NHS dentistry

[Jemster1]

Please can any dentists on here confirm if you can provide an enamel cap on the NHS. I've been offered a metal one on the NHS but if I want a white one I have to pay £600 privately. Is this correct??!

They do white fillings on the front teeth only.

Amalgam at the back.
Tbh I wouldn't worry about amalgam - in my experience it lasts way better than the white.

When I last had an enamel crown, the NHS option was limited to the front few teeth only, as soon as you move away to the side (i.e. not immediately visible) it was metal.
I have a wonderful dentist (so good I remained with him after moving 30-miles away) who will mix & match NHS and private treatments. For instance he did an NHS root-canal but finished it with a private crown.

NHS dentistry is there to secure health , so you should be offered treatments that will secure health but may not , necessarily be cosmetically the best.
A metal crown removes less tooth , is stronger , particularly if you grind , than a white crown . Therefore on back teeth, on the NHS you will be offered a metal crown but can opt to pay for a white crown if it's cosmetically important to you.

From the NHS website

Common dental treatments available on the NHS

Crowns and bridges

Crowns and bridges are available on the NHS (Band 3, £282.80).

As with all restoration treatments, they may need to be replaced in the future.

They can also be provided privately. For example, you may be offered a metal coloured crown on a back tooth to help restore the tooth from a functional perspective.

You could discuss with your dentist what alternative cosmetic options can be offered privately, and the risks and benefits of these, to help you make an informed decision.

White crowns are only offered on the NHS for front teeth. Premolars are a grey-area with this rule and molars are definitely only Silver coloured on the NHS.