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

~Chameleon~

It's not actually causing me any problems until I eat/drink something, and then the severity of the pain depends upon how hot/cold the food/drink is but mainly cold stuff so certainly ice cream is out of the question, along with a cold glass of wine and bowls of cereal with ice cold milk

I really think I should try the RCT before opting for extraction as I'm sure the pain is due to the nerve still being alive and being exposed to the base of the filling. I just need to be re-assured that it's not going to be any worse than the filling I've just had, apart from taking a little longer. I didn't experience any pain and I'm sure, once I'd relaxed a little, that I could have managed to stay in the chair a while longer if necessary.

Bf109

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

I really think I should try the RCT before opting for extraction as I'm sure the pain is due to the nerve still being alive and being exposed to the base of the filling. I just need to be re-assured that it's not going to be any worse than the filling I've just had, apart from taking a little longer. I didn't experience any pain and I'm sure, once I'd relaxed a little, that I could have managed to stay in the chair a while longer if necessary.

As much as I weasel about the whole thing - I'd much rather have an RCT than a tooth puled out. Seems so 19th centruy.

I had a similar thing sometimes with my temporary filling in the tooth that needs an RCT. When biting down on somethings I would get a shaft of pain as the temp filling pressed on the nerve - though temperatures never bothered it.....

Anyway, I'll let you know on tuesday pm when I return from my session in the [strike]lubiyanka electric[/strike] chair with the [strike]puppy torturing sadist[/strike] dentist. :eek:

sgrech

Hi there,

I have been suffering from some intermittment toothache for the past couple of weeks. Finally decided to get myself off to the dentist yesterday. I was expecting some bad news, but I underestimated the problems.

The pain that I was getting was due to an abscess. It is in a molar tooth at the top. The molar behind this and the wisdom tooth have previously been removed. The dentist explained that he may be able to save the tooth with a RCT treatment. Those words made me sweat! He then did some more x-rays and discovered another abscess (not so well developed) in the same tooth on the opposite side, which requires the same treatment. Alternatively I could have booth teeth out which would leave me with no molars at the top, not a good state of affiars. The extractions could be free at the hospital or I have the RCT treatments. The treatment would be split into 2 / 3 session. The first two sessions would be 3hrs in duration. At the first appointment he said that he would (amongst other things) drill a hole in the tooth and inject the abscess with antibiotics. I would then return a latter date in 2009 for the root filing treamtment and then potentially another session fit the crowns if required. The cost of the first session I am told will be £789. I was not told the cost of the second session however I believe that it wouldn't be too different. Then there is the cost of the crowns. Therefore I could be looking at a circa £2000 bill!!!!!!!!!!!!! I nearly fell out of the dentists chair.

The main questions I have are
1. Does this sound a lot - I think I know the answer to this one already?
2. The reason why I believe the treatment is particularly expensive it that I will be sedated during sessions 1 & 2. The dentist says that will make the work easier to perform and therefore increase the probability of success. However they have to look after me for the whole three hours (with no other appointments - there there will a loss of revenue). I haven't ready anywhere within the pages of this thread of anyone else having a similar treatment. Does this sound unusual?
3. The teeth in question have already been through the wars. Both have had big cavities and one already has a good crown from some years ago. Given the history of these teeth, is it less likely that the treatment will successfull.
4. Should I seak another a second opinion?

I want to save my teeth if possible. However I don't want to spend 2 grand and end up having them out in a few years time.

Any comments would be much appreciated. I need to make up my mind soon as to what I am going to do. Currently on antibiotics and painkiller.

Simon

hethmar

So is this a private dentist?

sgrech

Yes it is.

hethmar

Get some other quotes. It does seem a lot of money for that work - 2 RCTS? Its the time aswell, seems a big gap between the first session and the next. Mine were done one day and then I went back the next week to be finished off. May be its due to the difficult position of yours? Still, getting another quote may be wise. Good luck.

Toothsmith

Without actually seeing you, it is very hard to be specific with the advice.

It does sound like a fairly complex treatment plan, and so, the price sounds reasonable to me. I do think the dentist should be able to give you a better idea of the costs though, although it can be complicated if you're not sure what you'll be able to save, and what you can't.

I would doubt that the dentist would be suggesting such a complex course of treatment if he thought it would all fall to bits a few months/years later. It is important from his point of view that he has satisfied happy patients.

How did you find this dentist? Was it by recommendation, or just scanning yellow pages?

Is it the practice owner, or just someone who works there? If you see the practice owner, they're likely to be the one who's there for the long-term, and so they'll be the one really wanting treatments to last - as they'll still be there if things go wrong.

I think you need to have another chat with the dentist and really get your concerns straight in your head before proceeding. The dentist really shouldn't mind you doing this, as it's important from his point of view that you are fully aware of all the possible problems.

sgrech

Hi Toothsmith,

There is only a single dentist at this practice, but he is not the owner as far as I am aware.

I have been at the practice for around 7 or 8 years I think and I have been seeing the same dentist for about 3 years.

I am not sure that I would go to another dentist and get another quote unless they were strongly recommended, I am very fussy about my dentists.

I have spoken to the british dental health foundation today to try and get some reassurance. They were quite helpful. I am considering going to see an endodontist (if i can find one) to get an independent view on how long they think that the teeth may last following RCT.

One thing I would like to ask you about Toothsmith is the dentist said that as part of the first session of treatment he would inject the abscess with antibiotics. Having read up on the subject during the past 24 hours I thought that normally the dentist would drain the abscess out. Do you have any comment to make with regards to this process?

Thanks
Simon

Toothsmith

sgrech wrote: »

Hi Toothsmith,

There is only a single dentist at this practice, but he is not the owner as far as I am aware.

I have been at the practice for around 7 or 8 years I think and I have been seeing the same dentist for about 3 years.

I am not sure that I would go to another dentist and get another quote unless they were strongly recommended, I am very fussy about my dentists.

I have spoken to the british dental health foundation today to try and get some reassurance. They were quite helpful. I am considering going to see an endodontist (if i can find one) to get an independent view on how long they think that the teeth may last following RCT.

One thing I would like to ask you about Toothsmith is the dentist said that as part of the first session of treatment he would inject the abscess with antibiotics. Having read up on the subject during the past 24 hours I thought that normally the dentist would drain the abscess out. Do you have any comment to make with regards to this process?

Thanks
Simon

It's good that you've found a dentist you get on with.

I would ask him about a referral to a specialist endodontist first. If you start doing things 'behind his back' it could spoil your relationship. He'd almost certainly know an endodontist, and you're more likelyto get a good reputable one going through your dentist.

I've not heard of injecting antibiotics into infections, but I didn't like to comment on that. With all respect, you can't always rely on the patient to give an accurate description of everything they've been told.

That's why I think you need to go and have another chat with the dentist before you start treatment, and before you go looking for your own specialists.

The dentist might well have thought your budget wouldn't run to getting specialist treatment done as well (Although you should always offer all alternatives to all patients - it's sometimes too easy to fall into the trap of making decisions for the patient or presuming what they'd want).

So - just ring up the practice, and ask the receptionist if you can come in for a chat, as you're unsure about some of the aspects of your treatment.

Write down a list of your queries, as these things tend to go right out of your head when you're actually with 'the man in the white coat', and make sure you get an answer you can understand. Even write down the answers if necessary, so you can refer to it later - as you may well forget some of the answers as well.

If it's a decent practice, they shouldn't mind this at all.

mrs_angry

hi toothsmith can you please reasure me.

i went to the dentist today as have had lump in mouth for 3 months+ and i pop it with a needle on a regular basis, just blood comes out, i have no pain in teeth at all.

dentist said it did have pus in it and she prescribed me amoxicillan and took xray and said that as the tooth had already been root filled (it also has a crown) i may have to have the tooth out.she said antibiotics will work in the short term but the boil will reappear

i am petrified and i mean petrified, this tooth is at the front of my mouth just to the side, i just cant not have a tooth

cant they redo the root canal
what will happen if i refuse to have the tooth out
will they just leave me with a gap

the xray never showed up an infection and im not in pain as i dont have a nerve in that crowned tooth anyway

wont the antibiotics clear up the infection, what else could it be

please help i cant sleep or eat because i cant imagine my life with a big ugly gap at the front of my mouth

i look after my teeth and i am gutted