Tag Archives: root canal

An affordable dentist experimented on my tooth

I am embarrassed to admit that I answered an ad for an affordable dentist for a crown procedure at a reduced rate. The dentist claimed he recently got a machine that would make the crowns in-house. He wanted some patients with whom he could try out his machine. I’ve been in need of a crown procedure for quite some time, but couldn’t afford the cost I’d been quoted from other dentists. The low cost appealed to me and I answered the ad. During the five hours I was in his office the dentist had several issues with his machine, not to mention the crowns would not fit right. After he made some adjustments with my tooth, and the machine, the crown finally fit.

This procedure took place two days ago and my entire mouth is in pain, in particular, my tooth. Is it possible that the dentist caused permanent damage? If so, will I have to eat the cost, since he disclosed that this was a learning procedure up front?

Thank you,
Jason

Dear Jason,

You’ve had quite the experience. Regardless, you should be sure the dentist knows you are in pain. When teeth are manipulated as much as yours were, they experience irritation. If it’s just a basic irritation, the pain should subside in a few days. An over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, like ibuprofen, should help you with the pain.

If the pain does not subside and improve on its own, it could mean the decay grew, in which case you would need a root canal as soon as possible. This could also be the case if your tooth experienced trauma during the procedure.

Regardless of the dentist claiming to be an affordable dentist, or saying that he was using the procedure to learn, he is responsible. If he is an ethical dental professional, he will want to be aware of the problems you are experiencing and fix them. If he refuses to fix the situation, you will need to see another dental professional about the issues you are having.

For future dental procedures, you may want to seek out dentists who provide quality care, and then look for financing options that fit into your budget, like spreading out treatment costs, utilizing insurance benefits, or financing treatment.

Good luck to you!

This blog post is provided by Phoenix affordable dentist, Dr. Hillary Peck.

Affordable Root Canal Now

I fear I’m developing an emergency situation and need a root canal right away. I’ve had a cavity that I haven’t dealt with simply because of finances. I predicted I’d have enough money in two more paychecks. But, this morning I woke up with a swollen face. I fear it’s worse than I thought. Is there any way to deal with this in an affordable way quickly or am I stuck waiting for another month?

Laura O. – Illinois

Laura,

You’re in a bit of a pickle. I don’t want you to think I’m insensitive to your situation because I’m not. Before discussing your options, I wanted to make sure you understood how serious this is. It seems like you have some idea based on what you’ve written above. I just want to make sure you know that people still die from tooth infections. The good news is they rarely die from it when they get timely treatment. There is hope.

There are dentists who, not only strive to be affordable dentists, but will work with you on payments. Most dentists have payment plan uptions either in-office or through Care Credit. Let them know what’s going on and I’m sure you’ll find a dentist willing to work you.

Worst case scenario, you can go to your primary care physician and get some antibiotics. IT will not cure your infection. but it will buy you some time. Just don’t take too much time.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.

Errors and Overcharges From an “Affordable Dentist”

I recently visited a doctor who advertised as an “affordable dentist.” One of my premolars became a problem suddenly. I was in agony and my whole face was swollen. I knew I couldn’t wait until I had more money and see my regular office, so I looked up the name of an affordable dentist online and scheduled right away. I thought I was lucky because he was charging hundreds less for the root canal, but my experience was horrific. He went through the process of doing the root canal and spent nearly two hours doing it. I was almost in tears because he kept jerking my head around and my mouth was open for practically the whole time. Then, he tells me that he wants to prepare the tooth for a crown then and there. He said that the decay was bad and he wanted to get at least that much squared away. I agreed to it, thinking the guy was looking out for me. When he was removing the cavity, I felt it give way and he muttered something and left the room. A few minutes later, another assistant came in and told me my tooth would need to be extracted.

I thought I was lucky because he was charging hundreds less for the root canal, but my experience was horrific. He was rough, made me keep my mouth open for two straight hours while he yanked and grabbed violently.  I was almost in tears.  Then, he tells me that he wants to prepare the tooth for a crown then and there. He said that the decay was bad and he wanted to get at least that much squared away. I agreed to it, thinking the guy was looking out for me. When he was removing the cavity, I felt it give way and he muttered something and left the room. A few minutes later, another assistant came in and told me my tooth would need to be extracted.

I agreed to the extraction and the doctor came back and did it. I wasn’t thinking and just left afterward, only to get a bill about a week later for the root canal and the extraction. I called the office and the lady said the doctor deserved to be paid for his time. Clearly, he was no affordable dentist, but can they actually do this? Is there a law or a rule that protects me here? This wasn’t my fault and I shouldn’t pay for both. I don’t think I should pay at all after facing such horrendous treatment. What now?

Scarlett – Washington

Scarlett,

It sounds like he was a little sketchy on the ethics in billing –. Certainly inconsiderate. I understand your frustration. You went to an affordable dentist because you needed the affordable part. This seems like a stab in the back.

My advice would be to first get a copy of your x-ray, so if you need a second opinion on whether he missed something you can get it. Then, talk with their office manager. Tell her it is fair for you to pay for the extraction. .

If that’s not enough, try talking to the dentist directly. Show your x-rays to your current dentist. He should be able to tell you if the other dentist ignored something obvious.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.

What Happened to my son’s tooth?

When my son was three, he took a tumble and bumped his face. He was upset and cut his lip, but his teeth looked fine, so I didn’t even consider taking him to the pediatric dentist back then. Here we are six months later and his tooth is turning an ugly gray color. At first, I thought it was just come kind of staining, but I have scrubbed at it to no avail and it looks like the whole thing is colored. I know in an adult this means the tooth is dead, but my son doesn’t seem bothered by it at all unless I’m messing with it. I think this must be connected to the fall, but I don’t understand why it would take so long to develop- he’s four now. I’m kicking myself for not taking him to the pediatric dentist back then. Could this have been prevented? Going forward, do I need to book him with a pediatric dentist, a root canal specialist, or should I just monitor for more symptoms?

Thanks,

Delilah

Dear Delilah,

It does sound like that tooth has died. When a tooth is injured, it can start to look like a bruise is developing from the inside. This may be from the fall he experienced earlier or from an unrelated incident. It’s not always easy to tell with small kids. Moreover, a dead or dying tooth doesn’t always cause pain. It just depends on what happened with the nerve. Taking him to the pediatric dentist right after the fall would not have prevented this from happening. The damage was instantaneous and even if it wasn’t killed right away, nothing could have stopped the progression.

At a certain point, baby teeth begin the process of resorption, in which the body starts diminishing the roots in order for the tooth to fall out. The pulp fades away naturally at this point anyway, and your son could be getting to that stage. With an adult, there’s concern over bacteria entering the chamber and creating an infection, which is why a root canal is necessary. The dentist cleans out the canal, and then fills the space so bacteria can’t seep in and cause a problem.

Given that your son will probably lose the tooth naturally in the next couple of years, you may not need to treat the tooth at all. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on it and if you’re worried about anything, you can have it checked out by the pediatric dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.