Aren’t they? Well ask me who has been visting the Dentist over the last 2 weeks. I had been to our family dentist long long time ago when I had a severe pain in tooth one night and the gentleman who knows our entire family teeth history had smartly extracted the culprit but scars remained engraved deeply in my memory and add to it several horror stories I had been hearing, I was firmly avoiding the Dentist and never complained of ‘little pain here and there’. So much so that two teeth fell off on their own after failing to draw my attention. I was relived that my body understood my equation with the dentist and healed itself. But yeah we all have buts in our life and if I had known that noone can ditch the inevitable(read dentist). This time my mouth had declared a full blown mutiny and no amount of ‘home remedies’ or prayers worked, things got to a point where I had to go without food and water literally.
So on a fine weekend I had to give in and see the dentist. The doctor was a man with grey hair and told him my condition and that I had lost two teeth to which he smiled and said I’ll loose a few more and not to worry he and his team will fix everything. So now came the treatment plan which was three teeth to be extracted and two root canals to be done. Then came the actual thing – the cost which was going to almost a lakh rupees(yes you heard it right after all it was one the best hospitals in Bangalore). Naturaly I almost fainted and the doc understood immediately, said well he can offer some discounts and work a way out. I said whatever way it would be I can never afford it. I was not willing to go bankrupt for my teeth. The man was very nice and worked out a solution where it would cost around 40K but still my heart was pounding. He said we can do it in several installments and he will help me in whatever way he can.
So after money issues were solved came the real treatment time and I was terrified as root canals were to be done. The doctor said they will take only an hour and he promised that it will not hurt a bit with a big smile. The doctor who came for treatment was a cheerful young man and he was joking but I was petrified as he asked his assistants for ‘bayonet’ no seriously I had heard it right. Midway through the treatment he asked whether I was feeling any pain and when I replied in negative, he confidently said I’ll say the same when I walk out of the door. Well he was right I actually didnot have much pain when I walked out. Over the next two weeks my treatment was completed and now I am almost normal.
The moral of the story is if you dare to ignore tooth issues for long the dentist not only drills your teeth but a big hole in your pocket as well. So take good care of the teeth and slightest bit of discomfort in tooth go see a dentist because ‘Teeth are precious’.
An Update : The break up of the initial estimate for treatment or rather mouth restoration(thats what they were saying).
2 teeth implants with bone augmentation = Rs. 60K
A bridge with 3 crown units = Rs. 12K
2 single crown units = Rs. 8K
rest for extraction, root canal treatment etc… almost 1 Lakh right….
Apr 21, 2010 @ 17:59:40
A stitch in time … ahaa..
And the worst I like about dentists is they ask long answered questions when drilling our teeth, our mouth gaping open and can u answer…just some noises with more saliva comes out!! dentists..no wonder, more an more are going off for BDS … !!
Dhiman: Absolutely! Imagine keeping your mouth open for over an hour….utterly tiring… 😀
Apr 21, 2010 @ 18:32:52
No wonder that in most of the schools they teach the students about healthy teeth.
Dhiman: Chowlaji saddest part is we forget all our school lessons don’t we 😀
Apr 21, 2010 @ 19:01:31
Gosh!!! One lakh for teeth to be treated!! Can’t believe it!! I’m awfully scared now, because I’ve been avoiding the dentist for the last 6 mths .. you know my experience already!! Brrrr….
Dhiman: I know and back then I had rejoiced that I don’t have to see a dentist … maybe God was laughing then ….
Apr 21, 2010 @ 19:32:11
Haha! Well, as they say a stitch in time saves nine.
Good to know you have your ‘colgate smile’ kinda intact 🙂
Dhiman: Yeah only difference is the smile is mostly ceramic 😉 now …
Apr 21, 2010 @ 22:34:05
sigh i hate dentist….
Dhiman: Bro then be very careful with your teeth coz Dentist is hardly avoidable …
Apr 21, 2010 @ 22:51:23
1 Lakh ??????????????? Holy Cow! :O Let me catch hold of my brush n paste properly :S
Dhiman : LR you better do or else these ‘best’ hospitals will make you ‘pay through nose’ for your teeth 😛
Apr 21, 2010 @ 23:28:11
Dentist ko bol 3-4 teeth thik karne hai; puri battissi nai replace karni hai!
dentists are damn scary re..
Dhiman: nahi re this is one of the ‘Best’ hospitals in the city isliye 3-4 dant ke utne paise bolte hain … agar battisi karni ho to bhagwan hi banchay 🙂
Apr 22, 2010 @ 10:04:04
I am speechless.
1 Lac …2morrow onwards i will brush three times in a day.
rather when ever i see my brush ..i will brush..
God save me.!
Dhiman: Yeah please don’t forget your childhood lesson on teeth hygiene and also my fault was I went to one of the ‘Best’ hospital and this is Bangalore meri jaan….
Apr 22, 2010 @ 13:55:36
Oh.. I better get mine shown too. the last i visited a dentist was about 15 years ago.. But i do care for my teeth..
I was reading your reply.. you went to the best hospital.. ITs good you dont want to go to the one under a banyan tree.. now do you 🙂
But that was india, wonder how much it would be if i go to a dentist here in UK.. will have to take a second mortgage on the house if something needs doing.. Blimey …
Dhiman: He! He! 😀 Bikram there are some places between the banyan tree and ‘The Best’…. I think I’ll check them out next time 🙂
Apr 22, 2010 @ 18:39:30
Oooh!! That’s tooooooo much!! And at this cost, they are like precious gems!
Dhiman: Phir kya! Batao Yeh koi baat hui! Its only tooth 😀
Apr 25, 2010 @ 18:23:40
1 Lakh for teeth problems…. tats too much… 🙂
Have to stay away from such hospitals
Dhiman: Ya! Actually I am not from Bangalore so don’t know good dentists here and went to one of the costliest hospitals….
Apr 26, 2010 @ 14:16:27
Oh my i know the trouble have gone through the same. but ya a lil on the lesser side of my pocket. 1 lakh a huge huge amount.Precious solitaires they are for you …
Dhiman : That was the initial cost… Bhala ho doctor saab ka…. he gave discounts and allowed me to do the treatment in installments …
Apr 28, 2010 @ 11:42:29
1 lakh! :O Oh my god!! I hate going to dentists. They really torture us. Should brush more often and avoid sweets as much as possible then!!
Dhiman : OMG sweets! Cannot quit them I am ready to brush every time I have sweet but they are a must ….anyway just to let you know how costly Bangalore hospitals are 🙂 … so be careful!!!
May 25, 2010 @ 22:56:01
hai la…one lakh, that’s a lot. How much will insurance cover?
Dhiman: insurance was not covering a single rupee 😦 so the cost was reduced ultimately by the doctors …:)