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Medical Forum / General / Dentistry / January 2006Appropriate charge to repair chipped tooth?
When I saw a new dentist in December, he did a little bit of grinding on my teeth. One of my top front teeth had a little chip on the bottom. He also said that they were too long. So he ground them both down a little and made them the same length. He also took a little bit off of some of the adjacent teeth (upper left), so they would closer in length to the opposite side (upper right), which are shorter due to being worn down from bruxing. In addition, he took a little off one of my bottom anteriors after being fitted for an NTI. I guess the discluding element was catching on that tooth during excursive movements. It probably took him two minutes, max, to do this. Actually, that's being generous, since it probably took no more than half that amount of time. What would you charge for doing such work? Or what would you expect to pay for such work if you went to a dentist (assuming the dentist didn't do it for free as a favor). Approximately. The reason I am asking is that I don't understand how a little bit of grinding work on a few teeth can cost more than twice what an exam costs when an exam takes far more time. It just doesn't make sense to me. Harry Harry, In dental school, i remember it taking me hours to do the same same work your dentist did for you. Percise Occlusal and incisal equlibration. It's not about the amout of time it takes to perform the work, it's the skill that goes in to it. Dr. Braces > When I saw a new dentist in December, he did a little bit of > grinding on my teeth. One of my top front teeth had a [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Harry > > When I saw a new dentist in December, he did a little bit of > > grinding on my teeth. One of my top front teeth had a [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > > Dr. Braces Hello Dr. Braces, Thank you for your reply. I believe you are assuming too much. You're close, though. The dentist charged me for a limited occlusal adjustment. However, he did not do an occlusal adjustment. The tooth grinding that the dentist did was for cosmetic reasons *only*; it had NO effect on my occlusion whatsoever. How could it? These are upper anterior teeth that barely touch the lower teeth. No, change that. Because of my slight overbite and/or overjet, the upper teeth that were ground down a little don't normally touch the lower teeth at all. The only way they will touch is if I purposely force my lower jaw forward. So, now the question is this: Why did the dentist charge for a limited occlusal adjustment when he didn't actually do one? Could it be because the standard fee for a limited occlusal adjustment is higher than the fee for what was actually done? Or do dentists normally call all grinding of teeth an "occlusal adjustment," even though it may have no effect on the patient's occlusion? Harry Any grinding on a tooth is called an occlusal adjustment. A limited occlusal adjustment is only with a few teeth are taken down I spend a lot of time with my patients to get their overbite/overjet relationship correct with braces. The front teeth have a major role in occlusion!. they are super important for posterior rise. Like you say when you take your lower jaw forward do your back teeth separate? they should in proper relationship. It's a projective and functional way of how it works. I am not sure if I understand, a slightoverbite/overjet, should NEVER be ground down for esthetic reasons, this means you are making your overbite even smaller, which you need about 30% overbite optimal. If you had a super deep overbite that is another story, which in my opinion should be consulted with the orthodontist. hope this helps. Dr. B. >> Harry, >> In dental school, i remember it taking me hours to do the same same [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > > Harry |
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