Cosmetic Dentistry £8k. Should I get a 2nd opinion?

[Goldengoosey]

Hello. I’ve been wanting to improve my smile for a couple of years now, probably since I have had to stare at myself all day on MS Teams! 😁

Crown looking a bit tired, not quite matching my teeth anymore. Couple small chips on two teeth. Would like them whiter. Anyway I went to private dentist today for a consultation. Waited 3 months for appointment. I got an x-ray which he said showed I needed extensive work before any cosmetic work - 3 molar root treatments. Needed to be referred elsewhere for that. He said I had an abcess on one tooth. Some decay under fillings and disease.

I was a bit shocked at this as pre-pandemic I attended dentist routinely and hygienist. Also I have no pain whatsoever. I was really just wanting them to look whiter and better. He said that my teeth actually looked much better than the story the x-ray told.

The treatment will cost is £8000. I know! Includes 6 zirconia crowns on upper front teeth, moulds for teeth bleaching lower and £2500 of this is for the molar root treatments.

I don’t know what to do for the best. I was anticipating it to be expensive and have been saving but not that much. But I wasn’t anticipating the other work required. I thought my teeth were in pretty good nick. I know like everyone I haven’t been to the dentist or hygienist during the pandemic but it seems a lot of problems suddenly for someone who has routinely went to the dentist.

I’m worried that these zirconia crowns won’t look good as I’ve read a bit on them saying not as shiny as real teeth or porcelain crowns. I’m worried that this is a lot of my front teeth getting ground down to wee pointy things. Is that a mistake and something I would regret? I should say my teeth are very straight and nice shape. One about two in from front has a small chip. One front crown which I have had for over 30 years following an accident. In that time the crown has been replaced a few times. I mostly wanted them a bit whiter, my crown replaced and the chipped tooth sorted. I had thought composite veneers as they seem to be a bit less evasive but he said they were not suitable.

So would it be unreasonable to get a second opinion? This will likely take another 3 months as dentists are super busy and obviously I’d have to pay for this again too.

I want to make an informed choice before 1/ I splash a lot of cash and 2/ before I do something so radical to my teeth. I keep thinking of Katie Prices wee pointy teeth!

Should I trust him and go for it. From what I can see from my research. Well established dentist with testimonials. He was v professional and friendly but I’m just not sure. Or do as my mum says - nothing as there is nothing the matter with my teeth. Help! 😁

Get a second opinion for sure!! And preferably from a dentist that isn’t wanting to sell you anything! If I was told what you’ve been told, I would run a mile! And nothing to do with money!! 😬😬😬

Definitely get a second opinion and do some more research on the options you can have. Sometimes teeth can look fine and show up significant bone loss and issues on an X-ray.

look on insta or tik tok under #TurkeyTeeth that's what you will be getting research carefully. Turkey teeth happen here too

Always get a second opinion no matter what.

Crowns at my dentist were £1k per tooth all in. Whitening was £250. Composite for chips £250 a tooth

when DH had his done, he found out he needed fillings so went to nhs for it. Then got the other stuff done private.

Turkey teeth are veneers not crowns?

A lot of people go abroad and get teeth done

Hi I definitely want to get any work done here so won’t be going abroad.

@Tigerandthetea i did think of getting any work done by NHS dentist and then if I still want the cosmetic work done I could go private for that. The crowns are £850 each. I’m in Scotland.

This happened to DH one broken tooth his normal dentist referred him to an implant dental surgeon. This practice the quote was a full page slagging off his dentist and hygienist in the process and wanting 10k to boot. So many root canals,, bone augmentation, hygienist visits and two implants all for a broken tooth

Our usual dentist said that another patient who had been referred there had the same scammy treatment. He's no longer referring but the implementation clinic are still chasing OH .

We're getting a second opinion

That actually sounds about right for the work described and also totally justified, along with not being too much it sounds like you’ve a good dentist there. But that is the approach of that dentist, they want to remove any possible sources of infection (root treatments) and give you a result that is the most predictable in their hands, a dentist who crowns. It’s not so much a second opinion as an opinion with a different approach you need if that makes sense?

Absolutely get a second opinion from a good restorative dentist, NHS or private. There are too many of these "smile clinics" which are not at all reputable.

Second opinion definitely. He's having a laugh, £8000? That's insane.

I've had similar nonsense from a dentist. Needed an extraction and implant. Went to nearest private clinic (who also do lots of cosmetic). Was told circa £4k for extraction and implant but that they were looking at a minimum of £1.5k to treat gum disease. They tried to make me sign a credit agreement on the spot. When I wouldn't, citing the fact i would need to speak to dh before I committed, the dentist offered to ring my husband to talk to him.

Went to a different dentist. 2 £60 sessions with hygienist and my gums were fine. Refereed to a specialist for implamt which cost £2k including.

Some dentists are proper scammers.

@Tigerandthetea no they’re not. Veneers are minimally invasive (think false nails for the teeth) turkey teeth are crowns with VERY severe preparations

Zirconium crowns look more natural than porcelain...my dentist charges 450 each for those, other dentist i use charges 600 each....but crowns are last resort...usually bonding first, then a veneer and then the crown as more tooth is removed...no going back....i have had work done abroad and its been good quality and cheaper than the uk...spain, budapest, turkey, colombia....your quote is not bad but i would see another for the opinion.

@Oinkypig yes I agree rather than second opinion, more is there a different option I should consider.
@TheYearOfSmallThings he is a more traditional dentist rather than these smile centre places that can give you a bit of Botox and some lip filler while you’re in.
@justasking111 I moved house so had to stop going to my previous dentist but I guess I was surprised that I had been going to her for years and rated her yet within 2years of pandemic I’ve got all these problems. He didn’t say anything when I said I attended dentist and hygienist all my life so was surprised I had so many problems.
@PickySlackTastic that’s quite a difference.

@earsup its the no going back thing that worries me. I had done a little reading on composite veneers and I thought that might be an option but his opinion was crowns only option

Really read up on crowns. My dentist talked me into some in my 30's. My teeth decayed under them and now in my 50's, I have dentures.

Daughter had to get a root treatment done and she went private for it and i am sure she was quoted £450. Thats also in Scotland.

oh...get other opinions....my private dentist advised me to do bonding first on 2 front teeth....later maybe veneers and then if needed some crowns.....i work abroad in some dental schools teaching english so pay only for materials....should be going back to turkey this oct or colombia....abroad will do what ever you ask for....hence the teens getting the katie price look and then later it all goes wobbly....!!

As I understand it, veneers are like overlays with the healthy tooth kept in tact underneath. But when you see people who've had 'turkey teeth' done, their original teeth have often been filed right down to little nubs so what they're given are crowns. But people often refer to them as veneers.

I’m in Scotland and had my front teeth cosmetically done with crowns. They look absolutely amazing 5 years on. I used my regular dentist so he checks on them at each 6 month visit. They cost me £3000

I got some cosmetic work done. Quotes were £7k, £5k, and £2.5k.

Went with the £2.5k and reeeeally regretted it as dentist was idiot. And actually she charged me £4k total anyway as was making stuff up as went along. Threatened to sue when I realised how bad the work was, and got the money back, but if I could go back in time, I’d accept the £7k quote!!

Dentist advice. Reading your post, I feel that the dentist has recommended 6 anterior crowns , when you would in fact be happy having your one crown replaced and colour matched to your newly bleached teeth . Colour matching a single tooth ie doing only one crown is the most difficult thing to do and get a good result. However it is possible. Doing 6 crowns on your anterior teeth - easy to get a good aesthetic result. I would stick to what you want. Get a second opinion - ask around and get a recommendation. Then make it clear that you don't want massively invasive treatment. A good dentist will insist on the basics first - decay , root canal, fillings and cleaning. Then you bleach your teeth. Followed by and front fillings. Finally the front crown. Good luck .

@pooonastick i did wonder that as I remember the last time I got the single crown replaced on my front tooth the dentist said how difficult it was getting a good match but then I did get teeth bleached and then the tooth matched and I was v happy with the result.

It’s only now it’s came out plus not as good a match any more to my teeth as they haven’t been bleached for a few years.

Sorry to drip feed but I’ve just remembered when he was studying my X-ray he asked me what kind of patient I was and did I like dentists. I said I’d rather not be at the dentist but am a good patient. I wonder if he then thought oh she can cope with more invasive work?

Having slept on it the bit that is worrying me the most is the 6 crowns when I was anticipating one replacement. I’m worried about crowning relatively decent teeth just because I want a nicer whiter smile. As I said the shape of my teeth are fine. It’s really I want them whitened and the front crown replaced. I’ve accepted if I need the root canal work well I’ll just need to get that.

Now I just need to work out whether I go back to him or elsewhere as I don’t think he will be too happy with this as he wasn’t doing the root canal work so if you take away five crowns from this his bit the cost would drop by £3400 so quite a difference to what he planned.

Am a bit annoyed at myself for not asking him for other less invasive options that would still improve the look of my teeth alongside dealing with the issues he identified.

One last dentist question 😁He advised that all dentists don’t do these molar root canal treatments so he would need to refer me to another clinic. When I have googled this clinic the dentist has excellent reputation but is about 1.5 hour drive away. Not that easy to get to. Not sure how many appointments I would require as there are three teeth. I’ve had root canal treatments in the past. Always felt bit shaky after them so would want my husband to come with me. So bit of time off work for these appointments for both me and my husband. Do some dentists do them in house? And should I look for another dentist that does these to save the hassle of going elsewhere?

Thanks!

@Prisonbreak your teeth look fab