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

~Chameleon~

Toothsmith wrote: »

If the dentist thinks it's OK to root fill (and then crown - as root filled teeth need crowning shortly afterwards) then that should give you a good 10 years to save up.

Has this always been the case? The reason I ask is that I had a few RCT's several years ago, must be at least 15 yrs if not more, but have never had a tooth crowned. They were just filled with the usual grey amalgam. Only one of these teeth has survived and is still fairly intact. The others broke and crumbled and were gradually removed.

As an aside, I'm currently having problems with the same tooth I mentioned here a few months ago and got myself straight back down to the surgery to get a prescription for a/b's as soon as I felt it starting to twinge. I've just finished a 5 day course of 500mg amoxycillin but the pain seems to be getting worse rather than better and almost feels as though it's spreading throughout both the upper and lower jaw on that side. I'm also taking max doses of both co-codamol and ibuprofen daily trying to ease the pain

The problem is that I'm beginning to lose confidence in the dentist, although admittedly I've not yet seen my usual NHS dentist with this problem (although she failed to diagnose the problem originally telling me I just had sensitive teeth!) as the last two appts have been with the private dentist.

When I saw him last week to pick up the 'script he barely examined me and when I asked him to clarify exactly which tooth was causing problems (x-ray showed the abscess under adjacent tooth to the one he wanted to extract) he didn't even look at my notes or the x-ray and just said sometimes it's hard to tell!!! :eek::shocked:

I almost felt I was an inconvenience to him and he wanted me out of the chair asap and even asked me to go and sit in the waiting room whilst he wrote out the 'script, despite me needing to discuss how we're going to proceed with this tooth

Can I register with a new dentist elsewhere (assuming I can find an NHS one) as I'm really worried about going back there now and I'm anxious enough about dentists as it is without all this on top :huh:

Oh, also when he asked why I'd cancelled the appt for the extraction 3mths ago I told him I was desparately trying to save up to have the RCT and sedation done privately he smirked and almost laughed at me :embarasse:mad:

hethmar

They dont sound very nice people do they, let alone good dentists. I couldnt go to someone who had no respect for me.

Toothsmith will know better but my dentist said to me that its best to crown the root filled tooth as it strengthens them. The two that I didnt have crowned under NHS snapped off.

Toothsmith

If you feel like that about your dentist, then it's time to look around for another one.

There is no excuse at all for poor service when you have control of your own prices.

If you're private already though, just look around and se what you can get elsewhere for similar money. I think you have a much better chance of finding good care that way, than trying to get back to an NHS practice.

The truth is that there aresome dentists who are soused to working at 100mph that they find it difficult to slow down and actually provide the care that they went private in order to do!!

As for a root filled tooth not being crowned, there sometimes are reasons for this, so I would discuss it with your dentist (whoever it might be) next time.

DANNYBOY1_3

Thanks for that Toothsmith,I think I will go for the RCT.....just one more question......can you get referred pain elsewhere in the mouth from one bad tooth? Reason I ask is,the tooth directly opposite the one which I'm getting treated is painful too since the end of last week! Never had any problems with it before! Also gums are a bit sore either side of both teeth.Dentist X-rayed "opposite" tooth and says it's fine,but seems a bit weird? Any thoughts?

hethmar

Chameleon when you say you saw the private guy last couple of times - do you mean you were paying privately? I cant believe he could be so rude and brusque. My guy is so charming, we had a hug when my fractured tooth was saved - he was as pleased as me.

Why dont you ask around for recommendations or check out the net for private dentists in your area and as toothsmith always recommends, go in and pick up some leaflets to see what the atmosphere and set up is like.

Toothsmith

DANNYBOY1 wrote: »

Thanks for that Toothsmith,I think I will go for the RCT.....just one more question......can you get referred pain elsewhere in the mouth from one bad tooth? Reason I ask is,the tooth directly opposite the one which I'm getting treated is painful too since the end of last week! Never had any problems with it before! Also gums are a bit sore either side of both teeth.Dentist X-rayed "opposite" tooth and says it's fine,but seems a bit weird? Any thoughts?

Pain can be referred all over the place.

I wouldn't worry about it until the tooth has been treated. It will hopefully go away then.

~Chameleon~

hethmar wrote: »

Chameleon when you say you saw the private guy last couple of times - do you mean you were paying privately? I cant believe he could be so rude and brusque. My guy is so charming, we had a hug when my fractured tooth was saved - he was as pleased as me.

No, I wasn't seeing him as a private patient. I'm still trying to figure out exactly how the practice works but it seems it is primarily a private (partnership) practice specialising in cosmetic dentistry ($$$$) who employ a part-time dentist specifically to treat NHS patients.

She's only there 1-2 days a week as far as I can tell so if you need to see a dentist urgently it's likely you will end up seeing one of the private guys, as happened with me at the last two appts. I guess they don't like seeing NHS patients and see us as being inferior to their usual high class clientele :rolleyes:

Why dont you ask around for recommendations or check out the net for private dentists in your area and as toothsmith always recommends, go in and pick up some leaflets to see what the atmosphere and set up is like.

To be honest I can't afford private fees (on incapacity benefits) but I was willing to try save up enough to pay privately for this tooth to be treated as I really don't want to have it extracted as it's the upper pre-molar so the gap will be visible when I smile. This is why I wanted to double check that it's definitely this tooth that needs RCT as the abscess is actually above the molar next to it and I don't mind losing that one as the outer edge has snapped off anyway

In fact I'm even more annoyed now as I previously asked about a referral to the local hospital and he dismissed it saying they wouldn't see me or do RCT but I've just called them myself and they strongly advised me to ask my dentist to refer me to them as RCT under sedation is definitely a treatment they do there but obviously I'd need to see their dentist before she could confirm that I can have this done.

~Chameleon~

DANNYBOY1 wrote: »

......can you get referred pain elsewhere in the mouth from one bad tooth? Reason I ask is,the tooth directly opposite the one which I'm getting treated is painful too since the end of last week! Never had any problems with it before!

I've had exactly the same problem over the past week. My problem tooth is in my upper left jaw but I've also been getting pain in the lower left jaw in the opposite teeth. I think it's to do with the way the facial nerves run so the pain is transferred and can affect the whole side of the face.

hethmar

I do hope you manage to get the hospital appointment then. I had sort of assumed you werent paying the guy - but then Id not expect him to be that rude whether you were or not.

So now you have to see your NHS dentist for a referral?

~Chameleon~

hethmar wrote: »

I do hope you manage to get the hospital appointment then. I had sort of assumed you werent paying the guy - but then Id not expect him to be that rude whether you were or not.

So now you have to see your NHS dentist for a referral?

Yes, I've phoned and explained that I want a referral and have an appt to see the dentist next week, so fingers crossed I can finally get it sorted out. The receptionists are lovely and were quite happy to make an appt for referral, it's just that particular dentist I have the problem with so hope it's not him I'm seeing next week