I was at my semi-annual teeth cleaning appointment some years back and the hygienist asked “are you aware that you grind your teeth?” “Hum? I was not aware that I did this?” I thought to myself and then said aloud. She suggested that perhaps I was a teeth grinder as I slept. So she recommended getting a night guard to protect my teeth. Great, I will get a night guard. “How do I get a night guard?” I asked. She answered “we can order one for you.” So naturally my next question was “Well how much does a night guard cost?”
Now, keep in mind, I was not trying to determine what was more important – my teeth or my bank account. It wasn’t about deciding whether or not I should purchase the night guard. I was simply curious about the price. Asking the cost is a reasonable question to me – then and always.
When the dentist entered the examining room the hygienist said “I suggested that she get a night guard and she’s more concerned about the cost of a night guard than protecting her teeth.”
Wait, WHAT? Or should I say WTH?
“She did not just say that” I thought to myself. I was so astonished at her snide and unfounded comment that I was speechless. (My friends who are reading this are thinking “You? Speechless?” Normally I am quick to retaliate with a snappy response.)
The dentist estimated the cost to be approximately $500.
So, when I left the dentist’s office what did I do? I began my online search for night guards for two reasons:
1. I wasn’t about to purchase the night guard from that dentist office after that sarcastic remark by the hygienist.
2. I always do research when spending that kind of money.
BTW – It is always a better investment to get a custom night guard. I tried the ones they sell retail and they are uncomfortable – even after you “adjust” them per the instructions.
There are several companies that make custom fit night guards. They will ship the raw materials directly to you. You have to create your own mold and ship it back so they can manufacture the night guard. Creating the mold is the most difficult part of the whole process. It only takes a few minutes. There is a very limited amount of time from the moment you open the container of clay and begin kneading it into a usable form until it becomes too hard to mold around your teeth. You have to be fast and accurate!
I ended up purchasing my night guard from Pro teeth guard (www.proteethguard.com). Their customer service was excellent and the cost of my custom guard was $ $159.99 (5 years ago). In the end I saved myself over $300 even though I had to do a little bit of the work. The work was well worth the amount of money I saved. And I was especially pleased that I did not have to purchase the night guard through that dentist’s office.
My point here is that if you are at a doctor’s or dentist’s office and they quote you a price for a piece of equipment that is not absolutely necessary at that moment, DO NOT assume that you HAVE to purchase it on the spot, from the office. If you need the equipment to physically leave the office, then you are stuck. Otherwise don’t let the medical staff bully you into or try to sell you overpriced equipment from the doctor’s or dentist’s office. They are making a profit from your purchase.
If you have time, I recommend the following:
1. Check with your insurance company to see if equipment is covered – even partially.
2. Do a little bit of research. You could be saving yourself hundreds of dollars, even if you have to engage in some DIY tasks, especially if you don’t need the equipment immediately.
I think we can all agree that 15 minutes of research to save over $300 is time well spent.