Brisbane bound

I went to the dentist yesterday and have been referred to an Endodontist for root canal treatment (in the Uk my dentist did this but here it seems different). It is for treatment to an existing root canal (hence why my dentist says he has to make the referral).
Have any of you had this experience? Is it worth shopping around different endodontists for quotes? It is going to cost around $3000+ (my health insurance doesn't kick in for root canal work until August so I have to pay the whole lot). Is it competitive out there or are they all the same?
On top of the $3000, the receptionist said I may also be recommended to get a crown after to protect the work they will do. I shudder to think what that will cost.
Am seriously tempted to have it out and be done with it but it's a major chewing tooth. On top of all this the damn thing isn't even hurting! The dentist says though that I have a chronic abcess, if it's not hurting I also wonder if I should sit it out till August.
Anyway, back to the question, is it worth shopping around for quotes or are they all the same?

jayr

I would get a few quotes, even if they varied only 20% you could save $600.

Are you sure your inurance would pay in August if this is pre-exsiting? If so, and it was me, and in no pain I think I would wait.

ozhappy981

If the $3,000 excludes the crown, I'd definitely ask for some more quotes. My husband has just had RCT on a molar and it cost $1,274 excluding the crown.

The cost will vary a bit depending on how many canals your tooth has - can't remember what it said on my husband's treatment plan as to how many canals he had.

As for the chronic abscess: that's not good for your general health. But why hasn't the dentist prescribed you antibiotics for the abscess?! The antibiotics will take care of the abscess. But until you have the RCT, the abscess will come back . But it might buy you some time ...

asprilla

I would 100% shop around. Sounds like you are being taken for a ride.

jayr

Just remembered I had simialr work on a front lower tooth some years ago. It had abcess and needed root canal. I think the total costs inclduing meds was about $750 and I had no insurance.

knockoff nige

Getting root canal and crown done for $1750. I could go somewhere cheaper but the dentist assistant probably wouldnt be a gorgeous.

Brisbane bound

Sorry, made a mistake, it's a "chronic cyst", is that why it's not hurting I wonder?
After your repies on here I will definately think of shopping around. The only thing is that the Endodontist I got referred to will cost $200-$300 for a consultation and I won't know what work has to be done until I get a consultation.
Did all of you go to an Endodontist to get your work done? Or are there some dentists out there who can do root canals (like in the UK)?

jayr

I'm fairly sure it was a plain old dentist, but it was some years ago. Certainly was in the same office as the original dentist.

homewardbound

I had a root canal 4 weeks before i came out here, had the perm filling 2 weeks before flying and 6 weeks after landing the filling and half the tooth came out... needless to say i wish i'd had it bloody pulled out as now i have just the shell of half a tooth - the canal fillings have come out one by one and its very annoying when you get food stuck in the tooth and gum

No way I can afford to get it fixed at the moment grrrr.

donna

After having had root canal work i would say pull it out.Theres no way i would go through that again.,
good luck though.
donna

knockoff nige

Bad advice in my opinion. Pulling it out is twice as sore, speaking from experience. Plus, its nicer to have the tooth.

donna

nooo nooo,give me a gap anyday.Also i had mercury filings and a gold crown(it was the cheapest)covering root canal and the aching i got was tremendous,this stopped the day i had my amalgamams removed

ozhappy981

My husband had it done by a dentist (here in Oz) not an endontist. An ordinary dentist can do it, but they need to have the equipment. They need to check the depth of the canals during treatment. And then they need to check with an x-ray.

Not all Oz dentists have that equipment.

eugene43

& some do not have the ability to do it. The canal reamers are very delicate so can break inside your tooth & are very dificult to remove so in the past have been left without you knowing resulting to major problems in some patience later on in life. ( I am a dental technician & have a lot of dentist as friends so I hear a lot of horror stories )

The Johnstons

I absolutely agree. I'm a dental nurse, and while the RCT prices quoted earlier are a lot cheaper, it's more expensive to have it re-done. Dentists will do straightforward RCT's but any complication at all & it's best to go to the specialist. Shop around for the prices though & crown it if you can afford it. No dental work can be guaranteed unfortunately due to the human body being a fickle thing. I know how frustrating it is to pay $$$ for treatment only to lose the tooth shortly after, but at least you know you tried. Losing a tooth not only affects how your mouth looks but affects function and support for your other teeth. Keep it if you can.
Hope you get a good result.
TJ