Quick dental costs question.

kitschkitty

Firstly I realise I should have thought to ask my dentist when I was on the phone earlier but.. at lunch time I noticed a filling had disappeared off a tooth (wouldn't mind so much but I was only eating soup and bread)! so I phoned the dentist and they have booked me in for Wednesday morning.

Will this appt. cost me £17 or £47? Also the filling that has broken off was a white filling on the outside of a lower molar. The main part of the tooth has a large gold filling which is still sound. I don't think it matters what colour the filling that has gone is, but will they want to refill in white, and if so will it make any difference to the cost.

Only asking, as so near to Christmas, it's nice to know how much money I'll need to have to budget for this.

Many thanks

brook2jack

No one can tell without seeing the tooth in question how it should be repaired. However gold is not a filling it is probably an inlay just to complicate things which may need more work than a £47 band.

You'll only find out for certain when you attend.

kitschkitty

The gold inlay (sorry I used the wrong term) is a different filling in the same tooth. There's no way I can afford near £200 on another tooth, (paid out to keep/have work done on one done a few months ago as it was a front tooth) I'd have to have leave it till I got tooth ache and then have it extracted in that scenario.

So until I see the dentist I won't know the charge? But what happens if I can't afford the treatment?

brook2jack

If you can't afford it tell them. Be upfront about your finances before they start , if expensive treatment is needed they may be able to put a temporary filling in for now. But until someone actually examines the tooth no one knows what it needs.

kitschkitty

I understand that, though I must admit I wouldn't be willing to pay for a temporary filling, only to pay for an extraction at a slightly later date. To me that would be entirely pointless (just in my personal opinion and situation/experience).

Bit sad to think there's a (hopefully small) chance I could face an extraction right before Christmas though.

Can anyone explain what counts as emergency work then, under the £17 charge?

brook2jack

If it has been a while since your last check up it will be £47. Other than that most dentists would only place a temporary filling for a £17 appointment as emergency appointments are normally squeezed in for shorter times than standard filling appointments as you can't tell until you see someone exactly what they need doing.

kitschkitty

Last visit to the dentist was 4 months ago. Anyway I will budget £47 and keep my fingers cross that it'll be a quick and easy fix!