A visit to a dentist feels like a tripinto the unknown for many. Even though everything apparently seems fine you are not sure what might turn up. Then you do not know the cost of correcting that problem either. In the following sections of this post let us explore the standard prices of some of the common dental conditions.

Pricing structure of NHS dentistry based on banding

Let us start with how much you have to pay about at the NHS for some of the popular treatments. The table below makes it easier to understand the NHS pricing structure.

It is meaningful to mention in the ongoing context that the NHS pricing is lesser in Wales, Band I treatments cost £20, whereas Band II and II cost £60 and £260 respectively.

NHS banding – get the right value of your money   

If you get several works done in your mouth in a single visit or as a single course of treatment in that case you pay only the fee for Band II only once, says an experienced NHS dentist in Raynes Park. A typical example includes suppose you got three fillings, then only Band II fee is applicable once.  

It is also interesting that you pay only for the top band that your dental work is completed under. Suppose you go for a check-up which is under Band I. Your dentist says you need a filling but that can only be done sometime next week or next month. In that case you do not have to pay for Band I and band II treatments. Rather you pay for the check up under Band I which is £27.40 and then pay only for the filling which is £47.90. Thus, in total you pay £75.30 which is the charge for Band II treatments at the NHS.

They may even give you an offer which enables you get some NHS done and then there is an additional charge for some private dentistry work. This aspect needs little explanation for a clearer understanding. Suppose you go for an NHS check up. It reveals you need a filling at one of the back teeth. The NHS offers you a metal filling but they offer you to upgrade it to a white filling with a little extra payment than Band II. But they roll up costs of the white filling and the check up together for your convenience. In other words you are not paying separately for a check up and as white filling, explains an NHS dentist in Wimbledon.   

NHS covers your dental works with its guarantee

If anything goes wrong with any NHS dentistry work within twelve months from having it done, the NHS covers that on behalf of patients with its guarantee. So you can easily go back and get it replaced without having to pay for it this time from the same dentist. Unfortunately a large number of people are unaware about this NHS guarantee. Next time if anything does not feel right or there is a chip, crack or breakage, just go back to that same dentist and get the problem fixed for free.

Cost of dental implants at the NHS

In easy words a dental implant is an artificial tooth which is surgically placed into your jaw to replace a lost or missing tooth or teeth. It may also replace a tooth or teeth that are damaged badly. According to an experienced NHS dentist in London dental implants are only available on the NHS when there is a strong medical need for it. The NHS offers patients with dental implants under certain conditions like someone’s face or the teeth are so badly damaged by an accident or severe conditions like oral cancer.

The NHS also offers dental implants to those who suffer from a cleft lip or palate by birth. People suffering from lost or missing teeth are also likely to get implants at the NHS.

Dental crown cost at the NHS

Dental crowns involve complexities in the procedure itself. You need a crown when a tooth is badly damaged. Dentists recommend it following a root canal treatment or RCT. A dental crown is cap that comes in the shape of the tooth. It is fitted permanently over a weak or damaged tooth. Dental crown come under Band III category at the NHS. So it costs £326.70 at the NHS dentistry. The NHS will provide you with a dental crown based on two factors – which tooth requires it and what your dentist recommends for you. If the crown is for a tooth at the front of the mouth, probably the NHS gives a white crown which is either made of porcelain or resin, says an NHS dentist near me.

On the other hand if it a tooth at the back of the mouth, the NHS gives you only a metal crown which will not be white in colour. At private dentistry typical cost for white crowns for the rear teeth starts from around £450 and goes up steadily.  

Root canal treatment at the NHS

When a tooth develops decay deep inside it, a root canal treatment or RCT is required. This is a technical procedure and comes under the Band II category at the NHS. So the cost is £75.30. An NHS dentist at Colliers Wood says at private dentistry the cost for the treatment is within the range from around £250 and £320.

Typical cost of dental fillings at the NHS

Fillings also come under Band II treatments at the NHS and so the cost is £75.30. just like dental crowns discussed above, the NHS gives you white fillings for the front teeth and amalgam or metal filling for the teeth at the back of your mouth. The same treatment at any private dental practice costs anywhere in between £100 and £180 explain dentists working at the renowned SW19 Confidental Dental Clinic. The cost varies based on the location of your tooth that needs filling.

Also Read: Six Month Smile – your helpful guide to take an informed decision