Dentists - Private/NHS ?

bubblegum6000

Hi I was wondering if some of you lovely people could help me!
I currently have 9 filling - all my molars and one further forward. These were all filled when I was 12 in 2 sessions. I had problems at the time with pain, even after 7 injections I could still feel it! I changed dentist shortly after and over the next 10 years I have had 3 of these fillings replaced time and time again, due to breaking! Everyme I end up with numerous injections and agonizing pain! They usually end up scraping it! Anyway my dentist wouldn't listen and mainly shouted and told me it was my fault my nerves were weird I changed dentist again last year as I didn't like the was he treated me. This new dentist is very nice but last year I had 1 filling replaced again and the pain was awful! He really didn't seembothered and wanted me out!
I returned today as yet again my bottom molar has broken! This will be the 8th time it has been replaced since 2000! I just want to cry as I am now terrified of going and know it is going to.hurt! He said that it is all in the mind! I just don't feel they give me enough time and listen
Now the big question should i pay to go private? Would they listen more? The dentist im looking at only does white fillings and im scared they wouldn't last as this tooth is pretty much just a filling these days! I am also thinking sedition may be good but not sure? (NHS wait is too long and my dentist doeset tthink its necessary!)
Im just terrified and would do anything to have minimal pain and nice teeth!
Sorry for the ramblings! Would private be better?
Thanks bubbles x

j.e.j.

Can anyone nearby recommend you a dentist? Otherwise I would think it's just down to luck as to whether you see someone who is compassionate (or not!!)

It is possible that a private dentist will have more time to spend on you, but of course once money comes into the equation you might get other problems, eg is the work he/she is doing really necessary or are they wanting to earn a bit more money by doing it, etc.

brook2jack

There are a whole number of reasons why anaesthesia may be difficult for you from medical ( ie hypermobilty syndrome) , hair colour (red heads feel pain more) , unusual anatomy, resistant to anaesthetics , to being nervous.

Everyone can be anaesthetised but sometimes it needs different techniques and sometimes the person needs a little help with an oral sedative or gas and air or iv sedation.

The important thing is to find a recommended dentist good at dealing with nervous patients and explain your problems. They will be able to help.

Unfortunately nhs practice is carried out at such a pace you are unlikely to find a nhs dentist who may be able to spend the time to sort out your problems. You are likely to have to go private but choose on recommendation for their skills with nervous patients rather than glitzy surroundings.

But the most important thing is you have had alot of fillings. Fillings mainly only break because more decay gets around the tooth. Help yourself now by looking hard at your diet and cut out the stuff that's causing the damage.

brook2jack

[QUOTE=j.e.j.;
It is possible that a private dentist will have more time to spend on you, but of course once money comes into the equation you might get other problems, eg is the work he/she is doing really necessary or are they wanting to earn a bit more money by doing it, etc.[/QUOTE]

The thing that money buys JEJ is time. Nhs practice is very very very time constrained the average nhs dentist sees 40 plus patients in a day , the average private dentist 20 to 25 or less. People with problems need time and this is often only available in private practice .

You may also be interested to learn JEJ that the latest figures show private dentists earn around 5% less than nhs dentists due to the much higher costs of running a private practice.

j.e.j.

I think it varies, to be honest Brook2Jack. I personally have experienced visiting an nhs dentist where you really do feel like you're on a conveyor belt (As you say, very time constrained!) but to be fair I have also had good nhs dentists where I have not felt like that.

I am not concerned with what people earn, but I am often very dubious (as you've no doubt noticed!!) when what's essentially a health service is run for profit.

One reason for this being someone I know very well managed to get a job where the company she worked for paid for private dentistry. On her next visit to the dentist (same dentist, same surgery, - she'd been going there all her life) she suddenly found she needed hundreds of pounds worth of work done. Could be pure coincidence of course.. Maybe a few months earlier (when she was an nhs patient) there was nothing wrong with her teeth. But I doubt it

Anyway, hope the OP manages to find a suitable dentist (nhs or not)!

brook2jack

All dental health services other than the very very few run by the government are run for profit. There is no such thing as a nhs dentist all dentists are private dentists who contract some of their time to nhs work but all of us have to make a profit otherwise our loans dont get paid and neither do we. When someone has a private check up you can offer options not available on the nhs such as filling gaps with implants , cosmetic work etc and preventative treatments . Where it is perfectly acceptable to leave gaps when teeth are extracted or leave stained teeth or fillings as treatment of these is not essential for dental health these options can be offered privately. Perversely the current n hs contract has disincentives to do much work as it so poorly pays for advanced work like root treatments. However the vast majority of dentists in both systems do their ethical best for patients in often trying circumstances .

Apfelbaum

j.e.j. wrote: »

I
I am not concerned with what people earn, but I am often very dubious (as you've no doubt noticed!!) when what's essentially a health service is run for profit.
!

What a strange thing to say! Do you go to work for nothing? Aside from Mother Theresa, I can't think of anyone else off the top of my head who doesn't want earn while they are working!

j.e.j.

..and what a curious first-ever post :think:! (unless you're signing in as an ae?)

bubblegum6000

Thanks for the replies! Brook2jack, i think you have said it all by saying i can buy time at a private dentist! I have done some research and found one who deals with lots of nervous patients so am hoping he will let me explain and listen! I promise my diet has improved massively over the last few years and hope to keep my teeth nice and not need to replace anything else!

Thanks again

Apfelbaum

j.e.j. wrote: »

..and what a curious first-ever post :think:! (unless you're signing in as an ae?)

Why is that curious? And what is an ae?