I'm getting my tooth capped today. Does it hurt? Advice?

I was in an accident yesterday and thankfully only my tooth suffered. Half of my left tooth completely shattered and I am now going to the dentist today to get it fixed. I have never done anything like that before and I really don't know what to expect. Does anyone here have capped teeth? Does it hurt to get it done? Does it hurt to eat afterwards? Will they gas me? My parents are in a different state so I'm basically just doing this alone ( which is fine) but I really don't know what to expect.

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Updated On: 10/24/13 at 11:41 AM

lol Phyllis!

Yeah, n2n, you'll love it when they do your other tooth!

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Caps take several visits.

Nope, the have to make an impression of your tooth and have it made. They will put on a temporary metal tooth with a bonding agent. Once tooth is made they have to remove the temp. cap and fit and glue the new tooth. I've usually had to make three visits, because the damn temp. caps always come off and have to be glued back on.

Updated On: 10/24/13 at 12:44 PM

oy. It will NOT hurt when you eat because the exposed area, containing live nerves, will be covered by the temporary crown.

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That's good to know, Jane. This has calmed my nerves, literally! hehe ( get it? Cause a tooth has nerves, hehe).

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Oh wait...I think we're talking about a crown.

A cap is a one visit and quick procedure. No pain.

I don't recall how much it is.

Or do I have it backwards and we were all right?

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Updated On: 10/24/13 at 01:20 PM

A cap and a crown are the same thing, but a crown requires that they remove the tooth, install a steel pin for strength and then cap it. Neither take just one visit.

Most dental insurance will cover the "root canal" part of the procedure, but they consider the cap itself to be an elective, aesthetic procedure. This is what I hate about American insurance companies.

You will end up spending around $1,700 to 1,900 for everything. $700 to 1,000 will be covered by insurance, and the other $900 to 1,000 will be out-of-pocket.

Fun!

As far as the procedure, everyone has described it pretty well already. I have a dentist who can make the caps right on the premises without having to be sent out. So I don't have the temporary crown, then the permanent later on. I just have to wait about 30-45 minutes in between, and they compete the procedure all in the same visit. It makes for a long appointment, though.

I've had two done ... so far. (gulp)

Does it hurt? Not really. They numb you up pretty well, and it's local. No gas. You'll be able to eat afterwards, but they recommend liquids and soft stuff for the first day or so. Certainly until the novocain wears off.

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Thanks for the info, Best11bars. I feel like I am sort of fcked with how much it is going to cost. I didn't know about the cap/elective thing. I'll probably call my parents and see what they have to say about it. Either way, I need to get this thing done. A broken tooth really isn't a good look for me, lol. When they gave you the temporary crown, it looked similar to to your other teeth, right? The tooth that broke is right in the middle of my mouth and would really need it to not stick out.

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I'm sick of your lies!

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It hurts like hell. Insist on nitrous.

And tell them to crank it up as high as it will go.

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Are you going to give the doctor your real name or are you going to tell him it's ChiChi. Or broadway guy. Or Nate. Or itsafinelife. Or one of the many others. Or do you just go by "Annoying Ass Troll Nobody Likes"?