£995 dental implants

cdbe11

So I attended my consultation. He took my medical history, x-rayed the root, confirmed it was fractured and also that it (or the gum) was infected. He proposed that I return to my NHS dentist, ask them to remove the root (with care to preserve the underlying bone) and treat the infection with antibiotics. I was then to return to him in 10 weeks, he would check the area was full healed etc, take additional x-rays and if happy place the implant. Based on his experience it was 50/50 whether I would need bone grafting - if I did he would do this as required. I would then wait for 4-5 months for the bone to integrate the implant, he would confirm all ok (with a torque wrench??!!) and then the crown would be made/fitted. The cost (including crown) would be £995, plus £350 if the bone grafting was required, plus £8 for antibiotics when the implant was placed. A temporary tooth would be extra but he suggested if I wanted one as I had an nhs dentist it was the difference between band B for the extraction and band C for the extraction and a denture, about £160 - I could probably live with the gap to save the money but it's something I need to discuss with my wife! Regarding warranty: it was 3 years on his work, 5 years on the implant (osstem) and 1 year on the crown. I asked why it was so "cheap", he explained quite frankly that he had low overheads, considered the procedure straightforward and had carried out in excess of 600 implants to date so achieved certain economies of scale (but he did offer to charge me more if I wanted him to!!). He said his failure rate was low and largely related to trauma, smoking and drinking.

Like most dental patients I have little to compare against but I had no doubts about his professionalism or ability to perform the work to a high standard.

I was all set to go ahead until I discussed it with my sister (works in the NHS at a fairly senior level and has some involvement with the ins and outs of commissioning) who suggested that I may meet the criteria for an NHS funded implant. We will look into this more with my NHS dentist while I am waiting for the extraction to heal but if that doesn't go anywhere I feel confident to go ahead with the private work.

Thanks for your interest, and apologies if I haven't got all the technical details quite correct! I will update this thread with developments.

brook2jack

From what you have said you will absolutely not meet the criteria for an implant on the NHS. Only those who have lost teeth due to head and neck cancer , have congenitally missing teeth (more than 6 ), or have lost many teeth due to trauma eg road traffic accident may get implants and even then individual funding requests have to be granted.

To put this into context a nurse who lost several front teeth in an assault whilst she was working in a and e did not qualify for NHS implants.

cdbe11

Hi and thanks for the information above, the 2012 RCS guidelines appear to have a wider scope than the criteria you have outlined. They include single teeth lost due to trauma (including as in my case historical trauma where other repairs have subsequently failed, i.e. my 2 crowns).
Regarding the nurse, perhaps you could provide some more information on this case? I would certainly be interested in the details. The guidelines do state that those pursuing legal avenues of funding e.g. CICA should not be encouraged to use the NHS funding, but it is purely speculation on my part that this is the reason for refusal in this case.

I have been to my NHS dentist today and have an appointment next week to have the root removed and a semi-permanent denture made up until the implant is sorted one way or the other. I asked him for an NHS implant and after discussing it with the practice owner they offered to refer me to the dental hospital - I believe this is the route into the funding so I will see what happens.

purcel

Worked for a dentist for the last 3 years and seen about 10 people being referred for implants on the NHS and they have all been refused. I would not hold my breath or better, I would not waste my time if I were you, isn't gonna happen...

nyc_451

I am actually surprised by what you've said about your dentist, cdbe11.

I thought that dentists who have a lot of experience and low failure, tend to increase their price as they get more customers, not become professionals at budgeting...

And a five year guarantee is not a lot. I got a life time guarantee on my implants (megagen). Don't remember if I got any on the crowns but I certainly wouldn't be happy with a one year guarantee.

brook2jack

I have never had a patient accepted for a single implant on the NHS. In fact in the decades I have been practicing I have never had any patient approved for an NHS implant. Hardly surprising when local to me the total NHS budget for restorative dentistry is enough to treat one oral cancer patient a year.

Here is the standard NHS referral criteria which is used by most areas


Dental implants
If your patient fulfils one of the criteria below, the referral should be made in the normal way. Following the consultation, if your patient is suitable for implant treatment, the consultant will request approval for NHS funding.

Dental implants are only available under the NHS in the following categories:

congenital and acquired defects e.g. severe hypodontia (more than six missing teeth), cleft lip and palate
tooth and tissue loss following trauma, e.g. road traffic accidents; surgery for head and neck cancer (NB patients in whom tooth loss occurred due to trauma more than two years ago will not necessarily qualify for NHS implants)
continuing problems with well-made and fitting complete dentures (as deemed by a consultant in Restorative Dentistry).
If the approval is successful, the NHS will only fund the current course of treatment. The cost for maintenance and any future replacement cannot be guaranteed. In the event of a problem, a new referral and application for approval would need to be made.

Go to top…

brook2jack

Unfortunately I cannot find online the nurse injured in a and e but here are a few stories of people who have not got implants on the NHS despite trauma of a quite substantial kind. The argument is teeth can be replaced cheaper by dentures or bridges and the NHS is there to secure health not provide the best aesthetic result .

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/yorkshire-living/health-family/nightclub-attack-that-shattered-my-smile-1-3211006

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/486158/NHS-Hospital-Cosmetic-Dentist-Smile-Girl-Crash

brook2jack

Finally a report from 2010 showing that even when people met the criteria for referral the vast majority of referrals for single implants (78%) were turned down for funding. The situation would be even worse today. I would be amazed if you got funding for an implant and would expect any referral from your dentist would be rejected without you being seen. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3182796/

welshdent

I have also never had a patient accepted for implants. Ever. Which pleases me as none of my patients have needed post cancer reconstructions or had severe hypodontia

I now no longer waste my time writing on the off chance to see either. They wont do it so why waste time? If the patient is adamant I advise them to contact the local health board.

cdbe11

Thanks brook2jack and welshdent. I suppose I rather naively assumed that the NHS would be working to the 2012 RCS guidelines which propose a far wider role for implants in the NHS - but it would appear they aren't even fully or consistently implementing those from 1997! I have managed to find out that my NHS trust works to the same older guidelines, so clearly there is no point pursuing this at this time.

So back to the private option!!

Blue_mango, thanks for your information regarding warranties, a lifetime sound good, hopefully without to much fine print. I suspect the one year on the crown could be because the technician supplying it will be geared up to NHS work which only carries a year's guarantee, but I really don't know. Similarly I don't really know what this dentist's business model is - but could speculate that maybe he gets sufficient work (and sufficient remuneration) at this level of pricing to keep him happy and considers his work to be affordable, in what is not really an affluent area, rather than budget priced?