Depressed after first dentist visit in 8 years

[Brighton5555]

So major dental phobia keeps me away from regular dental visits, my usual pattern is to only attend when I agony at which point the tooth usually needs removing and they take one look at me and offer sedation ..

This stems from being abused as a child and having my teeth punched out at 12, then due to a needle phobia having painful treatments without being injected by not so great dentists …

Today I braved it . I am aware my crown needs replacing and I was hopeful to be a candidate for bridges at the bottom as have lost teeth each side on the lower parts .

Find out I’m not a candidate, I need 6 fillings total cost £1,000, a hygienist which I knew £60, a referral to their periodontist £150 for the consultation and £80 to see me ….. ouch !

Told me that the crown most likely needs a root canal and she can’t guarantee I’ll keep my tooth!!!! it’s a front one so important .. said I have infection but I haven’t had any dental pain in three years touch wood , no sensitivity, no throbbing , nothing !

Gums do bleed though :/ god knows how much the periodontist will be … anyone have a rough idea ?

Just wanted to share because I’m angry I’m still paying the emotional and financial cost of having my teeth punched out in the first place and the subsequent trauma that followed ..

I had to pay £400 today and the rest end of the month … the dentist also very much pushed seeing the orthodontist but at nearly 40 and my bottom teeth always being ‘ jacked ‘ I don’t see the point , I told her even if I did a brave and got them straight I will still have missing large gaps either side as I cannot face / afford implants just the thought makes me shudder

She didn’t listen well and pressed me to go for a consultation as it’s free … just feel down .

Anyone else had to go through a lot of expensive dental treatment ?

Is this an NHS dentist?

Bleeding gums - not knowledgeable but can they do anything or are you going to pay a fee to be told to take more care and get corsodyl?

My dad uses special strong fluoride toothpaste but his regular dentist prescribed that.

I had a free othrodontist check in my 20s but they recommended ££££ treatment which I wasn't going to have.

Are the fillings large or small? I think it's worth trying to figure out what's essential and what's desirable.

My sister avoided the dentist for years. Went due to pain. Did two of the six things recommended so far, now waiting till she can cope with next round. Pain is sorted so far...

I have had expensive treatment for complicated reasons but the local private dentist was more honest and saved me more money than the path suggested by the NHS dentist. That was a while ago though.

You’re very young. I personally would want to sort my teeth for the future to minimise damage, improve gum health and also for aesthetics. You’ve already had so many invasive treatments, do you think you could cope with more? The finance of course is another matter.

My periodontist was £850 for the consultation!! In the end I just had mine removed and got a partial denture…

Massive dentist phobia here too! Never taken as a child, and it was always ‘behave or ill take you to the dentist and they’ll take your teeth’.

Doesn’t sound like you’ve seen an nhs dentist? I can’t into one either. Do they have payment plans? I think unfortunately the foundations for crappy teeth issues have been laid for us by our abuse/ neglect.

I know Implants make you shudder but it might be better than bridges as bridge weaken existing teeth? You can def get a temporary bridge. Implant is about 3k a tooth but you can normally spread the cost x

If you're not with an NHS dentist (and it sounds like you're not as those prices sound expensive for NHS) then you need to find one, it will bring the prices down for you.

But honestly, over 8 years I probably would have spent over £1000 on dental treatment, with check ups and the odd filling etc. It's just all come at once because you haven't been.

It is a lot at once, and I hope it goes as well as possible for you.

I had this around 20.

Stuck between free child care for private patients up to 16 and then not being able to find an NHS dentist, then moving for uni.

She fixed up my teeth but now 30 have been slightly neglected again from 27-30 due to a house move and an NHS dentist which never does an xray. God knows what they will find when they xray as I am also one who doesnt have pain, just instant pink mummery death.

Hi no it’s not Nhs I cannot find any taking patients where I live so had to go private for the first time ever !

Am I strange to not want a brace despite being told it will affect me further down the line if I don’t do anything ? Fellow Phobics will understand we only do dental work when we really really must 😩

I’m 38 now and the bill today was £1360 but that’s without a crown or a bridge for a small gap at the bottom plus SHES warned me a couple of fillings might end up being root canals which means the price doubles :-

Sorry to say it but I am also surprised by needing a root canal when you have no pain. I'd see if you can get a free second opinion on that.

At one point, I saw an absolute charlatan....the friend who recommended him ended up with four root canals, not convinced he needed them.

I was suprised too she showed me the X-ray as this tooth has the crown on which does need replacing and she said look there’s a infection it’s practically kissing your root of your tooth ….. is it true that I will lose my whole crown and small part of existing tooth 🦷 if she has to do a root canal :/

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Private dentists do free consults so you might be able to get a second opinion

Take copies of your x rays

I was also told, 20 years ago, that not having braces would affect me later. Can't recall how. Anyway, everything is fine with no braces.

Was also told two fillings might become root canals..I have had twenty years to save if they do.

Had bridge instead of implant. 20 years later, still fine, you get the drift...😂

You poor, poor thing. I sincerely hope you can find a way to put the crap dealt to you away in a box somewhere and give yourself the care you 100% deserve.
We have a tale of dental woe atm.. DH has shocking teeth, pretty enough, or they used to be but hopelessly crumbly. He just last week was booked for 2 extractions. Dentist managed the first but couldn't face the second. Made him come back the next day and managed to just wrench the top off. Made useless referral for local private dental hospital. DH staggered home, I rang 111 (or was it 119?) and got through somehow to emergency dental nurse who triage and booked him at Guys Hospital the next day. GUY'S WERE BRILLIANT! Although he s had to go back since having developed dry socket in one extraction site..... On the upside, hes had all this excitement for free so far.... 🙄

Oh this is me, except I haven’t actually been yet ... haven’t been able to find an NHS dentist, can’t afford private, so haven’t been (except for emergency appts for wisdom tooth infection) for 6 years.

Dreading what will happen when I actually find one.

Well done for being brave enough to go. I suggest going ahead with a perio consultation, even if you have to shop around pricewise, or try to get a dental hospital referral - if you have gum disease, things will only get worse, then implants may never be an option if they're needed/when you can afford them. There's no time to waste with gum disease - it often causes more tooth loss than decay does.

Try to get a second opinion for the work that's needed at the moment, or ask your dentist to prioritise into essential and 'can wait'.

Good luck OP, you've taken a first step which is really good.

Are you employed and if so, do you have any health benefits from them? My employer gets us signed up with an insurance company for £5/month, which also covers some of the cost of dental treatments each year. Up until recently it was free. It's worth checking whether you have a similar scheme.

Longer term, it is worth getting dental insurance, which will help in that the cost doesn't hit you all at once. Last time I looked, that was also £5/ month, but might be more with advancing age.

In the short term, absolutely prioritise - pain, function, cosmetic (visible), cosmetic (rarely/not visible), in that order.

Vaguely, without wanting to scare you, but my sibling went 6 years without a dentist after good prior care (private) and had to have 3 teeth removed, a crown put in and several cavities filled. It was a huge bill and even worse for their self-esteem in their early 30s.

At one point in my life I didnt go to a dentist for 5 years. When I did go, he spotted a strange spot in my mouth and referred me to be checked for oral cancer. Very fortunately for me, it was not cancerous. Dentists dont just check your teeth, they have a proper look around your whole mouth and it could be lifesaving because oral cancer is extremely serious. So please dont anyone put it off, even if you have to pay for a private checkup because you cant find an NHS place.

OP, you'll be able to get better work for a lower price combined with a short holiday abroad for less.
I'm well heeled and still we go overseas for dental work. Look at dentists in Hungary and Romania, plenty have allied surgeries here for initial consultations and can arrange everything.

So it's about £150 a year for the past 8 years?

Try and shop around. You may be able to get it cheaper.

It might be worth getting a second opinion if you are not confident about this dentist but in general it’s definitely worth being brave and persevering in getting your teeth treated.

The problem with not getting things fixed and then relying on a partial denture is that if you have no teeth then the bone structure in your gums will also disintegrate over time and completely change the shape of your face - you will get that sunken look, which is not what you want at your age!

You did really well to go so be proud of yourself.
I didn’t go for 6 years and had a lot of work to be done. It’s been much steadier since - I still dread going but it is bearable and I smile readily.

So glad you went for help but this dentist doesn’t sound right for you. Have you tried

Any patients requiring emergency dental care please contact the Community Urgent Dental Care Service on Freephone telephone number 0333 332 3800 from 8am to 10pm every day of the year. Outside these hours, please call NHS 111 for urgent advice.

I hadn't been for 4 years. No NHS dentist taking new patients. Private dentist has repaired broken tooth and replaced filling (no pain). Two visits to hygienist. It's very expensive.

Oh OP! What a shame. I'm sorry. First of all, massive well done on facing up to your fears and getting it done.

I was also dental-phobic and so didn't go from having my braces removed at 18 till about 25/26. Had to go private (no NHS availability at that point) and by memory I had to have 2 fillings removed and redone, 3 new fillings plus 1 root canal..... It was just about the worst day ever when they gave me my treatment plan!

BUT! I got it done, and have gone religiously 6-monthly ever since. I told myself that if I refused to face up to the problems and just ignored them, I'd only be back here again in another 6 years. The bill was awful, probably £800, but for the past 7 years since then, I've not had a single filling or "bad appointment" and all is good. I feel so much more in control.

Definitely seek a second opinion if you want to. Find a dentist you gel with and you feel safe with. I was so lucky to find mine, she's really calming and wonderful and professional. But get the work done (once you're satisfied with what needs doing) and then start going at least once a year, if not twice. I'm sure once you start going more regularly, to the right dentist, your phobia will settle down a little.

Good luck, and well done again OP - you've made a HUGE step in going, and wish you the best of luck with the next steps.

I'd have them removed and replaced with screw in dentures.
I wasn't a fan of the dentist I've had a lot of work this year, 3 wisdom teeth removed left with nerve damage to my sinuses.
I have two more to go, I can't afford root canal and a crown on several teeth I'd rather save for a new set.
I had an eating disorder for years.
I'm seriously considering screw in dentures.
There was a positive thread on full tooth removal at a young age.