The only thing I didnt think about preparing for my retirement.... My Teeth!

[Mulligan]

You have fillings that are more than 30 years old? I was told that the average filling only lasts 12 years and that I should feel lucky mine have all lasted at least that long.

I am not an expert on dentistry, but I sure as hell thought they were meant to last a lifetime. Maybe that good old silver they put in my 3 fillings in the 1970's stays attached to the tooth better. I sure hope it never falls out. Aaron you need to tell them if they are costing that much money, you expect to never need to replace them again. Good Luck!

 

[Nords]

I lost 2 fillings a couple months ago and they're now getting painful so I went to the dentist for the first time in 13 years. I left with an estimate of almost $4000 of work that needs to be done to eliminate the pain. That's a lot of money for me but I don't think I have any other good option. I guess it's not too expensive if you look at it on a per month basis. 13 years is 156 months. That's only $25.XX/mo over the last 13 years. Chances are it's going to get worse though since I have a mouth full of 15-20 year old fillings. Up until now(age 32) I haven't thought much about dental costs but now i'll have to include it in all future budgets.

You have fillings that are more than 30 years old? I was told that the average filling only lasts 12 years and that I should feel lucky mine have all lasted at least that long.

I have nine fillings that are older than you, too, although I've been warned that nobody can predict how much longer they'll last. Maybe it's the extra mercury they added to the silver.

The good news is that today's filling material is even more durable. You could try for a discount dentist or a dental school, but maybe you've already beat the cost (and the deductibles) of dental insurance.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Ive just paid $800 for dental surgery for my 15 year old dog!
But it's true about dental work, whatever you put off doing, will always cost you in the end, usually more.
Dental work isn't something I've ever "shopped" but I wonder how much prices might vary between the older established dentists in your town and the newer, hungrier ones.
I've got fillings from the late 70's still holding on!

 

[CitizenK]

With a history of dental issues, I began a year ago to get everything checked and fixed while I was still working. I got several crowns, and had an extraction for an upcoming implant. It was financially painless, because I was still working, and had a well-funded health spending account as part of my medical plan, which could be used for dental expenses. Then on January 1, my company changed health insurance providers, and declared that the spending account could no longer be used for dental, only medical. So now I have to pay for the expensive part of the implant process out of pocket, even though I thought I had planned ahead. I'm still looking forward to getting it done though.

 

[MBAustin]

I have two crowns that are ~33 years old and were only supposed to last 15 years. I've had some fillings last for 5 years and some for 30 years - depending mostly on the dentist who did the work. Now that I have no insurance, I appreciate quality dentistry that much more.

If you are approaching ER and have insurance, I recommend to find the best dentist your insurance covers and have everything evaluated.

 

[BigNick]

My childhood dentist had a horrible, horrible bedside manner. But my goodness, he could make fillings. I have about 6 that are between 35 and 40 years old, and my (wonderful) current dentist looks wistfully at them every time she scales my teeth. She's replaced two fillings in the 15 years I've been going to her.

DW now goes to her as well. Prior to that she had about 6 dentists in 20 years, what with changing city/country, and every single one had done the "Oh dear, who did this? They'll all have to come out" routine on her. I suspect that a lot of dentists would fail a "mystery shopper" test for unnecessary work.

 

[happy2bretired]

Don't forget that delaying dental work can also lead to heart problems on down the line.

 

[Mulligan]

My childhood dentist had a horrible, horrible bedside manner. But my goodness, he could make fillings. I have about 6 that are between 35 and 40 years old, and my (wonderful) current dentist looks wistfully at them every time she scales my teeth. She's replaced two fillings in the 15 years I've been going to her.

DW now goes to her as well. Prior to that she had about 6 dentists in 20 years, what with changing city/country, and every single one had done the "Oh dear, who did this? They'll all have to come out" routine on her. I suspect that a lot of dentists would fail a "mystery shopper" test for unnecessary work.

Well, I wish I hadnt read these recent posts, as I just assumed my fillings would never need replacing and in fact, I had never even given them a thought in over 35 years. I didnt realize that this was common or there was only a 12-15 year "life expentency" for my fillings. Maybe I will get lucky.

 

[Khan]

Well, I wish I hadnt read these recent posts, as I just assumed my fillings would never need replacing and in fact, I had never even given them a thought in over 35 years. I didnt realize that this was common or there was only a 12-15 year "life expentency" for my fillings. Maybe I will get lucky.

I have been told ~20 years for silver fillings.

 

[W2R]

I had a half dozen or so root canals with gold crowns put in by a terrific dentist in Meridian, Mississippi 37 years ago. He told me maybe as long as 20 years at the time, but after 37 years these are still going strong. I think one had to be worked on and that's about all. Of course these days, gold is more expensive than it was in 1975.

 

[redduck]

... I brush almost every day,

You must have been a big hit on those non-brushing days with your submarine mates.

 

[Nords]

You must have been a big hit on those non-brushing days with your submarine mates.

Trust me, the last time you brushed your teeth was the least of any submariner's hygiene concerns.

If we were underway for less than two weeks we wouldn't open the laundry. If we were underway for less than 72 hours we wouldn't even let anyone but the food service staff use the showers.

Among the 100+ crew members you always had one or two guys who would see how long they could go without showering. Let's just say that it's a good thing women are joining the submarine force, because the only other thing that would persuade these PigPens to clean themselves once in a while was the threat of UCMJ. I think women submariners will be a very powerful global force for good in elevating cleanliness standards.

That reminds me, I'm going to have to explain to my submariner wanna-be daughter that submarine underwear actually has four sides... I don't think she's heard that one before, and I've been saving it for a special father-daughter occasion just like this.

 

[kramer]

This thread was certainly surprising to me. Dental work in the USA is just something that I really don't consider seriously anymore.

With proper research, dental care in lower cost countries really can be great and cost effective. If I lived in the USA, I would be getting care in Mexico. My aunt and uncle both had major work done along the Mexican border. They were frightened before going (despite getting many recommendations from their relatives in Airzona) but have been so happy with the work, it has worked out fantastic for them. They stayed in a hotel on the USA side of the border (Yuma area) and walked across to the dentist, all English facility.

I just got my teeth cleaned here in the Philippines, the cost was on the upper end here, about $19 (lol). The dentist was recommended to me by a group of Guam doctors who all use her. I was just in Cebu City, Philippines and researched dentists there as a favor for a Filipina friend as she just didn't know which dentist to go to. I found her a dentist that taught for many years at the dental school there and has a great reputation with the expats. Costs are in the neighborhood of 1/6 the USA, I would estimate. Also, they give you a choice of materials before any procedure where there are options, they know expats generally want the highest qualify materials (well, I sure do!). In fact, one of the classes this dentist taught was on dental ethics.

The super high end place in Cebu City, which is located in the premiere mall there and draws the highest quality dentists in the region and has a stellar reputation, is approximately 1/3 the cost of the USA, to give you an idea.

One other big difference that I noticed. I have been to the dentist multiple times in three different countries outside of the USA. In each case, it was the dentist who actually did my cleaning, not a dental assistant. I never had a dentist clean my teeth in the USA. At my last teeth cleaning in the USA in 2007, the dentist never even made an appearance!

The internet is a game changer and has made it easier to find quality medical professionals abroad.

 

[ripper1]

$750 a year for health insurance? Wow. If I could get health insurance for $750 a month I would be happy.

+1.....I'm a retired public employee and I pay 805 a month for me and my wife. I had an optional cobra insurance for dental that was 32 a month.

 

[Brdofpray]

As we were contemplating Fire, we thought about dental. Our plan was to relocate to SC, and hope for the best. Our DS was completing dental school at the time. We figured in emergencies we would visit him, where ever he ended up. After we moved, DS joined a practice 30 minutes away! The DW needed a crown. We ended up paying $45 out of pocket. There is payback, however. We stained a deck, spread some mulch, and take care of our grand daughter whenever we are needed. We are not complaining.

 

[web_diva]

Here is a video on a nutritional regimen that is said to reverse tooth decay through proper nutrition. Might interest you. 2 main speakers.
Cure Tooth Decay - Ramiel Nagel + Sally Fallon of the Weston Price Foundation - YouTube