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

hethmar

If you are in pain and cant get through to the dentist, go to your GP for antibiotics and painkillers.

alison999

hethmar wrote: »

If you are in pain and cant get through to the dentist, go to your GP for antibiotics and painkillers.

not all doctors will give ab's for tooth problems so its not a guarentee

hethmar

Better than doing nothing though Alison - if the GP cant help I bet he will know a man who can

alison999

hethmar wrote: »

Better than doing nothing though Alison - if the GP cant help I bet he will know a man who can

Very true but the dentist should have a number for the emergency dentist also.

hethmar

But I thought the point was the OP couldnt contact the emergency one?

"Each time I try and ring the emergency dentist number I cant get through"

Toothsmith

NHS direct would be a better bet than the GP.

They should have a list of possible dental emergency services.

shinobi

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?

Hey Toothsmith

I had a similar experience to headcrash, can you claim for negligence if they fail to crown it or fail to advise you to crown it regardless of whether you opt for NHS or go private ?

I feel really frustrated that the root canal work wasn't finished off with a crown. I would have paid any money to have it done after my root canal work but was never told about it and now face having to have it extracted because it spilt in two.

thanks

rose07

Thank you for your replies

Today I got through to NHS direct and went for an emergency appointment. Dentist told me I needed root canal on two teeth and I had an infection on one, and that I also need a wisdom tooth out. I know there isnt much time when dentists have emergency appointments so she couldnt do root canal or take the tooth out. But yet again was not given any antibiotics to help the infection, and no painkillers to help the pain. I have just gone to my GP as I am in so much pain I want to bang my head against a door. But the GP told me she wont touch anything to do with dental, I am not sure why this is, but it has left me back at square one.

I have now been on the dentist waiting list for 6 months and counting, and I need urgent treatment, which it seems cant be done in a emergency appointment.

Is there anything else I can do?

coldstreamalways

Did you ask for painkillers? Paracetamol is actually the best painkiller for dental pain, your pharmacist will be a good point of advice for this.

There is no evidence that antibiotics are effective for anything except spreading infection (ie when your face starts to swell as a result of a dental infection). A lump on the gum is usually the infection finding a way out from inside the bone (called a sinus).

Root canal treatment can never be guaranteed, there are myriad complications that can be encountered at any stage of the treatment which will affect the success rate. Having said that, the sucess rate is fairly high and if you want to keep your teeth it is really the only option- not everyone or every tooth is appropriate for RCT though.

Have you been to a dental access centre? Many PCT's have them and they are sort of "walk in" centres (although you should phone first) where they will do TEMPORARY treatment for the relief of pain. Maybe you should try that? Whereabouts in the country are you?

hethmar

My dentist recommends neurofen. I do hope you feel a bit better today and I think you need to be a little bit more assertive when you seek treatment