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Getting me teeth fixed.

2456712

Comments

  • brook2jack
    brook2jack Posts: 4,563 Forumite
    edited 9 October 2010 at 7:59PM
    theheathen wrote: »
    The acid reflux is about as under control as it's going to be. Pushing doses of medication higher simply makes the side effects intolerable. Higher doses also carry the risk of permanent weakening of bones.


    The issue is that like so much in healthcare a veil of secrecy surrounds pricing, and this exists solely to obfuscate the very high fees being charges by dentists. Why can't patients simply charge patients for their time? Within the scope of general dentistry this seems a reasonable request. Dentists could state the cost for their time on an hourly basis, and patients would pick up the bill for an significant material costs and lab work.

    or belt providing dentists with opportunities to bait and switch patients to private treatments. Need a 3 unit bridge? Can't do it on the NHS I'm afraid (despite signing a contract that say you should if necessary), but for the low low price of £2000 I can do it privately. Or maybe it could really be the dentists lucky day, a large redundancy payment sir? How about an implant and a few crowns, special offer just for today £4000.

    Am I saying all dentists are like that? No. Dentistry does however have far far more than its fair share of mountebanks.


    I feel very sorry for you in as much as you obviously feel you need top quality treatment but think the very profession you need it from is mostly full of swindling frauds.The biggest hurdle in achieving dental health is trust and developing a good longterm relationship.

    I love my job and, despite a few rogues ,one of the pleasures over the many years has been the enthusiasm and care shown by many colleagues in updating their knowledge and trying their best to provide the very best for their patients.

    Going back to your problems , long term use of high fluoride toothpaste may be indicated if your back teeth are already in such a poor state in your 30s. Crowning every tooth in your mouth is not indicated especially if omeprazole,lansoprazole etc don't keep the erosion under control.

    Erosion/abrasion is one of the most challenging dental problems to treat and reaching for the drill/crowning everything in sight is only going to cause you more problems.

    save your thousands and invest a much smaller amount in finding and keeping a good preventative dentist who will help you keep in good condition what you have left. Your NHS dentist may well have got it partially right and it may be inappropriate to do alot of treatment at the moment, it may be more appropriate over the next few years to monitor your erosion and then plan what to do.
  • brook2jack
    brook2jack Posts: 4,563 Forumite
    theheathen wrote: »
    I'd be glib too. Did you know the average dentist now earns significantly more than the average GP? As a profession you excel at making out you're hard done by, whilst being remunerated very handsomely.


    I didn't... it's news to me ,my family and all my colleagues. But then we read the entire reports from NHS not the highly misleading newspaper/internet headlines. For this reason I also do not really know what the "average" gp earns because I do know the statistics quoted for gp earnings are also highly misleading.

    For certain all I do know is what I personally earn and what people in my area roughly earn. I also know how often I have to defend what people think I earn when they learn I am a dentist at parties etc whilst no one challenges my husband who does a different job and earns much more than me!! Fortunately once I start to enumerate the horrific costs of running a practice they soon understand how little of what is paid ends up in my pocket.

    Even more enlightening is when we have students on work experience. They come in thinking they will graduate , earn £100,000 and spend half their time on the golf course. Two weeks with us and they are soon enlightened and horrified at the hard work,stress and decreased financial expectations they have, along with at least £40,000 debt.
  • brook2jack wrote: »
    I feel very sorry for you in as much as you obviously feel you need top quality treatment but think the very profession you need it from is mostly full of swindling frauds.The biggest hurdle in achieving dental health is trust and developing a good longterm relationship.

    I love my job and, despite a few rogues ,one of the pleasures over the many years has been the enthusiasm and care shown by many colleagues in updating their knowledge and trying their best to provide the very best for their patients.

    Going back to your problems , long term use of high fluoride toothpaste may be indicated if your back teeth are already in such a poor state in your 30s. Crowning every tooth in your mouth is not indicated especially if omeprazole,lansoprazole etc don't keep the erosion under control.

    Erosion/abrasion is one of the most challenging dental problems to treat and reaching for the drill/crowning everything in sight is only going to cause you more problems.

    save your thousands and invest a much smaller amount in finding and keeping a good preventative dentist who will help you keep in good condition what you have left. Your NHS dentist may well have got it partially right and it may be inappropriate to do alot of treatment at the moment, it may be more appropriate over the next few years to monitor your erosion and then plan what to do.

    I currently use pronamel toothpaste which I'm hoping will help stabilise things somewhat. I found this interesting....

    bioimplant.at

    I have access to high end CNC machines. I could get the sorry mess pulled and mill root form analogues from zirconium ceramic with abutment integrated and place them in the extraction sockets, take an impression, and get crowns made. It does have the virtue of obviating the need for significant engagement with a profession you correctly identify that I consider to be of dubious repute.
  • theheathen wrote: »
    I currently use pronamel toothpaste which I'm hoping will help stabilise things somewhat. I found this interesting....

    bioimplant.at

    I have access to high end CNC machines. I could get the sorry mess pulled and mill root form analogues from zirconium ceramic with abutment integrated and place them in the extraction sockets, take an impression, and get crowns made. It does have the virtue of obviating the need for significant engagement with a profession you correctly identify that I consider to be of dubious repute.


    I just have to say :rotfl:
  • brook2jack
    brook2jack Posts: 4,563 Forumite
    I'm afraid not. Implants require meticulous care and maintainance. Moreover if you grind/clench your teeth they are far more likely to be lost/broken that your own teeth.

    As a minimum implants require hygiene visits every 3 to 6 months and replacement/tightening of the superstructure at intervals.

    xrays also need to be taken at yearly intervals because the early stages of implant loss can be difficult to spot until it's too late.

    Proenamel will do not much good if you have quite severe erosion. You may well be better off with a prescription only high fluoride toothpaste and posslbly regular topical fluoride treatments.... but unfortunately for you that means regular visits to the dentist.

    Your best bet for dentist free ish future is simple full dentures .. but even they need replacing regularly and they are hardly a good substitute for your own teeth.
  • brook2jack wrote: »
    I didn't... it's news to me ,my family and all my colleagues. But then we read the entire reports from NHS not the highly misleading newspaper/internet headlines. For this reason I also do not really know what the "average" gp earns because I do know the statistics quoted for gp earnings are also highly misleading.

    For certain all I do know is what I personally earn and what people in my area roughly earn. I also know how often I have to defend what people think I earn when they learn I am a dentist at parties etc whilst no one challenges my husband who does a different job and earns much more than me!! Fortunately once I start to enumerate the horrific costs of running a practice they soon understand how little of what is paid ends up in my pocket.

    Even more enlightening is when we have students on work experience. They come in thinking they will graduate , earn £100,000 and spend half their time on the golf course. Two weeks with us and they are soon enlightened and horrified at the hard work,stress and decreased financial expectations they have, along with at least £40,000 debt.


    Thwarted expectations that no doubt lead many down the road of professional dishonesty. As for earnings, the argument you make is pretty fatuous. Many students in equally academically rigorous disciplines graduate with debts in the same ball park, but they can't look forward to a well paid job for life, and one largely insulated from wider economic malaise. Figures from your own [STRIKE]union[/STRIKE] association show average earnings pushing £100k per annum. As a profession if being in the top 0.01% income bracket leaves you feeling inadequately rewarded, then crass hubris really has taken hold.
  • tomstickland
    tomstickland Posts: 19,538 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    the vast bulk going to meet the income expectations of a profession seemingly drunk on the possibilities provided by a state enforced monopoly
    I've got a private dentist and think the rates charged are pretty reasonable considering the overheads, staff, training required and the nature of the job.
    Happy chappy
  • brook2jack wrote: »
    I'm afraid not. Implants require meticulous care and maintainance. Moreover if you grind/clench your teeth they are far more likely to be lost/broken that your own teeth.

    As a minimum implants require hygiene visits every 3 to 6 months and replacement/tightening of the superstructure at intervals.

    xrays also need to be taken at yearly intervals because the early stages of implant loss can be difficult to spot until it's too late.

    Proenamel will do not much good if you have quite severe erosion. You may well be better off with a prescription only high fluoride toothpaste and posslbly regular topical fluoride treatments.... but unfortunately for you that means regular visits to the dentist.

    Your best bet for dentist free ish future is simple full dentures .. but even they need replacing regularly and they are hardly a good substitute for your own teeth.


    Did you look at that site btw? As someone in the profession you might find it an interesting take on implantation. It's a complete root form replacement that undergoes osseointegration. There's no osteotomy or any other surgical procedure required. Impressive stuff.
  • I've got a private dentist and think the rates charged are pretty reasonable considering the overheads, staff, training required and the nature of the job.


    I see. Are you aware of what the practise specific overheads are? How about the ancillary staff, you know their salaries? The charge many be reasonable to you, is it reasonable to wider society?
  • jugglebug
    jugglebug Posts: 383 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    quoting average earnings is always fun
    IIRC (and frankly I can't be bothered to go look it up)
    The average earnings will include such folk as my old boss who held the NHS contract for 4 dental practices in his name out of which he had to pay 10 dentists, all of which are invisible to the figures
    It would also have included the likes of James Hull who owned (and is still on the board I believe) of a huge chain of dental practices. Again with a huge number of associates who as far as the NHS is concerned hold no contract at all. (termed performers, rather than the contract holders who are providers)
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