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

moneypanicker

I was always told that if the treatment had started when the exemption was in place then you didn't have to pay. You were referred when you had exemption so i think you shouldn't have to pay. It's not your fault the referral took a while!

brook2jack

The exemption only lasts for that course of treatment.

When op was referred to hospital that course of treatment is closed and sent off for processing. The dentist is in breach of contract with thier health board if the form is not sent promptly off to be processed.

The dentist has no discretion in charges ,the rules are set by the government and the fairness or unfairness is up to the government not the dentist.

Health boards get very cross if not enough patient charge revenue is raised and a dentist is in breach of their terms if a course of treatment is held open for more than 2 months.

Send off a AG1 to see if there may be some help with costs but you will have to pay for treatment unless you have current exemption.

Slickster

Hi there, was looking for some clarification on costs of dental treatment.

History is that 4 years ago I had about 10 fillings done (in a number of sessions) after having not been to the dentist for a number of years. One of these was a root canal (second tooth in from middle at the top).

I looked after my teeth much better following the work, but on two or three ocassions in the meantime I had had a white gum boil come up in the location of the root canal.

I moved a couple of years ago and have now finally registered with a local dentist. At my second appointment (first one they did a comprehensive check and took some x-rays) they did a large filling on one of my old ones. The dentist and assistant were really good - I have a reaction to injections which makes me blackout unless I'm kept laid flat, but they looked after me well. I paid £45.60 in total for these two sessions.

A week after the filling, where previously there was a gum boil appearing I had a full blown painful abscess with a very swollen face (couldn't hadly see out of one eye!). They saw me the same day I called, drained it and got me antibiotics. Again excellent treatement.

However, the dentist said that the boil/abscess would keep coming back unless I had something done. She referred me to the hospital and I have an appointment with the Maxillofacial Surgeon in August.

I paid the £16.50 for the emergency treatment, so the question is will I need to pay anything more for the next set of treatement (at the hospital)?

Also any dentists know what the surgeon will likely do? The dentist just asked if I wanted to be referred to a specialist as it was above her level of expertise (as it was a sealed root filled tooth), but she didn't say what could be done.

Many thanks.

brook2jack

Most often hospitals don't charge but a dental hospital may charge £46 ish.

These days the first port of call is to redo the root canal to settle things. However redoing a root canal has an even lower chance of sucess than first time round.

Next step is either extracting the tooth or an apicectomy ( a nick in the gum above the tooth, cleaning the root , putting some filling in and a couple of stitches after).

All of this depends on what is on your x rays.

KateD

Hi all,

Have just been to the dentist and been told I need a root canal filling and I'd be really grateful of some advice.

I have previously had one Root Canal about 5 years ago, and apart from a gap appearing between the teeth either side of it, have had no problems with it. The tooth that now needs doing is next to it. I don't know the proper name for it, but the tooth is fourth from the front at the top. Also,from seeing the X-ray, the decay seems to be coming in from the side, next to the previously treated tooth and not from the bottom.

My dentist is a walk-in Private and NHS place and has told me that it will cost £300 for the RCT + £450 for an on-lay if I have it done Privately, or £198 on the NHS. They also said I could be referred to a Specialist which would be £445 for the RCT and then have the on-lay done at my dentists again, for £450.

I really don't know which way to have it treated. Are the success rates really that different?! I was told today NHS= 60%, Private= 80%, and Specialist 95%.

Last time I had it done privately, (mainly because I couldn't get a white filling on the NHS), but only paid about £120 for a composite-fill(?). After I mentioned this, the dentist said they could do that again, but am I creating more problems for the future by not having an on-lay? The on-lay makes it twice as expensive as last time… (Is an on-lay the same as a crown?!)

I'd be happy for the guy who did my last one to do it, but he's no longer there. It was the first time I'd seen the dentist I had today, and I don't know why, but I got the feeling that he wasn't as confident about doing it. From what I've described, does it sound like it could be a particularly troublesome Root Canal?

I really don't know what to do. If I do it on the NHS I'll save myself up to £700(gulp), but am I risking it?
If I go Private, had I might as well pay the extra £145 to go to a Specialist? (But then that's nearly £900!!!)
Is the treatment really that different?

Would really appreciate some advice!
Thanks.

Savvy_Sue

Welcome to the boards.

I think it's fair to say - from what I have read here - that some dentists are quite happy doing root canals, and others prefer not to, especially on the NHS where the time it takes isn't really adequately recompensed.

welshdent

Personally - if you have been given the option of a specialist I would be inclined to take it! Inlays and crowns are recommended as a root filled tooth will be weaker.'by protecting the biting surface of the tooth you strengthen it. Also it helps gain a more reliable coronal seal so prevent reninfection of the root canal system and lengthening the lifespan of the tooth

KateD

Thanks for your replies!

Welshdent, do you think I should replace the filling on my old Root Canal with an onlay as well? It was done five years ago and seems fine so far.

Thanks.

welshdent

I would be led by what your dentist recommends but it is sound advice in my opinion to onlay root filled molar teeth. I have seek more than a few fractured root filled
Teeth with just amalgams in

madeyalook

Hi

I had a check up with my dentist and have been told I will need:

- five fillings
- a deep clean
- root canal treatment on my front tooth
- veneer for the same tooth

During the check up the dentist enquired about whether I had 'paid for the veneer before?'. I said yes because obviously I had paid something for it.

The receptionist went through my dental plan and said it would costs approxmiately £300. Knowing that the ceiling is £198 (although I live in Northern Ireland - is it different perhaps), have I been overcharged, or is the dentist doing some work privately. I was of the opinion that one course of treatment, no matter how extensive, could only cost £198.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.