White fillings, medical card, prices

kangaroo

I have a medical condition which many suggest could benefit from reducing exposure to mercury. Some people pay to get any existing mercury fillings out but unfortunately I would not be strong enough for this procedure. So this relates to new fillings.

Is it possible to ever get white/composite fillings on the medical card? It is not for cosmetic reasons - I already have lots of silver fillings from when I was a child and I don't pay that much attention to my appearance e.g. trim my beard every 2 weeks, etc.

Also, is it possible to be allowed top up on the medical card?

The impression I have got so far is no to both these questions but wondering having exceptions been made?

I talked with two people with my condition who have medical cards and one was charged a E20 top-up and the other one got a white filling free. I think the dentists just put down they were ordinary fillings on the form.

Last time, I asked about this and the receptionist said "we'd work something out" after I explained the situation. Then when I went to pay, I was asked to pay E120. That's a lot of money for somebody on disability allowance. I don't know what the normal rates are for such a procedure in the practice. I wouldn't expect it to be nothing extra but it frustrates me if I have to pay full price (i.e. I don't even get the subsidy or not much of a subsidy for having a medical card). (This practice is part of the medical card scheme of course)

georgieporgy

E120 is the approx fee for one white filling done privately. The med card payment to the dentist for a filling is approx E50-55 (less 20% witholding tax).
The med card scheme in its wisdom does not pay for white fillings in back teeth, nor do they allow a 'contribution' towards the cost of private treatment. If your dentist does a white filling on the med card and helps you out by claiming for an 'ordinary' filling he is being generous. But the folks administering the med card funds would interpret that gesture as fraud and brand the good dentist a swindler. Should the info get leaked to the newspapers you could expect to see the headline " DENTIST RIPS OFF MED CARD PROGRAM"

day dreamer

Hi there

as my learned colleague Georgieporgy suggests, the med card only allows amalgam. If you get your dentist to do them on the med card then he/she is indeed doing you a favour. Under the terms of the contract they are not allowed charge a top-up but you could come to an arrangement

In relation to your medical condition there is no strong evidence or research to support removal of perfectly sound amalgam fillings to improve a medical condition. I would ask your GP about this and get a definite opinion from your doctor or consultant that this will actually be of medical benefit to you and help your condition. You may end up no better off

ballsymchugh

i agree with day dreamer. the mercury when in the form used in a filling is inert. the only time it'll do you harm is if you're cremated (due to the high temperature), which by that time i'd say there'll be other issues!!

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Oh the old amalgam safety debate. I think when you have a chronic medical condition it is reasonable to try and fix it. However most reputable authorities would not agree that mercury toxicity at dental levels is a cause of any chronic illness, and most agree that maximum exposure happens when amalgams are removed (even under rubber dam and high suction). I would also caution that the white fillings are made of chemicals that themselves may not be entirely inert either ( see Bis-GMA and others mimicking synthetic œstrogens). Its a quandary

Most people who feel benefit after amalgams are removed feel it shortly after when the blood mercury is at its highest ???? Most put this down the the very real placebo effect. I have no issues replacing amalgams when requested however I would never infer that it will cure of help any chronic illness.

georgieporgy

I think OP is not intending to replace existing fillings. He (she?) just wants white fillings from now on.

day dreamer

I missed that Georgieporgy, you are right. Kangaroo is referring to future work and doesnt feel strong enough to have existing amalgams replaced.

I think if you were to explain to the dentist and the filing wasnt very big, there would not be problem with doing a white filling on the Medical card, larger white or mercury free fillings may have to be private though!

btkm8unsl0w5r4

true, speed reading letting me down. Must be the sunny weather down in the south east its confusing me.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

It is against medical card rules to top up payments for medical card patients. This is a breach of contract and could land the Dentist in trouble even though he or she is only trying to help you out. The medical card don't care if the treatment is better, will last longer, look better, they only care about their rules which they don't pay out for on time or at all in some cases.

I declare shenanigans on the medical card

kangaroo

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to give comments. I'm interested in all sorts of comments on this issue.

Although of course precedents where white fillings have been paid for on the medical card (except for front teeth) is what I'm most interested in.

It is a pity that one can not top up. I know one is not supposed to have a lot of money when one is on welfare but the State doesn't control how I or others spend money (i.e. I could spend money on all sorts of "worthless" things).

Interestingly, I was with the optician on Wednesday and I am allowed top up there [not sure what I could get for the basic price - I get an anti-reflection tint and also get it thinned down (which I admit is for cosmetic reasons as I am quite myopic (4.6 on left eye) and so would have very thick glasses othewise)].

I will of course keep an eye on the thread for any future posts.
(I would prefer if people didn't comment on my initial post that I deleted please).