My Dental Adventures of February 11th, 2012
So I have had these two teeth that have been causing me a lot of pain for a while. I'm on a tight budget and Can't really pay for any work. Hadn't come up with my deductible yet either. So last night all of a sudden they both start hurting at the same time. I took 8 ibuprofen and writhed around in bed for a while. It didn't really help any. Eventually I fell asleep. Only slept for 4 hours until pain woke me up again. Writhed around in pain some more. looked up dentists in my insurance network. They are all Monday through Thursday. Some are open on Friday. Google Emergency dentist philadelphia. Only one comes up. Searched the dentists name on my insurance website but it doesn't come up. The dentist's website says they have payment plans and I really don't want any more debt but I just want the pain to stop. So I call them and ask if they take UC insurance. The guy says they do and asks what the problem is. I tell him I need two extractions. My dental insurance website says I only have coverage for exams, cleanings, extractions and simple front tooth fillings. I set an appointment for noon and since I have to walk 3.5 miles to get there. A few minutes later he calls back and says my insurance doesn't cover extractions. I'll have to pay out of pocket, which I can't. He says I can come get an exam and they can give me something for the pain. At this point I'll take what I can get.
When I get there I ask him about it because my insurance website says extractions are covered 100% but he shows me on their thing that they are not covered at all. So I am sitting there in the waiting room wondering why I even pay for such horrible insurance until a dentist is free.
I tell the dentist guy what is wrong and about my retarded insurance. He is surprised they do not cover extractions. He looks at it and notices root canals and fillings are covered. I am perplexed by this because I have checked many times and root canals nor any fillings I would need are covered. Obviously the website is a lie. He doesn't have time to do both teeth so decides to do the one with the exposed root even though it hurts less. It took three extra shots of novacaine to numb the little bastard. The actual procedure only took five minutes, if that. He also gave me amoxicillin and ibuprofen for pain. I am quite skeptical of this being effective for my pain but I hate taking painkillers anyway and it was free.
I have to go back next saturday for a full exam and to fix the other tooth and finish this one. I can't really call it finishing because they need crowns and all that so I'm getting temp fillings but meh. I have had a temporary filling in my other root canaled molar for 6 years now.
I'm also glad he didn't write me any prescriptions since I had to pay my deductible and probably couldn't have afforded to get them filled anyway. So maybe my string of bad luck is turning around. Maybe.
When I get there I ask him about it because my insurance website says extractions are covered 100% but he shows me on their thing that they are not covered at all. So I am sitting there in the waiting room wondering why I even pay for such horrible insurance until a dentist is free.
I tell the dentist guy what is wrong and about my retarded insurance. He is surprised they do not cover extractions. He looks at it and notices root canals and fillings are covered. I am perplexed by this because I have checked many times and root canals nor any fillings I would need are covered. Obviously the website is a lie. He doesn't have time to do both teeth so decides to do the one with the exposed root even though it hurts less. It took three extra shots of novacaine to numb the little bastard. The actual procedure only took five minutes, if that. He also gave me amoxicillin and ibuprofen for pain. I am quite skeptical of this being effective for my pain but I hate taking painkillers anyway and it was free.
I have to go back next saturday for a full exam and to fix the other tooth and finish this one. I can't really call it finishing because they need crowns and all that so I'm getting temp fillings but meh. I have had a temporary filling in my other root canaled molar for 6 years now.
I'm also glad he didn't write me any prescriptions since I had to pay my deductible and probably couldn't have afforded to get them filled anyway. So maybe my string of bad luck is turning around. Maybe.