cellini's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I Need a Root Canal Ok, it's time to face the facts. I have a very minor but real toothache in one of my back left molars. This is bad. I have not been to a dentist since Ida was born. When Trish stopped working to take care of Ida, we lost our dental insurance. Ida gets regular check-ups and cleanings, but not me. I just can't afford it. So now I have a toothache. I am given to understand that what a toothache means, in the absence of some type of trauma, is that a cavity has gone down into the nerve in the root of the tooth. And it is my understanding that once that has happened, you can't just drill it and fill it. You need a root canal. A root canal for a back molar supposedly costs around 800 dollars. Plus the cost of the visit where they will diagnose it (maybe 100 bucks?). Then the X-rays that they will require. Those will be another two hundred, easy. Plus the cost of medications for follow up care. Whats that, another fifty bucks? I think that conservatively, I'm looking at at least around twelve hundred dollars in dental bills. Maybe they'll find some other cavities, since it's been over 4 years since I've been to a dentist. I simply do not have access to that much money right now. So I'm really not sure what to do. It breaks my heart to say this, but it would probably be cheaper to have the tooth pulled. I can't just do nothing or else the infection could get into the bone of my jaw and then I'd have SERIOUS trouble. But I don't know what else to do. I mean, I should pick up the phone right now and make an appointment. But what happens when I get to the dentist's office and it's time to pay the bill and I just don't have the money? What the fuck do I do? There is no good choice here. God, I dread the thought of having to break this news to Trish. 11:59 - 2008-06-04 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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