Dentist Question

VictoriaBlyth

Hello,

I wonder if anyone could give me some advice?

After years of avoiding the dentist due to the shame I felt about the state of my teeth, I finally plucked up the courage to go!

I went yesterday, as an NHS patient and was really pleased when she told me I needed nothing other than to have my teeth cleaned and eveything else was 'cosmetic'.

My two front teeth have a gap you could drive though, i am missing a tooth next to my front tooth and have a (very old) fiiling at the top of my eye tooth on the other side.

I asked her what needed doing and she said it depended. Very little if I went NHS and a lot if I had it done privately. Now, I am prepared to pay - I cannot remember the last time I smiled, and cover my mouth when I am talking, but I do know that it is likely to be very, very expensive.

Now, I know you cannot help with that:p but, I have had a nagging feeling ever since that I would not get very much out of her if I went NHS. She was really pushing private treatment, but maybe that is the only way to go?

I am so confused now, having built myself up to 'doing it', I am now anxious about her attitude, and the results from NHS treatment, but frightened I cannot afford private.

By the way, I don't (well, I do, but know I can't have) perfect teeth, I just want to smile again, a big toothy smile rather that the closed lip smirk I have perfected.

Any advice would be very gratefully received.

McKneff

Hello there and welcome to the boards, my own thoughts are this.

NHS have to provide any 'necessary' dental work. I would think this would cover a filling, a replacement front (side) tooth, but the gap in your two front teeth would not be covered as it would be classed as cosmetic.

We do have 2 or 3 dentists on the boards who should be able to help further, they will probably be along later.

VictoriaBlyth

Ahh, that explains a lot! I never thought of that, but to be fair, she didn't tell me either:)

I wonder if I can mix and match? Have as much as possible done on NHS and have the other stuff (crowns, or something) done privately....

Thank you very much for welcoming me here and for being so quick to answer!

McKneff

Look after them Victoria, I had to have most of my top teeth out last year and with low bone density I couldnt have implants, so now Im stuck with dentures. Wouldnt wish them on my worst enemy.
If your not happy with your dentist, you could always change. I'm sure you could mix and match. Its all custom isnt it, but Im not sure.
Perhaps having the tooth missing has helped to widen the gap in your front teeth too, it does happen over the years.
And a nice smile is priceless.
Good luck and let us know how you get on
Annie

brook2jack

The NHS is only there to do treatment necessary to secure dental health. This will not include replacing fillings because they are discoloured, filling gaps between teeth or replacing gaps that have been there a long time. Why don't you just ask your dentist for a quote to do these privately it doesn't commit you to anything and then you can budget to do these. You can mix NHS and private treatment so long as it's not on the same tooth.

welshdent

brook IIRC you CAN now mix on the same tooth provided the patient is fully aware of what is provided privately and then as part of the NHS course. Case in point NHS RCT and private crown

VictoriaBlyth

Thank you both.

I think I have just been confused about what is available via the NHS. I accept ( and agree) that I will have to pay for the cosmetic side of the treatment, lets hope I can afford it! I think the confusion came up because when I looked at NHS pricing, the band 3 at £204 covers crowns and I rather arrogantly assumed I would be able to have my front teeth capped under that scheme. I guess that even though one of them is sticking out a bit sideways does not count as necessary work, so will have to be paid for. I have been saving up for this for a few years now, but guess it won't cover the cost.....

Ah well, not to worry:D (this is how I want to look, not green, but the teeth are ace)!

ERICS_MUM

Sorry, just read this back before posting and it's too long, but hope it helps.

3 years ago I was in the same boat, but summoned up the courage and went to the dentist. He explained up front that he couldn't do cosmetic treatment on the NHS, but I was desperate and went down the private route.

I have never regretted it, I am so pleased with my new gnashers that I smile at everyone! I now spend a fortune on different toothpastes, brushes, flosses and mouthwashes etc.:D

I was amazed how painless it all was, dental technology has come a long way in 20 years. I even managed to sit in the dreaded chair for over two hours one day :eek:

Anyway if it helps, this is what I paid:

replace silver filling with a white one - £80 to £150 each depending on size

crown/veneers: £470 each

tooth whitening - £180.

I spread the work out over 2 years, starting with whitening then the crowns/veneers in the front, then working round the sides.

The whitening of your natural teeth is done first obviously so the crowns etc can be colour-matched. Mine took 2 weeks, wearing a mould and bleach solution overnight.

Crowns/veneers take 2 sessions - the first is to prepare the teeth, take impressions for the "permanent" crowns/veneers and fit temporaries. A couple of weeks later the temporaries were removed and permanent ones fitted. I had 2 teeth done at a time, both the same side of the mouth.

Replacing the silver fillings with white is a revelation. The transformation is instant - not just the look of the top of the filling but also the fact that the body of the tooth looks whiter as the silver stuff doesn't show through anymore (if you know what I mean).

I really recommend having it done, but only if you are willing to spend quite a lot of time at least twice a day to look after them and your gums well.

My dentist told me it's better to keep my own teeth as it keeps the jawbone healthier than if they were extracted and replaced with dentures.

My only worry is whether they are prone to fall off, I'd worry about swallowing them ! I keep meaning to see if I can insure them. I would welcome a dentist's comments on these 2 points.


Linda xx

brook2jack

No you can't insure dental work other than by looking after it with cleaning and sensible diet, which you seem to be doing. As to crowns falling off, post crowns where the nerve is dead and the crown is held on by a post in the tooth can sometimes fall out, but on the whole crowns don't fall out, although decay can get underneath and the tooth underneath can break if you're not careful.

All dental work eventually needs replacing... Nothing lasts forever dentally speaking, except your own teeth.

welshdent

VictoriaBlyth wrote: »

Thank you both.

I think I have just been confused about what is available via the NHS. I accept ( and agree) that I will have to pay for the cosmetic side of the treatment, lets hope I can afford it! I think the confusion came up because when I looked at NHS pricing, the band 3 at £204 covers crowns and I rather arrogantly assumed I would be able to have my front teeth capped under that scheme. I guess that even though one of them is sticking out a bit sideways does not count as necessary work, so will have to be paid for. I have been saving up for this for a few years now, but guess it won't cover the cost.....

Ah well, not to worry:D (this is how I want to look, not green, but the teeth are ace)!

It is unlikely you would get 2 caps for appearance sake on the NHS. I know I usually try and restore with composite if possible. A crown is very destructive and from what you have said that would be a very invasive procedure for someone nervous. The banding is a little misleading too. You can have all necessary treatment to obtain oral health ... but oral health may require a number of courses of treatment while things settle and thus charges. You need really to talk to the dentist and ask what they recommend and then go from there with the plan

belfastgirl23

Just to add a non-dental comment, if this person is going to be spending considerable time working at your mouth, you need to feel comfortable and confident with them. If this isn't the case then maybe you should investigate going to someone else?

Sorry if I'm confusing things more, but I've recently seen a friend being treated by a dentist she wasn't happy with. It was stressful and unpleasant and she still has a nagging worry that some of it wasn't necessary. So make sure you feel happy with your dentist before you get any more treatment done.