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[Stellajane]

Does anyone feel like I do that NHS dentistry has become very much the second class option?

I've always stuck with my NHS dentist but now as I get older am finding it so depressing. OK so I get all the treatment necessary to "keep my mouth healthy" but what about the staining I'm now experiencing on my front teeth due to receding gums? There's nothing that can be done about this on the NHS apparently as they really need either veneers or crowns to restore their appearance, and crowns wouldn't be done on the NHS unless the teeth had decay in their roots. Veneers wouldn't be an option at all as they're considered purely cosmetic.  So I'm expected to just grin (or not!) and bear it???

It used to be the case at my practice that you could be an NHS patient and still pay separately for some of these private only treatments but they have phased that option out now. This getting old lark is very expensive one way or another isn't it?

[Limpy]

I would like to be able to comment on NHS dentistry but NHS dentists are rarer than hens teeth around here. Private dentists are the only thing available.

[CLKD]

It's sad that people go into Dentistry, gain a client base then turn Private  - this has happened to us 5 times in 15 years  …….  - paying as we go, now we have check ups, apparently 1 is supposedly to get the 'same' level of check up as offered by the NHS but anything 'over' i.e. scale and polish is extra.  When I went a few weeks ago it was extra for the scale and polish  so I didn't have it done ………. a general scrape with a sharp stick, a bit of advice and home.

I LOVE our Dental Surgeon though …….. he has also done a Psychology Degree and seems to know how to settle nervous patients.

[babyjane]

our dentist is lovely within the limits set by the NHS.  The hygienist is private but you can decide whether or not to see her.  We both went last week and it was money well spent as all the staining on both our teeth is now gone in time for lovely wedding photos in 5 weeks.

Why should the NHS pay for things that are not essential but cosmetic.  Yes, I know they used to but there are too many people wanting too much nowadays.  The NHS was not formed for what it is expected to do in the 21st century.

[CLKD]

I agree Babyjane.  However, it does mean that people who can't afford what is now considered 'cosmetic' including scale and polish, now have to be paid for.  It cost me £45.00 ………

I choose to pay for implants to stop my jaw shrinking and loosenig other teeth.  We have no dependants so can pay for any necessary dental treatment outside the NHS.  Had I suffered an injury then implants would have been covered!

[CLKD]

Sad ain't it.  Are there no repair pastes that would help? 

[Dancinggirl]

I am a dentist's daughter - sadly my father died over 30 years ago.  His practise was in the East End of London so he dealt with many people who were quite poor.  He believed passionately in the NHS and offered a wide range of treatments including orthodontics and cosmetic - more was included in those days and anything specific that was particularly costly could be assessed and paid for through application. He did however did quite a bit of private as well - he said the private work helped to support maintaining his practise which had very high overheads. 
My daughter was one of the last children to receive orthodontic treatment under the NHS - I believe now it is only available on NHS if there is an extreme need to adjust the teeth for health reasons - so now a decent smile is about whether you can afford to pay to have your child's teeth straightened - I feel everyone should be entitled to a decent smile so orthodontics should be every child's right.
I had an excellent NHS dentist in London who would do work privately if the NHS wouldn't include a certain treatment. I am in Suffolk now and my local NHS dentist offers very limited treatment and doesn't even offer good advice about saving teeth.  I had a molar that is heavily filled and they just said it would have to come out if any further dmamge occurred - I knew it could be saved so wen to see ad dentist privately fro advice and he has done the root canal and crown that will hopefully keep that tooth for the rest of my life.  If I had lost that tooth then teeth aournd the gap would be compromised and this would lead to more problems.
I am sticking with my new private dentist no matter what the cost.  DG x

[babyjane]

I don't understand because our granddaughter is having orthodontic treatment and her parents are not private

My daughter was one of the last children to receive orthodontic treatment under the NHS - I believe now it is only available on NHS if there is an extreme need to adjust the teeth for health reasons - so now a decent smile is about whether you can afford to pay to have your child's teeth straightened

[honeybun]

My daughter had excellent free orthodontic treatement and was referred to a specialist hospital department. She even had a CT scan.

It went on for years and we did not pay a penny. Free dental treatement for children ends at 19 years of age if they are working or at uni, or free until they complete college. You can also get help if you are a low income family. Maybe different in Scotland.

We have three NHS dental practises in our town and all of them do private work too. Sometimes it's a mixture of both.


Honeyb
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[Dancinggirl]

I may have been wrong about orthodontic treatment for children/teenagers - maybe that change didn't actually go through!!??? 15 years ago when the government were reviewing what dental treatment would be available, I was told by my daughter's orthodontist at the time that any treatment would, in future, be a case by case basis and only offered if absolutely necessary - so if the teeth were just a bit out of place then orthodontics wasn't offered on the NHS - but if that is wrong and every teenager is still offered treatment to fully straighten teeth then that is great - I am delighted that a good smile is not about who can afford it.
What I did object to was being told by my local NHS dentist that my molar wasn't salvageable  - she simply said I would get used to the gap when it was extracted!!! When I questioned whether the gap would compromise my other teeth she told me it wouldn't - I knew this was incorrect so this is why I won't be going back to her.
I am sure there are varying degrees of quality in dental care and sadly many NHS dentists don't get enough experience doing things like root canals etc. so are reluctant to do this kind of work - it is now rather specialised those days. Whilst I wouldn't expect to get a root canal done on a molar on the NHS I do expect to be advised about my options - my london NHS dentist was very good in this way but the dentist locally gave me poor advice.  I would say one should always question whether a tooth should be extracted - there is usually a way to save it even if you have to pay a bit more. DG x

[CLKD]

DG I agree.  At least our Dentist takes time to explain what he would like to do in order to keep a healthy mouth and sends me away to have a good think about it. 

[CLKD]

StellaJane that's true - many years ago I had a 'crown' made but it sat above the rest of the teeth and was SO painful. The dentist who took the impression etc. was very good but headed back Down Under so another guy fitted the crown which had to be removed with the tooth by a Dentist who was not every pleasant to me: and even though I had paid for the crown I never got it back  - £200.00 down the drain 

As an aside: why don't our Dental Records travel as our Health Records do when we move from a Practice?  We pay for the treatment so surely, like X-rays paid for, they belong to the patient?

[CLKD]

Have a look at Weedon Healthy Teeth - I think that's where we go  ,  - it says on there that there are no metals used !

At least by reading their web-site you will get an idea as to what is available, it is clear and prescise.  You can then trawl your local surgeries to see if anything compares 

[CLKD]

You are welcome.  I have made our check up appts. to take place in October.  I trust this Dentist completely and his Staff are supportive too.  If there is a problem I go back and back if necessary until my face is sorted.  He's done a Psychology Degree too 

[honeybun]

It shouldn't be down to money but so often is.

My daughter is having a crown on a back tooth. She is 20 and at university and gets no help with costs at all. Now if she was at college then help would be available....that doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
She doesn't want either a silver or gold crown which is all that's available on the NHS and I don't blame her....so it's costing over £250. That's a lot for a student.


Honeybun
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