Silver filling in 8 year old, NHS dentist charging £50?

[GasHelp]

DD has a cavity in her first molar. I feel awful and have obviously been way too lax with the sugar. The rest of her teeth have no signs of decay. Saw the dentist this morning and he said we had 2 options, to "dress it" with white material and she'll probably lose the tooth early as it shouldn't fall out until she's 12 or he could drill the tooth and place a silver filling which would last until the tooth fell out. This would cost £50. I've opted for the dressing for now as I just felt so rushed and as horrible as this sounds, £50 is a lot of money at the moment for a baby tooth. Does anyone know whether this sounds right or should I be getting a second opinion? I always thought if it was medically necessary then the NHS would pay but perhaps I'm mistaken.

Dentist is a CF in my opinion

Isn't childrens dentistry free??

Mine have never had the silver ones.

I've never had to pay before which is why I was shocked. I did ask why it wasn't on the NHS and he just said it wasn't an option the NHS provide.

I can't comment on the price as I don't have all the facts, but a temporary dressing over a cavity will mean that it will carry on rotting beneath the dressing. All decay must be drilled away and a permanent filling put in. She could end up with a lot of pain, an abscess and an extraction unless the tooth is treated properly. There could also be damage to the permanent tooth underneath. I have never left a child with a dressing unless the tooth is about to fall out. Her age is a factor. How many years left until the deciduous tooth is due to come out? If you have a private dentist remember that the PPE is expensive, the surgery needs a thorough clean between patients and there are many other costs.

I think maybe the whiteness is not on the NHS. The silver filing would be free. Ring back the dentists receptionist and talk through the options.

@Ismellphantoms The dentist is a mix of NHS and private, we are there as NHS patients. Surely if what you say is true about the decay continuing then it's negligent of the dentist to leave her like that? How can proper care of a cavity not be covered under the NHS? This seems crazy to me.

Makes no difference. Dentistry is free to under 16s.

www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/blog/how-much-are-nhs-dental-charges

Don't let her have the silver filling...they told my mum i'd lose mine anyway but here i am as an adult with a mouth full of f*cking silver. Cheers mum.

If my own kids get fillings, they'll be having white, and my brilliant dentist tells me white are much better for you anyway.

Are you in Scotland?

Dentists aren't allowed to carry out NHS work under Covid. I was quoted £37 for a hygienist to remove plague from a 3 year olds baby teeth.

I'm in England.

I can't get an orthodontist spot for my kids let alone a check up and we're paying. I'd take the amalgam and relieve pain and reassess when normal service is resumed. It can be replaced.

Just to clarify, she has had a white dressing put on. The dentist wants to charge £50 for the silver permanent filling.

Silver permanent one should be free if it is a necessary filing ie to prevent pain, discomfort etc.

If the white dressing is enough then it is enough. They wouldn’t give you options imo.

Perhaps see about changing dentists if possible (even if just for DD if you're happy to stay at your current one). It sounds as though they're not doing everything they can and should be doing for her. Good luck OP, hope your LO is okay

I would ring your dental practice and ask the dentist to clarify what treatment he recommends and the options and costs involved. The reason I say this is that new regulations state we dont use silver fillings on deciduous teeth any more and think he may be recommending a stainless steel crown which are commonly used on baby teeth. This is something that can be done on the NHS however but some practices dont do it as its expensive for the practice.
Just to confirm in some situations a temporary white dressing is a suitable treatment and one dental professional couldnt say the treatment wasnt suitable without having all the facts.

Absolutely agree. Without examining the patient, it's hard to say. NHS no longer do amalgams on children. A white filling is perfectly fine, but not a temporary dressing and the decay must be removed.