You get what you pay for

Today heralded a trip to the dentist, but not for any old routine check up. I had a check up just over 6 months ago back when I was living in West Hampstead where I was told I was fine and did not need to come back for a couple of years. However the other night I broke a little bit of my molar tooth biting down on some shell in a seafood mix from Tesco, and whilst it was in little pain, it seem prudent to get it checked out as it felt jagged.

The surgery I visited seemed awfully overblown in attitude - more of a "cosmetic enhancement parlour" than a simple dentist. However the interior of the building, like the dentist himself, was a little small and "pokey". I felt at ease until I saw the price list - over 50 quid just for a checkup, with filling hitting around the 100 quid mark each. This was more than the 20 quid I throw down for a check-up in West Hampstead, but I guess you truly get what you pay for, as this dentist showed me x-rays of two fillings I required on opposite sides of my mouth.

Long story cut short, I was 250 quid down and feeling is just coming back to my mouth now. The check up and fillings took two hours, but was essentially painless due to large quantities of anaesthetic in my gums. How it that got there was a little painful, but feeling better for having a healthier mouth. Feeling a little lighter of wallet too :(

Next year I might take up work's dental insurance (only 120 quid a year...) although a gambler might say not to bother - after all I just had the fillings I needed, so the odds of needing more in the next year are lower than they've been for a while...