BS: Dental - Root Canal Snafu

Subject: BS: Dental - Root Canal Snafu
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 03:20 PM

My wife had a root canal done on an upper bicuspid tooth 15 years ago for which she paid her dentist $600. This dentist has long since retired and emigrated to Israel. Our new dentist was surprised when she was having trouble with that same tooth. When he took X-rays he discovered that the previous dentist had left the metal files embedded in the 2 root canals and then filled and capped the tooth.
She wast sent to a specialty endodontist who will take 3 visits to remove these files from the tooth, (which is no easy job), at a cost of $850. It will then take another $1,500 to properly restore the tooth. Leaving files embedded in the root canals today is considered malpractice. However, I understand that at one time long ago it was considered standard safe practice to do so for a period of 2 years. My wife was unlucky in that that her first root canal was done during that 2 year period.
                                                       SOL

Subject: RE: BS: Dental - Root Canal Snafu
From: Schantieman
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 03:37 PM

Good GRIEF!!!

S

Subject: RE: BS: Dental - Root Canal Snafu
From: gnu
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 03:46 PM

Owww!

Subject: RE: BS: Dental - Root Canal Snafu
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 03:57 PM

Yes, I have had some problems with dentists too. A former dentist I simply could not get to understand that she was responsible for the work done by her business, no matter who at the business did it. If it hadn't been for issues about proving that teeth had not been correctly treated with the consequence that decay progressed I'd have sued her just for the hell of it. THe dentist who did the work went back to Ireland.

At present I am trying to figure out what to do with my upper right 1. It was root treated long ago (and maybe the drilling was a bit too deep - the bamboo thing that gets put in after the "file" is used can be seen in x-ray going a bit into the jawbone). There has been subsequent cosmetic filling (a nice matching shade of dark grey to go with my teeth!) - and current x-ray shows a lateral crack so the tooth is being held together by a bit of tooth down one side, a bit of ceramic filling (or maybe it was one of the clever ones that sets with ultra-violet light) - and the other side is the crack.

It won't last for ever.

My current dentist is telling me that the root treatment has left insufficient tooth to put in a post for a crown, and the old fillings mean that there is not enough tooth for a crown without a post. She would like to put in a bridge, but I am not keen to have to have the teeth on either side (which are sound by the relative standards of my teeth) ground down to take a bridge and then capped. I think it will be a weak structure and I will never be able to crunch an apple again!

But I don't really fancy being gappy.

Were there not some clever new-style implants being done in Sweden some years ago - a screwed mount being put into the jawbone?

An ideas?

Subject: RE: BS: Dental - Root Canal Snafu
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 04:52 PM

Richard,
         You would be a definite candidate for an implant. If you decide to take that course have a surgeon specialist install the socket and then your regular dentist can do the cosmetic work. Is dental work covered by NHS in the UK? Here it is not covered by regular medical insurance. I have to pay out of pocket.

                                                    SOL

Subject: RE: BS: Dental - Root Canal Snafu
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 05:01 PM

I had an implant done for about three teeth a couple years or eighteen months back. Pricey, but worth every penny of it.

They open the gum and surgically implant a threaded post (female) into your jawbone. About 8 weeks later you come back (sooner if problems develop!) and they screw a metal post with a male end into the first thing. Then you go to your regular dentist who puts a permanent bridge over the whole thing.

This cost me about USD 5,000; your prices will vary of course. Just be danged sure that the oral surgeon is fully qualified -- mine was a very experienced MD/DDS.

Subject: RE: BS: Dental - Root Canal Snafu
From: kendall
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 05:30 PM

5K for one tooth?

Subject: RE: BS: Dental - Root Canal Snafu
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 06:06 PM

..."Is dental work covered by NHS in the UK?" ...

less an less, Sol, most dentists are opting out of the NHS system and those who are still offering NHS treatment don't accept any new patients.

In any event, the treatment under discussion would never be covered by the NHS, you would have to pay for it even if you were an NHS patient.

Subject: RE: BS: Dental - Root Canal Snafu
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 06:16 PM

I seem to recall that the Swedish system was not as invasive as that, and people were reporting having the implant done at 8 am and being able to eat a not-too-solid tea or early evening meal by 6 pm, and it was about half the cost or a third the cost of the other way.

NHS would not do it (or at least would only maybe cover about 10% of the cost) but I think I have cover for surgical although not routine dental work on my BUPA - intended to cover wisdom tooth removal, but might cover an implant unless it was deemed elective.

Incidentally, my new dentist is still accepting new NHS patients at both her Lower Stoke and Sheerness surgeries. If you live in Kent (UK) this is worth knowing.

Subject: RE: BS: Dental - Root Canal Snafu
From: vectis
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 07:43 PM

I had one of them Swedish jobbies done a few years back. Had to have the lot removed 6 months later, can't remember why though, probably infection or maybe I bit down too hard and bent the post.

Subject: RE: BS: Dental - Root Canal Snafu
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 08:12 PM

No, that was for 2 post implants and a 3-tooth bridge.