Just been to Dentist, little annoyed. [Archive]

xzibit

22-01-2007, 4:31 PM

I have just been to the dentist. It was my first appointment there, as I have been private for the last 7-8 years, but decided I'd give the NHS a go, as well as saving money.

I went along, and the dentist literally said "sit down", and then poked my teeth, said "you need filling on that tooth, talk to reception, bye".

Now, I went to my other dentist (private) in October, so 3 months ago, and the dentist said I have brilliant teeth. They usually do a little scraping between the teeth but not much. But they always explain everything.

This NHS dentist was foreign, so maybe it was his lack of English, but I felt he was rude. Anyway, could the need for a filling appear in that time? From being fine to needing one in 3 months? Maybe they do, I don't know anything about teeth lol.

It's just that the inspection was rather brief. I know I used to pay £40 for a check-up, and this time I paid £15, but come on.

I have a choice of silver filling for £26, or white for £68. Which would be best?

I'm tempted to go back to my private dentist, but I presume if I do need a filling, it'll cost quite a bit more.

Penny Watcher

22-01-2007, 4:57 PM

I think Toothsmith might have posted about this before, but until he comes along I'll try to pass on what (if anything :confused: ) I've remembered correctly.

Basically if you have a long relationship with your dentist then s/he can keep an eye on 'issues' in your mouth that may be developing slowly and may in time clear up.

A new dentist just has this snapshot of one appointment and doesn't really have any background knowledge of your dental health to fall back on, and therefore treats according to the snapshot.

*All of the above may be complete rubbish and I'm doing Toothsmith and injustice. Many apologies in advance if this is the case :o :)*

Teerah

22-01-2007, 5:09 PM

Thats correct Penny Watcher, your new dentist has no background info on how you care for your teeth xzibit, how often you attend, how long that suspect area has been like that and therefore has to treat as he sees fit. He cant take your word for it that yougo regularly as ppl tell me that all the time as new patients and they dont all tell the truth.
At the end of the day, the lack of communication could be down to the new dentist's command of english or it may very well be down to the fact that he doesnt have time to sit and explain things to you given that he is working for the health service. You pays your money, you takes your choice!

xzibit

22-01-2007, 5:09 PM

Well if that is the case, they are basically doing work they don't need to. I suppose you have to pay for a second opinion? Maybe it'll just be cheaper to get it done. Thing is, I don't want a filling if I don't really need one.

I had a little pain a few weeks ago when eating chocolate, but that was the other side. Unless there are no symptoms.

What will happen if I say I don't want the filling? Will they get emotional? lol.

xzibit

22-01-2007, 5:11 PM

Teerah

22-01-2007, 5:15 PM

Well if that is the case, they are basically doing work they don't need to.

Not strictly true, without the benefit of a long standing relationship, this new dentist has no way of telling what way this early cavity (if thats what it is) will go...they have to consider whether they think it will go down hill rapidly and lead to possible need for RCT/extraction or whether you will do your best to reverse the early lesion (if it is at an early enough stage) or just ignore it and not attend until it causes problems.
Not all cavities cause pain, sometimes by the time it causes pain it is actually too late to save the tooth.

Teerah

22-01-2007, 5:18 PM

Maybe I should go back to my private dentist then. If I do, and they say I need a filling, can I then go to the NHS one to get it done? That would be proper moneysaving. :rotfl:

Moneysaving? Perhaps...timesaving no... and somewhere along the line ppl will get p****ed off, more likely to be your private dentist who can choose who they want to see and will not appreciate simply being used as a screening service.

xzibit

22-01-2007, 5:25 PM

Mmm, looks like I'll just get it done then. Just hope I actually DO need it, and it won't do any harm. Never had one before.

Any advantage of the white filling over the silver mercury alloy one? Other than appearance?

A white filling is £68.00 and a silver one is £26.90 but on the form it has £15.50 on there aswell making it £42.40, but the receptionist said I paid the £15.50 today, which I did. So I just pay the £26.90 when I have it done? Or pay another £15.50 aswell?

I looked at the form that Toothsmith put up on another thread, and it says £15.50 for check-up, £42.40 for check-up and filling, but I'm unsure as to whether I have to pay another £15.50.

Savvy_Sue

22-01-2007, 5:29 PM

I think Toothsmith would say go back to your private dentist, and I think I'd agree with him ...

But I'm just wondering why you went after only 3 months?

Teerah

22-01-2007, 5:32 PM

You wouldnt have to pay the £15.50 again, no.

If this is your first ever filling then I would be a little more cautious. It is possible it does need done but it might not. Have you had any x-rays taken at either practice?

xzibit

22-01-2007, 7:07 PM

I went after only 3 months because I wanted to register at a NHS dentist, and they were taking on new patients, and they said to register, you fill out the form, and have an appointment, then you are registered.

I haven't had any x-rays for years. It is my first filling yes.

I made an appointment for tomorrow, to have it done, cos I want to stay registered at a NHS dentist really, as it's much cheaper. And looks like the only way I can do that is go ahead and have the work done they want me to.

Toothsmith

22-01-2007, 7:32 PM

I think you have found that NHS dentistry in England is not just a 'cheaper' version of what you were getting anyway.

How anyone can do an initial examination in a couple of minutes with no X-rays is totally beyond me.

If you have been happy with your previous dentist for the past however many years, then I think that moving into what is essentially a cash strapped system on it's last legs, just to 'save a bit of money' is taking MSE too far.

These things you are mucking about with are an irreplacable part of your body.

The best way of replacing a lost tooth is with an implant. Implants are £2000 a pop.

The best way to keep what you have healthy is by having a good trusting long term relationship with a decent dentist.

Think long and hard about what and what isn't a good thing to be saving money on.

xzibit

22-01-2007, 7:59 PM

Well I've paid for it now, so will have it. If I feel I'm not satisfied with the service I get there in the future, I will go back to being private.

Thing is, I don't mind paying £26 for a filling, but how much would it be private? I'd imagine that if I was paying £40 for a check-up, than it'd be about £150-£200 and I just cannot justify that!!

Toothsmith

22-01-2007, 8:05 PM

You're basing that on a random guess with the misconception that it MUST be dearer than the NHS place.

The NHS place was going to charge you £68 for a white filling - and that is a 'private' charge. I doubt your 'regular' dentist will be much dearer if at all.

My regular check up charge is £35 (My initial check-up is £79.50 including X-rays) My filling charges are £55 - £90 depending on size and material.

Wouldn't it be best to have ALL the information before risking tooth substance?

xzibit

22-01-2007, 8:15 PM

Probably yes, but unfortunately, I have no idea, I put my trust into people who should be proffesionals, and at the end of the day, so do most people.

So, what do I do? At the moment, I have paid £26.90 for an appointment tomorrow for the filling. If I was to phone up my normal dentist, and ask how much a filling is, and they say £60, do I just cancel my appointment, and then go to my normal dentist when I would normally go (April) and see whether they suggest I have one??

Will I get my money back or is it lost?

sabbykins

22-01-2007, 8:48 PM

Hi,
I'm no expert but i have experienced the trauma (not an over statement!) of using a very poor NHS dentist after years of care under a dentist who managed on the NHS to treat me and my teeth with care but then had to retire.
I wish i could name & shame because this dentist (in Dundee) took approx 2.5 mins for an exam, about 5 mins for a filling- not leaving anywhere near enough time for the numbing to take effect :eek: and worse of all she failed to notice a hole in a molar and just wanted me out of the chair so she could get the next person in as quickly as possible!

Suffice to say i have taken up the HSA dental plan and gone private and found a WONDERFUL dentist in my town who took 40 mins to an hour at check up and took x-rays, talked me through the health of my teeth and was gobsmacked that the nhs psycho didn't spot the hole!

I consider my teeth extremely important and think they are worth the investment. I won't be going the 'cheap & not-so-cheerful route EVER again!
If i were you, i would go back to your private dentist.

xzibit

22-01-2007, 9:02 PM

Yeah, maybe I should. I will see whether I can get my money back tomorrow then, don't quite know what I'm going to say though. Maybe just tell them I'm not happy with the way I was examined, and that I am going to go back to my other dentist.
May look into a dental plan thingy.

If I can't get the money back, then I'll have it I suppose, it's only a filling and it'll probably fall out in a few years lol.

Toothsmith

22-01-2007, 9:30 PM

The money you have paid doesn't go to the NHS dentist. Any patient fees he collects are knocked of his monthly NHS cheque anyway. So it's neither here nor there to him.

If you just have the Check up, he claims 1 funding point, if you have a filling, he claims 3 points.

Ring first thing tomorrow to let them know you want to cancel the appointment. Ask if you can call in for your £26odd back.

If they come up with something about it being short notice and you forfitt your money - this is specifically forbidden by the new NHS contract, which states they may not fine patients for cancelling/missing appointments.

DO NOT HAVE THE FILLING IF YOU ARE UNSURE THAT YOU NEED IT.

It is better to loose a few quid than any amount of healthy tooth. You can earn a few quid tomorrow - You can NEVER get back the tooth that is drilled away.

Once a filling is in a tooth, then that filling will have a lifespan. At the end of that lifespan, the next repair will be a bit bigger, and so have a shorter lifespan. Then, it will need something bigger, then it will need crowning, then it will need root filling, then it will be lost.

If done well, each of these processes will last as long a time as possible, and hopefully, you will be dead long before the tooth needs to come out. (If you see what I mean!!)

If ANY of them are done badly though, it will knock years off the lifespan of the tooth. Are you confident that it will be done as well as it possibly could be at this practice?

If it doesn't need to be done at all, then the clock doesn't even begin ticking.

DON'T get it done until you have asked you usual dentist his opinion on it.

sarahlouise210

23-01-2007, 2:04 AM

xzibit

23-01-2007, 9:24 AM

Well thanks for your advice. I cancelled the appointment, and they are going to get a cheque sent to me from head office! Well, at least I'm getting it back I suppose. Should be with me in next 3 weeks.

So a medium sized filling at my normal dentist is £90 for silver and £100 for white. It was £68 for a white one at the other place!! :eek:

My next appointment with my normal dentist was booked for April, maybe I will bring it forward, as I can't make the April one anyway as I'm in Australia, if I bring it forward to say Feb somewhen, and I will have a DenPlan assesment at the same time?! Does that sound like the thing to do?

Why can't teeth be invinsible lol.

Toothsmith

23-01-2007, 9:41 AM

White fillings are VERY technique-sensitive.

Amalgam is quite forgiving and still sticks and seals pretty well even if put in under gallons of saliva.

White needs the tooth to be well prepared and chemically treated in order to get a good bond. And ideally a layer of 'runny' white filling place first to ensure a good seal at the edges. It therefore needs plenty of time in order to do well.

If not done well, the tooth will quietly rot underneath.

I'm sure you've done the right thing, and Denplan would probably make sense for you.

If you've not had any fillings, you'll be an 'A' category, which is the cheapest.

Worth comparing the cost of that against the cost of a check-up & hygienist visit twice a year though. If you've very good teeth anyway, that's probably all you should need. If the yearly cost of being on Denplan (Which does include nearly everything) is a lot more than that, then it might be worth just paying as you go, with the knowledge that every now and again it might just be a bit dearer.

Denplan does also include an insurance bit that would cover you if you ever damaged your teeth in an accident, or if you had a dental emergency whilst away from home.

xzibit

23-01-2007, 9:53 AM

Well I pay as I go privately at the moment. I've never had any fillings, never had anything done to my teeth, apart from a removable brace when I was about 15. I'm 23 at the moment, so there's plenty of time for fillings etc though lol.

I looked on the DenPlan website, and it said average price a month is £20. I take it if I get put in the 'A' category, it'll be less than that. I don't mind paying £20 or less.

At the end of the day, I suppose paying £90 for a filling I know I need, and at a dentist I have been with for quite a while (never had any work done so can't say I trust them yet lol), is better than paying £27 and not needing it.
Please tell me I'm right, I'm just seeing figures at the moment.

At least I can say I gave the NHS a chance!

Toothsmith

23-01-2007, 10:13 AM

You're right!

The only thing that gives me a little concern with your current dentist is the fact you've not had any X-rays for 'years'.

Even with people with no fillings, it's worth a peep in between the teeth every 3-4 years or so.

Next time you're in, ask your dentist when you last had any. Sometimes, time can just pass by really quickly, and the dentist hasn't realised when he last did any for you.

sabbykins

23-01-2007, 10:21 AM

I have the most wonderful NHS dentist - I once told the receptionist how lovely he was ...and she told me "I know ......thats why I married him!":o
Every examination and procedure is explained, he is just the best dentist you could ask for - I worry about the day he retires (and I anticipate this will be in about 15 years!!!!) If he went private I would gladly pay the higher prices ...

I was the same as you, i had a FANTASTIC NHS dentist for many many years, but he retired last year :( We were all gutted! I realised just how wonderful he had been when i had the misfortune of having to find another who was absolute rubbish. I'm private now and happy :)

xzibit

23-01-2007, 10:23 AM

Speaking to my mum (lol) I was sent to Dorchester Hospital for some x-rays when I was about 17-18. I had forgot about that, so maybe I have had others 4-5 years ago that I have also forgot about. I'm 99.9% sure that I haven't had any in the last 3 years though.

Well, thanks for your advice, I'm gonna make bring my appointment further forward, and see what they think, and will enquire about x-rays, if I have money to spare!

I suppose I have got out before anything bad happened. I mean, surely it was a really bad sign that the NHS dentist I saw only looked at my teeth for about 2-3 minutes on my first time there.

xzibit

09-02-2007, 8:58 AM

UPDATE

I had my appointment at my usual dentist last night. I went in for a check-up and an assesment for the Dental Plan.

She said that my teeth are fine, no need for a filling!! And that they were in excellent condition.
She took some x-rays and gave me a thorough check and all seems well. Said I would be in category A for the dental plan.

It works out at £13 a month (£156 a year), so now I need to decide whether it's best to do that, or continue paying as I go. Check-up is £30, twice a year, so thats only £60, but I suppose if I needed a filling on top of that it would be £150ish with the two check-ups.

Hmmm.

Toothsmith

09-02-2007, 11:59 AM

What about the clean & polish? You'll need one or two of them every year as well.

xzibit

09-02-2007, 12:05 PM

What about the clean & polish? You'll need one or two of them every year as well.

Oh yeah, good point, I get 2 of them a year included, but unsure how much they cost. Say £30?

So, check-ups x2 £60
clean and polish x2 £60

thats £120, so saving £36, but if I need work doing it'll be extra.

Um, what do people think? I can't decide :confused:

Toothsmith

09-02-2007, 2:54 PM

There is the accident cover as well with the plan, so should you ever damage your teeth in an accident, the repairs would be covered (This, on average is needed by 2 patients a year in my practice (Not the same 2!!!))

And dental cover if you have an emergency whilst away from home.

2 quite useful covers to have.

xzibit

09-02-2007, 3:15 PM

Indeed. I think I will go with it. Many thanks.

Karrie

12-02-2007, 11:13 AM

I got a huge shock when my dentist went private. He told me I needed a couple of fillings. I can't afford their monthly payments so I have moved to a NHS dentist. Went for a check up - no problems - see you in 6 months. :confused:

I had to go back recently with an absess on my back tooth. Gave me antibiotics and x ray. Told me to go back in a week to discuss removing the tooth or re-filling it. Went back - "the absess has gone......... no need to do anything. Give us a call if it comes back." What???

Is just appears to me that they don't give a damn. This is not the first NHS dentist I have been to that appears that they can't be @rsed to take care of peoples teeth. I just wish I could afford private and get the care that I deserve.