NHS Dental Cost (UK)

[UKGirl]

A month ago I went to the dentist with a tooth abscess on my first upper molar; I was prescribed amoxicillin & metronidazole for the infection and told to come back to look at doing root canal (band 2). So I went and had the root canal treatment and during the procedure he put a lot of weight down on my front tooth, one week later that tooth (my front) was/still is in a great amount of pain. When I went back to him and explained this he made it seem like this could be something in my mind and not an actual problem if not I would need root canal on that tooth and a crown (something I cannot afford at the moment), since then I am cautious about going back to him but need the rest of my root canal treatment finished. I also have the problem that my front tooth would be considered a separate issue and therefore come under a different treatment plan and this would be very expensive. So I was wondering if I were to go to a different dentist would a crown on my first upper molar and another potentially on my front tooth be considered as one treatment or as two. I’m worried about my finances and scrapping together whatever I can find (including borrowing).
Also I would like to add the my dentist never gave me a procedure plan and so I was unsure of what I was having done until I went in and discovered that he was trying to charge me for band 3 (£219) and not for band 2 (root canal at £50.50).

 

[carole]

Hi to the forum.

A rct is one charge but if you are having a crown that falls in the £219.00 charge. If you have already paid the £50.50 and a crown is to be done on this course of treatment then the £50.50 should be knocked off the £219.00 charge.

You get two crowns for the 219.00 charge although if you need more these should technically be done but they usually pick the most urgent and leave the rest for next time because they are allowed so much finance for nhs treatment and they don't like to go over it.

A course of treatment is over when in the dentists opinion you are orally healthy.

I hope this helps

 

[UKGirl]

Thank You.

I went to the dentist one month ago with a severe tooth abscess and we agreed that he would do the root canal treatment which would fall into band 2 and although he advised me a crown would be necessary I had to explain that my financial situation at the moment is not great. However whilst I am still currently waiting to finish the RC I have occurred another problem with my front tooth and was wondering if this would be counted as a separate treatment plan costing me more (adding another £50.50 on top of my RC) or whether it could be counted under my current treatment plan? I am worried they are going to remove my two affected teeth and it's causing high anxiety as I am worried about the pricing.

 

[carole]

It should come under the £50.50 you have been charged. You pay for the course of treatment not by the treatment if that makes sense. Your course of treatment is not finished if you are not pain free and had all treatment complete. A rct is complete when you have a permanent filling in there.

It isn't the amount of appointments it takes to complete the treatment or the amount of time.

A crown would normally be put on about 6 months after a rct to make sure that the tooth is settled and that it has worked. Most dentists don't do them straight after a rct.

You may be able to get help with dentist treatment costs if you are on certain benefits, or have a low income. The details are also on the nhs website that I linked to you. It is worth enquiring to see if you can get help.

 

[UKGirl]

Thank you for your reply, I was nervous because my pain in my front tooth is a different problem to the one I went in with. I also read somewhere that if you go over two months they reset your treatment and charge you extra, but the problem I am facing is my dentist is making appointments with me every 2 weeks. He also wants to put a crown in straight away yet the lump where my abscess is hasn't properly gone down.

Unfortunately I fall into the category of earning too much to receive help yet earning to little to be able to pay. I can just about pay for one crown but it's going to leave me skint and if I have any further problems I won't be able to pay at all. Trying to weigh up my options.

Sorry for all the excessive questions, I have no idea why I am having these anxiety attacks over it I'm usually a calm person and yet the past month my life has revolved around my teeth and pain and it's making me feel awful and each time I visit the dentist I walk away with even more fear.

 

[carole]

We all get over whelmed with the dental stuff so don't worry about the questions. The more you ask, the more you know, and the easier it becomes to deal with this stuff.

I would keep the money for your crown aside somewhere and ask that it is done at a later time, like in 6 months as you have more pressing matters that concern you with your teeth. If you still have a lump it needs time to heal. It is much easier for them to go back into the tooth through a filling than having to drill through a crown that has cost you so much. You really need to wait.

I hope you get the other tooth sorted out soon, don't let the dentist railroad you into treatment you don't want yet. He must finish this course of treatment.

I have also heard the 2 month rule but I also read somewhere that in reality if a filling only lasts two months that is isn't realistic to be charging again for doing it.

Your course of treatment is not finished until all issues are dealt with to get you out of pain and orally healthy. The crown is a separate issue and of course a different price range as you know. Study the price information and what it includes on the nhs website.

Good luck Let us know how you get on please

 

[UKGirl]

Thank you, I have an appointment on Tuesday and I'll let you know how that goes.

 

[UKGirl]

Went in today to finish root canal and explain my problem with my front tooth. Both were covered under my £50.50 charge and so I did not have to pay extra, which was one thing that was worrying me. He said my front tooth was infected and I would need root canal, however he said all this before he had even done an xray. So I questioned him and he did an xray and said he could not find anything abnormal but because my front tooth is discoloured it means it is dead and therefore would need to see a specialist at the hospital for potential extraction. Meaning I would need a bridge put in place, I currently am unable to pay for a crown now and a potential bridge in the near future and so I've opted for the wait and see options. Now I am further scared I will loose my front tooth and my upper root canal molar. To further it I am now also on more antbitotics which have started to irritate my mouth and he said that its either that or risk further infection,I do not have to go back and see him anymore unless my front tooth plays up further. I'm wondering whether I should ever go back to him or go to a different dentist for a second opinion.

 

[carriss]

Why did he not offer to do a root canal on your front tooth? I would try and see another dentist for a second opinion, if I was you.

 

[UKGirl]

He said because the tooth is considered a dead tooth he was unable to acess the root canal because there wasn't any root to fix. He couldn't see any infection on the xray or any gaps around the tooth which could create infection and seem puzzled as to what the problem could be. I didn't really understand what he meant by no pulp in tooth or no root to acess. Just said if the extreme pain comes back to see him and he would refer me to the hospital who would have a better understanding of the tooth structure and what to do next. But said if the pain comes back it will most likely have to be removed. I asked if it could be a sprained ligament as last time I saw him he put a lot of pressure on that tooth trying to acess my canal during RC treatment but he said he wasn't surw and to see how it goes. We're currently unsure if the antcibiotics are healing the pain or whether or not its getting better by itself.

 

[carriss]

I've never heard of that before. I thought they would always try to do a root canal if a nerve died, and an extraction would be the last resort. Worth a second opinion. Or try posting in the Dentistry Questions section of the forum and see if a dentist here can make sense of it.

 

[UKGirl]

Thank you, I've posted my query on the other thread.

 

[carole]

Find another dentist he is trying to fob you off. He cannot leave your tooth without any follow up treatment. State very clearly that you do not want to lose this tooth and would like to be referred now to see someone at the hospital for a possible rct.

If he has just given you some antibiotics on a whim that isn't right, they will not cure the tooth they would only calm an infected tooth or an inflamed root down in order to work on it without pain.

An infected tooth sometimes doesn't numb so if things are calmed down by antibiotics it means that you will be able to be numbed to be worked on. This isn't always so as I have had infected teeth that have been numbed so I had work done pain free.

I know it is hard on the nhs to find dentists but if you can find one then do. Don't tell this practice that you are leaving until you have found and seen someone else. A dentist that isn't really doing his job is better than not having one at all. But I hope you find another one soon. Like I mentioned I would ask to be referred to the hospital now because there will be a wait of maybe three months or more for the initial appointment.

 

[UKGirl]

My front tooth has calmed down a lot in a week, mostly now it is just a tingling sensation around the tooth. I am however still unable to eat with it as the area around the tooth feels bruised. I was unsure whether this was the infection clearing up or whether it could have been a strained ligament clearing up. Either way I got no real answer from my dentist and he seemed to be puzzled as to what to do, this is why he said if the pain comes back in the aggressive manner it was it would be best to visit a hospital dentist as he couldn't do anything.

Currently in pain from my root canal treatment yesterday, hoping this is normal ... it's nothing severe just slight throbbing in my jaw and ear. Also where he has done the filling it is quite deep and my tooth feels sharp around the edges, keep nicking my tongue on it.

I am just having to currently weigh up my options because of the cost of this all, I currently can't afford to pay out on a crown on my rear molar and then to have a potential problem of loosing my front tooth ... the thought of having nothing there scares me and so I am currently playing the wait and see game as to whether or not my front tooth will clear up so I can get a crown on my rear.

 

[UKGirl]

Also to add to my query, if you are referred to a hospital dentist is this something they charge you for or would it come under the NHS free medical service?

 

[Jenny_Lou82]

I'm pretty sure that even if you are referred to a dental hospital, they still have the same NHS price bands.

 

[carole]

No charge is made for work done at the hospital. It is dental students that do the work under the very close eye of a tutor. They are very good and are not asked to do work that they are not capable of doing. I had a rct re- treatment done a year ago and the person I saw was lovely, I wish I could have kept him for my dentist but he was leaving to go and study further elsewhere in the country.

All the best to you