Dental Insurance

nRiTeCh

nRiTeCh

Skilled
I recently had a root canal procedure and it went too complex and though the actual root canal cost was fixed the additional operative procedures, surgery and capping etc. I was taken aback by the huge final bills! Literally burnt holes into my pockets!

Hence, looking to have a dental insurance if at all it is available in India either complimentary with regular medical policies or an add-on or totally a separate one.
If anybody has ever opted/currently covered under such insurance, would appreciate if they can shed some light on the same wrt the insurer, benefits, coverage etc. and specifically dental policy parameters as to how it works.
 
nRiTeCh said:
I recently had a root canal procedure and it went too complex and though the actual root canal cost was fixed the additional operative procedures, surgery and capping etc. I was taken aback by the huge final bills! Literally burnt holes into my pockets!

Hence, looking to have a dental insurance if at all it is available in India either complimentary with regular medical policies or an add-on or totally a separate one.
If anybody has ever opted/currently covered under such insurance, would appreciate if they can shed some light on the same wrt the insurer, benefits, coverage etc. and specifically dental policy parameters as to how it works.
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How much did it cost you? Asking because I had a very different experience recently. I had to have a root canal like 10 years or so ago, and in total it cost me around less than 10k. Back then, I lived on the outskirts and earned way less. The dentist I had gone to had a normal run-of-the-mill clinic.

Last year, I again needed to have a root canal and this time, I went to a well reputed dentist in the middle of the city since I earn well now. The clinic was much better and modern looking. My treatment was also better than my first experience. I thought it would cost me at least double, but to my surprise, the total bill was again less than 10k. I felt cheated by the first dentist 10 years ago.
 
Dentists study a lot and dont have much scope. So they charge a bomb these days. What you need to do is find a younger cheaper dentist looking to setup his practice. Root canal can cost as little as 2.5k. Rest of the stuff also has huge comissions. So tell them you know it. Just want a good deal. Ask all costs in advance. What you dont ask is where they screw you up.
 
Cost me 25k 5 years ago at a top hospital.
Cap itself was 15k.
On first visit they will force you to get cleaning (scam) done, aye ho toh kuch toh karey bina janey nahun doonga, kya pata humarey RC charges sun kar phir na aao.
The more I take care of my teeth the more I need dentist, why ?
 
buzz88 said:
How much did it cost you? Asking because I had a very different experience recently. I had to have a root canal like 10 years or so ago, and in total it cost me around less than 10k. Back then, I lived on the outskirts and earned way less. The dentist I had gone to had a normal run-of-the-mill clinic.

Last year, I again needed to have a root canal and this time, I went to a well reputed dentist in the middle of the city since I earn well now. The clinic was much better and modern looking. My treatment was also better than my first experience. I thought it would cost me at least double, but to my surprise, the total bill was again less than 10k. I felt cheated by the first dentist 10 years ago.
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I just had a root canal 2 yrs ago for 5k and 3k for the silver cap/crown so total 8k for one molar tooth. (it was purely 3 sittings- xray, root canal and cap)

This time as well. root canal was 5k per tooth and had to do it for 2 molar incl the earlier ones due to some internal cavity so making it 10k for both. But this time as mentioned, I had to undergo a laser gum surgery as well to chop off the gums as the cap will be installed in a bridge mode so the surgery cost is an add-on plus the suggested zirconia cap for this method is 7k per tooth so totaling the bill to a whooping 30k!

Thus, 5 sittings this time spanning across few xrays + surgery + root canal + temporary fixes + 2 caps combined!

I know it might sound cheap for few people but been a sole earner and with not so great earnings, this obviously is a shock! for me hence asked if an insurance can somewhat lower the expenses if not the entire 100% cost.
 
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Do check your Insurance policies coverage. Some cover RCT (OP Treatments) but not implants and modifications. Also their coverage limit is way too low 5-20k max.
If your office insurance is managed by an Agent then he might offer a work around addons.
 
At Jogeshwari East there is very good Dentist Doctors TEAM who do dental check up etc at very reasonable rate. At KEM/Parel too very low cost dental service available. Though I don't know if they performing surgeries, that you have gone through at your dentist clinic/hospital.

At what place (city name) you have done this procedures, hope, not gone with BIG NAMES in dentistry.
 
Emperor said:
At Jogeshwari East there is very good Dentist Doctors TEAM who do dental check up etc at very reasonable rate. At KEM/Parel too very low cost dental service available. Though I don't know if they performing surgeries, that you have gone through at your dentist clinic/hospital.
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Pune here mate..
Emperor said:
At what place (city name) you have done this procedures, hope, not gone with BIG NAMES in dentistry.
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No man, just my regular dentist.
 
All 3 of my root canals were less than 3K each for procedure (all very complex, 5-7 visits on average) and 8K, 5K, 5K for ceramic caps. (8K was 4 years ago, 5K for last 2 years) with 10 year warranties on caps.
 
napstersquest said:
All 3 of my root canals were less than 3K each for procedure (all very complex, 5-7 visits on average) and 8K, 5K, 5K for ceramic caps. (8K was 4 years ago, 5K for last 2 years) with 10 year warranties on caps.
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silver was better and most long lasting for cap & fillings but don't know why Dentist stop it? may be because they don't want things that last till life time of human.

Filling silver before Year 2000 in 3 spot on tooth (Rs.300 x 3= Rs.900/- along with drilling/cleaning etc.), still in 2024 it is intact and going great, even when last year visit other doctor he too admit that those silver filling is till in very good condition, when I asked him to fill silver he said, he have more harder and tooth color matching cement (chemical putty) & told now silver is no more available for tooth filling.
 
Emperor said:
silver was better and most long lasting for cap & fillings but don't know why Dentist stop it? may be because they don't want things that last till life time of human.

Filling silver before Year 2000 in 3 spot on tooth (Rs.300 x 3= Rs.900/- along with drilling/cleaning etc.), still in 2024 it is intact and going great, even when last year visit other doctor he too admit that those silver filling is till in very good condition, when I asked him to fill silver he said, he have more harder and tooth color matching cement (chemical putty) & told now silver is no more available for tooth filling.
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Silver was being used for filling I guess, but caps were of metal+ceramic (cheaper) or fully ceramic (expensive before, now come down in pricing a lot - around 5000 per tooth in Pune - they order from Mumbai)
 
napstersquest said:
Silver was being used for filling I guess, but caps were of metal+ceramic (cheaper) or fully ceramic (expensive before, now come down in pricing a lot - around 5000 per tooth in Pune - they order from Mumbai)
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As mentioned earlier, my last silver cap just costed me 3k just 2 yrs back.
However, my current case is very complex. The molar where that cap was fitted developed an internal cavity and the tooth had to be cut structured in such a way that inside its all empty..just like a box. And the cap will be installed with the support of the adjoining molar which is 100% healthy and for that the surgeon had to install 2 pillars for offering flexi support to the cap and the tooth as well and for that metal/silver caps aren't suggested due to their over-strong nature which an result in internal tooth crack and ceramics are just for cosmetic thing which again have no strong durability.
So, the ideal solution was to install Zirconia cap which offers flexibility and durability and it costs 10-15k but I was charged 7k.

napstersquest said:
All 3 of my root canals were less than 3K each for procedure (all very complex, 5-7 visits on average) and 8K, 5K, 5K for ceramic caps. (8K was 4 years ago, 5K for last 2 years) with 10 year warranties on caps.
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The new caps has warranty of 5yrs by default with options to extend it for every 5yrs until 20yr.
 
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Emperor said:
silver was better and most long lasting for cap & fillings but don't know why Dentist stop it?
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Silver amalgam fillings are no longer widely used, due to a combination of reasons. A proper cavity has to be prepared after the decayed part is removed, and that involves removing additional healthy tooth structure. Tooth colored composite material is preferred nowadays since it has no such specific requirement. There have also been a lot of negative marketing alleging that the mercury in silver amalgam is harmful to health, although there is no strong evidence for the same. Disposal of mercury is still an issue though. Not many clinics in India are equipped to safely dispose unused or excess mercury or silver amalgam.

Fillings are different from caps. And there are various other types of restorations too, so the choice of material depends on the the individual needs, and the expertise of the dentist. There is no "one size fits all" here.
 
I have never heard of dental insurance in India... would love to hear this as well. I had fillings done once, now I religiously take care of my teeth.
 
Clove Dental has a range of plans (they had setup a booth in my office complex some time back). I don't think it's technically insurance, and probably limited to their affiliated clinics.
 
letmein said:
Clove Dental has a range of plans (they had setup a booth in my office complex some time back). I don't think it's technically insurance, and probably limited to their affiliated clinics.
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the problem with them is that they are overpriced and the quality can be iffy or vary from location to location. Not worth it
 
Party Monger said:
Dentists study a lot and dont have much scope. So they charge a bomb these days.
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They earn much more than a regular physician. No wonder dentistry in US charges bombs hence everyone there needs to have a mandatory dental insurance else you are screwed off your life savings.
And its India where we eat mostly crap damaging ourselves from mouth to ass hence no wonder why every lane has at least one dental clinic and a piles clinic.
Party Monger said:
What you need to do is find a younger cheaper dentist looking to setup his practice.
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Wow! And donate your mouth to them for experimental purposes until that young noob becomes an expert on our sacrifices.
Party Monger said:
Rest of the stuff also has huge comissions. So tell them you know it. Just want a good deal. Ask all costs in advance. What you dont ask is where they screw you up.
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If you walk down to your local grocery shop and spit these lines, they will simply shoo you away. And nobody is going to sell you caps and implants by allowing you to walk-in to their centers.
 
enginear said:
They earn much more than a regular physician. No wonder dentistry in US charges bombs hence everyone there needs to have a mandatory dental insurance else you are screwed off your life savings.
And its India where we eat mostly crap damaging ourselves from mouth to ass hence no wonder why every lane has at least one dental clinic and a piles clinic.

Wow! And donate your mouth to them for experimental purposes until that young noob becomes an expert on our sacrifices.

If you walk down to your local grocery shop and spit these lines, they will simply shoo you away. And nobody is going to sell you caps and implants by allowing you to walk-in to their centers.
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A few dentists earn a lot. Half the dentists I know stopped practicing.

Most are trained and have done operations for a few years in hospitals. You wont be the first one to get treated by them. Ofcouse for diagnosis you can try more than one doc. But root canal etc for avg healthy male with no complications is pretty straight forward afaik.

Im not asking you to go to local grocery shop. If you want to save money, you do some out of the way stuff. Else you can get in the line and pay like the rest.
 
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