Abstract
Aim
To establish the average treatment need and cost of prosthodontic rehabilitation of severe erosive tooth wear within an NHS hospital setting.
Methods
The clinical notes of patients referred and accepted for treatment to King's College London Dental Institute specialist restorative clinics by their GDP between 1 January 2014 and 1 January 2016 for severe erosive tooth wear were audited. The first 30 patients with completed treatment plans were audited and the following were recorded: age, gender, BEWE score upon presentation, the location and aetiology of the wear, presenting complaint, number of clinical sessions, number of treatment planning sessions, the treatment provided, and materials used. The cost of care including materials and staff costs were estimated. Cost of treatment within a private setting was estimated based on private fees from three practices in the London area.
Results
The average treatment time for patients was 20.8 months (SD 9.6, Range 8–44 months). The average number of clinical visits during this time was 24.3 (SD 12.7; 8–48). The mean total cost per completed treatment plan was £2,371 (SD £1,290: £675–£4,807 which included mean staff costs of £1,333 (SD £697: £439–£2,637) and £1,039 (SD £668: £199–£2,500) for materials and laboratory work. The estimated cost of similar treatment provided by a specialist in private clinic was £13,353 (SD £6,905; £4,737–£31,224) per patient. The only predictor of costs was the presence of wear on both anterior and posterior surfaces.
Conclusion
The prosthodontic rehabilitation of erosive tooth wear is complex, interdisciplinary and costly to the NHS.
To establish the average treatment need and cost of prosthodontic rehabilitation of severe erosive tooth wear within an NHS hospital setting.
Methods
The clinical notes of patients referred and accepted for treatment to King's College London Dental Institute specialist restorative clinics by their GDP between 1 January 2014 and 1 January 2016 for severe erosive tooth wear were audited. The first 30 patients with completed treatment plans were audited and the following were recorded: age, gender, BEWE score upon presentation, the location and aetiology of the wear, presenting complaint, number of clinical sessions, number of treatment planning sessions, the treatment provided, and materials used. The cost of care including materials and staff costs were estimated. Cost of treatment within a private setting was estimated based on private fees from three practices in the London area.
Results
The average treatment time for patients was 20.8 months (SD 9.6, Range 8–44 months). The average number of clinical visits during this time was 24.3 (SD 12.7; 8–48). The mean total cost per completed treatment plan was £2,371 (SD £1,290: £675–£4,807 which included mean staff costs of £1,333 (SD £697: £439–£2,637) and £1,039 (SD £668: £199–£2,500) for materials and laboratory work. The estimated cost of similar treatment provided by a specialist in private clinic was £13,353 (SD £6,905; £4,737–£31,224) per patient. The only predictor of costs was the presence of wear on both anterior and posterior surfaces.
Conclusion
The prosthodontic rehabilitation of erosive tooth wear is complex, interdisciplinary and costly to the NHS.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 957–961 |
| Journal | British Dental Journal |
| Volume | 224 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| Early online date | 8 Jun 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 8 Jun 2018 |