Can a gp refer me to hospital for surgical dental removal?

[flowershoe]

I've had a broken tooth for almost 2 years and it's getting so bad that my face is going numb on one side.

I've had multiple emergency dentist appointments who just put in a temporary and tell me 'yeah that needs to be surgically removed' and then nothing else. I did see a helpful dentist who told me she'd send X-rays over to the hospital but that they don't usually take people from emergency appointments.

Can my gp do anything on this? and if not is it even possible to pay for a private surgical removal? I just can't believe how difficult it is but I almost can't speak normal any more cause of his bad it's gotten

No. It’s not a GP thing.
The dentist should be able to refer you to a dental hospital. You probably need to speak to them and ask them to be referred when you aren’t having an emergency appointment.

Some Bupa dentists do oral surgery, but not all so you would have to phone and check. I imagine it would be ££££

Would you ask a plumber to decorate your house? No. You need a dentist not a GP

If you Google private dental hospitals you should be able to find the closest one to where you live.

You may find you can self refer to the local private hospital for a consultation with an oral surgeon - I had a similar situation with a broken tooth that the dentist couldn’t remove (she tried for almost an hour but it wasn’t budging and she couldn’t give me any more anaesthetic or cut into my gum/jaw bone to release it). I contacted 2 local hospitals that had private wings and spoke with their private patients team, explained what I needed and was quoted around £2000
for initial consultation, X-rays, admission for day surgery to remove tooth, and follow up afterwards. This was around 7-8 years ago and in London so, depending on where you are prices may or may not be similar
to that.

As it happened, I got the appointment through for NHS treatment shortly after this so didn’t have to go private after all.

If you already have a dentist, you can ask them to refer you to BUPA for dental surgery. I don’t think you can refer yourself to a BUPA dental surgeon unfortunately.

If it helps to give some idea of cost, I paid around £400 for a complex extraction recently.

If you don't have a dentist ring round and speak to receptionists to explain the problem. You might be able to be referred , as you already have X-rays and paperwork, without an expensive dentist's appointment.

Lots of dentists do surgical extractions - especially at private practices - id just ring around a few local private practices and ask if Anyone does surgical extractions - it’ll be about £300 I’d imagine (area dependent)

I had one removed privately under a GA. It cost £2000. Found the consultant at a Spire hospital

Thanks for all the helpful replies!

I've not been registered with a dentist for years and have been very lucky with my teeth until having a baby and an very tasty pretzel chocolate bar just brok the tooth and it's just got worse and worse!

I'll give a few private practises a call on Monday and see how I get one - typically I've just had a baby but doesn't look like I'll be getting any free dental care 😂