Dental cover in Alberta for normal restorative / emergency treatment for 1st 3 months
Sep 3rd 2009, 5:05 pm
#16
Pea Brain
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: TBD
Posts: 6,005
Re: Dental cover in Alberta for normal restorative / emergency treatment for 1st 3 mo
Every time I went to the dentist nothing got done except a brief inspection and a 'see you in 12mths'. I don't bother going anymore, it was just a waste of time.
Sep 3rd 2009, 5:24 pm
#17
ModerĪ±tor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: Dental cover in Alberta for normal restorative / emergency treatment for 1st 3 mo
What's wrong with being diligent and using a toothbrush, rather than relying on a dentist to clean your teeth?
Every time I went to the dentist nothing got done except a brief inspection and a 'see you in 12mths'. I don't bother going anymore, it was just a waste of time.
Every time I went to the dentist nothing got done except a brief inspection and a 'see you in 12mths'. I don't bother going anymore, it was just a waste of time.
My first proper cleaning was here, and it really was an eye opener. There are things that you simply cant do with a tooth brush, no matter how diligent. Dont knock it if you havent tried it I guess.
Of course, having crooked NHS stereotype British teeth makes getting to some spots a bit tricky, so a decent cleaning to descale then and prevent plaque build up saves a lot of gum and tooth trouble in the longer term I hope. Would I be as keen if I was paying for it all....hmmmm....
Sep 3rd 2009, 5:33 pm
#18
Scottish Canuck
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Auld Scotia > Nova Scotia > Calgary
Posts: 3,703
Re: Dental cover in Alberta for normal restorative / emergency treatment for 1st 3 mo
Brushing your teeth alone does not prevent gum disease, for this you have to floss daily. We don't all have perfectly straight teeth either so there is often areas that are not cleaned properly. Gum disease is also linked to heart disease.
When I was pregnant with both my sons I had problems with bleeding gums (pregnancy gingivitis). This can be common during pregnancy due to hormones. My UK dentist just told me it would get better after I gave birth. Bleeding stopped right enough, but the damage was done and I have to get my teeth cleaned by a periodonist twice a year to maintain healthy gums.
In Canada, dentists' treatment and care is very much preventative, unlike the UK where you first get gum disease and THEN get offered care from a periodontist. Far better the other way around.
We always get a cleaning done prior to a checkup at our dental practice.
When I was pregnant with both my sons I had problems with bleeding gums (pregnancy gingivitis). This can be common during pregnancy due to hormones. My UK dentist just told me it would get better after I gave birth. Bleeding stopped right enough, but the damage was done and I have to get my teeth cleaned by a periodonist twice a year to maintain healthy gums.
In Canada, dentists' treatment and care is very much preventative, unlike the UK where you first get gum disease and THEN get offered care from a periodontist. Far better the other way around.
We always get a cleaning done prior to a checkup at our dental practice.
Sep 3rd 2009, 5:33 pm
#19
Pea Brain
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: TBD
Posts: 6,005
Re: Dental cover in Alberta for normal restorative / emergency treatment for 1st 3 mo
Thats the difference between UK and North american dentisty.
My first proper cleaning was here, and it really was an eye opener. There are things that you simply cant do with a tooth brush, no matter how diligent. Dont knock it if you havent tried it I guess.
Of course, having crooked NHS stereotype British teeth makes getting to some spots a bit tricky, so a decent cleaning to descale then and prevent plaque build up saves a lot of gum and tooth trouble in the longer term I hope. Would I be as keen if I was paying for it all....hmmmm....
My first proper cleaning was here, and it really was an eye opener. There are things that you simply cant do with a tooth brush, no matter how diligent. Dont knock it if you havent tried it I guess.
Of course, having crooked NHS stereotype British teeth makes getting to some spots a bit tricky, so a decent cleaning to descale then and prevent plaque build up saves a lot of gum and tooth trouble in the longer term I hope. Would I be as keen if I was paying for it all....hmmmm....
I guess I'm lucky - no cavities or any dental work ever.
Sep 3rd 2009, 5:39 pm
#21
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Tillsonburg ON
Posts: 1,001
Re: Dental cover in Alberta for normal restorative / emergency treatment for 1st 3 mo
I think people forget dentisty and medicine in general is expensive. IN UK NHS covers most medical procedures and some dentistry...I personally am used to canadian standards of dentistry and probably be reamed for this, but canadian dentistry is head and shoulders above UK dentists.
I go private in UK, and in Canada I well paid for my families dental (sometimes hub had ins sometimes he didn't )
The standards in UK are not the same, even my own UK dentist has said this, and that canadian dentistry has higher standards. I go private my cleaning alone cost more then my husband would pay in a year at NHS dentist. BUT my teeth are in much better shape. One cannot have a proper cleaning in 10 or 15 mins...NHS that is what you get.
So unless you have a employer willing to provide insurance, it will cost you dearly. God help you if you don't have insurance for prescriptions, they can cost a small fortune as well..
I go private in UK, and in Canada I well paid for my families dental (sometimes hub had ins sometimes he didn't )
The standards in UK are not the same, even my own UK dentist has said this, and that canadian dentistry has higher standards. I go private my cleaning alone cost more then my husband would pay in a year at NHS dentist. BUT my teeth are in much better shape. One cannot have a proper cleaning in 10 or 15 mins...NHS that is what you get.
So unless you have a employer willing to provide insurance, it will cost you dearly. God help you if you don't have insurance for prescriptions, they can cost a small fortune as well..
I was so shocked when I had my first appointment with the hygenist over here for a cleaning.
"Have you ever had a cleaning" she says. "Oh yes" says I.
Oh no I hadn't! What my dentists had done by way of a scale and polish bore no resemblence to what the hygenist put me through. She even used some kind of sandblast thing.
I have to say that my teath and gums had never felt cleaner
.
Sep 3rd 2009, 5:42 pm
#22
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Tillsonburg ON
Posts: 1,001
Re: Dental cover in Alberta for normal restorative / emergency treatment for 1st 3 mo
If you are considering implants or other major dental work you could save you self a ton of money and have a holiday at the same time. Dentistry is a major industry in Los Algadonos, Mexico. There a literally hundreds of dental offices in this small border town. It's a 15 minute drive from Yuma AZ.
The facilities are state of the art and the dentists that we have been using for the last seven years were trained in the US. A root canal can be had for $360 and a crown for $280. My wife had these two procedures done last winter and was very happy with the work. I can't remember what they implants cost but I do remember thinking how reasonable it was. I waited in line to get back into the US one day behind a lady that had just had four implants done !
Thousands of people plan their major dental work around a holiday in Arizona or California. You see hundreds them crossing the border every day.
A crown alone, no root canal, at a dentist in Yuma would have been $875 !
The facilities are state of the art and the dentists that we have been using for the last seven years were trained in the US. A root canal can be had for $360 and a crown for $280. My wife had these two procedures done last winter and was very happy with the work. I can't remember what they implants cost but I do remember thinking how reasonable it was. I waited in line to get back into the US one day behind a lady that had just had four implants done !
Thousands of people plan their major dental work around a holiday in Arizona or California. You see hundreds them crossing the border every day.
A crown alone, no root canal, at a dentist in Yuma would have been $875 !
Its a very good tip. I need a crown and its going to cost a minimum of $1100 here in NB. Most of my other teath are nearing that stage too, so I may be reaching for my sombraro (spelling oops) and heading south.
Thanks for the heads up.
Sep 3rd 2009, 5:53 pm
#24
Scottish Canuck
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Auld Scotia > Nova Scotia > Calgary
Posts: 3,703
Re: Dental cover in Alberta for normal restorative / emergency treatment for 1st 3 mo
I am proud to say that neither of my kids (aged 14 and 18) have had fillings or decay. My oldest son got his wisdom teeth removed (2 coming in squint, other 2 for possible overcrowding) here in Canada. Seems to be common practice here. He does have naturally lovely straight teeth so we didn't want them knocked out of alignment.
Over the years I have used good parental skills (ie nagged
) regarding my kids' dental care. Pity my mum didn't do the same to me
