Surprises

Got a couple of surprises this afternoon. I had gone to my general dentist to talk about having implants put into my upper jaw. The first surprise was when I found that his guess was I'd need four of them, not two as I'd assumed. The second was when his nurse came in and quietly told me that while she knew the dentist would likely recommend a specific surgeon to do the implants, adding that this surgeon was a friend of the dentist, another (whom we'd discussed in the prior visit) was actually better, more technically au courant with the field. When he came in, the dentist mentioned both, said he'd be comfortable with either doing it -- and then spent ten minutes talking about the one that the nurse had said he would recommend, telling me all of his capabilities, works with problem cases (into which category I apparently fall), works with plastic surgeons, even mentioning that his wife is certified in three specialties.

The one that the nurse recommended doesn't take insurance; the other does. We're talking, overall, about the cost of our weeklong trip to London, two years ago. We've been assiduous in saving, conservative in spending, just so we could if we needed to -- but I'd thought the need would start in another ten years or so.

I figure I trust the dentist, and he trusts the guy who takes insurance -- but I really hate being in the position where I have to make the choice.