I just went to a new dentist today. We moved and I bought a groupon to try out a new dentist near our home. I realize you all are not dentists, but I need an objective opinion. I have always had perfect dental exams, I go in for cleaning only. Never had a cavity or any other problems. I take meticulous care of my teeth.
So I go to this new dentist, the hygienst takes exams and cleans my teeth and repeats over and over what a good job I do since there was hardly any plaque and xrays were perfect.
When the dentist comes in, he does an exam and tells me about a lazer they move over your teeth which can detect cavities better than just a manual exam.
So he finds three "cavities" which are very small which couldn't be seen by just an exam.
They said to make an appointment to have them filled in which would only take about 20 minutes for all of them. I don't have insurance, but they said it would cost $500.
Has anyone else ever heard of this? I'm certain, any other dentist would not have found anything. It really felt like a money making scheme...the dentist almost seemed like he was "over justifying" the need for this lazer detection. Your thoughts?
Thanks for the info. I also did a little looking online about this lazer. It does sound like it's perhaps overly sensitive and will detect things that won't ever progress into real cavities.
My distinct impression was that he reels people in with the Groupon (which he basically doesn't make any money from), then he comes up with expensive procedures for which you need to make a new appointment. I think he's trying to get people with insurance because it would probably cover it, but for me, a $500 bill for something that may or may not be an issue is too much. Even his office staff seemed a little sheepish about making another appointment and they volunteered to give me an estimate because they knew I didn't have insurance.
The Dental industry seems overly competitive, there seems to be a problem with over-supply!
But anyway, thanks for the reality check!!
Bottom line is if you don't feel you can trust him, then you need a different dentist. If they are very tiny as he says, in 6 mo. go to someone that is recommended by someone you know and trust.
When one of our dentists detects a small cavity, he or she lets the hygeintist know which tooth and has them make a note to "watch" it on the next visit. The head dentist explained that there's no harm in waiting 6 months. If the cavity looks the same, great. If it grows, then it's probably something you want to take care of.
So there's probably no need to do anything right now. Plan to see a different dentist in 6 months and see what that person has to say.
This link talks about laser detection. One of the negatives is that it can detect cavities that are not really there. If they are not visible to the eye and don't show up on the xray, then you may not need anything done.
http://askthedentist.com/can-cavities-be-detected-by-a-la...
I think I would go elsewhere for a second opinion. You will need to pay for a second exam, but if you can get copies of your xrays that will save some money.
To be honest, the Groupon thing for dentistry feels off to me so I was predisposed to distrust from your opening lines.
second opinion by a different dentist. sounds scammy to me that he found cavities with a new tool and no one can see them without it.
Don't do it.
Our favorite dentist moved so I took my daughter to a local supposedly reputable dentist. My daughter has never had a cavity or any orthodontic care. She was blessed with a perfect set of teeth!
New dentist found 6 cavities, stressed the he$$ out of my daughter and me. She presented me with a "plan" to the tune of $1500.
I balked and said I didn't buy her diagnosis because my daughter had been to the dentist every 6 months like clockwork since she got teeth plus we did the sealants. How could one get 6 cavities in 6 months!! The dentist was irritated.
About 2 months later we found the dentist we currently love. He did a routine exam without knowing about our other visit and concluded NO cavities or work needed. Then I told him if the experience we had.
There are some medical professionals out there looking to the almighty $$$ vs being a responsible Dr.
This occurred about 4 years ago when daughter was in high school. She's 21 now.
Wait 6 months. Go to a different dentist. Don't pay for his new toy.
I did some research online, apparently this laser is legitimate, but the articles I read said that it can come up with false positives for cavities and it can lead to over-treatment for dental lesions that will never be a problem. One article said, if you look long and hard enough, you can find something that needs to be treated! It really is up to the dentist to use this in addition to xrays and exam just as another tool.
When we didn't have dental insurance, we tried out a different dental chain that had a 'deal' on cleanings. I had the same experience, not with the machine but the 'mouth full of cavities' diagnosis. LSS we returned to our original dentist who told me there was nothing wrong with my teeth. Through my experience I've learned that there are some pretty shady dentists that would make used car salesman blush.
I would say ditch the Groupon dentist and go back to your "traditional' dentist.
dentists are just like anyone else. there are good ones and bad ones.
i've fired a lot of bad ones.
obviously you get a second opinion. the fact that you've never had cavities doesn't mean you can't ever get a cavity. but there's no way from this scenario that anyone can tell whether or not your guy is a charlatan or actually has come cutting-edge technology that could spare you a lot of grief.
it's been over a decade now, but we ran into a similar thing. new insurance, previous crappy dentist, relief over getting to find a new one. drove over an hour to meet a guy who was nasty to my 10 year old and then said he'd found 3 cavities in my kid's previously perfect chops.
honestly, if he hadn't been an asshat, maybe i'd have gone with it. but he was such a jerk i didn't WANT to believe him, so made an appointment with another (also new) dentist who did a comprehensive exam and declared himself baffled. sure enough, no cavities.
we all still go to that dentist to this day.
no one here can help you with this. go get a second opinion.
khairete
S.
Perhaps...but I wouldn't trust that dentist. I would wait 6 months and go some where else and see what they say. If the cavaties are that small and you take care of your teeth you will be fine to wait 6 months for the next cleaning.
I have a deep distrust for dentist though.
I had something like that happen to me many, many years ago. I had had perfect checkups for years, and then I go to this new guy who has all kinds of newfangled equipment, and he manages to find 8 cavities, one of them even on a front tooth. There is no way I had a cavity on my front tooth. That still pisses me off. Not to mention ruining 7 other teeth.
I was young and naive and trusting and didn't question it, I just cried and then let him drill the hell out of my teeth and charge me a small fortune.
Nope. Go to another dentist.
My dentist is usually pretty up to date - often suggesting newer techniques, uses digital x-rays, etc. And I have never heard of this.
That doesn't mean it's not accurate. But I have not heard of it.
I go to a large multi-office practice that my insurance covers, and they say that now if you have a small cavity, it is better to let the teeth heal themselves, than to actually repair a cavity because it causes a hole and can do more damage to teeth. I am still trying to deal with this one, now you have a dentist who is finding microscopic cavities to fill....hmm who do we trust?
Yes, that is a real thing. My husband had them done and the insurance covered it. I always feel like if insurance covers it is probably legit.
Interesting, I have never considered cutting edge and this technology has been here for at least 5 years. You would be hard pressed to find a dentist that doesn't use it. There is less liability for the dentist, they told you you have a cavity, shown you the cavity, you ignore it their butt is covered
I went to a dentist several years ago because my gums were infected and I was in so much pain I couldn't eat or talk. I told I needed to see a dentist for the infection but they put me through a battery of tests and x-rays to the tune of over $300; I didn't ask or approve of these tests or x-rays but had to pay for them to get the medication for my infection. Needless to say I didn't go back.
I found out they had a reputation on the area for costly needless tests.
Get a second opinion.
