The upper left (picture right) and upper right (picture left) wisdom tooth are distoangularly impacted. The lower left wisdom tooth is horizontally impacted. The lower right wisdom tooth is vertically impacted (unidentifiable in X-ray image). The glowing parts in the teeth are cavities filled with amalgam.
Credit: Ka-ho Chuuploaded by R-E-AL (talk | contribs | Gallery) (German Wikipedia)Ka-ho Chu Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Wisdom Tooth Extraction Using Medisave
A few weeks ago, I was feeling pretty helpless about my partially erupted wisdom tooth; helpless because there was nothing much I could do except to have it surgically removed. My brother and some of my friends had their wisdom teeth extracted while they were going through their National Service. It was a brilliant move since they didn’t have to pay for the extraction; it was all paid for by the government for serving the nation.
I would have gotten mine done too if it was partially erupted at that time; it didn’t. But I always believe that everything happened for a reason. If I had mine extracted then, I wouldn’t have the chance to help others through my personal wisdom tooth experience to those who are going through or will be going through similar situation. All prices stated hereafter are in Singapore dollar. This may not be applicable to you especially if you are not in Singapore. However, if you know of any affordable dental care for wisdom tooth surgery in your country, do feel free to share in the comment area with all of us.
As most of you know, wisdom tooth extraction can be pretty expensive; especially when it needs to be surgically removed. One of my friends had a wisdom tooth surgically removed, in a private dental practice, for $600. Yes, you read right, just one wisdom tooth.
If a wisdom tooth needs to be surgically removed, the cost for extraction in private practices can vary from as low as $400 to as high as $800. Heard anything higher? That was why I felt helpless since I had to have mine removed.
What I did first was to check with friends who might have good and most importantly – reasonably priced – dentist. That didn’t help much; most have good dentists to recommend but the costs of surgery were almost the same. Next I turned to Googling for extraction that can be done using Medisave. Yes, wisdom tooth surgery can be covered by Medisave. That would be great news to you especially if you are a working Singapore citizen. If you are not, you may still use your parents’ Medisave.
If you want to have your wisdom tooth extraction in private practices and want to pay for it using Medisave, you must make sure that the dental clinic is participating in the Medisave Scheme. One private practice which I called does participate in the scheme but the cost of the extraction range from $600-$800.
I have read in one of the forums that the cheapest way is to get a referral letter from Polyclinic (list of polyclinics with dental facilities) to the National Dental Centre (NDC). When you are booking your appointment with the polyclinic, do let them know that you want to get a referral letter to the NDC under subsidised rate.
During the first visit to the NDC, X-ray will be done to determine if your wisdom tooth needs to be surgically removed. If it does, they will advice you financially what to do and do feel free to ask them any question. “Only day surgery procedures (eg. surgical removal of wisdom teeth) will be covered by Medisave,” according to NDC.
Mine needed to be operated on. I spent about $500 in all sessions with the polyclinic and the NDC and about 80% of that was paid through Medisave. Problem solved. I just wish more people can have more affordable dental care like I did. Do you have similar scheme like Medisave in your country too? Do feel free to share it here so more people can benefit from your sharing.
- Letting Go of Confusion Let Go and Trust - May 9, 2024
- Lose All the Cryptos in Your MetaMask Wallet to Crypto Scams - September 11, 2023
- 8 Fruits that may Help Us to Lose Weight - July 14, 2023
I don’t think we have Medisave here in the Philippines. Mine erupted halfway and I only had it removed when it became so painful. The fee I paid was that of a normal tooth extraction, I was lucky, hehe. It was done by a dentist friend and she was very careful not to break the crown because if she did we’d have to go for surgery. Thank God she was able to pull it out but with too much effort. I knew because she was perspiring, lol.
.-= Liza´s last blog ..Looking at the sky on Friday (13) =-.
You found the perfect photo for your post! I don’t think the US has a program like that. I had to pay a bunch of money to have all four of my wisdom teeth removed.
@ Liza, I am glad to hear that although yours were erupted halfway, you did not have to go through surgery to have it removed. The fee for a normal tooth extraction is so much lower. I have a friend who did something amazing; he flown to Philippines to have his wisdom teeth removed. During that time he was sharing that it cost so much lesser to get a ticket to fly to Philippines and get it done there then to have it done in Singapore. And you are right, it definitely need a lot of strength and perhaps skill to pull out the teeth. I felt the dental surgeon exerting so much force on my upper wisdom tooth too.
@ Karen, I hope you didn’t have to spend too much to get all four of your wisdom teeth removed back then.
Hi BK! You’re friend is so right. The ticket is way cheaper, my sister goes home from the US for dental services. A veneer costs about $1100 but here she got it for less than $200.
.-= Liza´s last blog ..Looking at the sky on Friday (13) =-.
@ Liza, perhaps the next time round if ever I need to extract the other two wisdom teeth, I can consider doing that and at the same time I can take the chance to tour the Philippines. 🙂
Thank God my wisdom tooth grew without any problem. Very informative BK.
.-= VanillaSeven´s last blog ..The Renaissance =-.
@ VanillaSeven, I’m glad that I have two that grew without any problem too. 🙂
Hi Symphony of Love, your post is a godsent. My wisdom tooth is sticking out like yours now and it hurts like a bit*h. Can I check how do you get the dentist to get the payment from medisave? Do you just fill up a form at the dentist? or is there some other way around it?
@ Jun, sorry to hear about your wisdom tooth. You must make sure that the dental clinic is Medisave accredited before you can use your Medisave for your wisdom tooth extraction. The nurse should guide you to fill up the form to use your Medisave.
i have a wisdom tooth now and ive been feelin the pain since this afternoon and OH GOD!!! it really hurts. i wanted to get this wisdom tooth removed but im ony 17 and my family is financially unstable right now so i’m afraid i would not get this fixed:( its realy painful and i dont want to make my parents pay too much money so im searching the net for cheap wisdom tooth removal..
@ Sen, sorry to hear about your wisdom tooth giving you trouble. I can understand how you are feeling now as I had been through before. I certainly hope you can find something appropriate online so you can help your family save on the removal. And I hope you can get it fixed soon.
Hi,
I am going to have my wisdom tooth extract tonight and it costs me S$800/-!!! Is expensive and since I don’t have time to look around, I will have to settle this for once….gosh! Yes,I can use my medisave. Pray for me.
@ Doris, hope all went well for your extraction. Although medisave is still our money, at least we don’t have to fork out that lump sum at one go. Do have a good rest after your extraction.
Hi! I am having problem with my wisdom tooth now too. It grew side ways and after some research on the net I found out that it have to be extracted through surgery.
May I ask around whats the estimated duration from getting a referral letter from the polyclinic to finally extracting your wisdom tooth?
@ Y, I’ll send you an email to answer your question.
Hi. I would like to have some information on the estimated duration from getting a referral letter from the polyclinic to finally extracting your wisdom tooth as well. I am currently having the same condition. Although mine only causes mild irritation.
@ J, the duration really depends. For my case, it was very fast. When I first contacted the polyclinic to get the letter, I have my appointment on the next day as I informed them that I need a referral letter to NDC. My appointment with the NDC was also very fast about a week. On the day I went for my appointment with NDC, they actually asked if I want to have my wisdom tooth extracted on the same afternoon but I didn’t want to. So I had my extraction set 2 days later (if I remember correctly). Thus it was all done in about 2 weeks.
However, I have another reader who went through smiliar process but was only able to get the appointment for the extraction about a month later. So it really depends on whether there are a lot of appointment during the time you call. Hope this answer your questions. If you need help, do feel free to contact me any time.
I’m also having wisdom tooth problem now n it hurts so bad that it looks as if half of my face looks so swollen. I can barely open my mouth for a mouthful of rice! But the problem is that I’m currently unemployed n I don’t have any medisave anymore cause I miscarriage my child few months back n used it all up.. Is there any other way to get help? Or is there any other way to get it removed in a much cheaper way? (ps, if I have to remove, I have to remove all 3! The newest tooth is the one that’s giving me so much trouble now…) T^T help…
Hi Jessica,
Sorry to hear about it. Please check with NDC on the possibility of using the medisave or your husband or siblings or parents or do they have any available option.
If need to, I remember NDC mentioned that we can walk in direct instead of waiting for an appointment. Please quickly check with them on the medisave part and about walking in and the charges. Usually it is the one that needs surgical extraction that will cost more, in the range of hundreds but should be less than $300 per tooth. The normal ones will just cost in the range of tens.
I hope this help; please have it extracted fast as you wouldn’t want to lead to other complication. Any other question, please feel free to contact me again.