Request for Oral Surgeon Recommendations

[livingdeb]

Today I got an estimate for having my two lower wisdom teeth removed. The oral surgeon explained that since the two teeth are still under so much bone, he wants to drill them out which means he wants me anesthetized. So I'll need someone to drive me there and pick me up afterwards and I shouldn't eat or drink anything for six hours before the surgery. Then, and they do this for people under 25, they want to do bone replacement therapy--they put in something from a cow as a scaffold for my own bone to regrow over. After the surgery there would be mild discomfort for two to three days, but they would provide antibiotics and pain killers. (I should take those separately so that if I have a reaction, they'll know which one caused it.) I could brush my other teeth and carefully rinse my mouth. I should exercise my jaw several times an hour afterwards to keep it working properly.

That all sounds basically fine, but I think I want a second opinion. Why?

1) I expected that with my second tooth having come all the way through, the surgery would be easier or at least the same. I expected higher prices than my last estimate from four years ago due to inflation, but I didn't expect them to triple ($1993 vs. $697.50 after insurance). One assistant explained that they have new codes for anesthetizing and that the bone replacement therapy was optional.

Fortunately I found my earlier estimate and it doesn't show the bone replacement or the anesthetizing. Now they have to put me under and before they didn't? No one is explaining why.

2) I'm pretty annoyed with one of the other workers there who lied to me. He brought me for a second X-ray. I asked him why and he said he wanted a different angle. When he brought me to the machine, it seemed like it was the exact same angle. So why was he lying? If it was something to do with me, wouldn't he give me more instructions on keeping still this time or something? Nope, it turns out the processor was eating the X-rays. When they said they would like a third X-ray, I asked if I could wait until I came back for the surgery and the processor was no longer eating X-rays. I really don't want a million X-rays.

3) I'm pretty annoyed with the general flippant attitude. The surgeon actually asked me if I wanted my surgery done that day. After he had just told me that I should refrain from eating and drinking for six hours and have someone pick me up. I said no, I had had breakfast and driven myself there. Plus I'd like to find a week where it would be okay to miss work if necessary and I'd like to stock up on liquid foods. And this week might have been fine--why didn't they warn me that I might be able to have it done the same day? And why did the guy rush through his explanation and not give me a sheet explaining everything better so I wouldn't forget? He even admitted to having patients forget not to eat before surgery.

4) It bothers me that he thinks this surgery will lead to "mild discomfort" and that he thinks I would be insulted if he actually told me directly that older people like me can really use some help with regenerating our bone afterwards. What else is he trying to protect me from? I'd prefer people to just talk to me as if I were a reasonable, rational human being.

5) My insurance isn't paying much anyway, so I don't feel tied to this particular oral surgeon. (The price without insurance would be $2387.) And they could forward their X-ray to this guy if I decided to come back here.

Hey, not having to be awake during tooth extraction sounds good to me and having help re-growing my bone sounds wise. If he's a good surgeon and knows what he's doing, none of the rest matters (except making people re-take their X-rays repeatedly).

Nevertheless, do any of you recommend an oral surgeon in the Austin area?

Comments

[texpenguin.livejournal.com]

I had all four wisdom teeth removed at the same time when I was 31 I think? I think 3 of the 4 had to be cut/drilled out of my mouth. Even for that, I was not anesthetized, I was only sedated in office (believe me, I was completely out, though!) I think for all four teeth, after insurance I paid something in the $1000 range. The doctor was very nice, and made sure T knew everything he needed to know to take care of me that day, and to tell me later when I regained my senses how to take care of myself. I didn't have to have the bone replacement therapy, though. The only annoying thing about the whole thing was that they wanted a panoramic xray, and when they asked if there was any chance that I was pregnant I answered honestly, something like "well, there is a .03 chance that I am pregnant, given my current forms of birth control", so they made me go get a pregnancy test! I offered to sign a waiver, but they wouldn't do it. Oh, and later, that year, I was due for full xrays at my regular dentist, and I didn't know that the panoramic had already used my full xray allotment, so I had to pay out of pocket for the second set. Anyway, the office was great in general. The girl who ran billing made sure I knew exactly how much I'd owe, and knew which charges to send to my health insurance and which to my dental. In the end, she even got more of it covered than expected, and sent me back a check! The surgeon is Dr. Flaggert, and his office is near Duval and 183 (in one of the medical parks on Angus). BTW, if you need a driver/sitter for that day, I'm happy to help out. Any excuse to get out of work...! ;-)

[livingdeb.livejournal.com]

Awesome. I'm going to call that guy. (And make sure not to be overly specific about my chances of being pregnant!)

[indigo-rose99.livejournal.com]

I can drive and sit with you. We would have to discuss scheduling to make sure I am not committed elsewhere, but it should not be a big deal. *hug*

[livingdeb.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Maybe I won't need that service, though!