Questions about Dental crowns

kizzywizzy6

Hi I don't mind paying the £16.50. I was just worried they would charge me £200.00 which is the cost of a crown.

alison999

you'd only have to pay the £198 charge again if you lost the cron, or when it has reached the end of its 'shelf life' and it needs replacing or you need to pay for something to go in its place

tara

need help here. I have a root canal done on my molar tooth. Did it in Greece while on holiday. The dentist said I could have a crowning done in due time. I am currently registered with NHS dentist and having just given birth, am entitled to free treatment. The dentist seems reluctant to do crowning, saying she prefers to 'salvage' the tooth by filling to bridge the gap (as the molar tooth has halved/broken). She says crowning is not lasting; each time a crowning is done it takes its toll. I am not sure if I can trust her - I suspect it is the fact she can't charge anything for it that led to say such thing. I need advice here. I am due for the next appointment next week and I wonder if I can say sth smart to let her know that I am not stupid.
I don't want the same mistake to repeat here. I told my GP that my baby wasn't moving during my pregnancy and she assured me it was fine, turned out my baby had serious brain injury and didn't survive after birth..

tirednewdad

It is important to remember that noone giving advice on this forum has seen your tooth.

There is a current thinking in dentistry that a rootfilled tooth should be crowned as the better the covering ontop of a rootcannal filling, the better the chances of long term success.

If however your dentist feels that there is not enough of a tooth there to provide enough strength, or if the tooth will be weakened by the shaping required to make a crown, then a filling might be suitable.

Also if your dentist feels that your wont care for the crown, then there is no point in putting it in.

What is said might be correct, but personally i would want a crown.

tirednewdad

OH. and if your are pregant, the dentist will still earn the same money, its just that they will get it completely from the goverement, rather than from you

Toothsmith

The dentist would have more financial reason to do a crown than to not do it.

Wizzing a drill round a dead tooth, quick impression and plonking a cheaply made bit of metal on it could earn her 12 funding target points in a very short time and minimal cost.

The fact that she's explained to you that she doesn't think that that's the best thing in your case makes me suspect that she's got your best interests at heart and not the finances.

I'm sorry about what happened to your last baby, but I don't think you're being fobbed off here. I would ask her for another explaination of her reasons, and don't be afraid to ask questions if there's something you don't understand.

Was the root canal actually done in Greece? Or just the damage that made the tooth need it?

It could be the root canal filling that she wants to watch for a bit longer to check it does it's job OK.

tara

Thanks tirednewdad. Having read your comments, I did a search and I remember now why the dentist who did root canal recommended crowning. Personally, I don't think the tooth is very strong (it's been over a year) and I think crowning is required to protect the remains of the tooth which is now very brittle. I will argue my case with the dentist. I would not let her take out my filling and refill again! Don't think it's a very smart move to take out a root canal filling. I'm beginning to think the NHS doctors here are either not very smart or are so bound by cost constraint that they offer inferior service...

tara

thanks for the quick responses! Did the root canal in Greece in Dec07. My molar tooth broke into half, with one part came out (vertically) when the dentist was trying to take out a filling stuck in between the teeth. Turned the tooth was deeply infected and root canal was required to salvage it.
I was wondering if crowning can be done to fill the big gap due to the broken part. Does the existing filling need to be taken out in either case of the owning or replacement of filling? Is it easy to take out filling? My dentist seems to give an impression that it is an easy process..

Toothsmith

tara wrote: »

I was wondering if crowning can be done to fill the big gap due to the broken part. Does the existing filling need to be taken out in either case of the owning or replacement of filling? Is it easy to take out filling? My dentist seems to give an impression that it is an easy process..

These questions are a bit too specific to answer without seeing the tooth or the mouth.

It all depends what the tooth looks like, and how healthy it looks on X-ray. If you're pregnant, that could be a reason why she's wanting to delay things a bit. She might not want to X-ray you at the moment.

saucygirl

Can crowns on two teeth either side of my front teeth be replaced on NHS?
My dentist said today that they're not as it's classed as cosmetic. I thought front teeth were covered for crowns on the NHS, & he said I could have them done on it last year, but has changed his mind now. Although the crowns themselves are still fine, they look unsightly due to receeding gums over the 28 years that I've had them. There's all black around the tops of them & the gums there are very red too. He said I've got to pay £760 for them to be replaced. He started saying they might not be any good anyway - his words, not mine - but only after I asked about NHS! I am very embarrassed about my teeth & have been putting it off long enough. Don't know what to do. He said one of them will have to be fitted higher up the gum than the other one & that it's a problem replacing crowns.
Please help.