Re: Dental work in a 'Gray Area'.
- From: oralhealth@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 14:06:16 -0700 (PDT)
On Sep 2, 1:40 pm, Mark & Steven Bornfeld
<bornfeldm...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
john d hamilton wrote:
I'm a 64 male who recently went for a dental check up. I was told that I I'm
overbrushing and have exposed teeth at the gum line that need a coating put
onto eight
teeth.
I'm a national health patient and was told that this cost is not covered by
NHS because it's * Cosmetic *.
When I said, " if it's cosmetic then does it really need to be done? ". She
then said, it's a 'gray area. She then said that the coating could be
applied using a
metal filling, but it would not look so good and that it does not stick on
so
well.
She said she could do all the eight teeth coatings in one hour. So that's
£240
pounds for an hours work. In my present situation that represents a lot of
money for me to find.
I'm in London U.K. and I'm wondering how I could get a second opinion about
this? Maybe in this group, or some professional advisory group connected to
dentistry?
I accept her judgment that the tooth enamel is worn around the gum line on
the teeth, and I can see it myself. But when someone is getting £240 for an
hours work for something that I'm told is a 'gray area', I'm wondering if
there is a
reasonable and cheaper option elsewhere?
A friend said take a train ride from London to a country like Poland and get
the work
competently done there a lot cheaper. Would that make sense, in this
situation? Thanks for any advice.
This gum recession has probably happened over a long period of time. I
will generally not restore these receded areas unless the patient is
uncomfortable (these areas are frequently sensitive to cold and touch)
if this sensitivity cannot be resolved with desensitizing toothpastes,
or if the recession is accompanied by deep erosions, abrasions or
abfractions that threaten the pulp.
I'm as cynical as the next guy too. There is a powerful incentive in
the states in managed care plans to find needed services that are
somehow not covered. I'm sure the same motivation is present in the U.K.
If your dentist does not consider this to be a cosmetic service, she
should be able to state that clearly. In this case, and considering you
apparently did not request the treatment, there is nothing gray about
this area. It may be more in the nature of a "green area" if you get my
drift.
If there is any way for you to post a photo, we'd be more than happy to
look at it.
Steve
--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDShttp://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001
ditto
.
- Prev by Date: Abfraction and dental researchers
- Next by Date: periodontal disease and dental researchers and animals
- Previous by thread: Re: Dental work in a 'Gray Area'.
- Next by thread: Piercing Pain in Front Upper Tooth
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
