[Lil-Mum]

My son would probably need to have 2 front baby teeth pulled out due to infection. The dentist will try and pull them out under local anaesthetic, but if unsucessful (he's 5 yo), he will need to have it done under general anaesthetic.

Does anyone know approx how much this will cost? Will he need to stay in hospital? Any recommendation for paediatric dental surgeon in Melbourne?

We only have PHI cover for hospital, but no extras.

Thanks

[-*meh*-]

my son had one of his pulled out by the local school dentist (SA), cost me nothing.

[countrymel]

No school dentist in your area OP?

[Lil-Mum]

The dentist he went to was a community health one, but she is not confident that she can pull them out without it being traumatic for him. This is what we will try but failling this, he will have to have general anaesthetic.

[oneboy]

Hi OP, our DS aged 12 recently had the first three of six baby teeth extracted in the lead up to braces at the end of this year. Adult teeth are very much present in the jaw but baby teeth refuse to budge etc etc. Cost us $100 per tooth, suburban Sydney dentist. Just the usual injection and done 'in the chair'. We are reeeaaallly hoping that the remaining three teeth hurry up and get a wiggle on before mid-year! Good luck with your DS.

[Also sprach]

My nephew had this done when he was 5. It was approx $3,000 because it was under a general. The dentist said he could do it in the chair but the child would never willingly go to a dentist again and I think this is very true. My SIL got three opnions before going down this route. It was a day thing, so no overnight stay.

[Also sprach]

Forgot to add that DD had a baby tooth extracted in preparation for braces when she was 12. It was $400 and done in the chair but she was 12. Age makes a big difference.

[Lil-Mum]

Thanks for all your replies.

Also sprach - Did you SIL has PHI, and did she get anything back?

[Btimes2]

My Ds is about to have an extra tooth extracted under a general in a couple of weeks. We have private hospital cover so we will have no out of pocket for the hospital. There will be a $200 out of the pocket for the anesthetist and the dental surgeon is charging us $230 ( we don't have extras). He is located in Wantirna. Pm me if you would like details.

[Bumble~bee]

My ds had two extractions & a metal cap under GA & cost was about $1300 for dentist & $400 for anesthetist, we had PHI so hospital did not cost us anything, we got back about $170 from Medicare for anesthetist, PHI only paid about $300, we were over a $1000 out of pocket, after this we cancelled the extras cover on PHI as it is not worth the money we were paying.

We are in Canberra

Personally I would avoid the community health centers & go private, under GA will be less traumatic, I couldn't imagine a 5 year old sitting in a chair having teeth extracted under a local, they will never want to go back.

This post has been edited by Bumble~bee: 05/04/2012, 08:20 PM