Re-Cementing Crown on Tooth £48!!! Is this about right?

moneysavvy35

Hi

Hope I've posted this on the right forum. Cut a long story short my flat gold crown came off my tooth this morning. I called for an appointment at my dentist.When I arrived I asked the charge - thier I was thinking £15-£20 max (its come off before and this procedure literally takes 5-10mins) When the receptionist said £48 I couldn't believe it:eek:

The last time I had it done I didn't pay. I've always worried about the cost of dental care but I didn't realise it would cost that much. I paid anyway cause I didn't wanna be walking around like it all weekend.

But seriously is that the cost for this type of thing?? I since been issued with a price list. The cost of dental treatment is VERY expensive.

How do I apply for pay under the NHS for any further treatments I may have. Do I pay any less for being an NHS patient anyway, I'm having a bit of difficutly understanding those rules....

welshdent

Were you seen as a private patient?

£48 is the cost of an nhs band 2 course of treatment. Without seeing you it is hard to say what the charge exactly relates to. If it was a simple refixing of the crown then it is normally band 4/urgent when out of regular treatment which is £17.50 in england for NHS work. However if the core was broken and had come away (the bulk of the tooth and filling under the crown covering) then it isnt a simple recementation. The tooth may have needed re coring of the crown replaced completely. If the crown seats well on the margins of the tooth preparation then a band 2 could be justified as you are in effect having a new filling placed. If you had needed a whole new crown then you would have fallen in to a band 3 so £209. It is entirely possible that while you saw something being more expensive than expected, your dentist may have been doing their best to keep the actual costs down for you.

As I said, £48 could actually be NHS fees so if it IS what they treated you under then no you do not get it any less unless you are granted an exemption/.

moneysavvy35

Thanks welshdent...the receptionist asked if I was on benefits, when I said no she said I'd be going as a private patient then?

I think it was something that would have fell into band 4 .had I been on the nhs (if I read you right) she literally placed the crown on, asked me to bite down, I confirmed it still felt OK, then she put the cement on, put some red laser thing on, then I was out of thier!!

How would I know if I'm private or NHS? Would they have asked me? Can I ask her to become an NHS patient?

sorry for more questions...

kboss2010

Everyone in the UK is entitled to register with an NHS dentist. If you can find one which is accepting new patients. That's the hard bit.

Word of warning though. The NHS use cheaper materials for repairs and such so they may not look great or last as long as private treatment. Many private practices which give both NHS and private treatment use only recently qualified dentists For NHS work and these can change frequently meaning you may not get to keep the same dentist over a long period. That's why it's cheaper. Having said that, most dental work is expensive for what you get. I get charged £90 for a check-up and scale and polish for a 15 minute appointment privately. My crown, root canal and a filling cost me over £900.

Toothsmith

You said 'my' dentist, but the rest of your post sounds like you don't go very often?

I'm purely private, and the fee I publish for recementing a crown is £45.

I generally only charge that to a 'casual' patient though. One that I don't see very often, or who just comes in for as 'one off'.

Irregulars coming in for treatments like that do cause particular problems in that actually accepting them as a patient does then start a 'contract' between you. What if, for example, the day after having the crown recemented, the tooth started hurting, or the filling in the tooth above it fell out? So just sticking the crown back on isn't what the dentist is doing, he's also just checking to make sure that other things in there are looking OK, and that you're not going to be blaming him for messing something else up!

If it's a regular patient of mine. One who I have a good idea of what's going on anyway, then I would charge them much less than that.

moneysavvy35

kboss2010 wrote: »

. I get charged £90 for a check-up and scale and polish for a 15 minute appointment privately. My crown, root canal and a filling cost me over £900.

:eek:

Thanks Toothsmith....I do go to the dentist fairly regular. Having said that a 'locum' saw me today, not that it would have made any difference. I take all your points on board though....I think I may have to look into NHS route, my appointments are all fairly routine thank god.

Poppy9

We have NHS dentist and OH had to have his chipped front tooth built up again this week. He paid £48. His tooth chipped when he 17 and he is now 50 and he's had to have it redone every 7 or so years.

sweetcheeks33

Just in reply I see an nhs dentist, I see the same on every appointment and I have never felt the work to be sub standard or ever had problems with the work that has been done. Not all nhs dentists rush you in and out because there not interested.

CupOfChai

Me too. I love my NHS dentist, he is wonderful and I never feel rushed. And he also does private work and lets you chop and change between the two if you want.

So much better than the last place I went! I think I got lucky here, as both places were the only local practice taking NHS patients.

moneysavvy35 wrote: »

...
How would I know if I'm private or NHS? Would they have asked me? Can I ask her to become an NHS patient?

sorry for more questions...

Ask them what they have you down as? Or just to be sure I might make a point of asking each time which you're being treated under for that visit, or specifying for each treatment/visit you go for that you want to be seen for that one as NHS or as private.

kboss2010

moneysavvy35 wrote: »

:eek:

Thanks Toothsmith....I do go to the dentist fairly regular. Having said that a 'locum' saw me today, not that it would have made any difference. I take all your points on board though....I think I may have to look into NHS route, my appointments are all fairly routine thank god.

I should explain I live in Aberdeen which is equivalent to London for property prices, rental, living expenses, dental work included.

I come from Manchester where I have a private podiatrist (I wear orthoses as I have flat feet and problems caused by years of ballet). In Manchester they cost me £190 all-in to have my feet assessed and have them custom-made and fitted by a podiatist the same day. The same service in Aberdeen costs £500 and they take moulds of your feet, send them to Canada and you get them within 6 weeks.

If you're a money-saver don't live in Aberdeen or the 'Shire lol!