Wisdom Tooth Removal

frenchfries on 03/11/2019 - 22:09

Hi ozbarginers!

I am currently due to get my wisdom tooth removed, however I am not too sure on the plan of attack. Basically, it is costing approximately $2.5-3K to have all 4 removed in Australia (including surgery and anesthesia etc). However, friends have recommended jumping on private health insurance and paying ~3 months in monthly fees, after which, wisdom tooth removal and dental surgery is covered - this would bring my cost to about $500 from what I have been told. I am able to wait it out for 3 months as it is not medically urgent, but in the next 8-12 months it definitely would be.

Obviously the latter is more favourable, however I am not too sure if people here have had experience with some private health insurance providers? Is there anything I am missing here?

Also, I will be starting a new job in about 3.5 months, so it would be great if this period was slightly shortened so I may be able to receive surgery and recovery before I begin. Though I am not too sure if this is possible?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you

Health & Beauty Dental Care

Comments

  • jelko on 03/11/2019 - 22:21
    -7

    People like you who get health insurance just to get a procedure done ruins it for the rest of us. I hope they discover this is a pre-existing issue and reject your claim.

    • notfrodo on 03/11/2019 - 22:28

      Why? Please explain.

      • hawkeye on 03/11/2019 - 22:32

        pregnant

        • notfrodo on 03/11/2019 - 22:33

          Wut?

          • hawkeye on 03/11/2019 - 22:35
            +1

            @notfrodo: yeah you need 12 months wait

            • notfrodo on 03/11/2019 - 22:36

              @hawkeye: What has pregnancy to do with this?

              • hawkeye on 03/11/2019 - 22:38
                +1

                @notfrodo: People like you who get health insurance just to get a procedure done ruins it for the rest of us.

  • scrimshaw on 03/11/2019 - 22:29
    +10

    Health insurance will not fully cover the cost of the procedure. How much will be covered depends on the level of cover you purchased.

    Hospital cover does not pay towards dentists’ or oral surgeons’ fees for wisdom tooth extractions. Your Extras cover will partially pay for the procedure and you also need to be mindful of the annual limit (there are separate limits for different kinds of dental work). If there's a hospital stay involved then you should also be aware of a $250 or $500 excess fee.

    There's a guide here from BUPA if you want to read it
    https://www.bupa.com.au/staticfiles/BupaP3/Health%20insuranc…

    https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2738578

    Waiting period is generally 2 months for general dental work. But, Hospital costs have a 12 month waiting period. That's because wisdom teeth are something you're born with (a pre-exist. condition). Read that BUPA guide for clarification on this, Bet277 comment on WP also confirms

    I remember I paid out of pocket $2400 for an all-out 4 tooth extraction plus a $250 excess for hospital.

    • tebbybabes on 03/11/2019 - 22:38

      ^This.

      Lots of usual/basic/mid tier plans will only cover a fraction of the total cost. And just like Scrimshaw has mentioned, limits apply, eg. annual limits, total limits.

    • nephilim on 03/11/2019 - 22:41

      It even says "Your wisdom teeth removal can take place in a dentist’s chair or in a hospital"
      My partner has Bupa and had her Wisdom tooth at Bupa dental at a normal appointment, yet told me go see a specialist after my xray. I assume is up to them if they think they can remove it easily in 10mins or make a specialist spend 30mins removing it.

      • scrimshaw on 03/11/2019 - 22:44

        Yeah. If you visit a dentist and have your teeth extracted "in the chair" rather than going to the surgeon's at the hospital, your costs will be a lot lower. Maybe less than $200 per tooth if the job is simple.

        The downside is that you will be awake (local anesthetic), not completely unconscious during the procedure. It's a cheaper option for those who are not afraid of dentists..

        • John Kimble on 03/11/2019 - 22:49

          My wife got general at the dentist she went to…

          • triviums on 03/11/2019 - 23:07
            +1

            @John Kimble: Dentist don't get trained to administer general anesthesia, so your wife's dentist would have had to have a Anesthesiologist there to administer the general for them

            • John Kimble on 03/11/2019 - 23:10

              @triviums: Yes, and it cost a buttload…he turned out to be the father of a guy I went to high school with…no mates rates…what gives?!

      • jjjaar on 04/11/2019 - 12:22

        I assume is up to them if they think they can remove it easily in 10mins or make a specialist spend 30mins removing it.

        I had some in chair and some under anaesthetic. The latter was due to the close proximity to nerves. Had these been touched during the extraction, god knows what would have happened. Therefore it was safer for me to be asleep as the dentist could do whatever was necessary to get them out.

        In the chair is usually only if they’re not impacted and it’s literally pulling them out as a whole tooth (or maybe breaking them in two), but rarely involves scraping/stitching of gums.

  • buckster on 03/11/2019 - 22:49
    +12

    On a completely unrelated note just to brag I did not develop any wisdom teeth.

    Hope you all care

    • Loopholio on 04/11/2019 - 08:58
      +1

      I believe this means you are more evolved than most humans (I have not checked the facts on this).

    • Balmaino on 04/11/2019 - 10:03
      +1

      Thank you buckster, Very cool!

    • Kangal on 04/11/2019 - 10:22

      What an idiot….

    • Clear on 04/11/2019 - 20:06
      +1

      Bragging did you say? All 4 of mine came out perfectly!

      Though OzBargainers seem to take offence to that and insist I get them removed :/

      • buckster on 04/11/2019 - 21:20

        That's interesting, I wonder which one of us has evolved to a higher level. You have more teeth than me, we both had no issues. Does > teeth = > evolution?

        • Clear on 04/11/2019 - 21:32

          They say no wisdom teeth is from an ancient mutation of genes ;)

  • jace88 on 03/11/2019 - 23:39

    I'm pretty sure when I got my 4 wisdom teeth out under GA, BUPA (MBF back in the day) didn't cover it.

  • worrierwan on 03/11/2019 - 23:43

    You could take out 2 wisodm teeth at a time and therefore not need fully anaesthesia. I took 2 of mine out (top left and bottom right) and only put local anaesthesia in for the teeth. Much cheaper that way as the full anaesthesia is what is expensive for your procedure

    • Beanvee on 04/11/2019 - 14:16

      You can do all four under local in one go, that's how I did it. A bit worse of recovery, but hey that's what sick days are for right?

  • chumlee on 04/11/2019 - 06:30
    -3

    Private health insurance is junk insurance & is what you get when you allow political donations to occur.

    Better off finding your local bikie hangout and go and knock there bikes over like dominos. Your teeth will be extracted and no charge and may even be covered by medicare

  • wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww on 04/11/2019 - 09:13

    Do you need a theatre & anaesthesia, you could save upwards for 1-2k?

  • chrisd262 on 04/11/2019 - 09:36
    -1

    Why are you having them removed - usually no problems just leaving them there?

  • Balmaino on 04/11/2019 - 10:05

    If this doesn't work out just head to Bangkok/Phuket mate, can definitely recommend, $700 for all 4 impacted removed under local. Was quoted $4k in Australia.

  • shaybisc on 04/11/2019 - 10:33

    I know people do the 4 at one time under general but I don't get it. Are they planning on working in Antarctica or something? I've had two out. First one my dentist did. Second one an oral surgeon did because it was impacted. Both under local. My dentist advised me to keep the other two unless they cause problems.

    • jjjaar on 04/11/2019 - 12:23
      +1

      I know people do the 4 at one time under general but I don't get it.

      My dentist advised me to keep the other two unless they cause problems.

      When people have all four out at one time its likely they are all causing (or will cause) problems.

      If any are impacted or close to nerves it is easier and safer to have it done under general. Therefore if all four are coming out at one point and all four will be better under general, it’s cheaper to have them all done at once (only one hospital stay and one anaesthetist.

  • Scot on 04/11/2019 - 13:11
    +1

    This dental Surgeon works in Melbourne and Sydney( Macquarie St) He did my implant. Fantastic service and pricing- Check him out! https://www.drpaulopinho.com.au/pricing/

  • lordra on 16/11/2019 - 15:57

    I know a team of dentists overseas (close friends) who can get this done for you. Dental tourism is picking up really quickly due to the obscene amount it costs here. If you pm me, I'll send you more information.

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