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

welshdent

Normally wisdom tooth extraction is covered. I refer in because I dont like doing them be they private or NHS but I offer the NHS route or a private specialist with a shorter wait time

brook2jack

I would be very dubious doing a root filling on a wisdom tooth as the anatomy can be very complex and atypical. I would probably only attempt it or refer for it if the patient had no other back teeth to chew on. If it was one of many back teeth then I would probably take it out.

So no wisdom teeth root treatments are not excluded from nhs treatment but they are not routinely done in nhs or private practice because sucess rates are normally poor. If the dentist advised extraction and your husband didn't want that then it is a debatable point whether a root treatment with a possible difficult prognosis should be offered on the nhs or privately unless the patient understands the chance of failure and need for a crown afterwards.

welshdent

Sorry thought you were on about extraction!! I HAVE root filled wisdom teeth but its not an easy process and I wouldnt do it without a microscope/

Savvy_Sue

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

The dentist has rung him today and said that it is not covered by the NHS as it is a wisdom tooth and to just have it taken out.Is that correct?

Have I got this right? First the dentist says root filling, £300 because it's not covered by the NHS. Then your partner says "hang on a minute, why isn't it covered by the NHS?" And the dentist then backs down and says "oh well, it's only a wisdom tooth, let's take it out shall we, since you don't want to pay for it to be root filled privately?"

Why wasn't extraction offered earlier if that's a sensible option?

welshdent

To be fair we dont have the benefit of what the notes and dentist said happened. I have had patients adamant that they want wisdom teeth saved and not many dentists offer this regardless of the system of funding. Its easier when private because with I formed consent you make patients aware of the pros and cons and they shoulder the cost. In the nhs the dentist shoulders it

welshdent

P.s being adamant is not a good reason to do pr not do a treatment but it can be bloody hard to go against it especially when trying to do someone a favour.

POPPYOSCAR

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Have I got this right? First the dentist says root filling, £300 because it's not covered by the NHS. Then your partner says "hang on a minute, why isn't it covered by the NHS?" And the dentist then backs down and says "oh well, it's only a wisdom tooth, let's take it out shall we, since you don't want to pay for it to be root filled privately?"

Why wasn't extraction offered earlier if that's a sensible option?

Not quite. Obviously I can only go by what my OH tells me but this is how it has been explained to me.

Extraction was offered under the NHS. OH asked if it was possible to keep tooth.Dentist said yes with a root filling (and crown) but root filling not available under the NHS only private.he said if he referred him to a specialist it would cost in the region of £600 or he could do it for around £300(actual price came out at £395.00) OH agreed thinking he had to go privately.No mention of wisdom tooth at that point(from what he can remember).

He told the dentist he was not happy dentist said just have it out then,told him he was still not happy and dentist gave him a number to ring who referred him to NHS Direct. After speaking to them OH has rung dentist to defer appointment , dentist is not happy with what my OH had been told by them and has asked him for the number he rang!

(NHS direct have given him some numbers of other dentists who they say will do it.)

brook2jack

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

(NHS direct have given him some numbers of other dentists who they say will do it.)

I don't think so. No dentist would agree to do a treatment without seeing the patient first and as said before it's a moot point whether you should attempt root treatment on a wisdom tooth unless unusual circumstances apply.

NHS direct information on many dentists is either wrong or out of date and like many PCTs their understanding of dentistry can be vague at best and wrong at worst.

By all means he should see ,and pay for , another opinion from another nhs dentist if he is not happy with what has been said ,but few dentists will advocate rootfilling a wisdom tooth particularly as sucess rates can be poor because of their weird shapes.

marionsteve

dispatches was good tonight, regarding NHS dentist... strangely, I am experiencing almost identical as the programme...something wrong with my root canal, NHS dentist says must come out, or £400 private. She is not willing to extract, wants to refer me to a hospital. I have since got a second opinion, and i am due to go back wednesday....I am interested in the outcome. I was not offered a clean or polish with my NHS check up, and told to go back in 9 months... I am furious, that some of the dentist featured tonight, are exactly ther same as the one I saw last month....... its worth watching if you missed it....!!

Pennylane

marionsteve wrote: »

dispatches was good tonight, regarding NHS dentist... strangely, I am experiencing almost identical as the programme...something wrong with my root canal, NHS dentist says must come out, or £400 private. She is not willing to extract, wants to refer me to a hospital. I have since got a second opinion, and i am due to go back wednesday....I am interested in the outcome. I was not offered a clean or polish with my NHS check up, and told to go back in 9 months... I am furious, that some of the dentist featured tonight, are exactly ther same as the one I saw last month....... its worth watching if you missed it....!!

There's a whole thread about this Marion. Hope your teeth are not too painful tonight!