STORM2K

My youngest needs braces and the spacers went on yesterday. Braces, next Monday. Monthly payments again (her sister had them too). Then my husband went in for a dental checkup yesterday. Dentist said one side in back is full of old, big fillings, involving several teeth. And someday he may need a crown or two and they may fall out. So Jim's chewing on the other side. LOL

And I just popped a bullseye in my mouth, and suddenly there's something crunchy in it. You're hoping it's something in the candy but noooooo, it's part of a tooth. Dang it! I've had several teeth chip or crack. Two needed crowns, one a root canal. Big bucks.

Man, when it rains, it pours!!!!

Hey out there to young Storm2K members, if you're not sure of a career path to choose, you might want to give Denistry or Orthodontics a looksee. I know I've personally paid for some items in our dentist's house. 2 years ago our total family care bill there was close to $2000!

Pray all they need to do is fill it in with more filling, or file it down. Heck I don't need a tooth back there!!! Just pray it's not a root canal and/or crown this time. Both are which entail high bills.

Mary

Wow! It almost sounds like a flu bug hit your household! I hope that will be all for you guys!

Stephanie wrote:Wow! It almost sounds like a flu bug hit your household! I hope that will be all for you guys!

I know Steph! I'm about to just eat applesauce from now on. I just hate when I chip teeth!!! We're all falling apart over here.

We'll be fine though, just venting as Ed did a while back with sudden dentist bills you didn't quite plan on.

Mary

We're off to the dentist later today....we only get as much work done yearly, as the insurance covers...lol.

furluvcats wrote:We're off to the dentist later today....we only get as much work done yearly, as the insurance covers...lol.

Fur - dental insurance....what's that? Never heard of it. J/K, you see Jim's office is small, less than 15 employees. So no dental ins., never had it, never will. Medical isn't even that great, since premiums just keep going up and up.

Mary

Miss Mary - just when you think you have a handle on your bills, etc. they back and bite you in the butt! Hang in there!

Mary, I know how that goes. Right now, I'm chewing on "borrowed time" LOL. I have 2 incomplete root canals...one eye tooth and one back tooth. the temp fillings have crumbled and fallen out. I know it's only a matter of time b4 I get a major toothache. I have some cavities that need filling also. The only problem is, NO INSURANCE and no extra funds right now.

whoops Miss Mary!! Just what you needed after the past few weeks!! (((HUGS)))

Last year, I had to have a root canal and crown on a front tooth. With insurance, we paid around $1000.!!!

Sorry about the rash of tooth ailments in your family Mary! I've been through the pains of braces myself and i know that was the only time i had cavities. So tell your youngest to be extra careful with his/her braces. Clean them really well!

Thanks JQ - I will tell her that. Her sister had them too, so at least we know what to expect. Give her Motrin before they go on, stop for lunch before she gets back to school. I wish her Ortho would put these on after school, but the initial braces appt. has to be in the morning. She's so dreading this stage. Nina didn't want them either but knew she had to get them. I'm bribing Laura with all sorts of things. Smoothies (which are not cheap!), etc. I make a killer caramel popcorn recipe (similar to what you've read that Dennis makes) so I promised her I wouldn't make it anymore unless it's for gift giving.

My tooth is actually hanging in there! A very small part broke off, and I'd love to leave it just like that. But I can just hear the DDS, we have to fix that Mary. Ugh. I'm booked with him next Monday. I really hope since the filling feels good and solid he'll be able to do minimal repair. But I've been going to him long enough to know I'm probably looking at least a crown and possibly a root canal.

It really seems to pour when it rains! They say things come in three's. We have two down. Hate to imagine #3. I think I'll assume it's my husband - the old fillings he has. LOL

But I am serious, if anyone young here is on the fence about a career, dentists and ortho's seem to make a lot of money! Our dentist drives a BMW 7 series car! Now it's old, we see him all the time in our neighborhood driving it, but you and I know that car wasn't cheap. I've been paying for his oil changes, no doubt.

Mary

I can attest to what Miss mary is saying about the Ortho carreer!! My wife has worked in an Orthodontists office for 23 years and I know what he is paid and what his bonus was this year since my wife writes the checks. To say the least it is a lucrative carreer!!! do not get me wrong-he busts his butt too!!!! His bonus, based on a certain formula set up by the accountant, was more than I have made in the last 10 years combined and I may not make big bucks, but I certainly do not make pittance wages!!!

I had braces from my middle school years up to the age of 24! With an upper jaw surgery in between those two periods of braces and retainers! Upper jaw quit growing and so had to have it brought forward for future health reasons. Wired up from 9-10 weeks...lost a LOT of weight as a result through that period! Have some permanent pieces of metal in me from the jaw thing so can't ever have an MRI...but CAT-scans aren't a problem with the metal.

What a freedom it was and IS to have your teeth "paroled" from their braces/retainers "incarceration!"

Eric

Sorry to hear about your situation, Mary. I once had to get 2 root canals and a dozen fillings in the space of 4 weeks. With no dental insurance. I actually had to take out a $3,000 loan to pay the bill. Not fun!

Mary, sorry to hear about the teeth. Hope better times are ahead (((HUGS)))

Dentist bill. Wow that rings a bell. YIKES

Mary, I hope things will get better soon and that your tooth only needs a minor patch job.

((Hugs)) to you.
Karan