root canal treatment - NHS and private costs & pros and cons

VfM4meplse

Toothsmith I think it is time to redeem the profession....

Toothsmith

Hardly the profession!

It's a bit tricky this one.

The dentist obviously took a lot of time over this. But equally obviously, something has gone wrong.

It's not good to have a bit of a root filling file or drill to break off in the tooth, but it happens to us all occasionally, and it's a pig when it does.

To be 100% correct, the dentist should have explained that there would be a risk of an instrument breaking. It is a widely known and accepted risk though, so in a busy NHS practice, (and a lot of not so busy private ones)this can often be forgotton. It's not that essential though, as if you'd refused the treatment due to the RISK of a file breaking, the only alternative would have been to take outthe tooth anyway.

What really SHOULD have happened though was thatthe dentist should have informed you that a file had broken, and the implications for the future prognosis of the tooth - that it might well fail.

Again, in waiting and checking it for a couple of years, he did the right thing. Broken files don't always mean the root filling will fail - especially if the root canal had been well cleaned before it broke. If it had broken off at the full length of the root - it can occasionally make a perfectly acceptable root filling!

For it to flare up just after all ths is then just Sod's law coming into play. He really shouldn't have blamed your OH, and antibiotics were a bit desperate. Inwardly, he was probably really swearing at himself - I know I would be!!

I think the hospital were probably suggesting in as roundabout way as they could, that you look into taking legal action to get your money back.

Deending on what the dentist has written in his notes on the treatment, you might well have a case.

The biggest ommission on his part is not telling you that a file had broken. Not the fact that it had, and not the fact that the root filling has failed. All that is 'just one of those things'. It happens.

Does this dentist deserve to be sued?

From what you've said, I would think not.

He had a go at the root filling, rather than just telling you you'd need the tooth out. He didn't try and pass it on to a private root-filling specialist (which would have cost you another £700 ish) - although it would probably have been better here if he had! He wasn't to know that beforehand.

Any errors he's made have really been ones of communication.

He didn't explain the options and risks very well beforehand, he didn't deal properly with the broken instrument, and he didn't handle the failure of the root filling very well.

With what he actually did with the treatment, I think he tried his best, but you've both been very unlucky.

I would write a letter of complaint to the practice/dentist as a first stop. I would also have a clear idea as to what you'd accept as a solution. It's much easier to deal with complaints if you know from the outset what would make the patient happy.

Where you go from there is up to you, but give them a chance to make ammends first. I think he deserves that.

andipandi72

i have recently moved back from england to northern ireland. the whole family went to the dentist yesterday and what plesant surprise.
we managed to get a nhs dentist, she was great.

she gave my teeth a quick clean and full inspection, she was extremely informative and spent ages with us. i need to have root canal work (which i knew). she did not charge us for yesterday and said that she would carry out the root canal work herself, she said next time i would get full clean plus treatment and it would not be more than £100.00. i was booked in for 1 hour later in the month.

one of my little boy(5) was terrified to go because in england (a private dentist) took his front tooth out without any anesthetic after a fall. he screamed and would not go back to the dentist. after yesterday it is all forgotten, she was so good. my 3 year old even asked when it was his turn and jumped into the seat.

it has restored my faith in the nhs and there are obviously some very dedicated nhs dentists out there, im very lucky to have found one.

:T

headcrash27

Hi, I wonder if one of the dentists would be able to answer a question for me please? I had 2 root canals done around 5 years ago, both have since got infected and the dentist referred me for an apeisotomy (sp?) at the hospital but the hospital said it wasn't necessary as it wasn't giving me any pain. Anyway 2 weeks ago one of my root canal fillings fell out whilst eating followed by the rest of the tooth breaking off 2 days later. I have now had the tooth removed and am left with a gaping hole as i can't have a bridge fitted for 3 months. Neither of my root canals were crowned and my concern now is that this is going to happen to my other root canal and i will end up loosing another tooth. I did look into having both crowned several months ago as they have both turned black and look unsightly but i was told i would have to pay privately to have this done as it was for cosmetic reasons. My question is how can it be for cosmetic reasons when so many other people seem to have had their root canals crowned as standard. I am so angry with the dentist who did this as if he had just crowned these canals in the first place i wouldn't have one black tooth and one missing tooth. It has cost me £198 to have a temporary denture made up which i cannot wear as it makes me gag and i am going to have to pay another £198 in three months time to have a bridge fitted. Surely all this could have been avoided if the dentist had crowned both teeth in the first place? Do i not have the right to request a crown on the nhs for my other root canal to prevent loosing this tooth as well?

judderman62

headcrash27 wrote: »

Hi, I wonder if one of the dentists would be able to answer a question for me please? I had 2 root canals done around 5 years ago, both have since got infected and the dentist referred me for an apeisotomy (sp?) at the hospital but the hospital said it wasn't necessary as it wasn't giving me any pain. Anyway 2 weeks ago one of my root canal fillings fell out whilst eating followed by the rest of the tooth breaking off 2 days later. I have now had the tooth removed and am left with a gaping hole as i can't have a bridge fitted for 3 months. Neither of my root canals were crowned and my concern now is that this is going to happen to my other root canal and i will end up loosing another tooth. I did look into having both crowned several months ago as they have both turned black and look unsightly but i was told i would have to pay privately to have this done as it was for cosmetic reasons. My question is how can it be for cosmetic reasons when so many other people seem to have had their root canals crowned as standard. I am so angry with the dentist who did this as if he had just crowned these canals in the first place i wouldn't have one black tooth and one missing tooth. It has cost me £198 to have a temporary denture made up which i cannot wear as it makes me gag and i am going to have to pay another £198 in three months time to have a bridge fitted. Surely all this could have been avoided if the dentist had crowned both teeth in the first place? Do i not have the right to request a crown on the nhs for my other root canal to prevent loosing this tooth as well?

My dentist advised I get my root canal filled tooth crowned and categorically stated I could get this done under NHS treatment

Teerah

andipandi72 wrote: »

i have recently moved back from england to northern ireland. the whole family went to the dentist yesterday and what plesant surprise.
we managed to get a nhs dentist, she was great.

she gave my teeth a quick clean and full inspection, she was extremely informative and spent ages with us. i need to have root canal work (which i knew). she did not charge us for yesterday and said that she would carry out the root canal work herself, she said next time i would get full clean plus treatment and it would not be more than £100.00. i was booked in for 1 hour later in the month.

one of my little boy(5) was terrified to go because in england (a private dentist) took his front tooth out without any anesthetic after a fall. he screamed and would not go back to the dentist. after yesterday it is all forgotten, she was so good. my 3 year old even asked when it was his turn and jumped into the seat.

it has restored my faith in the nhs and there are obviously some very dedicated nhs dentists out there, im very lucky to have found one.

:T

We still have the old fee per item system here in Northern Ireland at the moment but changes are afoot here in the not too distant future

headcrash27

judderman62 wrote: »

My dentist advised I get my root canal filled tooth crowned and categorically stated I could get this done under NHS treatment

Can i ask if that was straight after the root filling though or some time later? I am just wondering if maybe it is different for me as i had the root filling done 5 years ago.

judderman62

headcrash27 wrote: »

Can i ask if that was straight after the root filling though or some time later? I am just wondering if maybe it is different for me as i had the root filling done 5 years ago.

ah yes different situ then. She recommended that I consider having it done 3-6 months after the treatment.

hethmar

Ive always had mine crowned after a couple of months. The ones I didnt have crowned (NHS) both snapped off.

rose07

Back in May I went for some treatment on one of my tooth, I spent about £100, just on the one tooth, In July I had to go for emergency appointment because of same tooth, was told there was an infection there. Now within the last month I have had yet more pain with same tooth. I went to see a specialist at hospital as a lump formed in the gum where the tooth with pain is, She told me the lump was because I had an infection in my tooth again, and said I had a choice of either root canal or getting the tooth out. I have already had 3 teeth out, which doesnt include wisdom teeth, my mouth feels like a battle ground as more lumps and bumps have appeared within my mouth, and it is also swollen. It is agonizing. The pain goes all the way along my gum and jaw and over the other side (hard to know where the pain is anymore)Each time I try and ring the emergency dentist number I cant get through and I am on JSA so cant afford to pay for dentistry.

I have always looked after my teeth, and it really upsets me that since i have been to see a dentist is when the problem seem to start. I have not even been given any painkillers or antibiotics to help the swelling and infection go down.

I need some advise as to what to do, I dont want to get anymore teeth out, but root canal from what I have heard and read, doesnt sound a best option either??


Any help or advise, much appreciated.

Thanks