Dental crown -- use NHS or private?

Hi, my husband managed to fall off his bike and chip a front tooth last night. I just called our NHS dentist, and they said they don't do it through the NHS, that crowns are private. The cost is anywhere from £200 - £350 pounds. We already had an appointment set for our next cleaning with a private dentist as we weren't happy with the quality of cleaning at the NHS dentist. We could ask the private dentist to do it, but their price is £335 - £385. If the NHS dentist were going to charge us £350, I know I'd just as soon use the private one. But we don't know what it will cost, and as it's a small tooth hopefully it will be lower.

The main issue is quality. Who will do the better job? It's horribly expensive either way, but he needs to come out with a good crown at the end of it!

Hiya
I have a private dentist,who is part of a larger practise.. They have a dental insurance plan so i pay a certain amount a month and it covers 2 cleanings a year.. All fillings and most general work.. It doesn't cover crowns..
I recently had to have 3..yes 3 crowns. I have really soft teeth and have always had problems with them.. ANYWAYS lolol because of this plan it only cost me under £200 for all three crowns. just the cost of the lab..
So perhaps looking into something similar in your area.. For me the monthly payments are worth knowing im covered for most things..
Kay

Hiya
I have a private dentist,who is part of a larger practise.. They have a dental insurance plan so i pay a certain amount a month and it covers 2 cleanings a year.. All fillings and most general work.. It doesn't cover crowns..
I recently had to have 3..yes 3 crowns. I have really soft teeth and have always had problems with them.. ANYWAYS lolol because of this plan it only cost me under £200 for all three crowns. just the cost of the lab..
So perhaps looking into something similar in your area.. For me the monthly payments are worth knowing im covered for most things..
Kay

Thanks, though the plans won't cover work that you need before you signed up with the plan (everything I've seen requires a check for a clean bill of health and then the plan won't cover anything for the first three months of payments). We already had an appt. set to see a dentist for a checkup/preview for the insurance plan on Nov. 12, but that does us no good as he chipped his tooth now. So I'm just curious whether to trust the NHS on this one or not, as it's unclear if there will be cost savings (though there could be).

So I'm just curious whether to trust the NHS on this one or not, as it's unclear if there will be cost savings (though there could be).

You're not dealing with the NHS though are you, unless I've mis-understood your OP?

The choice is:
a) being seen a private patient by one dentist (who has previously treated you as an NHS patient and whose work you don't rate,) or

b) being seen as a private patient by another dentist, who is more expensive and you haven't used before.

Without knowing both dentists I don't think anyone can really advise you.

Without knowing both dentists I don't think anyone can really advise you.

Good point. I had been thinking that there might be an overall difference in experience between NHS and private dentists, but it probably is on an individual basis.

Wherever we go, does anyone know which kind of crown is better -- porcelain or bonded?

Good point. I had been thinking that there might be an overall difference in experience between NHS and private dentists, but it probably is on an individual basis.

Wherever we go, does anyone know which kind of crown is better -- porcelain or bonded?

For the most part you'll be dealing with the same dentists. There are very few dentists who are strictly NHS. Most dentists do both NHS and private at the same practice.  Which is what you're experiencing-your NHS dentist isn't doing it on the NHS, he's charging you privately.