Which dentist to believe?

[SirWibbles209]

I have a big phobia of dentists due to a bad experience and due to this haven't been for 5 ish years? Anyway, I finally plucked up the courage to go, all the NHS dentists are massively oversubscribed in our area. I went privately, the private dentist told me I needed 6 fillings, 2 big , 4 small. I had three done on one side, and a scale and polish. This alone cost me £275, but I was okay with the treatment and felt better for getting it over and done with. Before I had the rest done I got a place with a nhs practice, I've just been for my initial check up and the NHS one said I don't need any further work doing and that they couldn't see any signs of further decay, and would not recommend further fillings? Now I just feel really confused, who do I believe?

If you can be bothered get another nhs opinion and another private.

If not I'd go with the private dentist.

I wish I'd gone private years ago, my teeth are a fucking mess thanks to nhs dentists.

That’s a huge discrepancy and I would definitely ask for a second opinion!
I used to have a phobia of dentists and a fantastic NHS dentist helped me to overcome it- I now have braces on the NHS and couldn’t praise them more. Like with anything there’ll be good and bad ones, find one you trust and feel comfortable with. When I first went I needed 4 fillings- it helped to do one at a time so I want in the chair for too long.

Yeah I'm going to get a third opinion I think, I grind my teeth in my sleep aswell so this won't be helping either. It is a huge discrepancy ! I feel on one hand the private one can make more money off me so that's an incentive to say more fillings, but then on the other hand I've heard NHS dentists are reluctant to do some work as they don't get paid as much as if they went privately ? Maybe that's just hearsay though haha

Did you have x-rays taken? If so they should be able to show you the decay, where it is and what they need to do.