Root canal retreatment on NHS?

[damnteeth]

Has anybody ever had root canal retreatment on the NHS? My dentist just informed me there are no NHS dentists in my county (Northamptonshire) that can do it under the NHS, previous referrals to MHS dental hospitals have failed apparently. My only option is to pay for it privately (different dental practice) which can cost up to £1000 or have the tooth out. Had toothache 3 weeks ago when I had covid and an abcess formed :(

Yes, I've had several, done by my NHS dentist. Is your dentist saying they don't even do them for private patients? Odd.

Can you ring round other NHS dentists? Are there any in neighbouring counties as NHS dentists aren't restricted to patients in a catchment area, unlike GPs. I travel 15 miles to my NHS dentist as she is brilliant.

Most dentists would consider re treatment to be the realm of a root canal specialist or a dentist with a special interest. They only work privately but sometimes you can be lucky and get it done at a dental hospital. What tooth is it? Most dental hospitals won’t accept molars for this.
So yes realistically it is pay or have it out.

I was going to, but the tooth deteriorated/ fractured and had to be taken out before I could get it done. It would have been on the NHS though.

@Bickles

Most dentists would consider re treatment to be the realm of a root canal specialist or a dentist with a special interest. They only work privately but sometimes you can be lucky and get it done at a dental hospital. What tooth is it? Most dental hospitals won’t accept molars for this. So yes realistically it is pay or have it out.

Tooth 5 I think is the number. Quite far forward. Definitely don't want to lose it or have nothing there

Dentist said they have tried referring to hospitals before but they get declined

@Hollyhocksarenotmessy

Yes, I've had several, done by my NHS dentist. Is your dentist saying they don't even do them for private patients? Odd.

Can you ring round other NHS dentists? Are there any in neighbouring counties as NHS dentists aren't restricted to patients in a catchment area, unlike GPs. I travel 15 miles to my NHS dentist as she is brilliant.

So you've had a root canal redone by your NHS dentist? As in it's failed and got infected?

My son is currently doing work experience at an NHS dentist and watched two root canals done yesterday!
NW.

No, I've had 3 done on different teeth, all fine, no fails.

So how many re treatments have you had?
Doing a root treatment the first time can often be the realm of a general dental practitioner although some teeth can be complex and need referral.
Re treatments are more complex and would warrant referral most of the time.

I would say once a tooth has got to retreating stage it is past what the NHS funds tbh. It is usually specialist treatment on a premolar.

There are very few NHS endodontists, none in primary care. There are some in the dental hospitals, but whether they would accept a retreating is difficult to say and your nearest dental hospital is birmingham

There are some areas in the country where there is funding for NHS specialist root canal treatment but in most areas there isn't. The service has to be commisionned locally.
Retreatment as Bickles says is usually specialist territory. If your dentist is saying there isn't a service locally there won't be. You can complain to Healthwatch and your MP but since NHS Dental access is currently in crisis, specialist endodontics is not a top priority when routine care isn't available for 50% of the population.
Endodontists are highly skilled with an additional postgraduate degree, they have expensive equipment and work with a microscope, there is a reason they are expensive. Teeth are complicated internally and difficult or failed root canal treatments happen, instruments can break, canals can be blocked, canals can be funny shapes and roots very curved. These teeth usually need a specialist.
Unfortunately the NHS option available to you is an extraction or seeing a private specialist to see if they can save the tooth. You alos need to bear in mind if the tooth is not yet crowned a crown will be recommended after treatment and if it has a crown this may need to be replaced for treatment.

So you've had a root canal redone by your NHS dentist? As in it's failed and got infected?

I have. I had a root canal done and it was done so badly. A few years later it got infected and I had it redone at the same Dentist surgery. It still wasn’t rectified so I had work done at Kings College hospital. I didn’t pay a penny (can’t remember why but I was only 19 at the time)

Yes me, a couple. (SW) it was a while ago so unless things have changed they should. Just had a crown replaced on NHS too.

I have, but it sounds like MillyMollyMardy is more informed.
Mine was a while ago.

Around here you can get NHS root canal for the simpler teeth. If it is the bigger teeth there are apparently more roots and it is more complicated and our local nhs dentists don't do it. . My NHS dentist doesn't do any root canal. You could try phoning around all NHS dentists in you area to ask. Around here a thousand pounds was what my husband was quoted.

I literally have almost the same issue. I needed a root canal. My dentist after lots of sighing said 'I can give it a go but it's 60% chance of success and I'm not confident due to long roots'. This was after I had explained how nervous I was due to a csection that I felt and needed a GA for. Anyhow... I he said that he was really not that confident and I would need to see a specialist privately... he would recommend someone and it would be around 1k... or he'd be OK to remove it. I saod- 'refer me to the dental hospital please'... nope apparently they don't do root canals so I asked him for clarification... either I let him take it out and that would likely exacerbate my anxiety and ptsd or I pay 1k for a root canal. I asked why I was essentially being discriminated against because i don't have the money. Anyway he referred to dental hospital... heard nothing back... since then the tooth has broken more and now my dentist won't take it out or attempt a root canal and won't chase hospital either. So I'm having to chase dental hospital and have a temporary filling.

Following thread with interest. Hope you have more luck than me!

I’ve just had a molar pulled because I couldn’t get an NHS dentist to do a root canal and I couldn’t afford private.

I was in same boat, I went private. Absolute joke took about 5 months for them to complete, it was nhs dentists just working privately so still having to fit nhs patients in. And it still hurts a year on. I wish id done some research and gone with a private clinic rather than paying nhs private rate. Also I was quoted £300 but billed £700.

I'm in London. Was told a reroof could not be done on the NHS. I went private

I had a root canal 20 years ago. 3 years ago I got an abcess because the filling had shrunk a little. The dentist gave me a choice between extraction and a refill. She was willing to refill it but I chose to have it extracted. She then informed me that was probably the best choice.

Have you thought about dental tourism? I have a dentist in Central Europe who is going to redo my failed root canal and crown. It’s going to be around £300 including the crown. Not NHS prices but not £1000 either. Cheap flight, cheap hotel.

I had original root canal NHS needed up lump on gum. Two years later pain back and serious infection had to pay private for it be re done about £400 but lump went after that. It’s hurting now again on and off don’t think I can go through it again second time much worse and now 3y on probable out of my price range.

Similar experience, I needed root canal and NHS dentist gave it 2 attempts and then said I needed a specialist. Cost me £1000 for the treatment and a crown. The whole thing was pretty unpleasant BUT that was over 10 years ago and touch wood it’s all still ok and the private specialist was pretty amazing at her work. She was really grumpy and unfriendly though which I was a bit miffed about but at least her work was good

Thanks everyone.

I had the original root canal done 3 or 4 years ago and obviously has now failed.
It looks like the information my dentist gave is correct regarding not being able to get it retreated on the NHS.
I think saving a tooth is even worth getting into a but of debt for so looks like I'll go with the private option

Has anyone had any luck getting failed/faulty root canal treatment RE done (fixed) on the NHS?

My nhs dentist said they try once then it’s out as cheaper. If you want try save it then you pay full whack think mine was £500-600 in the end. The nerves do often grow back so it’s not always a fail it’s just one of those things.