dental implants on nhs

he_got_game

hey, AE as this is a bit too personal.

just back from the dentist having had the last of my baby teeth pulled, i'm 30.

I think this has focussed my mind a bit. I am missing 7 permanent teeth all of which simply weren't there when the baby teeth fell out, they are all on the bottom in two banks either side of the front ones.

Until today I had no idea that what i have is a genetic disorder known as oligodontia, as when i was younger my dentist simply shrugged his shoulders and said "these things happen"

I have been looking at the possibility of dental implants, but they are muchos expensive. However, further research has led me to believe that i could get nhs funding due to the oligodontia.

Has anyone else tried to get funding for this admittedly rare condition? and second how do i go about applying for funding?

cheers,
HGG

brook2jack

Ask your dentist to refer you for an opinion to your local dental hospital. It may be some distance away.

Implants are by no means guaranteed and vary from area to area. Most want cases of hypodontia (missing teeth) of at least six teeth , but treatment is often staged and can take years as often they prefer to leave baby teeth in as long as possible, and many people with hypodontia have little bone and implant placement can be very difficult or impossible.

You are likely , if they accept you, to be commiting to a few years of treatment and travelling to the hospital. You will also have to maintain immaculate oral hygiene and preferably not be a smoker.

tattybonce

You won't get them on the NHS as they are classified as cosmetic. They will offer you dentures. Good luck anyway

Toothsmith

tattybonce wrote: »

You won't get them on the NHS as they are classified as cosmetic. They will offer you dentures. Good luck anyway

Not strictly true when you're talking about a genetic condition and so many teeth are involved.

But as Brook said - there may be many hoops to jump through, and a long road to travel.

It could easily be the case at the end of the evaluation that clinically, a partial denture is the best option. Implants are by no means the universal 'best option' in every case.

welshdent

IIRC Cardiff work on the basis of 8 or more absent teeth not counting wisdom teeth.
It wont be a quick process though even if they agree to do it. You would be looking at years given wait times etc.

C_Mababejive

I would have thought they wouldnt supply them. I mean,arent they cosmetic? The NHS doesnt pay for contact lenses or glasses for people who cant see without them so why would they pay for dental implants costing thousands?

brook2jack

C_Mababejive wrote: »

I would have thought they wouldnt supply them. I mean,arent they cosmetic? The NHS doesnt pay for contact lenses or glasses for people who cant see without them so why would they pay for dental implants costing thousands?

Read the above posts. Implants may be provided for cases of oral cancer, severe trauma , and congenitally missing teeth (normally more than 6 to 8).

C_Mababejive

brook2jack wrote: »

Read the above posts. Implants may be provided for cases of oral cancer, severe trauma , and congenitally missing teeth (normally more than 6 to 8).

If that is so then it is yet another NHS anomaly in which partially sighted people get no help and yet others do.

xxzowiexx

C_Mababejive wrote: »

I would have thought they wouldnt supply them. I mean,arent they cosmetic? The NHS doesnt pay for contact lenses or glasses for people who cant see without them so why would they pay for dental implants costing thousands?

The NHS do actually supply a voucher for people that have a complex prescription or who are partially sighted.

brook2jack

Well to go into detail , if you've had oral cancer you can lose extensive parts of your jaw. So much that there may be a connection between your nose and mouth so it's impossible to eat without food coming out of your nose. Alternatively you may lose so much of your lower jaw that your rib has to be grafted on to rebuild the jaw. On top of this radiotherapy makes the gums very thin and traumatised. So the choice may be leave a person grossly disfigured and unable to eat or use implants to anchor prosthesis to rebuild the face, jaws and teeth. Ditto the same for gross trauma and congenital abnormalities.

With multiple missing teeth not all cases will be approved, but you will have some people who because the adult teeth have not formed their jaw bones will not have formed and there is so little bone and gum that dentures are impossible to wear and that situation gets worse year on year. So you have the prospect of a teenager, or someone in early twenties/thirties with hardly any teeth, unable to wear a denture, not enough of their own teeth to eat with or even look socially acceptable.that is not to say all people with multiple congenitally missing teeth will be eligible for treatment but those who are qualify because there is no other option to help these people who are in a worse situation than people who had their own adult teeth extracted.

The numbers of people who have implant treatment each year is small but if you had had any contact with these people and the disfigurement,pain and difficulties they face particularly as this is major reconstructive work you would not dismiss it as merely cosmetic.

C_Mababejive

Thats fine. As long as we are not splashing out on new gnashers for those people who have poor hygiene and fail to look after their mouths/teeth/gums and therefore end up with gum disease,skanky teeth and foul breath.