Dent - ist !

I have procrastinated long enough. It’s been roughly 2 years since my previous dentist appointment — Jan 2019, the day was 10/23/2019, i was going in to the dentist to treat a teeth that broke, so i went in without any other concern.

They told me that i had to have a whole examination. This was my first dentist appointment in the United States of America. I haven’t heard good things about the cost of dental treatments here. :-). Considering i’ve been here for the past 3.5 years and this is my first appointment. I go in happily. I come out with a bill for 7.5 K USD post insurance. So i did the only sane thing that anyone who doesn’t drink will do, go drink a boba and i’m reading my bible. They put down a list of others treatments that i need to have. And the examination was painful on top of it. I don’t know why, i felt pain for at-least a week after the exam.

List of Treatments:

1. Root Canal Re — treatment of the two teeth i had done with my previous dentist in India on Jan 2018.
2. Root Canal for 3 teeth
3. Crown for the root Canal & guess what! They only do porcelain crowns which my insurance doesn’t cover
4. Crown lengthening for one teeth — cause there is just 1 inch to work with.
5. Some Treatment for periodontics — take home kit — $1000
6. 7 Teeth for dental fillings — Free ! Thank God for this freebie.

At this point is when i try to find out how many teeth are in a human body. If you don’t know, its around 32.

I was devastated after the bill estimate.

I decided to get my treatment for root canal and scheduled it over the phone at some call center for the dentist. Then the dentist office calls me, and tells me we can’t do it, we can put you in for mid month when the specialist comes in. I was okay with that.

Then in my spare time, i thought i’ll at-least get my freebies done → dental fillings -> 4 on my left i think. At this point i don’t care what they do, cause why care when they are free, waste of brain power.

Then they tell me i have to get my deep cleaning done before the treatment. I realize i get one of these free every year with my insurance. So i get the cleaning done in two sittings — the charge was around $196. Then i got a second opinion, during the time frame between my two sittings for my deep cleaning, i found a doctor who would do my metal based crowns with what my insurance provided me at 40% copay. So i want to switch over. They gave me a bill for $5.1k. They gave an estimate for it, and i glance over it once. I find that they do a deep cleaning in 4 sittings charging $500 more than twice the amount as the previous dentist, and some medicine for dental fillings which costed around $760. And also I had to check with this dentist afterwards to see if i need the crown lengthening. This was after she gave the estimate for my full treatment. Then she says YES. They add it to my estimate.

Then i get my deep cleaning done at my current primary dentist.

I leave for San Diego one weekend, in a rush i booked my return ticket the next monday. But on the 11/18/2019 i booked an appointment with the doctor i got my second opinion to do my root canal. I didn’t have time to call aetna the previous Saturday. So i flew on a costly ticket from San Diego. I call aetna, they tell me i can’t switch till my next month. WELL i am disappointed and go into office.

Then i book a treatment for my dental fillings in November at my primary dentist, its Free! :-) Silver linings, you really have to dig deep to get these.

I heard from somewhere, whatever the dentist does will hurt you but never harm you. The Hurt is to make it better .

So this nice doctor, the best by far i’ve had, is the least painful time i’ve had. She tells me that the cavity is big and it could be a possible root canal. But she fills it, saying its fine, and no need for the root canal. This is probably the only time i’m thrilled. I’ve done #6 of the list i mentioned.

Then i switched my primary dentist, i go in assuming she will treat my teeth #18 for which i sign the forms for. They actually have forms for these things. Guess what teeth i get treated on — #4. I was hoping to get the teeth treated for which i made my first visit to the dentist in the States, the one that broke. She talks to me about the crown lengthening surgery and tells me we talked about it, i was in my mind like “NO You didn’t talk about it at all! Remember i was the one who suggested it”. She also asks me whether i’ve checked in with the specialist. “Well I haven’t received any referral” is what i told her. She makes sure i get one for teeth #18,19,20. Then she does teeth #4 and tells me its possible to be a root canal, she has to go in and find out. I pray that it won’t be one. Then she tells me that i can see one nerve , but the other nerve i cant see. She recommends that she puts medicine and that i come back in around 4 weeks and if it hurts then we can do a root Canal. God does hear my prayers and he answers immediately.I head back into office, and give my appointment for the next day at 3PM.

The helper at the office was nice. She tells me how the teeth are numbered 1–32. I get my root canal for teeth #18,#19,#20. 19 and 20 are retreat root canals. I went and got the medicine and some soup and other food items. They also prescribed me Vicodin ( Dr. House ). They prescribed 32 penicillin. I counted my penicillin it felt like i had 31. One day i had an accident in my bag and medicine fell in , and i had lost one medicine when i counted, so we are at 30.

I get a call from the specialist dentist office saying my primary dentist wants him to check out #30. I was like NOOOOOOO. But i still decided to make an appointment for the 20th and then rescheduled it for 12/17/2019 cause i didn’t want to miss Star Wars :-) and my friends wedding live stream. So thats today. I got my 4th root canal in 2 weeks. Surprising thing is, that i counted my medicine it was at 32. I just don’t know how it happened. God multiplies. :-)

I almost would have gone back to India , but my mom suggested i take treatment here. She tells me USA treatment is better than India. For her to tell me that, she wants me to get treatment here, made me shed one small tear. Because she also wants to see me. But she also wants me to get the best possible treatment here.

I think i’ve learnt that even though you trust Jesus, God punishes in this life here on earth for our sins we commit after being saved. I’ve learnt to humbly submit myself and trust God. I’ve also learnt that you also face challenges and the best thing you can do is take one step at a time.

Silver Linings:

1. Grateful that i am able to afford treatment.
2. So far i’ve spent $1037 on 4 root canals, 7 fillings, 1 partial crown, which is far less than what i expected.
3. God is good no matter what happens.
4. HSA $2150 helped me :-)

This has been my past couple of months. A lot of dental treatments !

Hopefully 4 more crowns and one partial crown and one crown lengthening .