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Emergency Dental Issue before Road Trip! Help?
I’ll try to be as brief as possible, but recently I’ve been having pain on the left side of my mouth when chewing, and I made an appointment with the dentist about it. I had been told before that a tooth on the bottom left in the back was in a bad shape, I think it was that the filling for it was probably going to eventually break or something. I’m in graduate school and really short on money so I had to put that off for now. When I saw the dentist, he looked at my teeth for less than a minute and said I would need root canal and a crown. He said the root canal alone would cost $800, and my insurance (I’m currently on Medicaid) wouldn’t cover either procedure. I had no idea what I was going to do, and leaving me with several unanswered questions, he kicked me out after seeing him for less than 5 minutes.
I called the phone number for insurance and they told me that both a crown and root canal would be covered, they just needed a request from an in-network dentist, and the dentist I saw was. So this seemed to contradict what the dentist told me. I’m actually also not sure now if it’s the bottom tooth that’s the problem, and I think the pain might actually be from a tooth on the top row. I’m really reluctant to go back there, so I tried to find another dentist to see on short notice, but the only one in my immediate area isn’t seeing anyone until a week from now.
The biggest problem is I’m finishing classes this month, and plan to drive from Pennsylvania to Illinois to stay with family while I look for work, which is something I’m already really worried about because I’ll be driving through the Midwest for several days in a 20 year old car in December. My insurance also told me root canal and a crown would only be covered in-network, so I'd have to pay for it entirely if done out of state, so I need to take care of this soon. I really wanted to leave around the 16th (when classes end) at the latest due to worries about snow, so I really don’t know what I’m going to do. Should I just try to see another dentist? The only ones I could find in-network are over an hour away and have 3 star ratings on Google, but I don't know if those ratings really mean much.
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When it comes to dental issues you have to deal with them immediately when it happens. The pain you have now and the problem could become far worse if you let it be. I have been there and regretted it. I think you really need to get booked into a dental clinic and have it looked at before you go anywhere If your insurance will cover it that's terrific. Use that and don't go out of state where you'll have to pay big money.
Here's the thing about reviews on Google or otherwise. You're always going to find people who will bitch about anything and everything and take things out of context with doctors. You have to take it with a grain of salt unless it's review after review after review of bad write-ups. Visit the dentist that you read the reviews for and get this done.
If it's a root canal and a crown it's likely considered a surgical procedure. A general practice dentist may be the person that you see first for example this person and then they might refer you to a surgeon or expert in how to fix that issue. They may not do it themselves. I have had that happen. They may assess you and send you to another person who specializes in this.
A road trip can always wait a few days or a week or so but this is an issue that can't or it will get far worse for you. Also, if you don't have to pay a ton of money by going out of state that's important too. Why go broke?
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Your dental needs should come first, as with all health issues. If you can find a dentist covered by your insurance, by all means, go to them. Check out the reasons for their star ratings, sometimes, its a disgruntled, dissastisfied patient rather than the dentist themselves. Another option would be to find a dental clinic, often attached to a dental school. Be prepared to drive the hour, and postpone visiting until your health needs are properly addressed, that's my advice to you. Never neglect your health. Good wishes, Dr. Stephanie
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You mentioned medicaid so I am going to think you are a senior citizen. I am close to having to do that myself. My father in law told us that all the root canals he had and had to pay part of, were a waste of money and time. Basically, there came a time when he needed a second root canal and was told it was cheaper to pull the bad tooth, let the gums heal and then get fitted for a bridge with the fake tooth, attached to good teeth nearby. So pulling a tooth might be the fastest way to go. I have plenty root canals and if any bug me, I will do the same and just pull the tooth. Lots of dentists will save early morning appts for emergencies so they can always take someone. I got in for one of those, called and they saw me the next morning, and I have Obama Care so its nothing fancy. Recheck with insurance for all the dentists in your area if you decide to have it pulled, because getting in for a root canal emergency is not something that is set up for emergency. I once needed a root canal while out of state, no warning and I knew I'd have to pay. Saw a regular dentist who took out the old filling, cleaned out any decay inside, didn't do the roots put a new filling in and told me this was the best that could be done as an emergency to take care of the pain and should last a few months, long enough for me to plan on getting it redone properly later. So you probably wont be able to get insurance to pay for that, even if in network. But that is the only way I can think of pushing off the inevitable and having a full root canal with cap done. Having a regular dentist do some work to help you get by for a couple months and do check with insurance yourself to be sure which Drs they cover, I don't go just by a Drs. ref to a specialist. I can't think of anything else. Hope that helps and you can find a dentist who feels sorry for you and will do the work, but again that would have to be off insurance since it isn't a proper way to fix a tooth needing root canal. Maybe family and friends can help you in this pinch financially or a go fund me page, pay now and make a few payments. I paid a sum down and 2 more payments later to pay in full and it was not as bad as paying for root canal.
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