Health - Medical Information

Dentistry

• I recently had a root canal, and, although it's not something I'd want to do every day, it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected it to be. Basically, I was eating again within a few hours, and the "cold sensitivity" and soreness from that tooth is gone. Hopefully, the tooth will be good for many years to come. One part of the treatment that I was glad I did is that my dentist recommended that I see an endodontist for the treatment. It just seemed like a no-brainer to go with someone whoe specializes in these kinds of procedures and has extra training in this field. It did cost a little more, but because I have pretty decent dental insurance, it only added around $50 to my copay.
• As a result, I've done more research about dental work. The biggest thing that really surprises me is the extent to which a lot of dental work you'd think would be covered isn't, because insurance says it's only cosmetic. I've now gotten to the age that I hear some friends bemoaning the high out-of-pocket costs for stuff like a dental implant, because it's totally not covered by insurance. I'm also seeing a lot of people my parents age -- some are choosing to get the reconstruction, some just have dentures which they only put in when they're going out. I've also seen firsthand what am impact this can make on a person's confidence, self esteem, and quality-of-life. One older person I know doesn't like to go out into the public to do even basic things like eat out or get groceries because, she has said, she was too embarassed about her teeth. Some information on prices -- what braces cost without insurance, root canal expenses, out-of-pocket costs for a dental crown even after insurance, and tooth implant prices.

Health Information

• I go to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation in Palo Alto, and I am super-happy with the treatment there.
• A useful reference source is MedlinePlus.gov, which is part of the National Institute of Health. For example, here's information on the common cold and headaches.

Choosing a Specialist

• A few friends of mine are doctors, and one tip they gave me for selecting a doctor (especially for a specialized treatment or an elective procedure) was to make sure you found someone who was board certified in that area. One thing I didn't know is that once you're an MD, you can try to give any kind of medical service. For example, even if your doctor's specialty is general medicine, he or she might try to provide services like lasik eye surgery or botox treatments, because these can make good money. The problem is, the doctor may not be as qualified as someone who is board certified in that area. (IE, you might want a doctor board certified in dermatology for botox treatments, or someone board certified in plastic surgery for a breast augmentation.) You can find whether a particular doctor is board certified in a particular are at the American Board of Medical Specialties.