The Dentist, My Old Nemesis

I started my first job that offered dental insurance a little over ten years ago.  It took me a couple of years to realize that the only important piece of information about that coverage is the yearly maximum.  I've used that max every year, and most years I've used more.

The problem came up again the other day when I felt a crack while chewing, but no pain.  A quick survey told my that a crown had detached.  I later learned that the tooth the crown's on is the thing that detached from itself.  The only reason I wasn't in pain is because that tooth has no nerve.  It has had a root canal.

Several of my teeth have needed root canals over the years.  I believe all of their fates will be the same as this tooth.  That root is there for a reason.  My dentist has recommended all of them be capped.  As I have just demonstrated, that is not a permanent solution either.

As for this cracked tooth, it needs to be pulled.  It's not the first tooth I've had pulled, but it's the first tooth I cared about.  I'll have a hole in my smile for the next two months minimum before I can consider fixing it.

The timing is interesting, to say the least.  Two months from that day is the day I touch down in Bangkok.  That might mean I'll be missing that tooth for the entire trip.  The trip I planned so far in advance.

But it will probably mean I can get it fixed there.  The sooner the better of course.  The cost of dental work there is low, and the quality is high, from what I can tell.  I'll be paying less than my portion after insurance here.  I might even get reimbursed some from my insurance when I get back.  It's not the ideal time to be spending money on dental work.  It's not the ideal time to have dental work done.  With these kinds of savings though, the possibilities are amazing.