NHS Wisdom Tooth Removal

punkrockprincess

Hi,

I have been working in Canada on a Temporary work permit for over a year, but am a UK Citizen. I have no dental coverage over here and it would be over 1000 pounds to get my wisdom teeth removed.

My wisdom tooth has grown in sideways and the rest are fine, but the sideways one is constantly in pain and is causing me problems with food getting trapped under it.

I am 24 and have never had any dental work done besides my normal check ups, but I was a student and so never paid.

Is Wisdom Tooth removal covered by the NHS because I cannot afford to get my tooth removed in Canada, so coming home would be the best idea if it is. Since the tooth is completely on its side, I would assume i would need surgery to get it out.

But I really dont know I havent dealt with anything like this before so dont really know what the situation is. I can only find an old thread on this subject which I dont know if it is still valid or not.

brook2jack

It Doesn't matter if you are a uk citizen or not but whether you pass the rules to prove you are ordinarily resident in the uk. Eg do you have a gp in the uk and a resident address? If so you are entitled to nhs treatment.

You will need to see a dentist who can assess your problems and if necessary refer to a hospital. You will have to attend at least twice , once for assessment and once for the proceedure. There is likely to be a waiting list which may be months in-between appointments.

You should always ensure you have medical and dental insurance when working abroad because unless you meet the ordinarily resident rules you will not qualify for nhs treatment.

Toothsmith

As Brook said, You'd need to get home to get a UK dentist to look at you and then write the referral. Then, some variable time later, but usually several weeks, you'd need to be assessed by the Oral Surgery department of the hospital you were referred to, and then, depending on the waiting list, you'd need to come back again several weeks later to have it out.

Now - if you're due back in the country for several months soon, this should be no problem.

If you have to travel back and forwards to Canada and take weeks or months off your job there to accomodate all this - it might well be a lot cheaper just to pay to have it done there at a time of your choosing.

punkrockprincess

My Dentist is in the UK as is my GP, I still have UK bank accounts and everything, It s actually cheaper for me to fly back to the UK twice than actually have it done in Canada.

I am ineligible to get dental insurance because I already have an insurance policy through my job which covers dental....but only after you have worked with the company for 2 years...which is never gonna happen in my case!

Toothsmith

Get it done in the UK then.

punkrockprincess

Thanks for the advice, got an appointment booked with my dentist for December 16th when I am back home for xmas Hopefully i can painkiller it up until then!

welshdent

Be warned though, most wisdom teeth extractions are referred out now. If thats the case then if you go via the NHS route you could be looking at anything up to a years wait. The dental appointment on the 16th will probably just be for a check over. I do very few wisdom teeth extractions - only the easy ones and fully erupted ones.

Toothsmith

punkrockprincess wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, got an appointment booked with my dentist for December 16th when I am back home for xmas Hopefully i can painkiller it up until then!

As Welsh said, and as I said - chances are you'll be referred to hospital for this.

So in Dec, your dentist will see you, and send off a referral if appropriate. Then, a few weeks later, you will be called to he hospital for them to have a look, then a few weeks/months after that the deed will be done.

So 3 hops across the pond, and several months before it's finally done.

Darlyd

I am private, I had a hole in my wisdom and oh my god, the pain was worse than labour! I was referred to another dentist who specializes in extraction, and had it taken out within a week from going to the dentist in the first place. Mine was easy to come out though as it was the top one. Think it cost me £175 there abouts!!

Depends on how much pain it is causing you, and weather you can afford to go private to have it taken out..

**dancingbutterfly**

I was referred to my hospital for my bottom lower wisdom teeth removal in June 2010, I seen my consultant Feb 2011 and they were removed August 2011. As massive wait and i was in total agony. So be prepared for a wait! Obviously this differs with each hospital etc.