Teeth on the Cheap?

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jonb

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#132346 18-Oct-2013 14:20

I need to have a couple of wisdom teeth removed, and my dentist has referred me to an oral surgeon. After recently being stung by one for $1700 for doing some very minor surgery (canine exposure for daughter's orthodontic work) I'm keen to avoid another big bill.

In the UK I would just go on a waiting list, and have it done by some dental students for free a few weeks later, but that isn't an option in here.

Has anyone been to the free dental service at Greenlane hospital in Auckland - would that be an option?

Alternatively, is the Dental school at the University of Otago in Dunedin doing free treatments in return for offering your oral cavity to the dental students? A Grabaseat to Dunedin shouldn't be too expensive..

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#917030 18-Oct-2013 14:25

Teeth is such a crazy subject here in NZ. Without getting into a political angled debate I honestly don't know how many people in NZ get on with this. Basically anything in your mouth costs a huge amount of money to sort.

I have no idea what cheaper options exist but can see the reason for those flying to gamble in Thailand etc. I'm assuming plan B is to rock up to a hospital when the pain is excruciating? taking your chances with the drunks in A&E etc. Also assuming ACC doesn't cover 'accidentally dropping something to the back of your mouth that's damaged a tooth that now needs to come out?'.

lxsw20

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#917031 18-Oct-2013 14:26

Just as a reference, I had all 4 removed under a general (because I'm a chicken) through the Dent school here in Dunedin for $700. The guy was a fully qualified dentist, he had come back to do Dent surgery papers.

hairy1

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#917032 18-Oct-2013 14:28

Maybe a grabaseat to Thailand and a holiday thrown into the bundle?

My views (except when I am looking out their windows) are not those of my employer.

Klipspringer

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#917038 18-Oct-2013 14:42

Signup with southerncross health and get yourself on the Vision and Dental Care module.

Its worth every penny.

langers1972

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#917049 18-Oct-2013 14:58

jonb: I need to have a couple of wisdom teeth removed, and my dentist has referred me to an oral surgeon. After recently being stung by one for $1700 for doing some very minor surgery (canine exposure for daughter's orthodontic work) I'm keen to avoid another big bill.

In the UK I would just go on a waiting list, and have it done by some dental students for free a few weeks later, but that isn't an option in here.

Has anyone been to the free dental service at Greenlane hospital in Auckland - would that be an option?

Alternatively, is the Dental school at the University of Otago in Dunedin doing free treatments in return for offering your oral cavity to the dental students? A Grabaseat to Dunedin shouldn't be too expensive..

If you have medical insurance you'll find that most cover Wisdom Teeth removal (as long as they're unerupted/impacted) even if you haven't got specific dental cover, I only know this as I am getting all 4 of mine out in a week's time and my dentists told me so check it out first.

I rang up and had pre-approval for $2100+GST worth done in 30 seconds, boom!

CapBBeard

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#917056 18-Oct-2013 15:02

I've had mine removed over several visits, the latest of which was my 4th and final wisdom tooth, which had to be pulled by surgical extraction (it had not grown through the gum at all - it was pointing in towards my other teeth).

It was done under local anesthetic and came to $300 including follow up to have stitches removed. I experienced some discomfort for a few days afterwards but the extraction itself was essentially pain free, and the dentist commented that it was a somewhat difficult extraction.

I have heard of friends having it done under general and paying much much more. I guess it depends on your specific scenario; I'm unsure what scenario results in the dentist deferring to an oral surgeon vs having the same procedure I had.

networkn

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#917058 18-Oct-2013 15:02

My father in law got quoted $12000 to have his teeth fixed (Hadn't been to a dentist for 15 years). Instead he went to Thailand and got it done for $1900 and airfares were $1000 on special. He went back to the dentist two years later for a check up and the dentist made a comment how impressed he was with the work that had been done.

He said the facilities were the best he had ever seen, it was pain free, the service was amazing, and they were on call to him 24/7 and even came to his hotel every 8 hours to check on him.

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jonb

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#917060 18-Oct-2013 15:06

We don't have medical insurance, and it would be no doubt classed as a pre-existing condition now :(.

The Southern Cross dental and vision add-on to the Wellbeing Plan Two would be good for ongoing general costs for the family, I don't think we could afford to commit to the subscription right now, even though it may work out cheaper in the long run.

$2100 for 4 wisdom teeth? oh no..

alasta

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#917062 18-Oct-2013 15:11

I can understand how people stuggle to pay for dental care but personally think that cutting corners is a false economy.

What is the situation with your wisdom teeth? Have they erupted? Are there any other complications? Depending on the complexity and how pain averse you are you'll need to figure out whether you want or need IV sedation or a general anaesthetic or neither, and this decision makes a very big difference to the final cost.

jonb

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#917064 18-Oct-2013 15:18

alasta: I can understand how people stuggle to pay for dental care but personally think that cutting corners is a false economy.

What is the situation with your wisdom teeth? Have they erupted? Are there any other complications? Depending on the complexity and how pain averse you are you'll need to figure out whether you want or need IV sedation or a general anaesthetic or neither, and this decision makes a very big difference to the final cost.

There's just large cavities in two of them, no pain, but one root is close to a sinus cavity. Local anesthetic should be fine, I had one taken out in UK with no sedation and a local anesthetic. Only pain will be the cost..

Thanks for all the advice.

langers1972

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#917065 18-Oct-2013 15:18

jonb:

$2100 for 4 wisdom teeth? oh no..

+GST and that's for IV sedation not general so gawd knows what that'd be

jonb

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#917069 18-Oct-2013 15:23

langers1972:
jonb:

$2100 for 4 wisdom teeth? oh no..

+GST and that's for IV sedation not general so gawd knows what that'd be

I remember watching one of these guys in Morocco, a shame there aren't any in Auckland..

Morocco Street Dentist

Jas777

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#917085 18-Oct-2013 15:48

Jaxson,

It doesn't have to be a gamble in Thailand. I lived in Asia for a while a few years back and had Dental work done in Thailand, Widson teeth like the OP. The Dentist I had was trained in the USA and had better qualifications and equipment than most Dentists in NZ.

The Building I went to was a 5 storey building that had specialist for the all the different types of work done. They even had one of those x-ray machines that do oral x-rays that you only see in hospitals in NZ.

naggyman

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#917100 18-Oct-2013 16:12

When I got the panoramic xrays for my braces they found that I only had 3 wisdom teeth. Hopefully the braces means that the wisdom teeth don't encounter any problems later on in life.

Morgan French-Stagg

morgan.french.net.nz

networkn

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#917101 18-Oct-2013 16:14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENMA1HGLT6E

Dental Humor at it's best!

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