

(I fully expect to see my dentist driving around town in a new Mercedes. If I can pick him out from all the other Mercedes' running around town. Mercedes ownership is almost a prerequisite to living here.)

[Ned]

A number of years ago I broke a molar at a movie theater eating popcorn. I got a crown. About 10 years later the crown came off and had to be re-glued. Over the years I've had molar adjusted as my mouth changed.

[susanliber]

Ya Know - it was wishing it on myself. I just chipped one of my back upper molars. My teeth are very brittle - bad tooth genes from both sides of the family. And I have a dentist appointment on Wednesday when I get off shift. So I may have to get those crowns before I finish paying for the Lasik...OUCH!!