dental treatment

[Tag]

What is peoples' experience of French dental treatment? How do the standards and cost compare with UK private and NHS? In the light of another post concerning the French health systerm, I thought I would stake my own position on the dental treatment I  have had which was excellent. Though it is getting difficult to get dentists in rural areas and appointments are being spaced very widely apparently.

[Patf]

We have an excellent dentist in Mirande, 32. He speaks a bit of english. The only problem that I have heard with french dentists is that some demand a degree of stoicism which we brits can't achieve. ie no pain killing injections. You have to ask. Pat.

[Tag]

Mine hurt me so I bit him. Now he always checks whether I wand the needle or not. He is much tamer

[opas]

And mine was told in no uncertain terms by my 6 ft 2 , 16 stone minder that he had better be gentle with me.............he only needed telling once!

[Pierre ZFP]

Only had to go to a dentist once in france (usually private UK dentist been with for years) as I broke a tooth right at the back.  He was a jolly giant of a man with huge hands and big fingers like sausages. Had the usual 'This one?' nah 'This one?' nah 'This one?' ARRRGGGHHH

Now I come to think, he acted like an injection was not quite the norm for a little thing like this but gave it anyway.  He did a good job but afterwards my jaw ached for days having been stretched open so wide.

I seem to remember it cost me 40 euros in all which I was more than happy with

[cooperlola]

I dumped my first dentist because he wasn't into injections so that put me right off!  The second is much better.  However, I do find my main problem has been finding a hygeinest.  I used to have regular thorough gum cleans etc (as I have gum problems) but neither dentist here seemed prepared to spend much time on this.  Long-term it worries me as I'm suffering from standard old age gum recession but my French dentist blithly says, "Oh if you're having problems, we'll just take to tooth/teeth out".  Not the solution I want really and quite different from the "prevention not cure" approach of my lovely lady dentist in the UK.

[Russethouse]

Just opened the new isue of LF and there is an article about dentists plus useful vocab..........

[Hoddy]

I'm pretty sure that there are no such things as dental hygienists in France.

Hoddy

[Russethouse]

The article says they are not recognised but I haven't read it all - however it looks as if the author thinks that some insurances would pay for UK treatment (not the travel) but you should read the policy carefully to check.......I'll try to read more later.....

[Deauville]

It takes time to build up trust in someone who has the ability to inflict so much pain and discomfort. So with much trepidation I went with a broken tooth to a dentist in Montpon - he was ready to start the root canal filling there and then!!!!! I'm afraid I need plenty of notice and tranquilizers before I even have a check up and then general anaesthetic even for a filling (I joke not!) so I went back a few days later after taking one of his foo-foo pills and he got started. It was probably the least traumatic dental experience I've ever had - the anaesthetic was gently introduced, the drilling was done gently and with finess and he talked to me all the way through. Most chuffed. The trouble is now that I've found someone I'm comfortable with he's now cleared off to live in Bayonne and my wife has to have an extraction done by his replacement so we're back into uncharted waters!

[maude]

Our local dentist said that in his opinion dentistes anglais, drill far too deep and too near the nerve!He works alone with no assistance with a rotating working Back and Decker trolley type gizmo with all his tools.Very good!Try holding his bits and say "we,re not going to hurt one another are we"This usually works wonders! Maude