Any dentists - real or amateur want give an opinion?

DeVlaeminck
DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,719
edited September 2015 in The cake stop
Had a filling done in July, afterwards the dentists tells me it was a bit closer to the nerve than he thought but it "should" be OK. I wasn't, went back and he said there was a shiny bit on it which suggested it was too high and was starting to grind it down a bit but it was so painful he stopped and I'm not sure if how much he actually took off it. Says if it doesn't settle in time it'll need a root canal at £600 and a crown at £400 !

It's still giving me problems, it's manageable with painkillers and scotch (so not as bad as some dental pain) and if there's any chance another month would see it settle I'd give it a go to save shelling out what for me is a lot of money as I only work part time but I'm a bit concerned I'm just delaying the inevitable and if it flares up I'll be in for a week of absolute agony until I can get it done. I have thought about trying to get it done on NHS but the consensus seems to be they rarely do root canals and prefer to pull them for financial reasons - I'd rather try and get another 10-20 years out of it if I can.
[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]

Comments

  • I'm no dentist but I was in a similar situation to yourself about 2 years ago.

    I had a filling which was also deep and close to the nerve. Afterwards, breathing cold air, eating cold food, hot food was torture.

    Several months passed until I went back to see my dentist. He said that I might need root canal treatment but I could try rubbing sensitive toothpaste on the tooth to see if it calms down. He gave me several tubes of Colgate Sensitive Pro and told me to use a blob on my finger and massage the tooth a few times a day. Surprisingly It worked and I did this for about a month. However as soon as I stopped the pain came back instantly. I stopped using the toothpaste and put up with the pain for almost a year - you know, not really fancying a root canal.

    So yeah, I went back and requested a root canal. My nerve was still alive and the treatment lived up to its reputation. Still, not as bad as a year of mediocre pain. Anyway I seem to remember I was only charged £100, possibly even £90.

    I still haven't had it crowned because my dentist advised me to leave it for a year to ensure the treatment was a success. Apparently they can easily fail and so the tooth needs to be pulled anyway.

    I'll be going back for a crown in the new year.
    tick - tick - tick
  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    Says if it doesn't settle in time it'll need a root canal at £600 and a crown at £400 !

    That's why dentists can afford Pinarello's.
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • chris_bass
    chris_bass Posts: 4,913
    Says if it doesn't settle in time it'll need a root canal at £600 and a crown at £400 !

    That's why dentists can afford Pinarello's.

    And to shoot big cats!
    www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes
  • seanoconn
    seanoconn Posts: 11,318
    Where's your dentist, Harley Street!? I'd give rogue traders a ring.

    I had root canal with a superb dentist last year and it was in the region of £150. I'm still walking around with a temporary filling because I'm a tight git but I expect the crown to be no more than £200
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • I think mine said £200 for a gold one or £400 for a porcelain.
    tick - tick - tick
  • apreading
    apreading Posts: 4,535
    Quick google: http://www.privatehealth.co.uk/articles/root-canal-treatment-costs-and-benefits-82565/

    What is the cost of private treatment?
    Due to the length and complexity of the treatment, root canal costs can work out quite expensive. Most private dentists start their root canal charges at around £360 per tooth, with the price rising on a sliding scale depending on the number of roots, the difficulty of the treatment, and the number of sessions required. You may also have to pay separately for x-rays, antibiotics, and other peripherals. If you require a cap or crown, this will further increase the cost. Most private root canal bills are in the range £360 to £475 per tooth.

    What do NHS dentists charge?
    On the latest scale of charges, introduced in April 2008, if you are lucky enough to find an NHS dentist, you will only pay £44.60 for root canal work, rising to a maximum of £198 if a crown is required. What’s more, these prices include any other work you require, from the same price band or lower, within a two month period. So for £44.60, you can not only have root canal work done on multiple teeth, but you can also have any other fillings, x-rays and scale and polish done too

    From what I have been told and believe to be true, Private also uses much better equipment which is less likely to snap if you have a curved canal and is more precise, allowing better certainty that all the decay is gone and as much tooth as possible saved. The upshot is a much higher percentage rate of success and keeping the tooth without further problems later.

    £400 for a white crown is actually pretty cheap. but £600 for the root canal is very expensive - I had to go to a specialist consultant for one which was in a back tooth where the roots were really curved and there were more than one root - and it didnt cost that much.
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    My dentist is good, but bloody expensive (in Walton-on-Thames). The costs above are about what I would have expected, but I'm going to change dentists when I move house since I know I'm being charged about double compared to more reasonably priced private dentists in Woking. For example, I've had a few surface fillings on my front teeth where the gums are exposed. When I first had them done some years ago he gave me 2 options - £150 or £200 a pop, I chose the former. Now there's just one option at £250 a pop. Just for a wee blob of white filling!!!

    All said and done, I would recommend having the work done rather than suffer in pain, otherwise your life becomes a misery.
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
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  • mr_goo
    mr_goo Posts: 3,770
    Says if it doesn't settle in time it'll need a root canal at £600 and a crown at £400 !

    That's why dentists can afford Pinarello's.

    My last dentist drove a 911 Carrera. Every time I visited him for my 5 minute check up at £60 at time, I realised I was just subsidising his Teutonic indulgence. Now changed dentist, where I now pay for his 3 skiing trips a year.
    Always be yourself, unless you can be Aaron Rodgers....Then always be Aaron Rodgers.
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    Says if it doesn't settle in time it'll need a root canal at £600 and a crown at £400 !

    That's why dentists can afford Pinarello's.
    Don't call me a miserable old ba*****d as I'm not that old really, but in what universe is the plural of dentist dentists, and somehow more than one Pinarello becomes Pinarello's?

    Rando'm apostrophe's are just so annoy'ing.

    OP - I had a filling that broke away & left the nerve exposed. Dentist advised me to give it a while and see how it went; it went quite bad, and the best fix was to have the tooth out. You soon get used to the gap and it's infinitely better than either a) the pain that was there or b) the expectation that whatever fix had been applied would have eventually failed. I'd have it out & be done with it.
  • Apparently front root canals are cheaper as they only have one root - this is a back tooth with 3 roots - it may still be expensive but I did phone another dentist located in a cheaper part of town and they quoted the same and I've had a look about on the internet and the cheapest I could find within 50 miles was about £400 but with an £80 new patient fee and their crowns costing the same I thought for the sake of £120 and saving 100 mile round trip at least twice I may as well stay with my normal guy.

    The root canal is being done by a specialist endodontist (or something similar to that spelling!) because that's who they have do them at the practice - apparently he's got the latest microscopes which increases the chances of it working - if it doesn't I think I may kill them anyway so it's in everyone's interests it does. I'm quite happy to pay less though believe me.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • Quick google: http://www.privatehealth.co.uk/articles/root-canal-treatment-costs-and-benefits-82565/

    What is the cost of private treatment?
    Due to the length and complexity of the treatment, root canal costs can work out quite expensive. Most private dentists start their root canal charges at around £360 per tooth, with the price rising on a sliding scale depending on the number of roots, the difficulty of the treatment, and the number of sessions required. You may also have to pay separately for x-rays, antibiotics, and other peripherals. If you require a cap or crown, this will further increase the cost. Most private root canal bills are in the range £360 to £475 per tooth.

    What do NHS dentists charge?
    On the latest scale of charges, introduced in April 2008, if you are lucky enough to find an NHS dentist, you will only pay £44.60 for root canal work, rising to a maximum of £198 if a crown is required. What’s more, these prices include any other work you require, from the same price band or lower, within a two month period. So for £44.60, you can not only have root canal work done on multiple teeth, but you can also have any other fillings, x-rays and scale and polish done too

    From what I have been told and believe to be true, Private also uses much better equipment which is less likely to snap if you have a curved canal and is more precise, allowing better certainty that all the decay is gone and as much tooth as possible saved. The upshot is a much higher percentage rate of success and keeping the tooth without further problems later.

    £400 for a white crown is actually pretty cheap. but £600 for the root canal is very expensive - I had to go to a specialist consultant for one which was in a back tooth where the roots were really curved and there were more than one root - and it didnt cost that much.
    NHS dental charges are now £18.80/£51.30 and £222.50
    'Hello to Jason Isaacs'
  • orraloon
    orraloon Posts: 12,612
    Guess you can't find an NHS dentist or can't get signed on?

    I had / have similar issue with old filling breaking out and the cavity being deep and close to nerve. So far I have had 3 x 45 minute sessions, x-ray, temporary fillings, and temporary cap while we see how or if it settles down. Paid the bill last visit, inc a normal checkup for the rest of teeth, came to £18.80.

    Don't knock the NHS.

    And was also advised to try the sensitive toothpaste thing.
  • I was hit in the jaw when playing cricket (Was wearing a helmet with grill and missed them both!!)
    Ended up needing 15 visits to the dentist for 4 rear tooth root filling plus crowns .
    Dont you just love sports.
    Mind you , I pay a monthly private dental ins of 15 ppm , apart from the pain it cost me nothing.
  • chris_bass
    chris_bass Posts: 4,913
    I was hit in the jaw when playing cricket (Was wearing a helmet with grill and missed them both!!)

    pfft, you cricketers are always going on about helmets!
    www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes