Dental Costs

[chathamf]

My wife went to the dentist today for a general cleaning/check-up (this was her first time since moving to Calgary) and the cost was what I think ridiculous. Just wondering if this seems overboard to you guys, or if things are just much different compared to Nova Scotia.

Charges are as follows:
Two films intraoral: 47.77
Single film panoramic: 92.12
Five units of scaling: 347.76
One unit of time polishing: 65
Six films intraoral Periapical: 120.09
Permanent dentition: Complete oral: 105.95
One unit of time pulp vitality 59

Total: 839.28

Seems to be they went overboard on the x-rays? And 350 bucks for scaling seems crazy. This seem normal?

[nutella]

Scaling seems to be comparable as I pay $67/unit and for polishing it's $64 (according to my receipts)

[firebane]

Calgary Dentists are money rakers lol.

[CanmoreOrLess]

Seems fair pricing for the Calgary market, my dentist is a bit higher overall actually. The x-rays are needed as the dentist can't see through bone, teeth and gums, also here they can find a nice cancer tumour if you're real lucky. It happened to a friend of mine, he would have lost most of his jaw if the dental visit was a few months later or he went cheap on the check-up. There are times to go cheap in life, dental work is not one of them.

Buy a proper tooth cleaning system from Oral-B, you'll find your scaling charges go to near zero, same with the polishing. London Drugs or Shoppers Drug Mart normally have a sale on.

http://www.amazon.ca/Oral-B-Professi...eywords=Oral+B

[NoMoreG35]

Go to Asia if u need serious dental work. It'll pay for ur flight too

But on topic, it doesn't look too expensive considering the work done.

[se7en]

Originally posted by chathamf
My wife went to the dentist today for a general cleaning/check-up ..........if things are just much different compared to Nova Scotia.

...... This seem normal?

I know a ton of "easterners" and my opinion is that tooth care is less of a priority than it is here. lolol. Maybe it cost so much because they(teeth) needed that much more work to get up to Calgary dentist's standards.

[danno]

Has anyone ever done a dental vacation? I need either 2 implants for my front teeth or a 6 tooth bridge. Implants will be roughly 12k the bridge will be 6k here. And there is no health coverage on the implants, I think about 1200 with the bridge.

Op try sundance dental, I havnt had a problem with dr Harrison. He has also been way cheaper then my previous dental clinic.

[chathamf]

Originally posted by se7en



I know a ton of "easterners" and my opinion is that tooth care is less of a priority than it is here. lolol. Maybe it cost so much because they(teeth) needed that much more work to get up to Calgary dentist's standards.

You obviously know nothing.

[se7en]

clearly.

I obvious troll obvious. Sorry matey :P

[nzwasp]

Originally posted by danno
Has anyone ever done a dental vacation? I need either 2 implants for my front teeth or a 6 tooth bridge. Implants will be roughly 12k the bridge will be 6k here. And there is no health coverage on the implants, I think about 1200 with the bridge.

Op try sundance dental, I havnt had a problem with dr Harrison. He has also been way cheaper then my previous dental clinic.

I also need 2 implants and braces. The titanium implants I think are 4k each. But my problems is I have to do tooth extraction (i have one lodged in my upper gum since birth) then straight into braces for 1 1/2 years for 6k then straight after braces is 2 implants. I guess i could claim the implants on my taxes though.

[adamc]

Starting to research dental vacations, and costa rica is looking like a forerunner at the moment.

Get an implant and a couple of crowns/light fillings and then spend another 10-12 days surfing and relaxing. Sounds pretty ideal.


Would love to hear if anyone here has had a positive experience with dental vacations or out of country care.

[chathamf]

Originally posted by adamc
Starting to research dental vacations, and costa rica is looking like a forerunner at the moment.

Get an implant and a couple of crowns/light fillings and then spend another 10-12 days surfing and relaxing. Sounds pretty ideal.


Would love to hear if anyone here has had a positive experience with dental vacations or out of country care.

Love to hear about this too! What are the prices down there looking like for procedures?

[Mitsu3000gt]

+1 on that Oral B electric Toothbrush. I just went out and bought the best one I could (9500 or something). My dental hygienist keeps telling me no polishing is needed since my teeth have zero stain, and I drink coffee/tea daily.

My visits are about $250, never anywhere near $800. Same for the rest of my family...never seen it go over $300 for a regular clean/checkup. I think it's $320 with X-rays.

[bjstare]

Just had one yesterday. Checkup and cleaning, no x-rays, around $375.

After insurance the charge was like $3.56 or something

[klumsy_tumbler]

I know someone that went to Thailand to have her wisdom teeth taken out (under general anesthesia). She stayed there for two weeks, and ALL of her travel costs and dental costs (flights included) summed up to a heck of a lot less than what it cost me to have mine out here in Calgary.

Next time I need to have some major work done, I'm definitely going to be looking into this.

[EK69]

Originally posted by klumsy_tumbler
I know someone that went to Thailand to have her wisdom teeth taken out (under general anesthesia). She stayed there for two weeks, and ALL of her travel costs and dental costs (flights included) summed up to a heck of a lot less than what it cost me to have mine out here in Calgary.

Next time I need to have some major work done, I'm definitely going to be looking into this.

wtf??
granted i didnt have general anesthesia (only local shots like you get when they fill cavities) but my cost was around 1200 or 1300 a few years ago for all 4 wisdom teeth pulling

is general anesthesia that fucking expensive?

[klumsy_tumbler]

Originally posted by EK69

wtf??
granted i didnt have general anesthesia (only local shots like you get when they fill cavities) but my cost was around 1200 or 1300 a few years ago for all 4 wisdom teeth pulling

is general anesthesia that fucking expensive?

Yes, it really is. I wasn't even put out all the way, just had IV sedation (I'm effing terrified of dentists and needles, so I'm a sissy), but that alone cost me 1500. Altogether, it ended up being like 4K for me.

[Mar]

One of my old ones from last year I (for some reason) had laying around by my desk:

exam: $62.90
4 B. W. -Ray: $72.40
Polishing (1 unit): $59
Scaling (4 units): $249
Comp perm mol ac 1 Sur (cavity fill): $142.90
Comp perm mol ac 1 Sur (cavity fill): $142.90
Comp perm mol ac 3 Sur (cavity fill): $234.90

[jwslam]

Originally posted by klumsy_tumbler
went to Thailand to have her wisdom teeth taken out (under general anesthesia).

So they removed her teeth. Did she get something added between her legs while they were at it?

[phreezee]

Don't have to leave the country. Just go to a province with regulated dental pricing which is closer to industry/insurance pricing. Manitoba is regulated.

Calgary dentists made me an anti-dentite.