NHS dental services

Crowns and bridges are available on the NHS (Band 3, £209). As with all restoration treatments, they will need to be replaced in the future. They can also be provided privately.

Find out what NHS fillings and crowns are made of.

A dental abscess is a collection of pus that can form in the teeth or gums as a result of a bacterial infection. Dental abscesses can be treated on the NHS. If you feel unwell or have a large swelling in your face or mouth, your dentist may refer you to a local oral and maxillofacial unit for treatment. This treatment will also be under the NHS.

Read more information about dental abscess. 

Dentures are removable false teeth made of acrylic (plastic) or metal. Dentures are available on the NHS (Band 3, £209)

Read more information about dentures and find out what NHS dentures, bridges and veneers made off.

Orthodontics is a type of dental treatment that aims to improve the appearance, position and function of crooked or abnormally arranged teeth.

This treatment is available on the NHS for under-18s if it's considered clinically necessary (Band 3, £209). There is a standard method for assessing whether orthodontic treatment is clinically necessary and available on the NHS. Treatment for minor irregularities is not provided by the NHS.

If you or your child are told that NHS orthodontic treatment is not necessary and you're unhappy with the decision, talk to your primary care trust.

You cannot mix NHS and private treatment in orthodontics.

The British Orthodontic Society offers patient information about general orthodontics as well as information aimed at adults and teenagers.

Read more information about orthodontics and find the answers to common questions about braces.

Root canal treatment is a dental procedure to treat infection at the centre of a tooth (the root canal system). This treatment is available on the NHS (Band 2, £48). Your dentist should be able to provide it for you. However, in some cases your dentist may feel you would be better cared for by a specialist and may refer you to either a consultant or a dentist with a special interest (DwSI). The dentist should always discuss with you in advance whether treatment will be provided on the NHS or privately. The dentist can’t refuse to provide treatment under the NHS and then offer to perform the same treatment privately.

Read pages 22 to 24 of the guide to NHS dental services in the NHS for more information about dental referrals (PDF, 2.42Mb).

Find out more about root canal treatment.

If your dentist recommends a scale and polish, it should be provided under the NHS (Band 1, £17.50), whether it is done by a dentist or a hygienist. If your dentist says a scale and polish is not clinically necessary but you want one anyway, you will have to pay to have it privately.

An NHS scale and polish should be carried out as thoroughly as a private one.

Wisdom teeth can be removed on the NHS if this is necessary. However, guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence say they should not be extracted unless they are causing problems. Your dentist may perform the procedure or may refer you to a dentist with a special interest (DwSI) or to an oral and maxillofacial unit. This will be a separate course of treatment, so you may have to pay a Band 2 (£48) charge. If you are referred to a hospital for NHS treatment, you will not have to pay a charge.

Your dentist can also refer you for private wisdom teeth treatment if you wish.

Find out more about wisdom tooth removal.

White fillings are available on the NHS where clinically appropriate. However, in some situations, silver-coloured (amalgam) fillings may be a more durable option. Fillings fall under Band 2 (£48).