[mjn]

Ok, i've been with my current dentist since i moved to the area in Nov 2004. When i registered, i had a full checkup and set of x-rays, and had a very small amount of work done, i think i had a filling replaced, and the usual scale and polish.

As directed by the dentist, i had checkups at 6 or 9 months, of which every time i went, i was given a clean bill of health.

Around 4 weeks ago, one of molars broke into 2 pieces. This tooth already had a white filling, and the tooth had broke around the white filling. I went to see my dentist, and the diagnosis was that the white filling had shrunk over time, the tooth had cracked and the gum had grown into the tooth, forcing it apart. I find this all a bit far reached to be believed, but the dentist assured me that it does happen.

Anyway, i made another appoinment to have the tooth and the remaining filling cleaned out, and to see what state the tooth is in. After a bit of drilling and poking, she decided that i needed root canal, but she would not be able to perform the work, as she didn't have the required equipment to remove the excess gum. I would be referred to a specialist to have the work carried out.

So far, not bad. About 3 days after this, i had a pain in another tooth, so bad that i couldn't sleep. First thing in the morning, at 9am, i'm queuing outside the dentist, after waiting 30 mins, i discover my dentist doesn't work Fridays The recipentist managed to have another dentist in the area have a look at my tooth who quickly discovered i had an abcess under the tooth, and root canal was needed. The root canal could not be completed until the abcess had died, so i get some anti-biotics, and told to back to my original dentist and make an appointment for a weeks time for the root canal.

Turn up for the appointment, the dentist has a quick look, and refuses to do the root canal, instead suggesting that the specialist who will be doing the first tooth should also do this other tooth.

So i've had around 5 dentist appoinments, but i'm still no closer to getting either tooth fixed. I was referred to the specialist over 3 weeks ago, and i've heard nothing. I was originally told that i should have the work completed in 3 weeks, but i've spent the last 10 days chasing people up, just to get an appoinment.

I just can't get somebody to get the damned work done. And i'm not NHS, i'm private!! I thought they'd be snapping my hand off, for two root canals, Gingivoplasty (Gum Removal), and a crown!

I'm a bit ****** off that, during my checkups the problems weren't detected any earlier, otherwise what is the point in checkups and her near refusal to do the work. Any dentists want to comment?

Hold on, what am i saying, after reading what i've just wrote, i think i should change dentists!

Just received a call from the specialists, and they did not receive the referral letter until the 15th April Three weeks after my dentist said they sent it, so somebody is telling porkies!

I'm so ****** off now.

[MikeTV]

The thing about private dentists is that it is in their interests to find something wrong with your teeth - it can pay for the next down payment on the porsche. Which is why I only ever use over-worked NHS dentists, and for some reason never seem to need any new fillings.

[mjn]

Originally Posted by MikeTV

The thing about private dentists is that it is in their interests to find something wrong with your teeth - it can pay for the next down payment on the porsche. Which is why I only ever use over-worked NHS dentists, and for some reason never seem to need any new fillings.

I definitely need the work, as i've part of a tooth missing, and tooth ache. It's just getting the work done. I've got a consult for the 7th May, which is costing me £55.

[Ultima]

Originally Posted by mjn

I definitely need the work, as i've part of a tooth missing, and tooth ache. It's just getting the work done. I've got a consult for the 7th May, which is costing me £55.

I think the first thing I would be asking is how long it has taken for your teeth to have deteriorated to the extent of these problems and if the problems existed before you had your last checkup give your dentist hell.

Martin

[madgames]

Originally Posted by MikeTV

The thing about private dentists is that it is in their interests to find something wrong with your teeth - it can pay for the next down payment on the porsche. Which is why I only ever use over-worked NHS dentists, and for some reason never seem to need any new fillings.

I know what you mean
I had a root canel on a tooth a few months ago by my new dentist
This tooth had already been root filled by my previuous dentist (who i used since i was a kid but had retired)
I thought that once they were root filled that was pretty much a dead tooth and could give no more pain for life
Anyway i go get it done to the tune of £300 odd quid
Few months later this tooth cracked and this had to be removed , another £50 so im thinking was the £300 second root filling for nothing ?

Im pretty hacked off and so my work mates wife works in a NHS clinic and shes booked me in at 3.30 today
She rekons although there not supposed to they will do me a bridge and crowns and it wont cost more than around £50
My previous dentist wanted about £4000

So although i dont like thinking like this im actually thinking your right and they may find work to keep themselves in ££

[MikeTV]

Originally Posted by mjn

I definitely need the work, as i've part of a tooth missing, and tooth ache. It's just getting the work done. I've got a consult for the 7th May, which is costing me £55.

I agree you need to get the work done. Just wondering why they are consulting, and not doing the actual work on May 7! You know what that means - waiting another 4 weeks to get another appointment for the treatment. And £55 in the bank, k-ching!

[mjn]

Originally Posted by MikeTV

I agree you need to get the work done. Just wondering why they are consulting, and not doing the actual work on May 7! You know what that means - waiting another 4 weeks to get another appointment for the treatment. And £55 in the bank, k-ching!

I can only assume that the dentist doing the work needs to have a look, but yes, i would have thought they would know what needs to be done from the notes my dentist sent. But they reckon i should be seen again within a few days, for the actual work.

[MikeTV]

Originally Posted by madgames

I know what you mean
I had a root canel on a tooth a few months ago by my new dentist
This tooth had already been root filled by my previuous dentist (who i used since i was a kid but had retired)
I thought that once they were root filled that was pretty much a dead tooth and could give no more pain for life
Anyway i go get it done to the tune of £300 odd quid
Few months later this tooth cracked and this had to be removed , another £50 so im thinking was the £300 second root filling for nothing ?

Im pretty hacked off and so my work mates wife works in a NHS clinic and shes booked me in at 3.30 today
She rekons although there not supposed to they will do me a bridge and crowns and it wont cost more than around £50
My previous dentist wanted about £4000

So although i dont like thinking like this im actually thinking your right and they may find work to keep themselves in ££

I know it sounds hard to believe, but I really do think that many private dentists are unscrupulous, especially in the USA where there are big bucks to be made, but it's happening here in the UK too. But thank god for the NHS.

I went to what seemed like a reputable private dentist (after a long period of avoidance) and I was told that I needed 7 fillings, including a root canal by a private dentist in the USA. So I got a second opinion in the UK, on the NHS, about a year later - and I actually needed one minor filling! I haven't needed any fillings since (this was many years ago).

[PAH]

I'm similarly paranoid about my private dentist continuously finding work that needs doing just to rake in the cash.

My previous NHS dentist retired, and I only ever needed the odd filling redoing over the last 10 years with him. With this new private dentist I've had 3 root canal fillings in the last 6 months, and he's still saying there's infection in two of them so may need to do them again or consider extractions if they don't clear up in the next month or two.

How easy is it to find and register with a NHS dentist these days?

[Decadence]

probably cheaper and quicker to have the treatment abroad...places like Romania, Poland and Bulgaria all do special deals.

[Marc]

definitely agree about private dentists. I don't have a dentist myself as i seem to be immune to everything including tooth decay but a friend of mine needed root canal and three or four fillings a while back, and got a quote for over £2000 for the work. He was all set to go ahead with it when i asked if i could look at the quote, and they had quoted for "precious metal fillings" ie gold in the hopes he wouldn't notice. When he got them to requote for standard fillings, it came back at about £600 which was a lot better

[mjn]

Yeah, there's no way i'm forking out for a gold crown!!

[MikeTV]

Originally Posted by PAH

How easy is it to find and register with a NHS dentist these days?

Easy - phone up NHS Direct and ask them for the nearest NHS dentist.

[PAH]

Originally Posted by MikeTV

Easy - phone up NHS Direct and ask them for the nearest NHS dentist.

Can they tell you which ones are currently taking new registrations?

When my previous NHS dentist retired I phoned quite a few of them (found their details on the NHS website) to get registered, but no joy so felt I had to go private. Have things improved in the last couple of years?

[mjn]

There are still queues for the dentists near me, even for private patients.

[sinizterguy]

Depending on the size of the filling in the tooth, over time it can cause teeth to crack around it or for the filling to crack. Ideally, the filling should occupy no more than about 1/3rd of the width of the tooth.

Until the old filling is removed we cant really see for sure how deep the cavity is - xrays only give a rough idea. Depending on the depth of the cavity, a root canal may be advisable. On the other hand, you might get away with not needing one - but thats to be assessed on a case by case basis.

I always refer very difficult root canals to a specialist. Again, the referrals depend on the dentist.

With abcesses under a tooth, it is impossible to spot it unless you are seeing your dentist due to some symptoms from the tooth .... You can only see it on an xray and only after it has progressed to a certain point.

As for not working Fridays, it might incovenience you on certain occasions, but nothing to fault the dentist for.

At the end of it, I dont see how your dentist has really done anything wrong, except for the fact that you have had quite a few problems turn up at the same time. Yes, he/she could have taken on more of the work than he/she has - but that depends on an individual's confidence and abilities as well as the difficulty of the case.

If you are unhappy with your dentists, feel free to change - but I'd say it the case you described is not really sufficient reason. Obviously there might be some other circumstances that I have missed from your post.

For the record, I am a dentist and I work in a private practice.

Where is this place that has waiting lists for private dentists ? Maybe I should start a practice there.

[wormvortex]

It's near impossible to get a dentist where I live. They have huge waiting lists.

[mjn]

Originally Posted by sinizterguy

At the end of it, I dont see how your dentist has really done anything wrong, except for the fact that you have had quite a few problems turn up at the same time. Yes, he/she could have taken on more of the work than he/she has - but that depends on an individual's confidence and abilities as well as the difficulty of the case.

She could have sent the referral letter a bit sooner! The letter was stamped 14th april the specialists said.

[Duncan G]

Originally Posted by MikeTV

Easy - phone up NHS Direct and ask them for the nearest NHS dentist.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7189448.stm

[sinizterguy]

Originally Posted by mjn

She could have sent the referral letter a bit sooner! The letter was stamped 14th april the specialists said.

Fair point. Referrals can be a lot quicker in most cases. The fastest I can get a referral letter sent out is about 2 days after I have seen the patient. And that is a time scale I like to stick with.

[IAN P]

Originally Posted by madgames

I know what you mean
I had a root canel on a tooth a few months ago by my new dentist
This tooth had already been root filled by my previuous dentist (who i used since i was a kid but had retired)
I thought that once they were root filled that was pretty much a dead tooth and could give no more pain for life
Anyway i go get it done to the tune of £300 odd quid
Few months later this tooth cracked and this had to be removed , another £50 so im thinking was the £300 second root filling for nothing ?

Im pretty hacked off and so my work mates wife works in a NHS clinic and shes booked me in at 3.30 today
She rekons although there not supposed to they will do me a bridge and crowns and it wont cost more than around £50
My previous dentist wanted about £4000

So although i dont like thinking like this im actually thinking your right and they may find work to keep themselves in ££

£4000.00,that's a painful amount of work in anyone's book,Dick Turpin for the 21st century