Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

rd.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

361–370 of 585 posts

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#361

Post by roody15 »

3 years ago I went to a dentist who told me it looked like a cavity was forming on the bottom row near the back.

He said he was going to drill it out and fill it.

I told him I would schedule another appointment later to get this done….

Fast forward to three weeks ago I go to new dentist… I am 45 and have no cavities .. (never had one in my life am lucky :)

So dentist three years ago was prepared to drill a hole into my tooth and fill it with metal because it “looked like a cavity may be forming”

O

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#362

Post by manicennui »

Waterluvian wrote: post #47

My son when 3 had a fall and a few teeth were bent. Went to our local dentist who mostly had a wait and see opinion. But then calls a day later and says they’ve decided they should just come out. Two top front teeth. Would have no top front teeth for years. I went into engineer mode and while I acknowledged I didn’t have domain expertise, I asked questions and probed the whole situation. Very unsatisfactory, meanderi…

Believing that absolutely everything in the US, including medicine and food, is negatively impacted by the drive for more profit, does not make you a conspiracy nut; it is the defining characteristic of the US economy.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#363

Post by megablast »

Waterluvian wrote: post #47

My son when 3 had a fall and a few teeth were bent. Went to our local dentist who mostly had a wait and see opinion. But then calls a day later and says they’ve decided they should just come out. Two top front teeth. Would have no top front teeth for years. I went into engineer mode and while I acknowledged I didn’t have domain expertise, I asked questions and probed the whole situation. Very unsatisfactory, meanderi…

How did he eat with bent teeth?

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#364

Post by megablast »

basisword wrote: post #164
Waterluvian wrote: post #47

My son when 3 had a fall and a few teeth were bent. Went to our local dentist who mostly had a wait and see opinion. But then calls a day later and says they’ve decided they should just come out. Two top front teeth. Would have no top front teeth for years. I went into engineer mode and while I acknowledged I didn’t have domain expertise, I asked questions and probed the whole situation. Very unsatisfactory, meanderi…

>> I’m not a conspiracy nut. I believe in listening to experts (but ultimately making an informed decision). I believe in modern medicine. But that experience shook me and forever changed my trust in the dental industry. Ask anybody who’s experienced a “chronic” illness about the “experts” and they’ll tell you a tale or two. The experts are great until they have a case that is unusual. The don’t have the time or know…

> The experts are great until they have a case that is unusual.

But this is true for every thing in the planet. Data modelling, computer programming, building, everything. Name something that the unusual is not more complicated and difficult to do.

Why would anyone think that it would not be true for the health field??

I think the problem is people think health is magical and everything is known. Because they choose not to educate themselves.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#365

Post by selcuka »

chrismarlow9 wrote: post #186
basisword wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> I’m not a conspiracy nut. I believe in listening to experts (but ultimately making an informed decision). I believe in modern medicine. But that experience shook me and forever changed my trust in the dental industry. Ask anybody who’s experienced a “chronic” illness about the “experts” and they’ll tell you a tale or two. The experts are great until they have a case that is unusual. The don’t have the time or know…

Same experience here. My analysis is it's a money milking scheme between groups of doctors. Pass you around so everyone gets a cut and they cross refer people to scratch each other's backs. Surgeon refers you to pain management and pain management refers you to surgeon. Add in a physical therapist, testing facility, and chiropractor and you got a pretty lucrative meshnet of referrals going.

> My analysis is it's a money milking scheme between groups of doctors. Pass you around so everyone gets a cut and they cross refer people to scratch each other's backs.

This is accurate. Years ago I had a kidney stone and the GP asked for an IVU (Intravenous urography) image to make sure about the size. The report prepared by the radiologist had the statement "operation is required".

When I got back to my GP just laughed sarcastically and told me that it was nothing to be worried of. He also said "the radiologist just wanted to return the favor, in case the GP wanted to operate". He was sick of this scheme too, but there was nothing he could do.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#366

Post by dennis_jeeves1 »

Now that we know what the problem is, here is one potential solution that I can think of besides the obvious 'find-a-good-dentist' . Take dentistry and medicine into your own hands to the best possible extent, yes I know it's 'illegal' but...

Anyway read my profile and get in touch with me.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#367

Post by giantg2 »

tyg13 wrote: post #309
ROTMetro wrote: post #295

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have jank government insurance and this is not true. When I got out of prison and had no insurance I went to the city's clinics. Wait times have never been an issue (at most was two weeks for specialist). The doctors in the clinic were also friggin amazing doctors/people. I had a ton of shame around getting out of prison, some much shame about needing to get tests ran for HIV/Hep from being in prison but they were…

I'm always surprised when people leave comments like these, based on nothing but N=1 anecdata. You don't have any authority to say something like "this is not true" with regards to the whole of the American healthcare experience. Compared to my own personal experience, yours was uncommonly-good. Wait times for specialists for my SO's heart condition are routinely several months out.

To be fair, their statement of n=1 is more evidence than the other person posted (comment without any evidence). Although both are weak.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#368

Post by throwawayfour »

entropicgravity wrote: post #107

If you have an ongoing problem of plaque/tartar build up on your teeth then this BBC article[1] could be a life changer for you. It was for me. After a year of doing it right my gums are now close to perfect. I notice though that neither my hygenist's or my dentist's office has been handing out information about this approach. Not good for business perhaps. I believe this technique works via abrasion so toothpaste is…

I am 39 and I have had issues with plaque/tartar build up on my bottom front teeth my whole life. Last year my new-ish hygienist gave me a toothbrush and asked me to show her how I brushed the teeth. She saw I was holding the wrong angle and corrected me. The result - night and day difference. ZERO plaque in the last year.

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#369

Post by [deleted] »

meindnoch wrote: post #145
kentonv wrote: post #53

A couple years ago my dentist sold her practice to a new dentist. Before I had an appointment with the new dentist, my wife had an appointment, and he told her she had gum disease with bone loss and needed a deep cleaning and to go on a "periodontal schedule" where she would have to come in every three months instead of six. (Note: My wife and I have different last names and separate insurance, so he wouldn't have kn…

Oh, first I thought "measuring your pocket" meant that they somehow gauged your financial status.

[deleted]

Re: I went to 50 different dentists: almost all gave a different diagnosis (1997)

#370

Post by rmbyrro »

Waterluvian wrote: post #47

My son when 3 had a fall and a few teeth were bent. Went to our local dentist who mostly had a wait and see opinion. But then calls a day later and says they’ve decided they should just come out. Two top front teeth. Would have no top front teeth for years. I went into engineer mode and while I acknowledged I didn’t have domain expertise, I asked questions and probed the whole situation. Very unsatisfactory, meanderi…

> COVID left a lot of dental chairs empty

Why?

Post reply on HN