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Original poster

Any dentists around for advice?

13 replies

2023ideas · 18/01/2023 10:14

I’m lucky enough to have an nhs dentist. I go every 6 months and, despite having rotten 1970s teeth (lots of amalgam fillings) was told at my last visit that as my teeth are stable and haven’t needed any work, I could change to yearly check-ups. I am scared of the dentist but didn’t want to do this in case something went wrong and I had to wait for a long time for an appointment.

So I went to this appointment fairly confident as I haven’t had any worries. Only that some filler he put in a few years ago (where a part of my tooth one side of a filling came away) has fallen out.

He has told me that he regrets putting the filler in as they always fall out. So I will need a crown or bit of ceramic instead. Fair enough. But he also said I have another one at the back of my mouth which needs the same treatment. I can get both on the NHS for £282.80. But he said they make a loss on these and they won’t last long enough. He was strongly pushing me to the private option which is £650 each! He was trying to sell me a payment plan. Now I should say that I am fully aware that NHS dentists make a loss on patients, feel incredible grateful to still have an NHS dentist but also I have paid NI contributions all my working life.

The thing is, I am not working at the moment as I have a SEN child and we are fortunate enough to be able to afford me to be at home. But we don’t have surplus cash. If it really will be worth going private, we could find the money. But it will mean cutting back elsewhere.

So, are there any dentists out there who can tell me if taking the NHS route would be terrible? One of the teeth that needs treatment is at the very side of my open mouth when I smile, but otherwise both are hidden.

Many thanks for any advice.

OP posts:
Bowbellsx · 18/01/2023 10:40

I’m not a dentist but i few years ago in work I knocked half of my front tooth out (I’m a cleaner I fell on my own wet floor) I was left with half a tooth he filled it but it kept coming out he give me the option of a nhs crown or private I went with the nhs and it’s been fine no problems

Original poster
2023ideas · 18/01/2023 10:43

@Bowbellsx ouch, sounds painful. Thanks, that’s good to know. He just guilt-tripped me so much.

Personally I think I’d be stupid to go private as we can’t really afford it. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t making a mistake.

OP posts:
Bowbellsx · 18/01/2023 10:46

it was at the time I was devastated it was my very front tooth it’s been crowned for years with a nhs and it’s absolutely fine don’t let him guilt trip you private dentistry is expensive!

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Bowbellsx · 18/01/2023 10:47

Even with a payment plan it’s still way over band b on the nhs

Original poster
2023ideas · 18/01/2023 10:57

@Bowbellsx i know. If I’d just had one to do I might have given it some consideration, but an extra £1k seems crazy!

OP posts:
MyTurkey · 18/01/2023 10:58

I've had NHS and private crowns done. The type of crown offered on the NHS seemed to depend on whether the tooth it was replacing was in your a smile line or not (their definition of a smile line)? If it isn't in the smile line I was offered an all metal crown. If it was in the smile line I was offered porcelin fused to metal (tooth coloured)?

I would ask the dentist about what type of crown they are suggesting and for them to talk you through the pros/cons of each type in relation to which tooth it will be replacing? I opted for a private crown (think ceramic?) on a tooth which the NHS guidelines said was not smile line but was visible when I smiled and I didn't want to flash metal in my mouth.

Types of crowns NHS can offer

I shopped around a bit for my private crown as prices seem to differ a lot.

Good luck! I really hate my teeth. Also child of the 70s.

Original poster
2023ideas · 18/01/2023 11:02

@MyTurkey he did show me some examples and said I’d have ceramic on the nhs but it would be white and not colour matched, which the private one would be.

He is lovely but foreign and talking behind a mask, so I found it a bit hard to keep up. I wasn’t expecting to need work done, especially such expensive work, and was a bit dazed. He didn’t even offer NHS at the back but private at the front but was pushing for me to go with the private option.

OP posts:
MyTurkey · 18/01/2023 11:14

Hopefully a dentist will be along soon to advise you but I'm surprised they don't colour match the NHS ceramic to some degree (i.e. it might not be an exact colour match but within a range?). Might be worth clarifying?

Could you go for NHS at the back and private at the front? Maybe talk on the phone to them.

I feel for you because it's such a nightmare having to make these decisions and potentially spend a lot of money on things we don't really understand.

Bowbellsx · 18/01/2023 11:18

2023ideas · 18/01/2023 10:57

@Bowbellsx i know. If I’d just had one to do I might have given it some consideration, but an extra £1k seems crazy!

No way would I but it’s totally how you feel it’s a lot of money for something that may look different but does the same job

Hedjwitch · 18/01/2023 11:18

My crowns and replacement front teeth( fell as a child) were on nHS and colour matched.
This is a timely thread as was at dentist yesterday and he informed me they are switching to private patients only!!!
Considering implants for the missing front teeth but hideously expensive!

Bowbellsx · 18/01/2023 11:25

Hedjwitch · 18/01/2023 11:18

My crowns and replacement front teeth( fell as a child) were on nHS and colour matched.
This is a timely thread as was at dentist yesterday and he informed me they are switching to private patients only!!!
Considering implants for the missing front teeth but hideously expensive!

Isn’t it like 2k a tooth?

HalfasleepChrisintheMorning · 18/01/2023 11:28

The lab bill for an NHS crown is around £30, the lab bill for private £100-200. So private crowns are obviously much better quality.
having said that NHS should be acceptable in terms of fit, bite and to an extent, aesthetics. I would expect a private crown to look much like a tooth. NHS should be shade matched on the vita shade guide so not bright white or creamy yellow, but will not be as beautiful.
In essence, you get what you pay for in life but if you are happy with a bargain basement tooth it will be ok.

Bowbellsx · 18/01/2023 11:37

HalfasleepChrisintheMorning · 18/01/2023 11:28

The lab bill for an NHS crown is around £30, the lab bill for private £100-200. So private crowns are obviously much better quality.
having said that NHS should be acceptable in terms of fit, bite and to an extent, aesthetics. I would expect a private crown to look much like a tooth. NHS should be shade matched on the vita shade guide so not bright white or creamy yellow, but will not be as beautiful.
In essence, you get what you pay for in life but if you are happy with a bargain basement tooth it will be ok.

I got my front tooth crowned nhs it’s brilliant matches all my other teeth my teeth are in really good condition it was a accident to why I have it but I’m happy it matches

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