High dental bills? I sympathize!

[W2R]

This is a thread for posts from those of us with crummy teeth, to complain about the resulting high bills from dentists and/or oral surgeons.

Those without crummy teeth can just grin like Cheshire Cats as they read the thread, and self congratulate on your superb oral hygiene and obvious superiority in keeping up with your teeth.

Those who are not yet retired, may find this useful in trying to predict their retirement spending.

ANYWAY.... here's what I paid over the last 5 years, including payments to my dentist (for root canals, cavities, crowns, xrays, cleaning), to my oral surgeon (for five implants), and for drugs they prescribed:

2017: $8,135
2016: $6,050
2015: $2,362
2014: $220
2013: $3,221

That adds up to $19,988 (almost $20K! ) over just five years. Good thing I have some wiggle room for unexpected expenses in my spending allotment. And no, I don't want to travel even a mile farther for my dentistry, much less to some banana republic, just to save a buck - - I like my dentist.

How about you? Anybody spend a lot on dental work in the past five years? Misery loves company so that's why I'm asking.

[pacergal]

your post made me check, as DH and I have had 3 implants, 2 root canals, an apicoectomy and a few crowns.
We have spent $16,200 in the past 5 years, including dental costs and insurance premiums (couldn't find information for any medications associated with that though).
I still have one more crown coming up next month, then hopefully we are both good for awhile!
Sure wish I had lived in an area that had fluoridated water growing up :-)

[athena53]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R This is a thread for posts from those of us with crummy teeth, to complain about the resulting high bills from dentists and/or oral surgeons. <snip>How about you? Anybody spend a lot on dental work in the past five years? Misery loves company so that's why I'm asking.

I'd say I spent at least that from 2009-2014 (retired in 2014). That included 4 implants, cleanings, occasional cavities and at least one crown. I was in the middle of the work on 2 implants when I retired- implants had been placed but were healing before the prosthetic teeth could be installed. I have an ancient bridge that's likely to fail at some point and I will do exactly what I did when a tooth supporting the other one failed: replace the failed tooth with an implant and put one in the gap covered by the bridge.

I can't complain. I have full confidence in my dentist and the oral surgeon. Years ago when there was some small tax rebate as part of a stimulus package, DH, our dentist and the dentist's BIL were on their way back home from an outing sponsored by our church. Dentist and his BIL started talking about what they'd do with their rebates and asked DH what we were doing. DH said we didn't get one because of our income (I was still working and the threshold was $150K IIRC). So, even though the dentist had his wife working as a receptionist, they were pulling in under $150K. No idea what the oral surgeon is making but with an MD as well as a DDS degree, I'd say he earned it.

[MRG]

This year I've done 2 crowns, 1 root canal and it will require a crown after the fact! Ouch.

The good news is other than cleaning DW has never needed any dental work done.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by athena53 I'd say I spent at least that from 2009-2014 (retired in 2014).

Ouch. Well, maybe there's hope if you aren't still spending that much. I have been assuming that my teeth will cost this much from here on out. But now that I think of it, in 2014 I only spent $220 for two cleanings. My dentist isn't overcharging, and in fact gives me free work now and then. It's not him, it's my (crummy!) teeth.

Pacergal, that's a lot too! I grew up with flouridated water, oh well.

MRG, those crowns do add up, thats for sure.

[Danmar]

Crown repairs, implants, root canals, new crowns. On and on. Have probably spent $25-30k over past 5 years for both of us. It’s pretty expensive but what are going to do? Get some back on our tax return.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danmar Crown repairs, implants, root canals, new crowns. On and on. Have probably spent $25-30k over past 5 years fo4 both of us. It’s pretty expensive but what are going to do?

Exactly! Like I told my dentist, my teeth are my number one priority right now.

[aja8888]

Last year (DW) - two new bridges, a few crowns, etc, etc - $11,000

This year (DW) - Root canal, cleaning, etc. - $1,100

*************************

This year over 10 months (Me) - $35,000 - two root canals, repair split tooth, repair tooth with a gold post that broke, lots of porcelain crowns (22?), cleanings, etc.

Tomorrow (12/13 - 9:15 am) - two implants (not the crowns yet) - $4,600+

I figure two more porcelain crowns for the implants, a partial bridge replacement, and some adjustments are all that is left for this year. (est - $6,000+).

I don't even want to add this all up.

I had a bad start in life with parents that were financially pretty poor and lacked the knowledge about dental care and preservation. When I was in the military, I had a lot of dental work done and also broke some front teeth in a car accident later in life. Within the last 18 months, all this old dental work is falling apart.

[FIREd]

Dental expenses picked up this year for me - 2 root canals, 2 crowns, 2 cavities, X-rays - over $3,000 out of pocket.

Next year, I am planning to have some cosmetic work done (porcelain veneers) - at least $2K out of pocket.

DW only requires cleanings...

[athena53]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Ouch. Well, maybe there's hope if you aren't still spending that much. I have been assuming that my teeth will cost this much from here on out.

Yes, thanks, dental spending is way down. I floss, I use a Waterpik and a SoniCare toothbrush and have prescription toothpaste, a bite guard, and 4 cleanings per year. All of those have kept major problems at bay for a long time, but I still anticipate the occasional expensive problem because I have a lot of old fillings and crowns and the bridge I mentioned earlier. This is one of many reasons I'm glad I never planned to retire on SS alone.


It's pretty sad to read responses to the occasional item stuck in my FaceBook feed titled "Affordable Dental Plans for Seniors" (which is nothing but a link to a Yahoo search on the topic). So many people out there can't afford much except extractions when things get unbearable.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by athena53 Yes, thanks, dental spending is way down. I floss, I use a Waterpik and a SoniCare toothbrush and have prescription toothpaste, a bite guard, and 4 cleanings per year. All of those have kept major problems at bay for a long time, but I still anticipate the occasional expensive problem because I have a lot of old fillings and crowns and the bridge I mentioned earlier. This is one of many reasons I'm glad I never planned to retire on SS alone.

Except for your first sentence and using prescription toothpaste and bite guard, that sounds like me before the dam broke!

[easysurfer]

Don't have the numbers in front of me, but probably spent close to 10k. An implant, couple of crowns come to mind.

[Bamaman]

I snapped a tooth off at the gum, and an oral surgeon charged $895 to remove the tooth and do a graft for an implant. He charges $2250 for the implant, and the abutment will be $500. Then the crown will be $850. It really adds up.

I ran up to Illinois and got the implant done for $900. Other than waiting for the novicaine to take effect, it was no more than a 7 minute job.

If I was going for mega dental work, I would do some medical tourism. For a $20k dental job, you can get it done in Alagores, Mexico (Yuma, AZ) for $4k. There are over 200 modern dental clinics there.

Budapest also has over 200 dentists with patients from the UK and other countries taking budget airlines from all over Europe. Their rates are comparable with Mexico, and the quality of care is excellent. Even after paying for flights, it is much cheaper to go there for dental work than at home if you are going for mega dental work.

[ncbill]

I think my dad's at double that over the last 5 years.

Always had bad teeth (crowns, bridges, etc.) but since he was also a heavy smoker, and still goes through a few cigarettes daily, he had to have major prep work to build up the bone for his over a dozen (so far) implants.

Even mom had terrible teeth, so I'm dreading my later years.

Told the kids last year "I am now officially old" after my first root canal/crown last year.

[Teacher Terry]

50k-ugh!

[Dawg52]

Two implants with crowns = $7k over the last 3 years. No more hard nuts for me!

[aja8888]

Once this thread is over, I may start one on how many surgically implanted metal or synthetic parts do we have in our bodies. That inventory would include posts, plates, joints, screws, wire, etc.

[teejayevans]

I was just told that I need a crown (I have decay under the filling) plus some other cavities, abnormal amount for me.
Did any of you get a second opinion? I don’t have any symptoms and dentist wants to do this right away, so I’m not comfortable with diagnosis. Just wondering those who have needed expensive dental work knew they needed it.

[happy2bretired]

Just a few years ago my dentist finally completed placing crowns on all my molars, some also had had root canals. I thought I was all set for a few years. Now, some of those molars with those nice crowns, are vertically splitting below the gum line. I’ve had 4 teeth pulled in the last 3 years. I have one implant and working on another one. The other two missing teeth are not going to be replaced. They are very last, upper teeth in the back, on both sides. My dentist said they really don’t need to replaced...so I’m not replacing those..going toothless. I have always taken good care of my teeth with dentist visits/cleaning every six months. I do use a mouth guard and I do clinch my teeth at night so I think that’s part of my problem. So far the cost has been around $3500 per implant. I just don’t want any more.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 Last year (DW) - two new bridges, a few crowns, etc, etc - $11,000 This year (DW) - Root canal, cleaning, etc. - $1,100 ************************* This year over 10 months (Me) - $35,000 - two root canals, repair split tooth, repair tooth with a gold post that broke, lots of porcelain crowns (22?), cleanings, etc. Tomorrow (12/13 - 9:15 am) - two implants (not the crowns yet) - $4,600+ I figure two more porcelain crowns for the implants, a partial bridge replacement, and some adjustments are all that is left for this year. (est - $6,000+). I don't even want to add this all up. I had a bad start in life with parents that were financially pretty poor and lacked the knowledge about dental care and preservation. When I was in the military, I had a lot of dental work done and also broke some front teeth in a car accident later in life. Within the last 18 months, all this old dental work is falling apart.

I think you may be the "winner" with a total like yours is likely to be! Amazing. But, the silver lining to that cloud is that with modern dentistry, at least you and I can still eat and are not confined to cream of wheat and smoothies for the rest of our lives.

EDIT:: NO WAIT! TeacherTerry's dental bills are even higher!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry 50k-ugh!