My tooth

I was due a new filling in May 2010, I missed the appointment and made a new appointment mid-June, the earliest date they could give me was October!!  I wasn't too upset, the filling wasn't hurting, it was still intact and I could happily wait until then.

Then in July - disaster struck!

The filling broke, and a big gaping hole appeared.

It didn't hurt, it was just uncomfortable.  It was also awkward, every time I ate something I'd have to have a rummage around with a toothpick afterwards, getting all of the food out of the hole. I rang the dentist and explained what had happened, they said that they didn't have any earlier appointments, and that they'd only consider me 'an emergency' when I was experiencing pain or swelling.  I had considered asking someone to punch me in the face, but thought better of it.  I was told that I could call them each morning to see if there were any cancellations.  I decided that this was my best option.

By September, the hole was still there, and I hand't managed to get a cancelled appointment.  I was due to go on holiday to Spain in a few weeks time, and decided that I actually wanted them to do something temporary until I got back.

So when I rang up to do my usual 'have you had any cancellations today?' I asked if I could have something temporary, and they told me that I won't be able to get a cancellation appointment because my dentist was on holiday for 3 weeks, and that I wasn't allowed to be treated by another dentist, why? Because my dentist had 'already begun treatment' - I told them that no treatment had been carried out - that's what I was waiting for!!  Reluctantly they gave me an appointment for a temporary fix with some other dentist.  He filled it with cement and didn't charge me a penny :)

I came back from my holiday - temporary filling in tact.  And had my replacement filling appointment, as originally booked, October. The filling is fixed and looks grand.

The moral of this story is - when you get an appointment at the NHS Dentist for a filling - don't cancel it!