Hey,
I know a lot of you have splints. How much did they cost you? I went to a dentist who wants $1300 for the splint - the plastic one covering all of the bottom teeth. Is that a good price? Also have you gotten your insurance to pay for splints? They said they don't pay, but someone told me they fought with their insurance and they ended up paying some of it. It's so expensive!! The insurance people have the nerve to call TMJ cosmetic. Just makes me sick.
Thanks,
-Stacie
Hi!! Depending on exactly what type of splint you have, I would say $1300 is pretty fair IF this includes adjustments and some of the tests. Of course, all dentists charge different prices.
Good Luck
[This message has been edited by totallyconfused (edited 09-28-2003).]
Cathleen - how did you get your insurance to cover TMJD? Did they cover the splint as well?
The $1300 is just for the biteplate. The doctor wants $100 per adjustment, like every few weeks. What do you mean does this include tests? what kind of tests?
-Stacie
another question about the splint. Does it really help?? I'm putting so much hope (and money) into this and I'm kind of scared that if this doesn't work, what else is there to reat this?? I had a splint made a few years ago. The dentist was just a dentist and had no idea what he was doing and he "adjusted" the splint so much he ended up making a hole in it and then he tried to fix it but it totally didn't fit my mouth anymore. then he had his hygenist clean my teeth - when I couldn't open my mouth and didnt want my teeth cleaned, he insisted, and she ended up chipping off parts of my 2 front teeth.
ugh I'm getting so frystrated by these incompetent people!!!
Hey Stacie,
I can't believe the ordeal that you went through how aggravating!!!!
My splint when it is adjusted correctly seems to help my pain a little. It does not completley rid me of pain (yet). But I can feel the difference from when I do wear it and when I don't. My splint was around $300, but it was made by a general dentist. I go to my new tmj specialist and his splint will probably be much higher then that.
Heather
Hi Stacie:
It depends on what type of splint you are going to get as to whether the price is fair or not but I am inclined to say that if you must pay for each adjustment that the price is a bit high. Others on the board have probably had more experience than I have with splints but it seems a bit high to me. I wish dentists who are not qualified or trained in TMJ would just leave it alone and say they don't have enough experience instead of charging people to use as human test cases. Oh it also makes a difference what part of the country you live in as to prices. I am in the mid-west in an area where our income is less so the prices here tend to be a bit less than other parts of the country. I hope that makes sense.
Tiffany
[This message has been edited by TiffanyAnn (edited 05-19-2003).]
[This message has been edited by TiffanyAnn (edited 05-19-2003).]
I don't know yet if it works as it has only been a little less than 2 weeks. So far, only more symptoms.
As for the tests, on my initial visit my dentist did a hands-on exam, an EMG (muscle test), x-rays and a test where the computer "listens" to the joints. Also, in making my splint they used the TENS machine. Any more tests that I have will cost me addition $$$.
Good luck. Let us know what you end up doing.
[This message has been edited by totallyconfused (edited 09-28-2003).]
When I went to my "TMJ Specialist" my whole treatment cost me 1200. This included all xrays, molds, 4 adjustments and my splint (hard bottom splint. The splint cost me 550 the rest was for everything else. I would look for a different specialist and see what they charge. To look at my splint I think it only is about 20 bucks for material....good luck, Jill
Hi Cathleen:
I bet you could have been knocked over with a feather when your insurance company paid for your splint. Good for you...those insurance companies get out of paying for far too much. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/blob_fire.gif
Tiffany
[Edited to remove word suggestive of profanity.]
[This message has been edited by Well-come (edited 05-20-2003).]
Hi! I WAS surprised about the splint. I hope they don't balk at the adjustments, though. Those won't be cheap. I still owe quite a bit, but it is SOOOO much better with them paying for some of it. They SHOULD of course, but you know how that goes.
Hope you are doing alright today.
[This message has been edited by totallyconfused (edited 09-28-2003).]
Hi everyone,
Thanks for responding. $1300 for a piece of plastic seems kind of extreme to me, but I am in NY, so things are definitely not cheap here.
Jill, I see that you are in New Jersey. Who did you go to, and would you recommend him? At this point, I'm open to going to doctors anywhere on the East coast basically!! There's one in virginia Dr. Stack. He has this whole big website on TMJ and he's talking in some conference in London next week, but I don't want to go all the way to VA. There must be someone decent in the NY/NJ area.
Please let me know.
Thanks,
-Stacie
Hi Cathleen:
You know the thing is this, if you had been told that your insurance would pay for the splint then they would have found a reason not to pay. They have these pencil neck geeks sitting behind a desk working diligently to find a reason, good or bad, to deny our claims. Makes me want to hurl. I am so glad that yours was covered by your insurance company. Every little bit helps for sure.
Tiffany
I've found that lately I just assume that insurance won't pay a cent, things won't work--call me a pessimist. However, when things do work out, I'm pleasantly surprised and didn't get my hopes up.
[This message has been edited by totallyconfused (edited 09-28-2003).]
That seems like a lot of money. Did he say what kind of splint this was. $100 per adjustment? no way, My tmj
dr does it whenever I need to for free, all included in my treatment plan.
Hi Stacie,
I live in Florida and just got my splints on Friday. Here is what my specialist charged (specializes in TMJ, oral, and maxillofacial surgery). By the way, my TMJ diagnosis was confirmed by MRI of the TMJ joint - showed an anteriorly displaced left disc and mild spur formation on both condyles.
Initial consultation - $395.
Upper splint, lower splint, $1300 each, $2600 total.
This includes two followup appointments for check and readjustment of the splints.
Splints are hard acrylic, cover half my front upper and lower teeth and whole teeth in back. It took the dentist an hour to adjust them on Friday to get them just right. I am to wear them for three weeks, then return for a check and adjustment. I wear them only at night for now. They keep both jaws in the proper anatomic position so all the muscles are able to relax. My son had splints from the same dentist and it solved his problem. None of this is covered by my medical insurance. And to top all of that off, I had to have an MRI of my head because I have numbness in and behind my nose and right jaw/teeth. The MRI was read as completely normal, so this feeling is from the TMJ.
Anyway, it's an expensive venture, but my dentist has had thousands of patients find relief of their TMJ with splint therapy.
I"m seeing a neuromuscular dentist and will be getting a lower splint - it's $2500, including all adjustments. The inital work-ups - xrays, neuromuscular workup, etc. will cost me almost $2000. Scary - so at least $4500. My insurance MAY cover up to $2000. Working on that. I would say it definitely depends on the splint. The upper splint I had cost around $600 I think.
I'm in the process of changing. Was not happy at all with my orthodontist/tmj specialist. He wouldn't admit that he couldn't help me so was keeping me hanging. I am going to see Autumns OS this Friday, he's in South Jersey. I have heard alot of good about a David Schor in Mercer County. Depending on how my visit goes with the OS I will consider him next. But I'm going with Autumns referral (plus my health insurance is covering it......Thank God).
Good Luck, Jill
[This message has been edited by Well-come (edited 05-20-2003).]
Hi Stacie, I am in PA and I just had a lower splint made by a dentist that specializes in TMJD. My consultation visit was $140 and my splint was $525. The first splint he made ended up being too tight and he tried to adjust it and it ended up popping off my teeth and kept falling off. So he had a new one made for me and didn't charge me. The $525 includes all adjustments I may need too. I think $1300 sounds a bit steep, but like you said you are in NY and everything seems higher there. Good luck, Shell
Splint $$$ 
