NHS Band 2 Dental Charge
Fillings, root canals, extractions and more
Band 2 charge
£76.60
Previous year: \u00a375.30
What Is Included in Band 2?
Band 2 is the treatment band of NHS dentistry. It covers everything in Band 1 (your check-up, X-rays, scale and polish) plus active treatment such as fillings, root canals, and extractions. Crucially, you pay one Band 2 charge regardless of how many Band 2 procedures you need in the same course of treatment. Three fillings and an extraction? Still just \u00a376.60.
Everything in Band 1
Your check-up, X-rays, scale and polish (if clinically necessary), fluoride varnish, preventive advice, and treatment planning are all included before any Band 2 treatment begins.
Fillings
Amalgam (silver) and composite (white) fillings to repair decayed or damaged teeth. The material used depends on the tooth location and clinical judgment. Multiple fillings are covered under one Band 2 charge.
Root canal treatment
Removal of infected or damaged pulp tissue from inside a tooth, cleaning, shaping, and filling the root canals. Covers all teeth including complex multi-rooted molars.
Tooth extractions
Both simple extractions (where the tooth is visible and can be loosened with an elevator and forceps) and surgical extractions that can be performed in a dental practice under local anaesthetic.
Denture adjustments and additions
Modifications to existing dentures including relining, rebasing, and adding teeth to a partial denture. New dentures are Band 3, but adjusting existing ones falls under Band 2.
Bite-raising appliances
Custom-made oral devices used to treat bite problems, jaw pain, or teeth grinding (bruxism). These are distinct from orthodontic appliances, which fall under Band 3.
Periodontal treatment
Extensive gum disease management beyond a simple scale and polish. Includes deep cleaning below the gum line (root planing), antibiotic treatment, and ongoing monitoring of gum disease progression.
White Fillings on the NHS - The Full Picture
The question of whether you can get white (composite) fillings on the NHS is one of the most common queries patients have. The answer depends on which tooth needs filling.
Front teeth (incisors and canines): White composite fillings are the standard NHS material. There is no choice to make here - your dentist will use tooth-coloured composite as a matter of course.
Back teeth (premolars and molars): Your dentist chooses the material they consider clinically appropriate. Traditionally, this meant amalgam (silver-coloured) for its proven durability in high-pressure chewing areas. However, many NHS dentists now routinely use composite for back teeth as well, particularly as composite materials have improved significantly in recent years.
If your dentist recommends amalgam for a back tooth and you would prefer white for cosmetic reasons, some practices will offer a private upgrade. You would pay the Band 2 charge for the NHS treatment plus a private supplement (typically \u00a340 to \u00a3120 per tooth) for the premium material. Not all practices offer this option.
It is worth noting that the EU Minamata Convention is phasing down amalgam use, and many industry observers expect amalgam to be largely replaced by composite within the next decade. Ask your dentist what materials they use as standard - you may find the question is already moot at your practice.
One Charge for Multiple Treatments
The most important thing to understand about NHS dental charges is that you pay per course of treatment, not per procedure. If your dentist says you need three fillings, a root canal, and an extraction, you pay one Band 2 charge of \u00a376.60 - not five separate charges.
This is where the NHS banding system offers genuine value compared to private treatment. Privately, three fillings might cost \u00a3240 to \u00a3750, a root canal \u00a3300 to \u00a3700, and an extraction \u00a3100 to \u00a3350. The total could easily exceed \u00a31,000. On the NHS, that entire course of treatment costs \u00a376.60.
A course of treatment begins when your dentist completes their examination and presents a treatment plan, and ends when all the planned treatment is finished. If new problems arise during treatment that were not in the original plan, your dentist should discuss whether they can be incorporated into the existing course or whether a new course is needed.
Remember the 2-month rule: if you need further treatment within 2 calendar months of completing a course at the same or lower band, you pay nothing extra. If you need a higher band, you pay only the difference.
Root Canal Treatment on the NHS
Root canal treatment (also called endodontic treatment) saves teeth that would otherwise need to be extracted. The procedure involves removing infected or damaged pulp tissue from inside the tooth, cleaning and shaping the root canals, and then filling and sealing them to prevent reinfection.
On the NHS, root canal treatment costs \u00a376.60 (the Band 2 charge). This is the same price whether the treatment is on a front tooth (which has one root canal and is relatively straightforward) or a molar (which can have three or four root canals and takes considerably longer). Privately, a front tooth root canal costs between \u00a3300 and \u00a3500, while a molar root canal costs between \u00a3500 and \u00a3700.
NHS root canal treatment has good success rates, though private specialists (endodontists) may use more advanced equipment such as operating microscopes and rotary instruments. For complex cases, your NHS dentist may refer you to a specialist - if this is within the NHS, there is no additional charge.
After a root canal, your tooth may need a crown to protect it - this is particularly common for back teeth that bear heavy chewing forces. A crown would move your treatment to Band 3 at \u00a3332.10. See our Band 3 guide for more on NHS crowns.
Tooth Extraction Costs on the NHS
All tooth extractions performed in a dental practice fall under Band 2, costing \u00a376.60. This includes both simple extractions and surgical extractions (where the dentist needs to make an incision in the gum or remove some bone to access the tooth).
If you need multiple extractions as part of the same course of treatment, you still pay only one Band 2 charge. Privately, extractions cost between \u00a3100 and \u00a3350 per tooth, so the NHS saving is substantial if you need more than one tooth removed.
Wisdom teeth are a special case. If your wisdom teeth can be removed in the dental practice under local anaesthetic, they are covered under Band 2. However, deeply impacted wisdom teeth often require a hospital referral for removal under sedation or general anaesthetic. Hospital dental treatment is free of charge to the patient, regardless of whether you normally pay for NHS dental treatment.
For detailed wisdom tooth information, see WisdomTeethRemovalCost.com.