Tooth Numeracy - Surgical Tooth Extraction

Qroozn on 20/07/2018 - 18:03
Last edited 20/07/2018 - 18:42 by 1 other user

My 7yo daughter has got numeracy (an extra tooth which is growing internally behind her front teeth). I have been told eventually it will push on the from teeth and cause them to spread apart and change angles. This just came up during an X-ray and is not affecting her yet.

Dentist (Sydney) gave a referral to an oral surgeon who operates in a private hospital.Quoted about $3000.
Worked out that if we pay for private health cover, and wait out 12 months then we will pay $2500 in health cover.. and get an $87 rebate on the $3k. (I have decided this is not an ozbargain worthy deal)

Does anyone know if there is a way to get this done in the public system as a bulk bill?
I have confirmed that there is no hurry, and a 12m wait would be fine.

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • retiredfeline on 20/07/2018 - 18:05
    +1

    numeracy

    Think you mean hyperdontia or supernumerary teeth? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperdontia

    • [Deactivated] on 20/07/2018 - 19:29
      +6

      I believe the tooth can do maths.

    • Herodontist on 20/07/2018 - 18:31

      The CDBS unfortunately doesn't cover more complex dental treatment.

      I'm a dentist, but not based in NSW, so not sure how the NSW Public Health system can help. As a starting point, you can always see another dentist and get another referral - you may be able to get in at Westmead or another hospital. See this link - https://www.wslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/Westmead-Centre-for-Oral… .

      • dylo on 20/07/2018 - 18:41

        I thought that may be the case. OP needs to put his daughter on waiting list at a public dental hospital otherwise pay private I guess.

      • Qroozn on 20/07/2018 - 22:06

        Thanks. Will need to investigate this furtther

  • tsunamisurfer on 20/07/2018 - 18:29
    -3

    Worked out that if we pay for private health cover, and wait out 12 months then we will pay $2500 in health cover.. and get an $87 rebate on the $3k. (I have decided this is not an ozbargain worthy deal)

    Hang on…what about the, you know…the insurance you are getting for 1 year?

    You are so eager to game the insurance system, you forgot you actually bought insurance for the whole family for 1 year not just for claiming one tooth extraction.

    • Qroozn on 20/07/2018 - 22:10
      +1

      I already have extras cover for dental and ambulance. Get our value from these.

      Some of the insurances our there are junk. My wife an I specifically rang an insurer to find out what insurance we need to cover this situation. This was the poor solution they offered. I feel sorry for those that think they are covered for private services only to get a horrible rude shock once they are in the system.

      • onevstheworld on 21/07/2018 - 10:00

        Do you have hospitals cover at all?

        If you're having a tooth surgically removed, extras only covers the dentist's fee. Anaesthetist and hospital fees aren't covered… both need hospital cover.

  • Zedsdeadbabyzedsdead on 20/07/2018 - 18:33
    +3

    It's almost as if the healthcare system is a giant Ponzi scheme….

    • airal3rt on 20/07/2018 - 19:43
      +5

      Well that may be the case but we have the perfect solution in place already, you see we just increase immigration and that will prop up the healthcare system, and there's definitely no way at all that immigration is a giant pyramid scheme.

      • Zedsdeadbabyzedsdead on 20/07/2018 - 20:24
        +2

        It's almost as if the system is going to collapse, oops, stop saying things out loud Zed!

  • Baysew on 20/07/2018 - 18:43

    What is the $87 rebate on $3000? Where does that come from?

    • Qroozn on 20/07/2018 - 22:11

      there were so many things not covered. $87 was specifically the rebate that we would get for the $1200 surgical tooth extraction. (Yep. This is what the “major dental” would cover us for.

  • Ocker on 20/07/2018 - 19:56

    Take the family on a trip to Bangkok and have the treatment done there. Total cost will be cheaper than done in Australia, plus you all get a "free" holiday to boot!

  • salmon123 on 20/07/2018 - 20:58

    Worked out that if we pay for private health cover, and wait out 12 months then we will pay $2500 in health cover.. and get an $87 rebate on the $3k. (I have decided this is not an ozbargain worthy deal)

    Just shop around - I'm sure you'll find a dentist who'll do it for 2k.

    Most insurance policies will have a pre-existing condition exclusion, so you want make sure you find a new dentist after getting cover, who can sign off saying it's a new condition, if he gets asked.

    Take the family on a trip to Bangkok and have the treatment done there

    Family trip to BKK will cost a lot more than 3k

  • Qroozn on 20/07/2018 - 22:14

    Thanks all. I will try and see if there is a way to get this treated in Westmead public. Always concerned that everyone (even the referrers) are there to line their own pockets.

    • Herodontist on 21/07/2018 - 00:31

      To be fair, a sizeable part will be to cover the anaethetist, and there is always a big overhead cost associated with surgery. You can always see a different type of dental specialist (an orthodontist) to get another opinion about the supernumerary tooth - dealing with this sort of situation is something they deal with fairly often.

    • onevstheworld on 21/07/2018 - 10:15

      I've never heard of kick backs for referrals within health services. It's considered highly unethical and possibly even illegal.

      As a side note, even if your referral is made to a specific person, you can take that same letter to a different practitioner (obviously within the same specialty) and that referral is still valid.

  • MeesusEff on 20/07/2018 - 22:46

    Wow, might be cheaper for you both to fly to KL over the weekend and get it done there..

  • EightImmortals on 21/07/2018 - 07:13

    Pro tip, I wouldn't trust that kind of thing to a public health dentist. Maybe that's just me…

  • jenki on 21/07/2018 - 15:12

    Depending on the position of the tooth it may be possible to extract it in the chair using local anesthetic only, or IV sedation (also known as Twilight Sedation) if it's a more difficult procedure. That would avoid the cost of the hospital and more than halve the total cost.

    Personally I had the same issue as a kid, extra tooth growing behind my bottom front teeth. At about 9 years old I had it removed in the chair by an oral surgeon using local anesthetic only. Took about 3 block injections to numb me, but after that it was fine and not traumatic at all.

    Have another chat with your dentist and ask for a referral to an oral surgeon who uses IV Sedation.

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