What are you putting off
NHS charges are the same everywhere in England. Private fees vary a great deal by practice and area, so these are ranges.
The cost of waiting
Nobody can tell you how fast this will move without looking at it.
Some problems sit still for years and some do not, and the difference is not something
you can judge from the outside. These are typical paths, not a prediction and not a
diagnosis. The one thing that is reliably true is that the earlier stage is always the
cheaper and simpler one.
NHS or private
What you would actually pay
NHS dentistry works in bands, not per item: one band charge covers everything you need in that course of treatment, however many fillings that turns out to be.
What the NHS does not cover
NHS band charges are set nationally and change each April. Private fees are
indicative ranges and vary widely by practice and by area, so treat them as a sense of scale
rather than a quotation. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland run different systems.
What it involves
Most people avoid this because they do not know what is going to happen. So here is what happens.
Tell the practice you are nervous when you book, not when you arrive.
It changes how the appointment is run: longer slots, stopping when you raise a hand, and
talking through each step first. Sedation is available at many practices for people who need it.