Originally Posted by Bill_S

Yes-can-do is correct, sensitivity to heat is a tipoff that the nerve is going bad. Did the dentist do a percussive test? (Tap firmly on the tooth). If that is painful it's another sign of a bad nerve.

If there's a dental school nearby, they might offer treatment at a discount. Won't be a 100% discount, though. Teeth that have had RC treatment really should be crowned, because removing the nerve ultimately weakens the tooth and increases the chance of fracture otherwise.

Not a dentist, but have spent many hours in the chair. Proud owner of 28 crowns.

Originally Posted by Yes-can-do

Tooth pain from a heat source is much worse than from a cold source. It usually means that the tooth is dying. I know because thats what my dentist explained to me when I recently had an abcess. I underwent root canal treatment (2 x 1 hour apointments) and my total bill was $355.20. I paid $88.80 - insurance picked up the rest.

Check with you insurance provider and get an estimate from your dentist.

Hope its a lot less painful on your pocket than you are anticipating.

Originally Posted by daft batty

Hopefully there is a forum member with some inside dental knowledge

Originally Posted by destinationnovascotia

In all fairness, my NHS dentist in the UK now is a thousand years ahead of the NHS dentist I had as a kid

Originally Posted by startwin

Glad to hear it. Before we emigrated in '75 I arranged to get my (healthy) teeth checked because I thought dentistry was expensive in Canada. This guy said I needed 11 fillings(never had one before) and proceeded to do them in 2 goes. Three weeks later, now in Canada, I was in such pain I went to the dental department at Vancouver Hospital and had to have 5 of the teeth extracted. The dentist there said I had been "butchered" and all the teeth were cracked. I could have had root canals but had no coverage and didn't know what it was, so just said pull them. That's what pain will do. Two of them would not freeze because of of underlying infection, but I got them pulled anyway. My god, what a relief.

Since then, I've had regular dental care here, it never cost too much thanks to a benefits plan, had root canals and crowns. I think the most I ever paid was $500 for a specialist to do a root canal, rather than a regular dentist.

I agree with the person who posted about Sensodyne. I do the same, it really works. You should try it, Batty. It does cost more than regular toothpaste, but it lasts so much longer.

Originally Posted by windward

Is it true what they say then, Brits teeth really are bad? I rigourously deny such notions when it (inevitably) comes up with the Mrs.

Originally Posted by daft batty

Also what the americans call bad teeth are just crooked teeth, not a set of perfectly matched and arrayed tombstones. IMO unless it affects how you eat, how you breathe, and doesnt cause you pain then any orthodontics are cosmetic.

Originally Posted by daft batty

No its not true, and if you look at the mouths of the Canadians around you you can see its not true.

I think a good few years back there was some pretty awful dentristy going on.

Also what the americans call bad teeth are just crooked teeth, not a set of perfectly matched and arrayed tombstones. IMO unless it affects how you eat, how you breathe, and doesnt cause you pain then any orthodontics are cosmetic.

Originally Posted by daft batty

Am just back from the dentist. An emergency appt as I have pain, big pain on hot and cold. So after a search to make an appt this side of Christmas I was lucky to get one today at a place that looked more than half decent.

The dentist, a very nice man, did things with air and cold and mapped out the pain in my teeth. Then said I had to make another appt for him to do whatever he had to do. At least 2 fillings replaced, maybe root canal, he couldnt work out which tooth the pain was coming from and he thinks all the teeth are still alive but he is worried about 1 of them. I looked at the xrays with him and can see some caries on the 2 that need fillings replaced, but the nerve he was talking about looked OK to me. Anyway he is the expert and even he wasnt sure. So hopefully changing the fillings will sort it out.

I thought he said I had to have my teeth cleaned before he could do fillings as the gums are angry and it would be easier for him to work, plus keeps th bacteria away from open tooth.

The nurse made me an appt for cleaning and one filling and then she made another for a filling before the cleaning?? I did query it but she said it was ok.

So I have insurance for ordinary work, but not for root canal. I am thinking its going to cost around $2000. Is there such a thing as free/cheap treatment at a dental hospital??

Hopefully there is a forum member with some inside dental knowledge

Bloddy annoying as I look after my teeth, well obviously not. Will have to change my name to gummy batty soon

Hopefully

Originally Posted by SAW 04

Double check your insurance most do cover Root Canal treatment. Even if your not covered Root Canal should be no more than $700 per tooth.

Originally Posted by daft batty

No, it only pays 10%. This is student insurance not real world. Plus it only pays $700 in one year and I will soon be through that.

Fingers crossed this little filling seems to have done the trick