Dentist

greencreeper · 08-11-2006, 14:36

I've been seeing a student dentist at the local dental school - have for a while now, until the summer of last year when she graduated. I was supposed to be referred to another dentitst in the Autumn. I did get an appointment but it was too short notice. I spent up until March chasing another appointment - just kept telling me that a letter would be sent. In March I finally got an appointment - only for them to cancel it due to a lecture. More chasing of an appointment followed until the summer when I was told that my assigned dentist, who I had never seen, was graduating. I was told that I'd be referred to another dentist this Autumn... I've just visted the dental school and have been told that because it's over a year since I saw a dentist, I will have to go back to the start again. This means that I've had to take tomorrow off work to be assessed for treatment - a qualified dentist will look at my teeth and see if a student dentist can learn from working on my teeth. So there's no guarantee I will be accepted. I'm really annoyed by the whole thing but they'd couldn't give a damn. I was wondering how much it would cost to see a dentist - I don't have a lot of spare cash? I'd need maybe half a dozen fillings, here and there. Possibly a crown or two. My teeth are crumbly

Xaccers · 08-11-2006, 14:46

Bloomin typical.
Do you still get charged for going to a student dentist and is there a list of schools nationally?
I only ask because my girlfriend is looking at having quite a lot of work done and we're wondering if going via a school would help.

greencreeper · 08-11-2006, 14:57

There is no charge. I've had a few root canal treatments, and two gold crowns, plus loads of fillings here and there. All free. Would have cost me thousands, which I don't have, so the teeth would have had to be pulled.

**Hugh** · 08-11-2006, 15:25

When I first came to Leeds, I used to use the Dental Hospital - it was usually quite good, if you didn't mind half a dozen dental students looking in your gob while the work was done.

The other option is Dental Insurance, which you can get for Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£10-Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£15 per month from most dentists - saves big one-off bills.

greencreeper · 08-11-2006, 15:45

Might have to look at insurance. Either that or grinning at an oncoming snow plow this winter.

When I win the Premium Bonds, the whole lot are coming out and I'm having implants - metal posts with screw-on teeth. Much easier.

**Hugh** · 08-11-2006, 16:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by greencreeper

Might have to look at insurance. Either that or grinning at an oncoming snow plow this winter.

When I win the Premium Bonds, the whole lot are coming out and I'm having implants - metal posts with screw-on teeth. Much easier.

Looks uncomfortable to me

Xaccers · 08-11-2006, 16:19

When I looked into insurance, they wouldn't cover existing issues

greencreeper · 08-11-2006, 17:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by foreverwar

Looks uncomfortable to me

I would have thought teeth were an existing issue, always

I suppose it's like health insurance - I've given up on that.

Ramrod · 08-11-2006, 17:03

Can't you get a NHS dentist?

greencreeper · 08-11-2006, 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramrod

Can't you get a NHS dentist?

There are few left, Rammy. Those that are still taking on the poor, are either saintly or East European butchers with a fake degree. You takes your chances.

My mate has false gnashers. His dentist has made several attempts to create him a new set but they're all like "horse teeth" and useless. Goes through tube upon tube on Bonjela. So she's given up and refused to treat him further. He's currently touring Leeds trying to find another dentist.

grandmaster · 08-11-2006, 19:13

I m having a crown at the moment.
Had the prep work done and i'm waiting for it to be fitted.

Private Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£290
NHS Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£190

Big difference but still expensive ( Im having the NHS) , even more so if you come from a low income household.

Ryan

greencreeper · 09-11-2006, 15:40

Did you get the cold mushy stuff to chomp on? Awful. One of my crowns was too high - mouth like a letter box. They polished it down and put a hole in it

So it was back to the start again - more mushy stuff.

I've seen the dentist. Lovely lady. Couldn't understand why I wasn't seeing a student - I explained why. Most apologetic. She had a look at the gnashers and has referred me to a student for complex fillings. It's not good though - she's found something I wasn't aware of. A small cavity at the side of an upper canine, which already has a filling. Might mean a root canal

grandmaster · 09-11-2006, 16:37

I had a few mushy things shoved in there lol.

I was under the impression that you did not need a root canal if you did not feel any pain on the tooth as the hole has not become infected.

Not sure though.

greencreeper · 10-11-2006, 00:02

You have three layers to a tushypeg - enamel, dentine and pulp. When the dentist is cleaning out the muck (all the manky enamel and dentine), he or she must not expose the pulp - this is very bad. I've had this happen under a filling and the pain is incredible - so much as the touch of my tongue was enough to have me yelling. The problem, which is what I might have, is that when they remove the existing filling and do a clean up, the pulp might accidentally expose - there's no way back from this. The filling itself eats into the dentine in order to get a grip, so the simple act of removing the filling might expose the pulp. It's a bit of a worry.

Chris W · 10-11-2006, 00:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramrod

Can't you get a NHS dentist?

My parents had to change dentist when the moved house. They couldn't get an nhs dentist, so they tried to find a private dentist who was taking on new patients. They found one, but believe it or not they had to be interviewed to be taken on!

A ridiculous situation