The story of how I got a gold tooth in America, where dentists are expensive

I never imagined I would end up getting a gold tooth in America, a place known for its expensive dental care.

In this post, I'll share the story of getting a gold crown in the US.

Homework from five years ago and Jagariko

One day five years ago, I went to a local dentist because my tooth hurt.

I hadn't had any dental issues until then, so I had spent several years without getting a dental X-ray checkup.

What I learned after finally getting an X-ray was:

1. The pain wasn't from my tooth, but my jaw.
2. The molar on the opposite side was in a terrible state.

That was the situation.

Regarding point 1, it was definitelyJagarikoto blame.

At the time, I loved crunching on Jagariko snacks.
Looking back, I think it was my way of relieving stress.

When the dentist asked, "Have you been eating anything hard?"
I had so many ideas that I couldn't even answer.

Regarding point 2,
the wisdom tooth growing in at an angle was eroding the tooth next to it.

…And so, a long battle began.

At the very least, I am grateful to Jagariko.

The history surrounding that tooth

First, I had the wisdom tooth extracted at a university hospital.

I'll never forget the beautiful dentist smiling as she showed me my shattered tooth.

Furthermore, my local dentist tried to "somehow prolong its life" by using advanced crown work.

Even so, the crown would pop off every few years, and each time I would be on the verge of tears while getting it repaired.

However, it came off yet again, and to make matters worse, I ended up swallowing it.

While I was in America, eating Costco pizza…!

To an American dentist, on the verge of tears

In a society where it's hard to get appointments, it was a miracle that I was able to book a dentist for the very next day.

At the time, I was pregnant, so I had a temporary filling put in.

The Korean dentist said with a straight face,

"You will need a root canal or a crown someday. Your teeth are sharp, and no matter how many times I fix it, the filling will come out. It's pointless."

It was convincing.

Gold or silver?

I spent about half a year with a temporary filling.

I thought about just leaving it as is and not getting it treated, but
I felt like I had a laugh line on only one side of my face, so
I finally decided to take action.

A few months after giving birth, I went to the dentist again.
There, I was proposed a metal tooth.

I threw a tantrum saying I wanted a white one, but

the doctor wouldn't budge, saying, "Your cavity was deep. For the sake of durability, I can only recommend metal. It's either gold or silver."

I understood that gold is best for oral health, so I asked for a gold tooth.

A literally painful expense

The first time, I stayed at the dentist for two hours to have my tooth filed down and a mold taken.
I spent a week with a temporary tooth.

The second time, they fitted the finished gold crown.

The total was $950.

Insurance covered about 50%.
So, in reality, it was around $1500 or so.
The gold crown itself was $500.

Since I was paying for this from my own savings (in yen),
I watched the dollar-yen exchange rate every day.

Hoping it would drop to around 100 yen.

It was a super weak yen, but this should be the only time.
It was a literally painful expense, but I swiped my credit card.

An adult purchase.

Summary

This time, I talked about getting a gold crown in America.

It was a story about how dental checkups are important, right? (?)

The real test is yet to come, but
I will survive life abroad with my shining tooth.

Well then. Have a great day!

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