Broken tooth eating my gun fund

[DLCTEX]

I have been saving and planning to buy a Ruger Blackhawk in 357 all this year. Sunday night I was eating at the Rib Crib and my front tooth felt weird. A quick check with my tongue revealed a gap that hadn't been there in about 63 years(assuming I had my permanent tooth there by age six. I was figuring a crown would be $1000. Yesterday the dentist said I had to have a root canal and a build up of the broken portion at another $1000. It's going to be a while longer for the Ruger.:sad: I have lots of brass, moulds, dies, and loaded ammo, just need the pistol.

[CENTEX BILL]

I can relate to that. Had the same thing happen 2 weeks ago. Sold 2 rifles that were safe queens to help offset the cost. I needed the tooth more than the rifles.

Centex Bill

[brstevns]

Just went thru the same thing. Money I was saving for a Savage 99 gone!!

[MtGun44]

Sad story, but a tooth is pretty darned important.

Bill

[Artful]

Infected teeth are nothing to fool around with. That said if you have a dental school near you, it can save you a lot of money but it takes more time as your used for a human training aid.

[MaryB]

I have skipped root canals. Yank them out I know I need dentures soon anyway.

[waksupi]

Pull it, and get a partial.

[leftiye]

Dentistry is a racket. No end to the interesting things a dentist can do to a tooth. Then he pulls it out and doesn't even hand it to you. $2000 into the tooth (that's probly nothing nowadays), and sorry sam. No end to how high the prices are going. The older you get the more it costs because there is less tooth to work with. Yup, just look at a 5 or 6 crown bridge ($10,000). And then ask yourself what happens when you lose one of the remaining teeth holding it all down. Those false teeth which attach to posts screwed into the jaws sound interesting and cost MUCH less.

[1johnlb]

Sorry Gents, I would go with the blackhawk. Put the tooth off until later or maybe sell the wife's car. But definitely would go with the blackhawk. I spent $3200 on two root canals that broke in less than 90 days. My vote definitely Black hawk.

[ole 5 hole group]

Dentistry is a racket. Those false teeth which attach to posts screwed into the jaws sound interesting and cost MUCH less.

Not around here. Last year I had a root break on a molar that had previously had a gold crown fit to it - that surgical repair was a grand and the dentist advised it would last a long time as the two teeth next to it added excellent support. Ya right, lasted 4 months and the other root broke - I demanded and got the tooth pulled with no bill for the pulling and asked for the gold crown, which I got - don't know what I'll do with it but no way was I going to walk away from it and allow the dentist to melt it down and make another expensive crown to sell to someone else.

The post and crown was quoted at $6,750.00 to fill in the gap - Well, I still have the gap back there, as I'm not paying that price and I really don't want a bridge either.

[500MAG]

I had a crown come off 3 months ago. The dentist told me that a cavity had formed under the crown and now I need to have an extraction and an implant put in. They called me and told me my portion, after insurance would be $4000. I told them I was going to chew on it a while. LITERALLLY!

[Garyshome]

Well the good thing is you have all the expensive stuff now all you need is the ruger!

[waksupi]

Seeing the cost of dentistry in other areas, is really making me appreciate this area more!

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

I took the family out for ribs 2 weeks ago , that right there eats a gun fund in a hurry

I should have make them at home from our pig , problem is pigs just don't have enough ribs to do it very often , but no one minds when i shred a pork shoulder and make it in to BBQ

[NavyVet1959]

I've driven down to Mexico before for dental work. It's a big business in many of the larger border towns. From what I understand though, the cities in the inner part of Mexico are even cheaper since they are not catering to the tourists. Locally, I would have to wait a few weeks for an appointment and then it would take a month or so before the crown was completed. Down in Mexico, the dental lab is in the same city and you can get everything done within a week at the most. Even with the hotel, it worked out a LOT cheaper than what I could get it done for locally. Besides, at my age, it's not like some 20 year old girl is going to say that I have such a nice smile that she is attracted to me. :)

[Ed Barrett]

That Mexico thing sounds like a really good idea. I could have some cabrito too, my mouth is watering already. I don't have any tooth problems right now.

[DeanWinchester]

Extractions are cheap.
It's a guarantee it'll never hurt again once the gum heals. If the wife wouldn't pitch a hissy fit, I'd have ALL mine pulled today....what's left of them.

[shooterg]

My wife did the root canal thing, 6 months later it had to be pulled anyway, now has to have a crown or implant. We're leaning to the implant , as the crown requires the 2 adjacent (good!) teeth to be ground for posts.

[NavyVet1959]

I had an uncle that had all of his teeth removed and still had no problem eating corn on the cob and apples. Somehow, he manged to gum the food to death, I guess.

[Wayne Smith]

I'm having my forth implant tomorrow afternoon. It is the only way to go. Bridge work endangers the teeth it is attached to, has to be replaced in seven to ten years, and costs the same as an implant. The implant is permanent and becomes part of your jawbone. What's not to like but the cost? And with my diverticulosis I really can't go without teeth very well.

[shooter93]

I have had only one dentist tell me when we talked root canals......most of them fail very soon but they are good money makers. Your choice and if you get one done I hope your in the percentage that gets lasting ones. One dentist I saw wanted to do 15k work of work to me.....with the complete knowledge that sooner rather than later I'd need dentures.

[MaryB]

For you maybe, every one I have had out required surgery because the root are hooked into the jawbone. $500 a pop


Extractions are cheap.
It's a guarantee it'll never hurt again once the gum heals. If the wife wouldn't pitch a hissy fit, I'd have ALL mine pulled today....what's left of them.

[DLCTEX]

The thing that turned me off of the implant is the long wait between extraction and the implant. Add the higher cost and I'll go with the root canal. I have a crown on a front tooth that was broken in high school football that lasted 18 years, was replaced and lasted 20 years, was replaced and has gone 11 years and still going. Here's hoping I can get that kind of milage out of this one.

[NavyVet1959]

I'm having my forth implant tomorrow afternoon. It is the only way to go. Bridge work endangers the teeth it is attached to, has to be replaced in seven to ten years, and costs the same as an implant. The implant is permanent and becomes part of your jawbone. What's not to like but the cost? And with my diverticulosis I really can't go without teeth very well.

Don't know about the 7-10 year lifespan. I had one when I was in the Navy and it lasted for over 30 years. I ended up replacing it because I was having a couple other teeth crowned and figured I might as well do a complete overhaul while I was at it.

[MtGun44]

I had six root canals done that have lasted for about 25 years so far without
issue. If they are done properly, IME, they are nearly a lifetime fix. I had severe
accident trauma to some teeth and still have all of them over 45 years later, although some
have been root canaled, as mentioned. All my original teeth at age 63, no replacements
on the horizon. Two crowns, one cosmetic on the front and one gold one on a
wisdom tooth - I have ALL my teeth, including wisdom teeth. Not a chance I would
have one pulled if there was any way to fix it.

Bill

[NavyVet1959]

When I was in the Navy, I was originally designated for subs. They said that they needed to remove my wisdom teeth (even though nothing was wrong with them) prior to my going on subs since they did not have dentists on subs and they wanted to ensure that people would not need to get them removed while on patrol. I asked them if they also amputated legs to prevent someone from having a broken leg. Stupid rule... A couple of shots of Xylocaine and they yanked them in one sitting. I really would have preferred to have been knocked out for that experience. :(

The movie, "Little Shop of Horrors", comes to mind every time I have to go to a dentist.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=bOtMizMQ6oM

[big bore 99]

I spent a ton of money on my teeth through the years. Had them all pulled out anyway and got false teeth 20 yrs ago. Not a bit of problems. Wish I would have done it to begin with.

[snowwolfe]

More than a few of my friends go to Costa Rica for dental work. Most of the dentists graduated from USA dental schools and they will do a implant in one day from start to finish for around a $1,000. A great way to mix a vacation with saving a huge amount of money.

[Moonie]

I hate you guys, after reading this I broke one Friday night...

[MtGun44]

Sorry to hear that, good luck on the fix.

Bill

[Wayne Smith]

More than a few of my friends go to Costa Rica for dental work. Most of the dentists graduated from USA dental schools and they will do a implant in one day from start to finish for around a $1,000. A great way to mix a vacation with saving a huge amount of money.

Humm, with my insurance I paid $950 and was done in less than an hour. No travel expenses except a little gas. I think I'll stick with this deal.

[rockrat]

Yeah, me too after reading this. Went in for a cleaning, found decay, went back in to clean it out, need a new crown. Went back yesterday for my temp, $1,129. I could have bought a nice BFR for that amount of money and had plenty left over. I was jinxed

[Dan Cash]

Forget the tooth and buy the gun. I have not had teeth since 1984 and get on just fine. Can't eat nuts but every thing else gets chomped to my great satisfaction and I have guns.

[M-Tecs]

Forget the tooth and buy the gun. I have not had teeth since 1984 and get on just fine. Can't eat nuts but every thing else gets chomped to my great satisfaction and I have guns.

:drinks: An man after my own heart!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dakotashooter2]

Figure it this way if you bought the gun in 44 mag instead of 357 and shoot max loads you probably would have knocked the tooth out anyway. So the tooth is gone one way or the other but at least you'd still have the gun.............. LOL and you can always use the but of the gun to tenderize your steaks so you can eat them...................

[casterofboolits]

I Just had a canine fall out! $600.00 root canal, $780.00 crown. Came out while chewing a bite of Tuna sandwich!

[DLCTEX]

I had the root canal done today and it was painless and still is 7 hours later. The nerve was already dead and he removed all bad material, put in a post and pin, and made a temporary crown. $1015 out the door. Not the bad experience I had been told it would be, except in my wallet.

[Wayne Smith]

All I can say is that dental insurance is well worth it IMHO.

[BIGRED]

WOW.... glad i have insurance.... $22 a month for the entire family of 5. no deductible and 2 free cleanings a year.

[NavyVet1959]

I had dental insurance with a company I worked for perhaps 20 years ago. My experience was that even with it, the prices were still ridiculous.

[MaryB]

Medicare doesn't have a decent dental plan that I can find. Wish it did, I need a couple cut out.

[NavyVet1959]

Medicare doesn't have a decent dental plan that I can find. Wish it did, I need a couple cut out.

Well, if you want to take a trip to Mexico, I can refer you to a dental office across the border from Del Rio that I have used.

[MaryB]

Bit of a trip from MN.... and not in the budget. Teeth can wait lol