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

welshdent

Marion a scale and polish is not an automatic entitlement - even dispatches said "if necessary"

I frequently have patients I don't need to scale. I consider that an indication I am doing my job right. Re the wanting to refer you to the hospital - id take the hint. I have seen enough root fillings to k ow that there is a large difference in peoples abilities, if they say aren't capable of doing it on the nhs but then the same person offers it privately then yes be suspicious but offering an onward referral is just accepting ones limitations in ability

Spring_Time

Sorry for "Pushing in"...just after a bit of input.

I had a root canal this morning Though I have to say, it did not hurt one bit! I had been having pain over the weekend and was finding it difficult to pin point where the pain was. It seemed to take over my whole left side of my face. I saw a dentist over the weekend and was prescribed antibiotics. This morning I finally managed to get an emergency appointment with my dentist as by now my front upper tooth felt like it was going to fall out from the pressure behind it and oh my it was so, so, so sore. The dentist said there was an abscess in the root of the tooth and no way did he want to remove such a tooth and so did a root canal, he did say that he expected to see a "explosion" of pus (sorry tmi ) when he went in, but didn't so he "hopes" that he got the right one. He didn't quite say it like that, but it was what he was explaining. I do have a follow up appointment in a couple of weeks unless the pain is still bad and then I can go in earlier.

Could I ask, is it hopeful that he did get the "right one" despite there not being a lot of pus when he drilled in? I'm still sore, but I think that is from the work done this morning and the injections wearing off.

Sorry for the early morning pus talk!

marionsteve

welshdent wrote: »

Marion a scale and polish is not an automatic entitlement - even dispatches said "if necessary"

I frequently have patients I don't need to scale. I consider that an indication I am doing my job right. Re the wanting to refer you to the hospital - id take the hint. I have seen enough root fillings to k ow that there is a large difference in peoples abilities, if they say aren't capable of doing it on the nhs but then the same person offers it privately then yes be suspicious but offering an onward referral is just accepting ones limitations in ability

hello again..thansk for taking time to reply again.... it is frustrating, i got a second opinion, who advises me root canal not failed, and i am due to go back again tomorrow, as been away for a week. Strangely, he said they needed a good clean when I went last week...It is really difficult to know who to believe, but I certainly wont be going back to the NHS one I have encountered.... i didnt mean to sound in anyway rude about the programme last night, it was just so weird, that the answers given in some cases were identical to what I have been given........ I am just interested tomorrow now, as I am getting a "once over" to see what needs doing.... in theory, nothing, as I have had an NHS check up two weeks ago. apart from my obvious problem, which seems to have settled at the moment. I do have a horrid feeling though, that this private one will maybe give me a list as long as my arm!!!

havaska

Spring_Time wrote: »

Sorry for "Pushing in"...just after a bit of input.

I had a root canal this morning Though I have to say, it did not hurt one bit! I had been having pain over the weekend and was finding it difficult to pin point where the pain was. It seemed to take over my whole left side of my face. I saw a dentist over the weekend and was prescribed antibiotics. This morning I finally managed to get an emergency appointment with my dentist as by now my front upper tooth felt like it was going to fall out from the pressure behind it and oh my it was so, so, so sore. The dentist said there was an abscess in the root of the tooth and no way did he want to remove such a tooth and so did a root canal, he did say that he expected to see a "explosion" of pus (sorry tmi ) when he went in, but didn't so he "hopes" that he got the right one. He didn't quite say it like that, but it was what he was explaining. I do have a follow up appointment in a couple of weeks unless the pain is still bad and then I can go in earlier.

Could I ask, is it hopeful that he did get the "right one" despite there not being a lot of pus when he drilled in? I'm still sore, but I think that is from the work done this morning and the injections wearing off.

Sorry for the early morning pus talk!

A lot of the time when doing a root canal treatment, if it's on what is a particularly sore tooth, an by that I mean very sore to touch, you would expect to find a lot of pus from the tooth. Usually this would appear as a big lump around the tooth; it is the pressure of this trapped pus that causes the majority of the pain. By 'opening up' the tooth, you would therefore expect the pus to drain that way, which is what your dentist explained to you.

However, this isn't always the case, and often you will find nothing inside the tooth, so I wouldn't be too concerned. It is also very normal for the tooth to remain sore for the next week or two after the procedure, so don't be surprised if that's the case, especially if it was very sore to begin with.

marionsteve

well, i have been back to my second opinion private dentist today, and to be honest, I dont know who to trust or what to believe. Last time i went he said my root canal hadnt failed (NHS dentist said it had failed). He thought the tooth may have been cracked when the root filling done, as filling looked too deep. I went on holiday for a week, went back today. Today he tells me that the tooth has a hole, perferated sinus, and will need to be removed at £130.00. He has quoted me £761.00 for other problems, which none were picked up by the NHS dentist. He wants to do a advanced clean, at £95.00 per session, and will need to inject me to do this. I have never heard of this, does this seem correct procedure??? He wants me to have tooth out next week, at same time as bottom clean, total £225.00. Then the following week, top clean, and 3 replacement fillings. (I do know that one needs doing).. I feel so confused, NHS dentist says all fine, see you in 9 months, this dentist seem to give me hope of saving the tooth before I went on holiday, now 2 weeks later, tells me best to come out....... I really do not know what to do.

coldstreamalways

Well asking a load of randoms on the internet will make it no clearer. None of us can see your teeth or any special tests that may have been carried out. This is a massive pitfall of dentist shopping. You can ask 10 of us for a treatment plan and get 15 different answers. You need to find a dentist (possibly on recommendation) who you trust and feel comfortable with and stick with them for treatment.

marionsteve

sadly, i have no idea who to trust, and quite honestly, my husband had to go to spain to get his sorted, so recomendations do not come easy. I understand that all treatment plans can vary dentist to dentist, but no faults on NHS to £761.00 of faults with this one, doesnt seem right some how..... I really wanted to know if cleaning whilst numb was normal procedure, as i work in an office with 30+ people, and nobody has ever heard of this way.

welshdent

regards giving anaesthetic - depends on the dentist and the patient. I usually dont as the vast majority of my patients seem to manage fine and return after!!

Some prefer to give it if they are doing a deeper clean in patients with periodontal disease.

marionsteve

many thanks, appreciate your help once again ...... maybe I should move to Wales!!!

marionsteve

i have always been worried with the cleaning, as every time i used to get it done, it sprang up another problem...fingers crossed it wont this time, I dont think I can take any more of teeth problems!!