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

batman75

Many thanks for the prompt response.

I don't really have a problem from an ethical point of view - I fully understand that he'll make more money from private treatment and I'm sure that, based on the costs involved with each, there's an advantage in going private. Having read some of the anecdotes on here, I'm just glad he offered me the choice. I think I'll send the email with the questions above and see what he comes back with.

silverfoxuk

A bit controversial - apparently root canal treatment "not really needed" on the NHS!

Should we pay more for dentistry?
VIEWPOINT
Professor Jimmy Steele
Newcastle University School of Dental Sciences

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/health/2009/scrubbing_up/8254058.stm

Professor Jimmy Steele, author of the Government's last dental review, says the over 40s are straining the NHS dentistry budget.
Many of the complex procedures they want, like root canal and crowns, are not really "needed" and higher patient charges may allow the NHS to provide a more extensive service to a larger number of people.

The underlying message for the over 40s seems to be "prepare for a set of false teeth"!

Toothsmith

silverfoxuk wrote: »

The underlying message for the over 40s seems to be "prepare for a set of false teeth"!

Would just change that to :- The underlying message from the NHS for the over 40s seems to be "prepare for a set of false teeth"!

There are those of us still keen to do it properly!!! We just can't do that with taxpayers money.

svjenni

Ok, I think I know the answer to this but I have a huge problem with spending largish amounts of money so i could do with some extra justification

I had a RCT on a front tooth done privately in march (it was a re do after 10 years but i had probably had an infection in it for a good 3 of those)
The pain i was feeling has pretty much gone but if i press under my nose it hurts a little

I went for a private consulation as i want the crown on it replaced as well as the tooth next to it crowned - it is chipped and cracked and is sensitive to cold. but i have been told today that there is still a little infection in the front tooth so whatever i do is will not be permenant and will probably need re-sorting in 3-4 years.

The reason I want to do something soonish is for the wedding in june

am I better off paying £500*2 (2 crowns) plus £50 (possible post) plus £400 (whitening) = £1500

or

extraction and implant £1500 plus crown £500 for other tooth plus whitening £400 = roughly £2500

I haven't really got the cash for either, but if i have some no spend months I could save the £2500 in 6 months, however my job is not safe so i don't really want to enter into a credit agreement, even if it is 12 months 0% I have only mortgage and bills to pay

Toothsmith

It's really a decision for you to make, but I think you've pretty much been told that option 1 is ultimately money down the drain, and that option 2 is the thing that will eventually be required anyway.

batman75

As a follow-up to my post earlier, I spoke to one of the dental nurses at the practice today. It turns out that the NHS and private procedures are basically the same, with the private taking a little longer and using better materials. The dentist doing my work is also a specialist in cosmetic dentistry and is used to doing these sort of procedures, so I feel a bit more comfortable about the idea of going for the NHS treatment. Thanks for the advice though, Toothsmith - it was greatly appreciated.

silkglade

I havw a question to ask you too.

I went to my NHS dentist and told them today that I am getting pain from a deep filling that I had done about a year ago. It hurts if I chew on something hard and on a windy day it makes it hurt. Also cold drinks or something like ice cream hurts too.

When I told her this she spoke to the assistant to enquire if I pay for my NHS service at the moment. I do not as I have a maternity exemption (Also have tax credit exemption too as my income has dropped due to maternity pay, but they did not know that) Well she then turned round and told me that I have 2 choices, one is an extraction and the second is a root canal, which she is not willing to offer me on the NHS so I would have to go private and it will cost me £650!!! While I was in there she kept trying to get me to agree for her to take it out there and then as it is going to cost me so much money etc, which I was having none of as it does not hurt all the time, just sometimes.

Well I can't afford £650 at the moment as I am off work until August next year (baby 3 weeks old) and this is more than I get paid in a month! :-(

Are they allowed to do and say that. that she is not prepaired to do it on the nhs and that I will have to go private?

Toothsmith

It depends how she said it really and where the tooth is, and how badly broken down it is.

If she had said "You NEED a root filling in that tooth and I will only do that privately" then that's wrong - she should do any necessary treatment on the NHS.

But, if she said that the tooth NEEDS to come out, but if you really want to save it, then I could do a root filling, but that would be private - then she's probably OK. She has offered you a perfectly valid treatment on the NHS, and given you a private alternative.

This is assuming that extracting that tooth IS a perfectly valid treatment, which I couldn't say for sure without seeing the tooth and it's history.

If you feel that her treatment decisions were based on your ability to pay, then you might well have a valid complaint, and it would be worth persuing with the local PCT.

shehasredhair

Hi I have had a failed root canal treatment and was referred to the hospital for an apiectomy-however when at the hospital the consultants looked at the Xrays and decided that there was another canal which hadn't been cleaned properly, they suggested a re-root treatment which they referred back to my dentist and also an extraction at the hospital if i didn't do the re-root treatment.
I have a small boil above the tooth-it's quite painless. I am booked in for the extraction on the 2nd November, and a very good dentist said he would look at doing the re-root treatment on the 29th october-it will cost though £300 plus a crown, I am not sure whether to try the re-root treatment or just go for the extraction and get a bridge-can you advise?

Toothsmith

It all depends on what is left of the tooth, how big the lesion is, how you generally heal up....... All sorts of things.

The decision has to be made by you based on what your dentist has told you of the pros and cons as they apply to you. My advice would be meaningless.