How 1 front tooth cost me $8200

[KarstenScottD]

Hello all, I'd like to share my story/nightmare of 1 of my front teeth (#21) that ended up costing me $8200 in the end :/

When I was about 12 years old I cracked my tooth in half skateboarding and ended up just having an artificial part attached to it which I had until I was about 18-19. I started feeling some pain and the fake part was starting to discolor, so I went in for a root canal/crown. After about a year maybe a bit more of wearing the crown I started feeling more pain and my gums started reciting away from the crown(and the nightmare begins).
So I was left with 2 options, go to a Periodontist and have my gums lifted to see if there was a crack somewhere in the root(NOT A FUN PROCEDURE) OR have the entire thing extracted. I decided that the best option was to have it extracted and have an implant placed.
So about a year and a half later after getting the root canal/crown I had the entire thing extracted + bone grafting done, I was probably 21 at the time (in my 2nd year of college, having to do Presentations and all sorts of fun stuff while missing a front tooth://) The healing process took about 8-9 months.
I had the first stage of the implant process about 2 months ago(the post) and everything is looking really good, I should be able to have the crown placed within 2 more months.
I'm now 23 years old........... so I have been dealing with this nightmare of a front tooth for about 3-4 years. Some people dont realize how bad this can affect someone at this age. It really takes a toll on your confidence. Especially one of the very front teeth:/. How one little skateboarding accident can have so much negative impact not to mention COSTLYY.
Lets break it down into dollars.
1. Artificial piece attached $500
2. Root Canal $600
3. Crown $1200
4. Extraction + Bone Graft $1100
5. Dental Flipper $500
6. Surgeon Consult + CT Scan $250
7. First Stage of Implant + Sedation $2500
8. Last stage of Implant Crown $1500
Grand Total of $8,150
FOR ONE TOOTH
About $4500 out of pocket....cough out of line of credit as I am still in college:/

I really wanted to share this nightmare, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.....
Not to mention I have near perfect teeth, never needed braces, naturally great looking teeth, except for one...... Its really irritating thinking about where I could be if I didn't have to go through this. Or If I was a bit mentally stronger and didn't care about people judging me based off of one tiny tooth.

Out of everything I have been through, I do have to say the worst part was the extraction+ bone grafting, I was in bed for a week, my mouth hurt so much. The implant was nothing compared to that. But the worst surgery I have had was my wisdom teeth removal, nothing is worse than that. So if you've had that done, theirs nothing worse a dentist can do to you lol

 

[MountainMama]

I had a front upper tooth break when I was around nine. I was pushing a shopping cart and my brother pushed it backwards into my mouth. I also had a filling placed. Unknown to me, my tooth died painlessly over a long time, then abscessed when this past year. The abscess was there a long time before it started hurting, so it ate away a good chunk of bone. I had a root canal, still hurt. Had an apicoectomy, still hurt. Now I am going through the same process as you. I have a consult scheduled in August with an oral surgeon for extraction and implant.
I haven't added it all up, but I am sure it would be at least $10,000 if I included the work I had done as a kid. I am paying out of pocket now, as my dental insurance is maxed out.

 

[KarstenScottD]

It really is an unfortunate thing! especially when its something so small that is the reason for it. like skateboarding or in your case a shopping cart: p that end up costing us an arm and a leg.
Hopefully they will be able to do the implant at the same time as the extraction, but maybe not since there is a loss of bone, which was my case. That's why I needed bone grafting at the same time of the extraction.
for 8-10 thousand we should have a gold tooth or something lol.... our 1 tooth costs as much as a decent car..... crazy to me.

 

[MountainMama]

It really is an unfortunate thing! especially when its something so small that is the reason for it. like skateboarding or in your case a shopping cart: p that end up costing us an arm and a leg.
Hopefully they will be able to do the implant at the same time as the extraction, but maybe not since there is a loss of bone, which was my case. That's why I needed bone grafting at the same time of the extraction.
for 8-10 thousand we should have a gold tooth or something lol.... our 1 tooth costs as much as a decent car..... crazy to me.

Yep, very expensive. I have to get bone grafting as well, and will wait 6 months before I can get the implant. I just got impressions taken for the flipper on Tuesday. I have already had one implant this year, on a molar. I can't even believe how much we are spending on my teeth this year. Of course, the costs are spread out, since they charge as things are done.