Hi.  I am afraid I cannot answer your question about support with dental bills as I don’t know.  However, I would be very interested in learning more about your ONJ?  I had cancer treatment that has resulted in my being susceptible to ONJ.  I have just had to have a molar removed and now it is a waiting game to see if my bone heals.  Can I ask about what happened to you?  If you have ONJ how is it to live with?  I am currently very anxious.  Any info very gratefully received. Thank you. 

Hi MargieH99,

So sorry to hear about your situation, and I totally understand your anxiety, cancer alone is difficult to deal with, I do hope your bone heals well. I'm lucky in that so far, I've only had the root canal to deal with, and in retrospect I probably shouldn't really have complained about the cost. 

I afraid I’m not a great deal of use, as this is all quite new to me too. I’m sure I was given information about ONJ when the treatments were being explained to me, but, and it is probably the same for a lot of people, there was so much to take in and my memory has been affected quite badly by the treatments, that I can’t remember what was said. So, when my dentist explained to me, I was shocked. It’s not what you want to hear, and I’ve wondered about not telling you, but that wouldn’t be the right thing to do. I’m sorry, but I was recommended never to have a tooth removed, because of the probability that the bone wouldn’t heal. However, I’m sure your dentist would have weighed up the pros and cons of your situation. 

The only advice I can give you is what was said to me, speak with the cancer team who looked after you, it doesn’t matter how long ago you were discharged, they will always be at the end of the phone, you probably wouldn’t get a face-to-face appointment. I used the telephone number I was given right at the beginning, for the cancer nurses. Also, if you can afford to, get a second dental opinion before any future treatment. 

I feel useless not being able to help much, but I hope I have helped a little bit. I can though wish you good luck and good health going forward xxx

Im interested in your case and worried by the fact you had to pay so much for your neccessay dental treatment. Im at high risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw due to radiotherapy to my jaw plus receiving denosumab as part of my current treatment. I was told not to allow my dentist to do any extractions but to contact the cancer unit at my hospital who would refer me to the Maxillofacial department for dental treatment. I wonder why you were not offered this by your health trust.

Ed

Thank you for thinking of me.  To be honest the money is not my worry..  Given my circumstances my primary concern was to find a top class dentist who could remove my broken tooth with as little disruption as possible.  I literally had no choice but to remove the tooth and so feel fortunate to have options.  

Oh gosh my dentist advised me to have a crown fitted on top of the root canal one, but I said no due to the cost. 

There looks to be a really interesting response from Farmer_Ed, I'm going to read it properly now 

Take care x

Hi Ed,

Thank you so much for your fantastic advice. I'll speak to my cancer unit on Monday, as the tooth next to it also needs a root canal, but that one's more complex and more expensive, almost £2,500, hence why I posted my first message, as I'd told them I'd have to save up.

So, once again thank you, you've answered my original question, all the best and thank you,