Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Shyteteeth (and the temple of gloom)

3 replies

Shyteteeth · 29/04/2008 00:34

Hello anyone who's followed the development of my teeth saga!
Well I went back to get the follow-up report today...ouch ouch ouch...I have pretty bad gum disease and as expected, there is something they can do for the crack and ridging on my top front teeth.

For all you dentists out there - the gum pocket around a number of my teeth measures 6 (and not 3, which is considered healthy).

The dentist said he wasn't able to do a thorough examination of the back of my bottom teeth due to the plaque/calculus build-up

I totally acknowledge that this will, in part, have been caused by me brushing badly, but shouldn't my old dentist have been removing this and, at the very least, advising me that I wasn't brushing in the right way?

New dentist said it was obvious I was a vigorous brusher - but was missing hard to reach areas which is where the problems have built up.

So - to repair the crack and ridges and reshape the teeth, plus to carry out other restorative work will cost in the region of £1,600 ...

On top of this is £562 of hygienist costs to try and treat the gum disease.

Added to that is the bite correction - which will cost in the region of £4,000.

When I said I was going to be looking for a cardboard box to live in, I'm not joking now!

I'll have to find the money somehow to get the cracks/ridges and gum treatment but the bite problem will have to wait as there's no way in the world I can find that kind of money.

I can't see I have another option at this point as NHS dentists aren't taking on new patients in my area (or surrounding areas, believe me I've tried everyone!) and I have absolutely NO faith in my old dentist.

If it weren't for the crack, I wouldn't have sought a second opinion and god knows what state my gums would be in a few months down the line.

I do have to hold my hands up and take some responsibility for a poor brushing technique, but the plaque/calculus build-up and gums must have been screaming at her?? The gums were screaming at me and I even asked her about them...'oh it's hereditary' was the answer.

Am a bit tonight.

There you go...treatment due to start in 2 weeks time (practice shuts for two weeks next week - just my luck!).

Poor me
Shyteteeth

OP posts:
wrinklytum · 29/04/2008 00:38

Oh dear.Dunno what to say.

£4,000!!!

Am on your behalf.

I have a bit of a dentist phobia so you have my sympathies.

sandcastles · 29/04/2008 05:02

WOW Is all I can say!

Either you build up very quickly or your previous hygienist/dentist has not been doing a good job of cleaning your teeth!

Sounds like you have had NO oral hygiene [OH] advice, pockets measuring 6 need far more than a basic sale & polish & you should have had extensive gum treatment/maintenanace....how things have changed!

I assume that the dentist gave you a few bits of OH advice to be going on with.

Did you ask about finance? Alot of private dental practices now offer direct debit/standing order facilities or can arrange an interest free 'loan' for dental treatment. If you do go the loan route & it isn't interest free, check out your bank as they can be better.

Just be aware that cracked tooth will still be vunerable until the bite is sorted. That's not to say that there WILL be problems, but just the potential for....

Good Luck!

Shyteteeth · 29/04/2008 11:41

Thanks Sandcastles and Wrinkleytum...

I obviously do build up quick Sandcastles - I had no advice at all from previous dentist or gum treatment - I had basic scale and polish and that was it and 1 filling in the 3 years I've been going there.

The restoration work to the teeth damaged from grinding is only a temporary solution until they correct my bite - like you said, anything permanent they try and do before the bite is corrected will be likely to break if I continue to grind

Woh is me!
Thanks for you interest - makes me feel a bit better
Shyteteeth

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page