Root canal NHS

Simba-ali34

Hello,

Does anyone know if back upper molar root canals are covered on the nhs? I hear they are differcult to access and wondered if a specialist is needed?

Guest101

yes, band 2

brook2jack

The very back molars(wisdom teeth) have very difficult, complex anatomy and for this reason are very rarely root filled . You would not be offered a root treatment on the NHS on a wisdom tooth.

The further back you go in the mouth the more root canals there are to fill (top molars may have four or more root canals). Their complexity may vary according to the size, shape of the canals, how difficult it is to get to the tooth , whether it can be successfully crowned afterwards, what your general and oral health is like.

In general the NHS does not fund specialist treatment to provide root canal treatment on molars, so if treatment is complex for whatever reason , if you need specialist treatment it wil probablyl have to be private.

If your general or oral health is poor you may not be offered root treatment on molars and if the tooth cannot be successfully crowned afterwards you will not be offered root canal treatment.

Simba-ali34

Its the molar infront of the wisdom tooth, medium size filling but because the filling is very deep it's causing alot of sensitivity. Most of the tooth structure remains. They didn't mention any complex issues?

silvercar

If you are treated on the NHS, the dentist is obliged to offer a solution. If he says the treatment is too complex and you need a specialist for the best chance of saving the tooth, then it will be a private referral in 99% of cases. The NHS "solution" the dentist may offer is extraction. You would then have to consider whether it is worth paying to see someone privately to save the tooth.

Simba-ali34

What's to stop every dentist saying a 2nd molar tooth root canal is complex? I haven't been given An answer yet, it's still vital and they will try a medicine filling but they didn't mention a root canal thats why I'm curious.

silvercar

Simba-ali34 wrote: »

What's to stop every dentist saying a 2nd molar tooth root canal is complex?

A dentist will give his professional opinion.

I haven't been given An answer yet, it's still vital and they will try a medicine filling but they didn't mention a root canal thats why I'm curious.

Maybe they are confident that the medicine filling will work. If it doesn't then they progress from there.

brook2jack

A "simple" root filling in a molar tooth will be successful in around 80 to 85% of cases in a non specialists hands. In other words one in five teeth will need to be taken out.

A root filled tooth is a compromised tooth whose life span is limited. Therefore dentists will not root fill a tooth unless it is absolutely unavoidable.

There are various ways of grading root canal complexity, this is an American one https://www.aae.org/uploadedfiles/dental_professionals/endodontic_case_assessment/2006casedifficultyassessmentformb_edited2010.pdf

You can see there are many, many factors that may make root filling, particularly on a molar, complex.

teddysmum

I had my back lower right hand molar removed (don't have wisdom teeth as they were removed , when young due to lack f jaw space) when it became tender and don't miss it. The more-or-less filled in gap doesn't show, as it would with a tooth nearer the front.
I would have the same again, rather than have filling, root canal work etc.

Simba-ali34

Does anyone have any experience from using a medicated filling? Is it successful? I just don't know if taking a deep filling out and using a medicated one is worth the pain or to just ask If a root canal in possible

Sambella

I'm in Denolan and had a root canal recently.

My dentist couldn't find the last nerve to remove so she said that this was a concern but filled it up with a filling and told me that if I had any issues it was either extraction or pay to see a specialist (not covered by Denplan)

Something isn't right. The tooth is very sensitive to anything hot although this has now settled a bit ithis sensvity remains. I informed my dentist of this and told her I couldn't afford the £500 to see a specialist so she has referred me to the dental hospital. Could be several months before I get an appointment. I'm a little anxious as to what they may end up doing .... I don't like dentists!!! but would like to save the tooth if possible. It's a back tooth but not a wisdom tooth.