To think paying £300 for tooth extraction is a joke

[Tiredjoanna]

So, have had toothache for couple of years in 1 specific broken tooth. Always got by with strong painkillers and oragel. However for the past week the pain was immense so ended up having to go to an emergency dentist who I had to pay £50 just to look and do quick x-ray. So, he told me it's an infected root of tooth and I'd need an extraction but not a basic one as there isn't enough tooth to pull on to get it out. So scrape it to the root basically, a 10 minute job he said. And then proceeded to tell me it would cost £300!! Now i know they're doing a specialised job but really? I cannot find an NHS dentist by me anywhere so can only go private. Is this a normal price for an extraction or am I being completely unreasonable. Fwiw I seriously don't have £300 so am at a loss. Sorry for the long post

That's what it's just cost me. I had a broken in two tooth and he did a lovely job- after lots of injections it didn't hurt and was far less traumatic than ones I've had in the past.

It is exorbitant though. Do they do a payment plan? You really need to get rid of it

well they said that i could get it on finance but id never pass the credit check. i also had to pay £50 for a prescription for antibiotics which was outrageous. i honestly dont know what im going to do, hope they work and can put it off to save money

Just checked my dentist's website. They're private and always seem really expensive to me. They charge £165 for a simple extraction and £275 for a surgical extraction.

They charge £83 for a new patient consultation though.

wow that just seems so much. for what he told me is 10 minutes of work😅

It's a good few years ago now, and I am in Scotland so may be different, but when I had a terrible toothache that required an extraction I went to the emergency dental unit in a local(ish) hospital and paid £10.20 for the job. Is that a possibility for you? Are you anywhere near a dental hospital, where students could do it under supervision?

im not too far from one and tbh i would not care about it being a student as long as they can take my pain away😆

I had an emergency tooth extraction one christmas about 15 years ago and that only cost me £15 - I was shocked how cheap it was, that’s why I remember it.

Check them out in the morning then. They might appreciate the experience. Good luck, you have my complete sympathy.

blimey@LucifersPain where was that and i wonder if the prices are still that good😂

Yep £300+ charged in July 2022 for the removal of 1 lower right tooth. Told it's mate would come out swiftly too but touching wood.

By a private dentist in South Suffolk. Got seen when I want to be seen I suppose..

Spine surgery at Ipswich hospital in January 2023 they smashed 1 front tooth previously repaired tooth when coming round from GA
only £60+ to repair at the usual BUPA dentist once discharged.

Any hospital asks you've loose tooth all the way if asked.

Getting 2 fillings Thursday again £70 (part paid) 6 month check up.

@reallywantsajob theres hardly any tooth above the gumline so cant really say that though will keep it in mind for my other broken ones😁

Just had my wisdom tooth removed last Friday, cost £500. My partner had one of his molars removed cost £300, so does sound like a fair/standard price. My dentist does pay in 3 through Paypal, so I opted for that for my wisdom tooth extraction, still a lot of money but at least more manageble at aprox £167 each month. Worth looking if that's an option?

YANBU OP, it is ridiculous. People are pulling out their own teeth at home because they can't afford to get them pulled safely by a qualified dentist.

I take it you tried 111 for an NHS appointment? Although, if you have been managing so far yourself, then they will say it is not an emergency. I am in the same boat. I am at the point where I will be pulling my own tooth and hopefully fucking it up so much, an NHS dentist will actually see me.

@zusje unfortunately that wasnt an option which is a shame as i probably could have swung it with some creative restructuring of other payments. Finance only which as i said i just wouldnt get

@XenoBitch believe me if there was enough tooth for me to grab with pliers id have done it ages ago but thats why i need a surgical extraction hence the fucking ridiculous pricing. i reckon there will be alot of people who end up with severe problems because they have had to resort to pulling them themselves because of the ridiculous expense. im a sahm and my husband works ft on low wage job so where they think i can pull £300 from i dont know😡

I read about a young woman who died recently after pulling out her own teeth. Totally needless. Teeth and gum health are important. Gum disease can lead to issues with your heart etc. People can and do die from sepsis from dental infections. And there is the huge impact on your mental health too if you have bad teeth to the point you are too scared to smile or speak in public.

The whole crisis in NHS dentistry needs sorting. Dentists will cry that they get paid pence if they see an NHS patient. Sorry, but bring that up with the government. It is real people suffering that are paying the price.

I hear you, and I really hope you can find a solution soon

Its an absolute joke that people have died because of having to do that and all they care about is that they only get pence for nhs patient. dont know how they sleep at night. thanks for the flowers lol

I know it seems a lot but let's just think about it a moment as they are trying to run a business. It might be "just 10 minutes" but think if the overheads.
Receptionist, dental nurse, any other staff
Rent
Equipment- chair, X-ray machine, IT, autoclave, instruments all of which are expensive
Then actual things for your dental procedures- local anaesthetic, equipment
Then the years of training needed and any student debt
Tax

And voila I bet out of the £300 far less than £50 is profit

That actually seems ok to me. There are massive overheads with any medical facility - its not like its 300 in his back pocket. It would be a lot more here (Sydney) I bet.
However, I appreciate if you don't have the cash you don't. Tough situation to be in OP.

That sort of thinking works for vets. They are a private business, and pets are optional.
Teeth are not optional. People are suffering by pulling their own teeth. People are having oral cancers missed because they can't see a dentist.
Oral issues can affect your whole body. It is nuts that oral health has now essentially been privatised.

Thanks for the support@XenoBitch And i agree about the privatising of dentistry

Exactly. It's an absolute joke.

£300 for a dental surgical op sounds about right.

From what you have said your tooth has been giving you trouble for some time so it’s not just tooth removal - relatively straight forward from the dental channels on YT 😉 - it is also the removal of underlying & surrounding ‘granulated’ tissue, & making sure that the remaining tissue is healthy & without disease. Also I assume that the £300 includes after care by phone.

Possibly the best £300 quid - however you get hold of it - you will spend for some time as the relief will be immediate & you will feel far better as your body is no longer fighting off infection.

You may be in the chair for only 10 mins (providing all goes straight forward) but the time dedicated to your appointment is much more for starters. Once your tooth is out and your wound packed up and you are sent on your way, the dentist will type up your notes. Meanwhile the nurse will be sterilising all equipment and sanitising the room, then she will need to set up for the next patient (as they would have done prior to your appointment).

You then have to consider the costs of the equipment and other overheads, all consumables used and the staff. For your appointment they'll be a receptionist, a dental nurse and the dentist. Dental degrees are classified as a medical degree, the cost and time alone is much higher than your average 3 year degree.

All these costs are factored into the price of your appointment, it's not just the "10 mins in the chair" that you pay for.

Overheads, staff salary, indemnity insurance, very quickly add up.
NHS dentistry has been allowed to collapse and neither party seems to really care about saving it.