Dental Advice

[gk10012001]

I have a tooth that broke.  Also the central part that had a root canal fell out with the pin.  So I have partial tooth base for lack of a better word still in the jaw. This was a lower third from the back tooth.  Had issues from it a long time and dentist did a great job keeping it intact the last 15 years but now wondering what to do. I am 66.  I don't have any other dental issues.  At my age, I am pondering the need for going the full route of extraction, graft, implant, crown.  I am not going to live a long time!  I don't mind missing a tooth back there.  I am aware of possible issues with other teeth extruding or moving, etc.  but I also know several people that have done just fine with a space.

 

I am on USA Medicare and have an advantage plan with United Health for Dental.  That only covers about $1,000.  I had one full quote from my favorite dentist of $5200 which would be my final out of pocket cost. I happen to be in CT working and he is back in California.  But he is worth the visit.  Coincidentally I am about to finish a contract job and was looking to go to Thailand for a long vacation if not full semi retirement, so I am considering taking months off and going to Thailand and getting this dental work done there and just paying out of pocket.

 

I been to Thailand 15 times going back to 2004 so I am familiar with Pattaya.

 

  So wondering on cost of a simple extraction.

 

Then wondering on cost of the full nine yards, extraction, graft, implant, crown.

 

Any experience, or prices or good dental recommendation in Thailand?

 

Thanks

[DavisH]

Get it extracted and let it heal for a few months. If you can eat comfortably without it, you won't need to do anything with it. I had an extraction in Thailand and it was about 300 baht (no complications), but that was a few years ago. I've had one lower molar implant done. It was about 60K baht for the complete work. You may get it cheaper, but others may charge more, depending on the grade of the materials. I didn't need a graft, even though there was some bone loss. It's been working find for the last few years. You could search on Thailand dentists in Pattaya, email them and see what their rough costs are. I have anothe rimplant in process, but after the impnat was done, the dentists was closed due to the pandemic. i need to get back to get the crown done.

[OneMoreFarang]

55 minutes ago, gk10012001 said:

So wondering on cost of a simple extraction.

 

Then wondering on cost of the full nine yards, extraction, graft, implant, crown.

Extraction: Maybe 1,000 to 2,000B

Maybe 50,000B or more. Personally I wouldn't do it.

[AndyAndyAndy]

Nice USA health care system you have going on over there. ???? When I broke my teeth I paid my private European dentist $30 to fix it. And I was really shocked by her audacity to give me bill at the end. As for my entire life every visit was free.

[ViajeroLA]

A few years ago one of the best and most expensive dental clinics in BKK was advertising that they'll change all your teeth to implants for ~$10k. I can't say for sure what the stuff you mentioned will cost here, but it will be definitely a fraction of $5k. Maybe $300 or smth like that. Full implant with all the materials and surgeries cost me up to like $2k in the most complicated case with tissue extracting etc. Normally it's around $1k. Extraction is just a small part of that ????

[ezzra]

A simple extraction you can in Thailand on the cheap, a full restoration best to do at you home country in case for issues coming up and there will be for sure, and only in your home country you'll be able to be sure to get the proper treatments.

Edited March 18, 2023 by ezzra

[OneMoreFarang]

In general about implants: Be aware that there are huge quality differences from the implants themselves and the dentists who are (maybe only a little) trained to do this work.

My dentist in Bangkok quoted me 90,000B for a good quality inlay. She informed me that lots of cheap and bad versions exist. So better inform yourself if you are interested in implants. 

 

[bkk6060]

9 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

Then wondering on cost of the full nine yards, extraction, graft, implant, crown.

From my experience 50,000 b in Pattaya is at the about right for a good Dentist who knows what he is doing.

[gk10012001]

Thanks all for the replies.  I guess I will have to decide if at my age 66 it is worth doing the full implant path.  I know several people at my age who had them and so far no issues.  I also know some people that are doing quite well missing one tooth.  I'm getting a second opinion and evaluation and exam from a local dentist here near work in CT before I decide to travel to CA to see my normal regular excellent dentist.  Probably am leaning towards just the extraction, a graft for the future if it looks like I may need one, in case I decide to go with implants after things heal up. 

[gk10012001]

On 3/18/2023 at 12:29 PM, AndyAndyAndy said:

Nice USA health care system you have going on over there. ???? When I broke my teeth I paid my private European dentist $30 to fix it. And I was really shocked by her audacity to give me bill at the end. As for my entire life every visit was free.

Well, the system has its pros and cons.  I certainly didn't set it up.   One can get more robust dental coverage if one chooses higher priced premiums.  Medicare and Supplements are a strange setup that has years of evolution behind it.  This is my first year using it so being a life long test engineer that has a knack for finding defects or unanticipated results in things, I am sure I will stumble into the worst of things.  66 in May and Social Security and semi retirement on the horizon.

 

  Go Pattaya!  Trip 16

[redwood1]

Missing one tooth in the back is no big deal at all......I am missing 4 teeth back there and I still eat ok........One tooth missing is nothing....

[JimTripper]

Why not a bridge or a denture partial?

Edited March 20, 2023 by JimTripper

[Joebuzzz]

Medicare & other USA insurance don't cover outside USA.

[Joebuzzz]

On 3/20/2023 at 1:12 AM, gk10012001 said:

Well, the system has its pros and cons.  I certainly didn't set it up.   One can get more robust dental coverage if one chooses higher priced premiums.  Medicare and Supplements are a strange setup that has years of evolution behind it.  This is my first year using it so being a life long test engineer that has a knack for finding defects or unanticipated results in things, I am sure I will stumble into the worst of things.  66 in May and Social Security and semi retirement on the horizon.

 

  Go Pattaya!  Trip 16

You are totally unaware that no American government insurance covers you here.

[petermik]

As been said on this topic many times Warin on Pattaya Klang trained in California best Dentist quality and pricing in Pattaya IMHO.

[Yellowtail]

If you're want to get it in the US, and you're flying cross-county anyway, check the prices in Texas. Much cheaper than CA and the people are nicer too. 

 

I'm 65 and I had two implants done in Thailand in the last year, the last one just finished a few weeks ago. I thought i was money well spent, but everyone's situation is different. You should be prepared to spend $1,500-3,000 in Thailand, which is about the same as in Texas. 

 

Your current dental should pull it "free", and you'll have to wait a few months to have an implant done anyway.

 

If you don't want to spend the dough, just have it pulled and get a removable partial-denture for the one tooth. Sounds like it's in a decent spot for a partial, and they are cheap. The partial will also keep the teeth spaced correctly in the event you want to get an implant later. 

 

I would not get a bridge,,,,

[gk10012001]

On 3/21/2023 at 6:10 AM, Joebuzzz said:

You are totally unaware that no American government insurance covers you here.

You are totally unaware of what is covered or what is not covered.  Emergency treatments are covered by Medicare and medicare advantage plans.  Other than that I am well aware of what is covered or not covered when dealing with routine things.  As for no Government insurance, well you are wrong.  People under Tri Care are covered

[gk10012001]

On 3/21/2023 at 7:39 AM, Yellowtail said:

If you're want to get it in the US, and you're flying cross-county anyway, check the prices in Texas. Much cheaper than CA and the people are nicer too. 

 

I'm 65 and I had two implants done in Thailand in the last year, the last one just finished a few weeks ago. I thought i was money well spent, but everyone's situation is different. You should be prepared to spend $1,500-3,000 in Thailand, which is about the same as in Texas. 

 

Your current dental should pull it "free", and you'll have to wait a few months to have an implant done anyway.

 

If you don't want to spend the dough, just have it pulled and get a removable partial-denture for the one tooth. Sounds like it's in a decent spot for a partial, and they are cheap. The partial will also keep the teeth spaced correctly in the event you want to get an implant later. 

 

I would not get a bridge,,,,

partial denture eh?  I like the sound of that.

[Yellowtail]

12 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

partial denture eh?  I like the sound of that.

I've had a few, and they're okay, not as good as an implant, but they're much cheaper.

 

 

[Joebuzzz]

On 3/26/2023 at 8:31 PM, gk10012001 said:

You are totally unaware of what is covered or what is not covered.  Emergency treatments are covered by Medicare and medicare advantage plans.  Other than that I am well aware of what is covered or not covered when dealing with routine things.  As for no Government insurance, well you are wrong.  People under Tri Care are covered

From the gubmint:

 

Is TRICARE Prime Overseas Right for You?

TRICARE Prime Overseas is only available to active duty service members (including activated Guard/Reserve members) and command sponsored family members. 

• If you're on active duty you have to enroll in TRICARE Prime Overseas where its available. 
• Family members must be command-sponsored to enroll.
• Family members who aren't command-sponsored or who choose not to enroll in TRICARE Prime Overseas may want to consider purchasing other health insuranceHealth insurance you have in addition to TRICARE, such as Medicare or an employer-sponsored health insurance. TRICARE supplements don’t qualify as "other health insurance.".

Standard TriCare is not available outside the 50 states. .

Edited April 2, 2023 by Joebuzzz
Last sentence.

[Joebuzzz]

On 3/26/2023 at 8:31 PM, gk10012001 said:

You are totally unaware of what is covered or what is not covered.  Emergency treatments are covered by Medicare and medicare advantage plans.  Other than that I am well aware of what is covered or not covered when dealing with routine things.  As for no Government insurance, well you are wrong.  People under Tri Care are covered

From Medicare website:

 

Travel outside the U.S.

Medicare usually doesn’t cover health care while you’re traveling outside the U.S. There are some exceptions, including some cases where 

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)

 may pay for services that you get on board a ship within the territorial waters adjoining the land areas of the U.S. However, Medicare won't pay for health care services you get when a ship is more than 6 hours away from a U.S. port.

Medicare may pay for inpatient hospital, doctor, and ambulance services you get in a foreign country in these rare cases:

You're in the U.S. when a medical emergency occurs, and the foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat your medical condition.

You're traveling through Canada without unreasonable delay by the most direct route between Alaska and another U.S state when a medical emergency occurs, and the Canadian hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat the emergency.

You live in the U.S. and the foreign hospital is closer to your home than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat your medical condition, regardless of whether an emergency exists.

Medicare may cover medically necessary ambulance transportation to a foreign hospital only with admission for medically necessary covered inpatient hospital services.

 

The one that covers you is Medigap, not Medicare Part A or B, or Medicare Advantage.  It's not cheap either. 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 3/19/2023 at 4:20 AM, gk10012001 said:

I don't mind missing a tooth back there.  I am aware of possible issues with other teeth extruding or moving, etc.  but I also know several people that have done just fine with a space.

I have only one lower molar on one side of my mouth. You should get by fine without one tooth. Never had a problem with other teeth moving and I've been missing some teeth for 50 years.

I don't use dentures.

 

Just take care of the ones remaining.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 3/19/2023 at 10:36 AM, ezzra said:

A simple extraction you can in Thailand on the cheap,

As it's a broken tooth it's going to be more complicated than normal, but still way cheaper than in home country.

Might need a specialist depending on how complicated. I had to have a specialist when a molar went rotten under a crown, After removing the crown the rest of the tooth came out in little bits.

[Yellowtail]

29 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

As it's a broken tooth it's going to be more complicated than normal, but still way cheaper than in home country.

Might need a specialist depending on how complicated. I had to have a specialist when a molar went rotten under a crown, After removing the crown the rest of the tooth came out in little bits.

The OP (apparently) has a dental plan in the US and I think most every dental plan covers extractions.