Advice for British teeth?
 

Well we all hear that our American and Canadian cousins dont care much for our British teeth and I fear, as I have a powerful dentist phobia, I will come to NS with a great set of my own!! :p

I certainly need a crown, several tiny fillings and some serious whitening!!! :D

So, my question is - how easy is it to get a dentist? And as I appreciate that they are likely private, when you get dental plans through employment, how much is still payed for by us?? And will my pre-existing stuff cost me +++ like with any insurance, because it wont be covered?

(And has anyone had their teeth whitened?? How much was it and is it a one off session???)

Thanks!

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Dentists are easy to find but expensive (if you have typical British teeth like mine :eek: ). Obviously costs will depend on the dental plan you get but there are annual limits on various treatments and coverage will range from 0% to 100% depending on the treatment in question, plan and amount paid for that sort of treatment for you in the last year.

With the insurance coverage, some examples are $15-$20 for a clean, $20-$30 for a regular filling (a whole lot more if it's a white one, especially on a back tooth), $20-$30 for a wisdom tooth removal. They'll charge you per x-ray too, but I don't remember those costs being too outrageous.

Be sure to ask them "how much?" before any treatment, I had a referral for a redo on a root canal, apparantly root canal redos are not covered under my policy and for some reason they wanted about $1k for the procedure (which is obviously not going to get done!) - a regular root canal with insurance coverage is probably around $50...

I think my dentist told me it was around $800-$1000 for bleaching, but I can't remember for sure as I'd already switched off after she said "not covered by insurance..."

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

If you don't have a dental plan, things tend to be a lot cheaper as they know people won't cough up the same kind of money that insurers will.

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Seriously, get them done b4 u come over.
Had my sons teeth cleaned last week and it cost me $210 !!! This is a 15 year old that has never had a cavity (filling) in his life. BTW his braces cost me $5000. SMILE :-)

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Get your teeth whitened over here before you go.

There are places that will do it for around £300-400 but I got mine done by a company for £200. (didn't really need doing, I just fancied trying it!!) but it worked!

They are called "the bright white company" (google for their web site) and are a mobile company so may come near your area..

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Sadly cant reep the benefit of UK dentistry as we are in New Zealand where we pay an arm and a leg for private dentistry, and my dentist scares the jeepers out of me. Talk about hormonal and lack of empathy :unsure:

I wonder if these internet bleach products that I have seen on ebay might do the trick?? I mean to say, how much does a splash of bleach cost???

Thanks!!

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

It's easy to find a dentist but they are private. Dental insurance is a worthwhile perk but it won't cover everything. I am covered by Souvette's plan, which I have been told by a dentist's secretary is a good one. Even that does not provide 100% coverage and the total annual limit is about $1500.

I recently went to the dentist for the first time in several years. The examination, including X-rays, was $85. The scaling and other cleaning was $80. My insurance covered $125 of the total.

I need to go back for a couple of fillings. They will likely cost about $100 a pop. I also need a crown replaced. The dentist told me she needs to get a quote for that :ohmy:

Worryingly, the dentist has also referred me to a peridontist. That, I was told, "is a bit more expensive than a dentist".

My stepson recently had all four wisdom teeth taken out. I think I wrote a cheque for $2000 for that one.

Moral of the story? If yo've an NHS dentist, make full use of him/her before moving to Canada.

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Hi,

If they are anything like the "off the shelf" products that you can buy in supermarkets/Boots etc.. over here, then they *do* work, but they have very low concentrations of the active chemical in them, meaning that you have to used them every day, for a few weeks, before you notice results.

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Would you seriously by bleach, that you put in your mouth, off some shyster on eBay? Are you quite mad?

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Bazz, your shy and genteel manner always makes me feel so warm and fluffy ....

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Me three.

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

My other half got referred to a great dentist in Dartmouth (NS) because there is no way he was going to sit in a dentist's chair to have his root canals done :eek:

The do something called conscious sedation, which just seems to make you extremely forgetful for about 5 or 6 hours. We have used up our $2k dental insurance in two separate annual visits, but it is well worth it.

What is quite amusing are the constant hiccups when they bring him round, and the repeated conversations all evening because he can't remember what I said ten minutes before.

Gets the job done though :rofl::thumbsup:

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

I search back and found this info I had previously posted:

Mr Y-C-D has a family health plan (2 adults, 2 kids) through his work. He pays $40 every 2 weeks (people tend to get paid every 2 weeks here). Our plan gives approximately 80% off full price - some health plans give 100% off. Percentage of cover are reduced to 50-60% for certain things eg dental crowns.

Here are some examples I have experienced in the past 6 months.

Dr
Consultation - free
Prescription drugs cost me $8 - full cost $42

Dentist
Check-up and 5 x-rays = $19
Work done to the root of an existing crown, plus one filling = $46
Hygenist 1 hour appointment = $16

Children over the age of 10 pay for dental treatment

We applied for our health card straight away - we are here on a WP. They have to be shown when you visit the Dr/hospital and when you register with a dentist.

Whilst at the dentist this morning I enquired about teeth whitening and was told it costs around $320 for both upper and lower teeth. A mould it taken of you teeth and you actually use the whitening treatment at home over a period of around 7-10 days depending on the whitening level you want to attain :D:D:D

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

I'm the voice of reason in a world gone mad.

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Before you try an expensive whitenening treatment I suggest you try Crest Vivid White toothpaste. You can get a night one that takes stains off while you are asleep and a daytime one, both are safe and were recommended by my hygenist. I had tried all the other whitening toothpastes on the market and found them all to be ineffective but the Crest is very good.

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Could be a good idea but then again if he/she is anything like the dentist I had in the UK possibly not. It is costing me thousands of dollars to have the damage and neglect to my teeth put right. I had always religiously stuck to my six monthly checkup appointments before coming to Canada but then I started to notice that several of my teeth were starting to feel loose. I queried this with the UK dentist and he said it was nothing to worry about, just receding gums which happens to everyone.

My first visit to the dentist in Canada and he was horrified. The probing that he did to my gums nearly sent me up to the ceiling it was so painful. I had a total of 6 hours with the hygenist for cleaning and descaling and I must return to her every three months to make sure things don't get so bad again.

In the UK I got 10 minutes of cleaning once a year if I was lucky. Needless to say I am disgusted that they let me down so badly, they must have been able to see the problems developing but just chose to ignore them.

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Bazzz :rofl: I'm not game to buy it, but I thought one of you guys might just be mad enough!! :eek:

Souvenir, thanks for all the info. I am going to make it our first priority when we arrive to look into plans then.

Yes-can-do, thank you for that info - that is so reassuring to see as here the costs are through the roof. I paid $200 for a tooth extraction and $200 dollars for each filling, new or replacemtent and not the white ones!

Edna *pretty gums* bucket, you good attendance for years makes me feel dreadful, I didnt go to the dentist in the UK for 11 years and then found a great dentist that we all loved..............but moved to NZ. Found who seemed to be nice enough, but then she has since changed into a scary lady who is short on patience and stingy on anaesthetic and has no empathy at all - but better the devil you know???

Thanks to all, feeling so much better!

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Hey,


I would NEVER pay 800-1000 to get my teeth whitened!!!1 I had my teeth "ZOOM: whitened at the dentist in June 2007 and it cost me 300 dollars which is cheaper than normal. Right now a Dentist in town is charging 199. the reg price is like 699 but my teeth are white as snow and well worth every penny of the 300 I spent. My husband is getting it done soon and has arrived in Canada now for 8 weeks and has been to the dentist 3 times. He was quite amazed at the amount of ppl that looked after him at each visit. Look up zoom whitening on the net... I can guarantee you that you won't be unhappy!!!


:)

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

I know exactly where you are coming from. Back in the UK my dentist was private (which ones aren't nowadays) and I went regularly for checkups. I now discover that my 2 crowns are not a very good fit and I now have damage to the tooth base under the gum line. I also have pockets below the gumline at the back which should have been seen to by a dental hygenist. :mad:

Good news is that I will now have them treated every 3-4 months. My last treatment by the hygenist cost me $16 for 1 hour and I was given multiple injections. However, my dentist always applies a gel to freeze the gum before injecting, and you know what, it works :thumbsup:

Both my kids have great teeth (13 and 16). Neither have had any fillings or teeth removed. All my nagging has paid off :D

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Something to remember - and I don't know if all dentists are the same - but my dentist doesn't bill the insurance company directly, so I have to fork out the whole sum of what's owed, and then claim it back on my insurance. Might make a dent in your cashflow. ;)

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Oh, thats not so great and is painful on the wallet :ohmy:

Luckily, we just pay our portion and the dental surgery claims back the rest from our insurance. Well worth checking out how your potential dental surgery does their billing beforehand then.

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

We had a great private dentist in the UK and we plan to go back for cleaning/treatment when we go back on holiday next year. At some stage when we can afford dentistry here we will have to visit a local one and I would be gobsmacked if there was anything wrong with his work for the Canadians to criticize. Though I have a feeling some of the comments come in the same category as when you go to a hairdressers and they say "who cut this last" .

I've seen some awful teeth in canadian mouths so they shouldnt be too cosy and superior over their comments on British teeth. I've seen some very straight orthdontic teeth that look like rows of tombstones as well!

I think that theres a fine line between heathy teeth and what becomes cosmetic teeth. Teeth need straightening if it affects your bite, how you eat, whether you grind your teeth, get temperomandibular joint pain, etc. If they "need" work because they dont look perfect, then thats cosmetic. Same goes for whitening. You may as well get that slightly imperfect nose fixed too, maybe your ears stick out too much, one eye bit lopsided.;)

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Hmph. Well. No need to get personal.

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

ooops, close to home was it??:rofl:I am sure you are very handsome..

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Just want to add this...
I have always made sure that my kids have brushed their teeth, limited the amount of sweets they had, flossed regulary etc. etc. My 16 year old has no fillings :lol: and only needs braces (another story). Had my two little'uns teeth checked just before we came to Canada (May 06) - fortunately all clear and no problems. Took them to the dentist in March '07, a few concerns then but nothing serious (free check up by the school), one week ago a normal check up, my two little 'uns need ten (TEN!!) fillings and two extractions.
Can someone explain this to me because I am now feeling totally duped.....
I will happily pay out my hard earned cash for my kids teeth, if neccessary, but seriously, are they taking the piss! Do I honestly have to pay out to put fillings in teeth that are going to fall out in the next six months? Can that amount of 'damage' been done in such a short space of time???????

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

By British standards, Canadians overtreat. My then 2yr old had some treatment on a supernumerary tooth (hah, 1 in 100 chance of those, had to happen to the dentist's son!) involving him being strapped in a pediwrap body board straightjacket. I had to leave the room, he was hysterical, so was I :( In the UK it would have been left alone and monitored.

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

I was chatting to a young guy the other day. His teeth were so perfectly straight and white I was tempted to ask if they were dentures. They just didn't look natural.

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

((((((Biiiiiink)))))))) that is hiddeous beyond words for you both :(

I have to say, my now 10 year old had a school check when he was 7 and they suggested he needed a filling - and much like you I scoffed given the teeth were falling out, but agreed. And nearly 4 years on that tooth is still there, he has at least half his teeth still to lose. I dont of course know if that is vindicating having that filling done, and who knows what might have happened or not in this time, but we did it. I dread to think what will happen when we go as a family to a new dentist in Canada!! They will likely think we have wooden teeth!

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

I had Zoom it laser whitening done here lots of dentist offer that now - costs $800 - many people remark how white my teeth look

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Doesn't that worry you?? :eek:

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

In the same way they over x-ray here. I have taken x-rays that would have been illegal in the UK. Restraing techniques are alarming too, they use a gadget that too me looks like child cruelty but all the parents agree to its use.

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

i'd rather say they looked whiter then a nasty coffee yellow

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

how about a nice off white?? magnolia maybe

Re: Advice for British teeth?
 

Some do, for sure. The first dentist I saw in Canada described how, on my next visit, he would sedate me, break my jaw in two places, saw a bit of both sides of my jaw, then stick them back together, all to stop my jaw dislocating (completely painlessly I might add) when I yawn.

I didn't go back.

We found the dentist we have seen for the last six years by recommendation. He is an older guy, so perhaps he doesn't need the cash so much. We have an very amicable arrangement that I see the hygienist regularly, and he only treats me if I really, really, really need it.

If it all seems so expensive be glad that we're not in the US. I pay $116 for an hour with the hygienist. My friend in California pays over $500.:ohmy: