I had to get a tooth pulled.

[GatorFarmer]

I lost a crown a week or so back. Literally, as it went down the drain after it came out. No super gluing that back in now. So I had to go to the dentist. Which was I learned that the dental benefit under Tricare for retirees doesn't cover a new crown for the first few years. A new crown costs around $900. But my dental insurance would cover most of an extraction...hmm only $44 to get a tooth pulled.

So out it went. The hygienist asked me wouldn't it bother me to have a gap in my smile. I said, "No, I live in Wyoming now, so I guess it doesn't matter." She nodded sagely.

Now I just have to learn to smoke my pipe on the other side of my mouth and I have a nice spot open. I can't remember if the after care was to rub dirt in it, apply leeches, or make a poultice of dandelion roots and spider webs....

I know what you are thinking. That for $40, I could have bought myself a nice pair of Channellocks and just done it at home. But I already have a nice pair of pliers, just couldn't grasp on that stub of a tooth.

They even gave me a free pen, very nice of them. Though there was no lollypop.

And for some odd reason the barbers here only cut hair and won't pull teeth. When did that happen?

 

[carpriver]

I have to go in for a crown, I guess I better ask the dentist how long he grantees his work. I have military retiree Delta Dental. The last Crown was $1200 bucks and they paid $900.

 

[zzzippper]

I'm in the middle of getting a crown. $750 after insurance.

 

[GatorFarmer]

I lost crowns thrice before. Thus it was time to just go with a gap tooth smile. Much cheaper. How many teeth do I really need anyway? My toddlers seem able to consume anything with only a few.

After a year or two Tricare retiree dental will cover a good portion of a crown. When in doubt, most dentists will arrange to pre authorize the coverage.

Some dentists will not want to pull a tooth that can be saved via a crown.

Besides, in Wyoming a man doesn't want to be the purty one.

 

[model70hunter]

Sorry for the discomfort. Teeth are like a fickle woman that comes into your life, then leaves.

Went through the same thing August before last. Tooth cracked under gold crown, 2nd to last molar, unseen by all except my banker and at times my proctologist.

Tooth is now bad, can't recrown it, cracked no root canal.

My choices were have 2 other teeth crowned so they could attach a false tooth, several thousands and insurance pays 10%. Or one of the new implants for about 3K again the insurance only pays 10%.

So I told the dentist to numb it and start pulling.

Then they said see you at your next cleaning. I said I want my gold tooth. He looked at me with a disapproving skowl and said most folks don't want them and leave them here. I looked at him with a disapproving skowl and said I paid for that gold and I want it.

Of course my disapproving skowl was only 50% effective since half my face was numb.

If I can get another one maybe I can make my own $10 gold piece.

That pipe a Missouri corncob? I'm thinking about pulling mine out of drydock. What tobacco, legal only response required, are you loading it with?

 

[LouisianaJoe]

I had a crown put on one of my front teeth when I was 18. In 2009, it broke off and the dentist put in a pin in the root and reattached it. A couple of months ago, it became loose during a teeth cleaning. Now I have had it extracted and will have an implant put in in August. Not cheap.

 

[Texas Star]

What did the dentists tell you guys who had extractions about the teeth on either side of the gap maybe sagging toward that hole?

We had a similar discussion awhile back and someone posted that.
If a patient can't afford an implant, where does that that leave him? How long would it take to see that effect of the other teeth leaning that way, and how serious is it?

Also, how much pain was there with those extractions? How long will it take to fully heal? Can you walk us through the entire experience?

I think I'm headed that way. I'm about to buy dental insurance via my insurance provider, but doubt that I can afford an implant and the tooth break won't allow a crown, probably.

What happens if a broken tooth is left in place? Does it rot and get infected?

One of the best features of this board is being able to learn from what our members experience.

 

[soFlaNative]

Second the info request from TStar, I'm experiencing some the same issues, a few cracked and one pulled last year. Even with decent insurance it ain't cheap.

Besides, in Wyoming a man doesn't want to be the purty one.

You can always learn the banjo, right?

 

[dave holl]

Had two molar extractions.........both live teeth.
First, 12 years ago, upper right side third tooth from the back. Fought a dull ache for weeks, he thought it was cracked but couldn't find any evidence. Then one day, classic swelling, pain, and out it came. Seems the bite hasn't changed significantly, and adjacent teeth seem stable.
Second, last year, upper left, last molar. Experienced increased hot/cold sensitivity.......painful. This tooth had a gold crown and a crack......out it came.
Both extractions went smoothly. The thing to avoid is getting a "dry socket", caused in part, by dislodging the clot. Recuperation time was about 2 weeks, then back to eating pop corn , carefully.
I've been going to the same dental practice for 40 years and am VERY appreciative of their expertise.
Dave

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Got one pulled a few years back-draw a line tween the beaver teeth and it's the fourth one back. Too cheap to pay the 3k for an implant-oh and most dental ins will not cover implants-mine doesn't. Bothers the stuffing out of he wife which is a bonus. Doesn't really show unless I give a big smile-which I don't 99% of the time. Perfect place to clamp down on a pipe though. I guess when I get an extra 3k lying around that I got no use for I'll get it done but as I approach rapidly the age of 60, I'm wondering why bother-who the hell am I trying to impress anyway????

 

[Salty RI]

No lollypop, I would have looked for another dentist. About 30 years ago I had six teeth pulled and had a plate, I could never smoke my pipe after that, it just didn't feel right.

 

[Mickey D]

I think I would have pulled the drain trap and recovered the crown.

 

[Cooter Brown]

In the process of having an implant done now. During a pickup ballgame with a tennis ball we found at Scout Camp the bat (an oak branch) broke. Somebody shouted my name and I looked up to see the branch coming at me in slow motion. Smacked me right in the mouth.

Knocked me out and loosened a front upper tooth. Several years later root canal. Years after that the tooth became brittle and started to get really dark and chip away, so a crown. A couple of weeks ago I got tangled up with a popcorn kernel and hit the crown. The tooth root under the crown broke. Fifteen years is pretty good for a crown.

So an implant. If it was a molar I'd have it pulled, but I kinda want that front tooth. Mucho $$$. The price depends on how much if any bone graft material is used. They don't know that until they get in there.

The extraction is tomorrow. Not looking forward to that. Hopefully the root comes out all at once. They say a local is fine but I'm going to suggest knocking me out with a hammer or a 2X4.

The only saving grace is that the process is not done all at once so the money is staggered. If a graft is done it has to integrate and the gum has to heal before the titanium screw is set in place for the new crown. Potentially a 6-7 month process. In the meantime I'll have a temp denture which is already made and paid for. Wonderful.

Are you curious as to what the bone graft material made of? Cadaver bones...they say they can't tell me whose cadaver.

 

[bettis1]

Most things that elicit negative comments are, fortunately, banned on this Forum. However two things that can always be counted on to attract despairing remarks are dental problems and Glocks.

I spent 50 years practicing dentistry in a private practice and teaching in a dental school and I've carried a Glock daily since they became available. I've risen to the bait on both topics before and hope I've learned my lesson.

Bob

 

[Brian41]

I've had some crowns but only wisdom teeth pulled so far. Funny enough I got a fifth wisdom tooth a few years ago and had that one pulled too. Much better than the Army dentists I had the first four pulled.
After many years of dental insurance I'm about to lose mine. Should call dentist and see if anything needs to be done before that happens. Even with insurance crowns have been pricey.

 

[GatorFarmer]

I have nothing against dentists. I believe a lot of the costlier work is cosmetic in nature, but there is nothing wrong with that.

I imagine recovering the crown would have been a temporary solution, and it would have come off again, as it had before. An implant remains an option for the future, but a cosmetic gold "grill" is oddly much cheaper. And who wouldn't trust a man with a prominent gold tooth?

One popular "grill" features a gold AK 47. I wonder if I could get one made with a 686 snub since there is only the one tooth gone... Hmmm....

I have had eight teeth extracted over the years as an adult. One to make rom for a bridge. Another six came out in the combination of four wisdom teeth and two extras to get braces. All were done under just locals, the wisdom teeth under two visits.

Just tough it out. The grinding and creaking noises that you can hear up in your skull during extraction are unnerving to some.

In the past I was given Vicodin or Percoset to take afterwards. This is Wyoming so here you get the advice to take some ibuprofen.

This was pretty much in and out, which I was grateful for.

Ibuprofen, topical pain gel, and a large Icee sufficed last night, more or less. Today there is more of a dull ache and perhaps a bit of swelling. I should take some more Ibuprofen.

It hurts to eat, but years of eating canned slop and fast food taught me how to swallow my food with a minimum of chewing and tasting. There was a Subway next to the dentist, so immediately after I left I bought dinner.

If someone has underlying health issues, the dentist may give anti biotics before and after.

It is possible to pull your own teeth, or have your mechanic do it etc. But you risk breaking the tooth off and other complications. Plus it hurts. Thus most people avoid home and hobhy dentistry. If one must do it, best have some whiskey, both to drink and to sterilize the pliers.

My mother in law once removed one of her teeth using pliers and a case of beer, the beer being drank first. So it can be done.

I am not a dentist but imagine a gap could lead to problems. Though my wife has had a gap for years after the Navy pulled the wrong tooth.Most people find gaps unsightly or consider a sign of poverty, so I suspect cosmetic issues are a major selling point.

But if you are old and have no one to look pretty for then I wouldn't worry.

After a long absence from them, I did buy a corncob pipe. I broke my Mr. Brog Army Pipe. I still reccomend them though, the No 21 with windscreen. A fine bit of stylish Boer war era technology. These are made in Poland using pear wood.

My favorite tobaccos have long been Dunhill Nightcap and early morning pipe. These are expensive and have availability issues though. Thus I find good old Prince Albert the best of the readily had over the counter blends.

I like to play around mixing my own. He very cheap Red Cap tobacco can be mixed with Walgreens store brands with fair results.

The corncob pipes seem to have just missed the Civil War, but may have been present, perhaps Missouri Meerschaum weren't the first to make them and other people had made their own.

I still prefer pear wood or briar. I have not tried clay.

 

[model70hunter]

What did the dentists tell you guys who had extractions about the teeth on either side of the gap maybe sagging toward that hole?

We had a similar discussion awhile back and someone posted that.
If a patient can't afford an implant, where does that that leave him? How long would it take to see that effect of the other teeth leaning that way, and how serious is it?

Also, how much pain was there with those extractions? How long will it take to fully heal? Can you walk us through the entire experience?

I think I'm headed that way. I'm about to buy dental insurance via my insurance provider, but doubt that I can afford an implant and the tooth break won't allow a crown, probably.

What happens if a broken tooth is left in place? Does it rot and get infected?

One of the best features of this board is being able to learn from what our members experience.

Good questions all.

In 18 months the teeth on either side of the gap have not moved. I do most of my chewing on the other side.

The gum healed up nicely. I got dry socket infection and went through a round of antibiotics.

As far as pain levels I am a poor one to ask. My pain threshold is very high. I once operated on my own foot to remove a thorn that I had broke off in there as a child and it was causing issues.

I don't know if it helps but I do chew some items, like jerky, to toughen the gum.

A cracked tooth would probably lead to infection, lots of pain, abscesses, and possibly gum disease.

My dentist told me it had to go, at that time, weeks before I retired I did not want to spend the money.

And he told me the gap probably would not be a problem.

My wife has 4 or 5 dead teeth in front. She never knew it for years. They are the same color as the other teeth. She started having pain, went to the dentist and an abscess was found. During this exam, new dentist, the dead teeth were found. Been that way for 30 years.

Caused by blunt force trauma, her ex was quite the man. She remembered him clocking her in the mouth and she was unconscious for a while. She remembered the long term pain that finally went away. The dentist thought this was probably the cause. Her kids observed too much of this and in their 30's still don't understand why Mom doesn't want to be around her ex. He is very polite around me.

Now the abscesses are more frequent and causes some gum issues.

This is different than a root canal where the nerves are removed. Don't know if the nerves were absorbed or what.

She may have to have the dead ones removed.

I never thought about a dead tooth staying in place for years. I only mention my wife's story in case any of you might have something similar from a car wreck, football or military injury and the dentist keeps treating the symptom, abscess, rather than the dentist finding out why.

A thought, if one thinks it was, lets say, an injury from the military would the VA help?

 

[OFT II]

A lot of people gripe about their experiences with dentists. I've never had a dental visit that I personally enjoyed but I do admit that if it weren't for dentists I wouldn't have had corn on the cob last night.

 

[the ringo kid]

I lost a crown a week or so back. Literally, as it went down the drain after it came out. No super gluing that back in now. So I had to go to the dentist. Which was I learned that the dental benefit under Tricare for retirees doesn't cover a new crown for the first few years. A new crown costs around $900. But my dental insurance would cover most of an extraction...hmm only $44 to get a tooth pulled.

So out it went. The hygienist asked me wouldn't it bother me to have a gap in my smile. I said, "No, I live in Wyoming now, so I guess it doesn't matter." She nodded sagely.

Now I just have to learn to smoke my pipe on the other side of my mouth and I have a nice spot open. I can't remember if the after care was to rub dirt in it, apply leeches, or make a poultice of dandelion roots and spider webs....

I know what you are thinking. That for $40, I could have bought myself a nice pair of Channellocks and just done it at home. But I already have a nice pair of pliers, just couldn't grasp on that stub of a tooth.

They even gave me a free pen, very nice of them. Though there was no lollypop.

And for some odd reason the barbers here only cut hair and won't pull teeth. When did that happen?

Almost a grand for around?? Here nd without insurance--its about two hundred. At the dental colleges here--its even cheaper.

 

[the ringo kid]

GEEZUS Gents,try a nearby dental college.Students will not do the actual work--cept to clean teeth,.A bonifide Dentist does the work. No insurance necessary and cheaper than your other options.

Lookat it this way,not only do you save loads of moolah--but--you can save enough to buy another Smith.

The heck with giving a dentist your gun money.