Root canal -- private vs NHS?

[MegBusset]

I need a root canal treatment done on one tooth -- my first time. I hate going to the dentists so not chuffed about it at all.

I've been with a private dentist for the past year (free thanks to maternity allowance) but my MA has just run out. My dentist is very nice but the cost would be £260 for the surgery plus £340 for a crown -- ouch.

Alternatively I can get it done at our local NHS dentists for the going rate of £194. I have an appointment on Monday so will meet the dentist then.

Just wondering if people have experienced better root canal treatment privately? Or if I should save my money and go with the NHS? I could afford private if I had to but money is tight so would rather avoid dipping into savings if I could...

The actual treatment itself shouldn't be any different whether its provided by the NHS or a private dentist

I've had 2, one on a back molar (4 roots!), both done privately simply because I couldn't get on a nhs dentists list

Its not a great procedure, but is boring and uncomfortable as it takes so long, rather than painful. My dentist was great as I have supersensitive teeth and he wacked up the anaesthetic for me (had to inject inside the tooth at one point )

Perhaps talk to the nhs dentist about it and about the pain relief he can offer and of course how quickly he can do it as its a long procedure

hth

OO and make sure you get antibiotics afterwards as a precaution, I had infections after both, nasty

I work for a dentist which does nhs and private root treatment, and they use better equipment for private and the work has a higher success rate. Sounds unfair but they get paid much less to do the nhs treatment.

I would ask about the type of metal in the crown. I believe the NHS allow is more corrosive than the private on. Can you get the root canal om the NHS and just the crown privately?

HCTG what is the difference in the success rate between private and NHS?

Always go private for a crown. They use better materials and are able to spend longer constructing it.
The NHS fees apparently dont allow the people who make crowns enough time to do it as well as they would like.

Meg , I'm sorry I don't know, the dentists explain that to the patients. I do know that for a BACK tooth they won't do NHS root treatments at all except as a very last resort, as they believe the failure rate is too high for them to risk it. I do actually believe this and don't think they just say this to make the extra cash, they are decent dentists.

But different dentists will have different equipment/success rates.