Difference between private and nhs denture?

mikeassured

Hi

I am due to visit my dentist on Friday to sort out a denture for a tooth I had extracted a couple of months ago.

Can anyone tell me what the difference is between a single tooth denture on the nhs and a private one. The tooth I had extracted was a molar on my upper left. I have a tooth below it that has nothing now to chew against, so my dentist advised to have the denture to prevent any future problems. I think she said a nhs denture is around £200 and a private one is £400.

Thanks

Sue

Toothsmith

Do you mean denture - A removable plate with a tooth on it?

Or a bridge - Crowning a good tooth on one side or both sides of the gap and making something that cements in?

I would suggest that a single tooth denture for a molar tooth would be very unstable and hard to wear.

Although a single tooth denture, or a single tooth bridge would both be a Band 3 £189 NHS treatment, £400 strikes me as very dear for a single tooth denture, but about right for a 2 unit bridge, or a Maryland bridge in that area.

P.S - I'm not going to answer all of your similar posts!!!

mikeassured

Thanks for that toothsmith. Sorry about all the duplicated posts, its a long story.

It it just a single tooth denture, not a bridge. My dentist said that it the private denture has a very small plate and has a clip that goes around the next tooth?? The tooth next to it by the way is a bridge.

Thanks for your time.

Sue

I dont know what a maryland bridge is?

Toothsmith

This is a bit complicated to answer without seeing your mouth.

I would probably not replace a single back tooth, as it would be unlikely to cause problems. If I did I would be unlikely to do it with a single unit denture.

There could well be special factors around your mouth that has led your dentist to this treatment plan, so without having seen you, it wouldn't be right for me to comment.

mikeassured

Thanks for your reply Toothsmith. The reason why she recommended a denture is the tooth below has nothing to chew against anymore, and this can cause problems in the future apparently.

What I was wondering though is whether a private denture will not have such a big plate and would be easier to wear than an nhs one?

Thanks again

Sue