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

Viper_7

Interesting....

I had two root canals following two broken molars both which got infected and were on both sides! (must have been those polo's as a kidd)
Had them both crowned 3-4 weeks later.
There was no waiting months in between. Was a private dentist and paid more than a small car for them....

NHS just wanted to rip em out!

welshdent

If they were broken perhaps ... as I mentioned ... there were difficulties in obtaining a seal of the root canal system? It isnt a hard and fast rule that root fillings are left 3 months. - you still had yours left for 4 weeks. Privately you do not have the government sniffing around to stop you doing x y or z. How expensive do you consider the price of a small car? around 15k?

Toothsmith

A well done root filling and crown should last longer than a small car anyway! And probably take more abuse!!!

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Just wondering I have had a root filling in a tooth (lower pre-molar)that has been very sensitive for about the past 15 years.
It's been filled and refilled and got to the point I could't bite down on it so they decided to go for a root filling.
I never actually had an infection or real toothache though just pain on biting down.
During the procedure the injection did'nt work,(dentist said it was because the nerve had been irritated for so long,it was'nt responding)Don't know if that's true or not but what he told me and since the root canal,6 weeks ago the tooth has been fine except sometimes a bit sensitive if I bite down and sometimes it feels strangely tight.
How do I know if it's not ok.
Thanks.

coldstreamalways

Ask your dentist? I think that should be an automatic response to most of the dental questions on here. As Welshdent has said, each tooth is VASTLY different, even within one person. Your dentist has the x-rays, she has seen the tooth before and should be your first post of call. Not someone on here telling you they are a dentist.

j.a.m

Thank you Toothsmith

huddsta

Hello all

My girlfriend (who is in quite a lot of pain) has just been told that she needs a root canal doing. They've given her 3 options;

1. a metal cap done on the NHS for £198
2. private treatment with a white cap for £450-£500
3. refereral to a specialist - upto £1000

Does this sound right?

There's no wya she's having an ugly metal cap but £500 is a lot of money...

coldstreamalways

Read the enormously long thread on root canal, it answers all of your questions and lots more you will probably have soon.

HTH

welshdent

Prices sound right ... if the dentist is prepared to take the hit of providing the root filling for free (198 is the nhs band 3 charge for the crown meaning the root treatment is included) then they are being very fair all round looking at what has been said

worried_jim

I had a this treatment and a gold crown finished in porcelain privately and it was about £500 8 years ago.