Back when I worked as an archeologist, I saw the things that once killed people. Broken bones and wounds which today would be treated on an out-patient basis. Abscesses of teeth which turned to infection until, centuries later, archeologists excavated bones riddled with pain. And that's nothing compared to the deadly diseases like small pox which were once so prevalent.
I don't mean to be so morbid, but I just found out I need a root canal. Despite my best dental hygiene, somehow a bit of decay sneaked in near the bone. Decay beneath the tooth, not through the exposed top as is normal. My dentist says she's never seen a case like this, so maybe I should be perversely honored.
Except that the bone is mildly infected. And the procedure to fix all this will be expensive, more than blowing through my dental insurance. Thank goodness for my family having insurance. Curse goodness that dental insurance is so crappy unless you're rich.
But looking toward the truly good, at least I won't die from this. I remember excavating a skeleton with a gaping hole in the jaw, where an abscessed infection had eaten it's way through that woman's mandible. As I cleared the dirt from the woman's bones, I couldn't help but cry at the suffering she went through before she died.
So while I'm not happy at spending a ton of money to fix this problem, it sure as hell beats the alternative.