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Original poster

angry with nhs dental treatment for son

29 replies

southeastastra · 30/04/2008 15:05

jus taken him for a second opinion. he needs two teeth taken out, under sedation (another two he already has two taken out).

the nhs dentist told me to leave it alone.

private told me they would cause him troubles if just left.

have to wait two months for this sedation appointment. if i went private they could do it tomorrow.

i cannot afford £300 odd private atm for him. so he has to wait.

so sad and angry at the state of nhs dentisty in this country .

OP posts:
bruxeur · 30/04/2008 15:13

You went for a second opinion to a private dentist and they said your DS needed work, when the NHS one said it was unnecessary?

Shocking!

Why not ask to see another dentist at your NHS practice?

DarrellRivers · 30/04/2008 15:15

some private dentists might tell you to get work done (more money for them)
who do you trust>?

Brangelina · 30/04/2008 15:17

My cousin had this with her ds. Private dentist tut tutted and said things like they shouldn't have overlooked this, this needs doing, he definitely needs a brace etc. Cousin was about to shell out on expensive treatment but went on holiday 1st. Her ds had an accident and chipped a tooth when on holiday, saw a local emergency dentist who examined the rest of his mouth and pronounced that the boy had perfect teeth.

Needless to say cousin never went back to private dentist and her ds has not had any problems whatsoever...

Kif · 30/04/2008 15:18

Hmmm... I would go with the NHS dentist view

tbh I've regretted having too much dental work when I was a kid. Does it really need to be done? It 'fixes' it - but fillings do eventually degrade and need to be replaced - and can even seem to create pain where before there was none.

more · 30/04/2008 15:20

Are the teeth actually causing him trouble at the moment?
How old is your son?

Original poster
southeastastra · 30/04/2008 15:29

he is six, the teeth that he needs taken out are disintegating, i was shocked the nhs dentist thought they should just be left really. that's why i went for another opinion.

he can have the sedation extractions on the nhs, just the wait is so long and it annoys me that if i could pay i could go tomorrow.

i'm so confused with it all.

OP posts:
bruxeur · 30/04/2008 15:58

I'm confused - are these his milk teeth? And are they actually bothering him, or is it a cosmetic thing for you?

Original poster
southeastastra · 30/04/2008 16:18

yes they're milk teeth, he says they hurt on and off.

just annoyed that one dentist says one thing, the other says something else. and the waiting time is so long unless i have £££.

OP posts:
jasper · 30/04/2008 17:18

I am a dentist.
Yes we do often decide to leave hopelessly decayed baby teeth alone if they are not causing too much pain.

Astonished at the private fee by the way.

Original poster
southeastastra · 30/04/2008 17:31

really jasper? now i am even more confused as to what to do for him

OP posts:
Original poster
southeastastra · 30/04/2008 19:21

jasper help!

shall i get a third opinion

OP posts:
edam · 30/04/2008 19:23

I think you are being ripped off by the private dentist, tbh. Who is recommending unnecessary work.

Crunchie · 30/04/2008 19:26

do you really need full sedation? That may sound cruel but my dd had 2 teeth out with injections. YES they hurt, but the tooth fairy did bring folding money

Also she onlyhad the 2nd one as she had an abcess which came back a 2nd time

Original poster
southeastastra · 30/04/2008 19:33

i don't know, the dentist suggested it, i thought it could be because they're quite low and it would be hard to extract fully.

i really don't know what to do, i could hold on for the nhs sedation but it will be three months. but would be free. or i could go with the first opinion to just leave them.

OP posts:
pointydog · 30/04/2008 19:35

are they disintegrating due to lack of enamel? Dd2 has that and has always been advised (by private and nhs) to leave them as they are baby teeth. Unless they cause any real problem.

I wouldn't automatically trust the private one more than the nhs one.

pointydog · 30/04/2008 19:35

If the teeth aren't causing discomfort there's no harm waiting. They're just baby teeth.

Original poster
southeastastra · 30/04/2008 19:44

i don't know why they're disintegrating, i brush them for him myself. i just thought i was not doing them well enough.

the dentist also said he should see a hygienist and we should go through a food plan (to see what's causing it). do you think he's suggesting too much or is he trying to help me. it's giving me a headache.

OP posts:
ChirpyGirl · 30/04/2008 19:47

I had 4 teeth out when I was about that age, my mouth was overcrowded or something, but I didn't have to have full sedation, just an injection, and they came out roots and all!
I think private dentist is not only recommending unneccesary work when they are likely to fall out anyway soon, and making it more expensive than it has to be as sedation is £££'s more than injections.

pointydog · 30/04/2008 19:51

what will the hygienist do? Scrape off any tartar? Does he have any? Show you how to floss? You prob know that already.

A food plan - you could keep your own food diary to see how much sugar he gets.

Sounds a bit unnecessary to me but then I am quite quick to be cynical re dentists.

Original poster
southeastastra · 30/04/2008 20:01

i know i'm really wondering now.

OP posts:
CarGirl · 30/04/2008 20:04

I thought dentists like to leave the teeth in where possible partly to encourage the new teeth to come done in the right place and encourage the jaw to stretch IYSWIM Basically my dentist explained that taking out baby teeth can create more orthodontic probems due to the effect it has on the jaw

WigWamBam · 30/04/2008 20:11

I wouldn't put him through unnecessary sedation, extraction and pain if they aren't bothering him. It would be much nicer for him to let them come out naturally.

It sounds as if the private dentist is thinking more about the money than your son's wellbeing - particularly with suggesting a hygienist as well. Children don't need hygienists - they don't even need to floss their teeth until they are rather older than your son.

Original poster
southeastastra · 30/04/2008 21:20

hmm yes cargirl, that's worrying me too, he'd have quite big gaps, but the dentist said those teeth wouldn't come back until he's about 11 which i was a bit about.

i know ww i wonder. still giving me a headache.

OP posts:
CarGirl · 30/04/2008 21:44

where abouts do you live, canyou a recommendation for a new dentist from a dental nurse (they know the good and bad detists generally)

Original poster
southeastastra · 01/05/2008 12:13

i don't know any dental nurses! only the one in the dentist and she's always with the dentist iykwim

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