NHS Dentistry Advice Needed, please.

Walda_Wild

Hi everyone!:wave:

sorry that my first post here is a moaning one, but advice is needed, because when it comes to teeth, it is no joke.

The story is this.

I’ve been registered with my local dental practice for over 3 years and was always satisfied with service and treatments standards.

However after yesterday’s visit for a regular check-up, I am very disappointed.

The practice’s principal dentist was a professional and experienced, skilled doctor, who treated both private and NHS patients equally. I am telling that from my own experience, since I had both private and NHS treatments performed by her.
Since she left in December, I was then appointed a new dentist.

To cut long story short, I had a problem with the two front teeth after the white filling fitted last November fillings fell out and teeth discolour).

Yesterday I was told that (even though I’m an NHS patient) both teeth’s correction has to be private, since the reason is apparently purely cosmetic
(never mind, that a tooth with serious enamel damage discoloured and is extremely sensitive to everything).

Why was it not cosmetic half a year ago ?- is a mystery.

I was then suggested to use hygienist before making an appointment (also private).

And then I was advised to go for veneers (ideally), which are not available under NHS, and in my case - an extreme measure, since white composit fillings are a less radical choice.
And it goes without saying, much more affordable.

There was no scale and polish or ex-ray done during this check-up either.
Is this acceptable? If not, what people do when they’re unhappy with treatment?

I have not made an appointment neither with hygienist nor with the new dentist, simply because of the entirely new attitude, which is negative and totally commercialized.

I am confused as to what to do next.

Try and change the dentist in this practice, which is very close to where I live, or seek for a good NHS dentist else where, which is always a trick?

Sorry for a long post. Opinions and any advice appreciated.

j.e.j.

can you try and find out where your old dentist went, or did she retire?

Walda_Wild

j.e.j. wrote: »

can you try and find out where your old dentist went, or did she retire?

She was south african and worked in different european countries to gain more experience.

She went back to South Africa, so way too far for me to follow.:)

P.S. Does anybody know decent nhs practices in Cambridgeshire/East Anglia at all?

All I can find in Google is recommendations from netmums of 2009, which might be out of date...

Fire_Fox

Welcome. It's worth familiarising yourself with the advanced search function. A few of the recent threads on scale and polish, responded to by three of the regulars who identify as dentists (Brook2jack, Welshdent, Toothsmith) https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4539477
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4539035
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4251741

What is included in each band of NHS treatment, note that it says "Depending on what’s necessary".
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/nhs-dental-band-charges.aspx?CategoryID=74&SubCategoryID=742

brook2jack

X rays should not be taken every visit, but according to patient need , which for alot of people will be every two years.

Scaling and polishing is not strictly available if it's just to remove stain and there is no gum disease.

The white filling may I can't comment about because I cant see the teeth.

With swapping to any new dentist always go for recommendations from someone who has actually seen them. Ask friends and family.

Walda_Wild

Hi FireFox, thank you for the links, I have never been very good with new forums search engines.

I have read some of those threads already though, and forum's dentists come across as very knowledgeable.
However even though I acknowledge all the changes introduced in regards of scale & polish procedures (clearly tar removal isn‘t vital, just like sorting out mental health problems on nhs these daysJ,

in my case I believe it was necessary, since my teeth are painfully sensitive (cold/hot beverages) and highly prone to staining.
Surely if I have had an on going problem with bleeding gums (because of bruxism), was prescribed Corsodyl mouthwash, sent to hygienist in the past, and had recently fitted fillings fall out and teeth discoloured as a result, I might need a little scale & polish during a
check up, even though a hygienist would have been the best option?

Walda_Wild

brook2jack wrote: »

With swapping to any new dentist always go for recommendations from someone who has actually seen them. Ask friends and family.

Hi Brook2jack,

My family live in another country, so can’t consult them, and friends mainly use private doctors through company schemes, which I currently can’t afford, as was made redundant not so long ago.

The dentist I was happy with specialized in cosmetic dentistry (even though she had both nhs and private patients) and was truly talented, since when it comes to front teeth, it’s jeweller’s type of art.

Now I was told that only one of the four teeth, which were covered (there were erosions on them) with white composit filling several months ago (as paid NHS treatment), can be corrected under NHS, the rest have to be private, even though crumbled edges and discolouration causes me discomfort.

I mean, if I just go for the new filling in just one of the 4 front teeth, I will eventually end up having several shades of teeth pigmentation.

Equally are veneers an option for somebody who grinds teeth overnight?

Borage

Oasis have 3 practices in Cambridge https://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&gs_rn=9&gs_ri=psy-ab&tok=TCxoST0HKamtMha06G611w&cp=10&gs_id=eg&xhr=t&q=oasis+cambridge&es_nrs=true&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&oq=oasis+camb&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.45512109,d.d2k&fp=a27feb7415af5ad3&biw=1280&bih=894

brook2jack

I would be very unhappy fitting veneers on someone who bruxes. Do you wear a gumshield at night? I also wonder from what you say if you have some acid erosion going on from diet or stomach problems.

Sensitive and prone to staining teeth sounds as though it's not a problem needing scale and polish more a problem of bruxing and ? erosion that needs diagnosing and treating, otherwise any white filling, veneer placed on the front teeth will continually fall out or chip off and your remaining teeth will continue to stain and feel sensitive.

Scaling and polishing and use of corsodyl does not treat bruxing (grinding teeth particularly at night). Incidentally corsodyl stains teeth Brown and is not meant for long term use so if you are still using stop unless advised to by your dentist.

Walda_Wild

brook2jack wrote: »

I would be very unhappy fitting veneers on someone who bruxes. Do you wear a gumshield at night? I also wonder from what you say if you have some acid erosion going on from diet or stomach problems.

Sensitive and prone to staining teeth sounds as though it's not a problem needing scale and polish more a problem of bruxing and ? erosion that needs diagnosing and treating, otherwise any white filling, veneer placed on the front teeth will continually fall out or chip off and your remaining teeth will continue to stain and feel sensitive.

Scaling and polishing and use of corsodyl does not treat bruxing (grinding teeth particularly at night). Incidentally corsodyl stains teeth Brown and is not meant for long term use so if you are still using stop unless advised to by your dentist.

Hi,

This problem has become a nightmare for me, considering my original teeth have always been strong, bright and straight at the front. It started about 2-3 years ago, when I had first small erosions appear and gums receding on top of the incisors.

I then went to hygienist, cleaned the teeth and had the erosions fixed with cosmetic fillings, which lasted for about a year and then started to look fragmented (when you can tell - half of the tooth is covered with composit and half is your actual enamel).

So every half a year I had to have some sort of correction.

My dentist even asked me to write a diary of what I was eating and drinking, since my back teach did not have any damage or previous fillings, but the front 4 started crumbling all of a sudden. They did not find anything terrible in my diet except for tea/coffee and lemonade ( I do not drink gallons of fizz, no).

And I do not have indigestion, heartburn or any stomach conditions to my knowledge.

Bruxism I kind of self-diagnosed, because my friend who used to stay over mine, said I clenched my jaws something awful, and she thought if I had weaker teeth originally I would have grinded them to powder by now.

I have also noticed it must be exacerbated by stress.

So having lost my job did not help, I guess.

When I told this to the new dentist yesterday, she asked me if I am wearing a night guard.

I would have thought these things must be prescribed by a dentist and individually made?

So as my previous dentist never diagnosed me with bruxism (which looks like it’s progressing), how would I know about a night guard at all?

The dentist is new but the practice is the same, so all my medical history is in the file.

Anyway, I have a job interview, but can’t even smile at my own mirror reflection, let alone at somebody else.

Brook2jack, thanks for your advice, very much appreciated. And yes, even though I am not a dentist, I logically thought that it’s odd to suggest veneers to somebody with this type of problem. But what is the solution apart from night guard for the fillings to last more than half a year - crowns? But that means filing down a healthy tooth….

　

brook2jack

The fillings will not last until you have a night guard made and fitted and you are wearing successfully , and the erosion is sorted. You should mention to the dentist about your grinding at night.

Enamel that is being eroded is difficult to work with as things don't stick well. If it is not your diet then things like hiatus hernia or gastric reflux come to mind things like obesity, smoking , spicy foods stress can make this worse.

Crowns will destroy good enamel and until your bruxing, erosion is controlled there is no permanent solution.

Stress also makes bruxing worse. So discuss with whichever dentist having a gumshield made, make any lifestyle changes and book any investigations 're stomach acid problems and then once that is settled something that lasts might be able to be done for your teeth.