How much should filling cost in the Dentist?

[kall]

I think I paid about $80 per actual filling, but there was some astronomical charge for the Dentist's time.

Probably close to $100 per filling in the end.

[nih]

I hate dentists. I hate them even more than I hate the homeless. Whilst the homeless merely inflict their presence on me, dentists try to shove a great deal of sharp, pointy presences in my mouth. It's not that I don't like pain - far from it. It's just MY pain I don't like; I'm the kind of guy who wants to do the shoving. I'm not a sub, that's all I'm sayin'.

Regardless, every dog has his day and this particular day is going to belong to a dentist down on the waterfront on Tuesday. Why is this lucky medical professional being placed on such a high peak? He uses lasers. That's right, goddamn lasers. If anyone is going to be putting shit in my mouth that I could use to kill pretty much anything that bleeds, I want it to feature the latest technology in munitions.

[kall]

Lasers?

Foo. My dentist has those water drills...high pressure water that...drills through tooth.

[nih]

Maybe that's what he uses. He calls it a 'water laser'.

My water laser is yellow.

Laser or water in the end it should cause no pain UNLESS it hits a nerve in which case all of them will cause pain.

Anyone recomend a dentist in Wellington (ideally Thorndon or Karori).

[*ZenithalRavage*]

hahaha rofl nih

I hate dentists too, so much that I didn't see one for seven years... and guess what? I went to see them a few months back and I didn't have 1 cavity!!! If that's not a compliment to my dental hygenic fashion then I don't know what is!! I guess I can wait another seven years before seeing one again then ey? wheheh

Originally Posted by *ZenithalRavage*

hahaha rofl nih

I hate dentists too, so much that I didn't see one for seven years... and guess what? I went to see them a few months back and I didn't have 1 cavity!!! If that's not a compliment to my dental hygenic fashion then I don't know what is!! I guess I can wait another seven years before seeing one again then ey? wheheh

Happened to me in my 20ths then hit late 20ths and the same approach got me a lot of filliings. Seems that cavity and health are linked...now have two kids and they are just falling out :-)

[*ZenithalRavage*]

Originally Posted by mrhappy42

Happened to me in my 20ths then hit late 20ths and the same approach got me a lot of filliings. Seems that cavity and health are linked...now have two kids and they are just falling out :-)

hmm ok, maybe my current strategy is not such a good idea lol

[Sparklechick]

I hate dentists.

Through my medical insurance I get $250 to spend on my teeth per year. So far I have spent $0 in about 3 years, maybe 4.

I'm a wimp and will only go to the dentist if I'm in agony.

[nih]

The cavities I'm getting filled tomorrow first showed up 7 years ago when I was 20. I was told "That could get worse, make an appointment to have them filled".

Like you said Mr Happy, they were well and good all through till now. Health has declined a bit, getting older, and suddenly they feel like they need doing. They're not actually any worse, but they'll get worse from about here on in. After I saw the dentist and booked the appointment back in late November they started becoming hot/cold sensitive. Good timing there.

Prior to that I've only had one filling, back when I was a kid. I only started brushing my teeth regularly when I met my ex-wife (I was a lazy child, used to do it once a week if even that) so either the fluoride in the water is doing its job, or kids don't need to take care of their teeth quite as much as adults do.

[Sparklechick]

I took great care of my teeth when I was a kid and didn't eat much in the way of sugary snacks but both my parents had bad teeth so I inherited that from them.

It's horrible getting fillings when you are a kid especially when you're not even getting to the eat the lollies that normally cause cavities. Some of my friends ate heaps of junk food and they had perfect teeth.

[nih]

Pretty much everyone in our parents generation had bad teeth. Talk about lack of oral hygiene.

I remember when it was sexy to have all your teeth removed in your 30s as they started to fall out, and go for falsies instead. Some enterprising young people opted to have it done even earlier.

[nih]

omg.

I just got back from the dentist.

Two teeth in one hour, $300. No pain, no noise, no sensation, totally relaxed. No injections or anaesthetic either.

That was the most pleasant experience I've ever had. It helped that the dentist is really good too, but the laser is brilliant. It also only cost about half what I thought it was going to (although I have two more visits to go rather than one).

~My dad just got his tooth extracted in down town wellington and paid 400. is that expensive?

[nih]

Yeah, it is, but depends if it needed surgery or not. Some extractions require the dentist to cut through the gum, and sometimes through the bone.

Normally it costs about $180 for a simple one. The guy I saw today can also do extractions that normally require surgery but without any incisions - just lasers the tooth out. He also charges $180.

[Sparklechick]

Are you based in Auckland Nih? If so, can you share the name of your dentist?

Sounds like someone I want to go see. I'm a wimp when it comes to dentists but this laser business sounds right up my alley.

[nih]

Abdalla Hisham I think, at "Downtown Dental".

I never, ever thought I'd call a trip to the dentist a relaxing hour or so off work.

[Sparklechick]

is that situated at:

Level 6, 152 Quay St Auckland Central Auckland?

I might have to book myself in at some stage.

[nih]

Sure is.

A few quick notes from my GF who works as a dental assistant and came along on both visits.

His hygiene is immaculate - virtually everything he used was disposable.

His Xray is digital so the results are instant, but not as good quality as a developed xray. If you're iffy about what the xray shows, have some xrays done elsewhere as well and take them in. (I had no cause for worry).

He'll offer you a plan where they take samples of the bacteria in your mouth yadda yadda. Apparently this is quite valid treatment but it's expensive and mostly unnecessary. Useful but maybe its time is a little to soon to be affordable.

Their scaling process sounds fine but was a touch on the expensive side. Dentists will either use a scaler (a metal hook), air abrasion or an ultrasonic. The ultrasonic is the least worrying of all but makes a nasty noise, the air abrasion is surprisingly no better than the metal hook. These guys do air abrasion. In the end, scaling is just scraping plaque off your teeth near the gums so you sometimes get a bit of bleeding. It's painless but if you don't like dentists it's still not a nice process. You should have it done though, and in the method that suits you. He doesn't do the scaling himself but has an in-house oral hygienist.

In the end it's about $150 to fill a tooth with this guy. Some places will do it for as little as $80, but you'd better be a masochist. It's not a bad deal at all for the quality you're getting.