How much does a dentist check-up and a filling cost?

[rutabowa]

Pretty vain


Is there much difference between NHS and private rates?

yes a lot. don't go private!!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Pretty vain


Is there much difference between NHS and private rates?

Yes apparently. I had root canal treatment and was expecting to pay £400 as someone I knew who went private paid that.

I think I paid less than half of that going NHS

 

[Orang Utan]

New dental charges

Simplified system based on three payment bands:

£15.50 - check up, diagnosis and scale and polish

£42.40 - same as above plus fillings, root canal treatment and extractions

£189 - includes more complex procedures such as crowns, dentures and bridges

That's way cheaper than I was expecting - I thought it'd cost a few hundred quid for a filling

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

That's way cheaper than I was expecting - I thought it'd cost a few hundred quid for a filling

Don't be embarrassed. You should be proud. I wish I could say that I don't have any fillings

 

[Biddlybee]

Are you registered with an NHS dentist? It's pretty hard finding ones that are still taking new patients (just so you know).

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

That's way cheaper than I was expecting - I thought it'd cost a few hundred quid for a filling

Like I said, white ones are more expensive, but I wouldn't imagine with an NHS dentist you should have to pay more than £70 or £80 for a molar to be filled

 

[rutabowa]

Are you registered with an NHS dentist? It's pretty hard finding ones that are still taking new patients (just so you know).

i've found if you just google "NHS dentist" and your area and ring around you can generally find one, in london anyway.

 

[Biddlybee]

Ah ok, must just be where I live then - none of them were taking on new patients - so I just stuck with my old dentist in New Cross.

 

[Orang Utan]

Are you registered with an NHS dentist? It's pretty hard finding ones that are still taking new patients (just so you know).

Haven't been to one in about 10 years

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Haven't been to one in about 10 years

Lucky bastard

 

[seeformiles]

I think I've got my first ever cavity

Good God! As someone with a mouthful of metal - most of it, I might add, put in by an unscrupulous dentist before I was 10 years old, I'm amazed!
There seems to be a period in the 70s where the rule "If in doubt, Fill it" seemed to be the predominant attitude with dentists. All my current work is replacing fillings from 20 odd years ago. Luckily I'm still with an NHS dentist so it's somehting like £20 - £30 for a ceckup and a filling. The last one I had done was almost painless. You'll get an injection into the offending part of the gum and then lie back while your jaw feezes up.

(When I was a kid, my dentist didn't believe in anaesthetic for kids and used to drill away - any wonder I didn't visit a dentist for 10 years after I left home! Mind you, the gas they used to give you was pretty trippy! )

 

[Orang Utan]

Good God! As someone with a mouthful of metal - most of it, I might add, put in by an unscrupulous dentist before I was 10 years old, I'm amazed!

I'm 34, so rapidly aging - no doubt my mouth will be full of metal by the time I'm 40.
Mind you, my dad doesn't have any fillings

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I'm 34, so rapidly aging - no doubt my mouth will be full of metal by the time I'm 40.
Mind you, my dad doesn't have any fillings

34? pftt

 

[seeformiles]

I'm 34, so rapidly aging - no doubt my mouth will be full of metal by the time I'm 40.
Mind you, my dad doesn't have any fillings

I think you've inherited some good teeth there as I'm not that much older than you! Lucky sod!

 

[Chz]

Private (needed it done in a hurry), I paid £80-90 for two fillings to be replaced. Less drilling for replacements, but it was two fillings.

At the back, metal is recommended - especially if you grind your teeth. The metal fillings have some give in them, whereas the white ones can crack or dislodge under heavy pressure.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Private (needed it done in a hurry), I paid £80-90 for two fillings to be replaced. Less drilling for replacements, but it was two fillings.

At the back, metal is recommended - especially if you grind your teeth. The metal fillings have some give in them, whereas the white ones can crack or dislodge under heavy pressure.

There, now if you'd gone to NHS dentist it would have cost you under £50

 

[beeboo]

If you're dead set on wanting a white one, it *may* make no difference whether you go NHS or private as they *may* not do white fillings on NHS so you could end up paying private prices anyway.

It's not like you can necessarily just have the same stuff done on NHS but pay less for it.

Certainly with my cosmetic filling (massive chip in one of my front teeth) I ended up paying for private (at my dentist where I was NHS registered) because they can only use a certain type of material under the NHS, which is of a lower standard than what is available if you go private.

For me it was well worth the extra as my NHS cosmetic fillings fell out every few years whereas this one has stayed put for about 8 years and counting.

 

[butterfly child]

My dentist has private and NHS patients - I am NHS (think I just pay extra for the white filling) and my husband is private, because they weren't accepting NHS patients when he joined the practice.

I daresay if your dentist takes both (surely they all do?) then you can pick & mix.

 

[beeboo]

I daresay if your dentist takes both (surely they all do?) then you can pick & mix.

Aye, if you get on as an NHS patient, you can also use the private services, but if they won't take you on as NHS, then you can only use private.

 

[Chz]

There, now if you'd gone to NHS dentist it would have cost you under £50

Yes, and I'd have had to live with a loose filling for another 3 weeks. No thanks! That's easily worth £50.

My dentist does NHS work, the waiting list is the only difference.