Root canal done on wrong tooth ... now what? (teeth, implant, throbbing pain)
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Hi everyone, I really need some help here. Here's the story:
I had throbbing pain, and went to a new dentist who agreed to take me in that evening. The guy did x-rays and showed me the abscessed tooth, and I heard the dreaded words: Root canal. My very first one. He explained everything to me and everyone was great. He did a partial and put temporary filling in, and told me to come back in a few weeks to get a permanent filling and a crown.
Fast forward to today. He finishes the RC, looks at me, and says, "I have some very embarrassing news. I did the root canal on the wrong tooth" ... and had to sit through him doing the RC on the right tooth. This wasn't a case of misjudging the tooth that was in pain, he was just plain neglectful in making sure he drilling BACK into a tooth he already drilled into once before. Not to mention the wrong tooth was perfectly fine.
He didn't charge for the wrong tooth, but he also said it didn't need a crown. With it being a molar, is that true? Why does the other tooth need a crown but the other does not?
I'm not sure what to expect in future cost of this tooth now, and what I really should be asking of this man or the practice he works for. He's older and am not really sure how much longer he has to practice. If I need a crown, or a replacement crown, or an extraction and implant, how do I assure that I don't get stuck with the bill down the road?
It's malpractice. You can go speak to a medical malpractice lawyer or you can simply understand it was a mistake and you weren't permanently harmed/disabled for life. But this is a persinal choice to bring a malpractice suit or go on with your life.
The current cap/dental work isn't like a car warranty. After a while it's really not a free do over
The wrong tooth that the root canal was performed in basically has no nerve in it. So if it rots or cracks you wint really have pain because there is no nerve,
I get a second opinion... My husband just had RC done on a molar, it requires a crown.. I just had my frist RC done three weeks ago, like yourself I had abscessed and x-ray showed infection, since I wasn't in any real pain he put me on a 10 day course of Penicillin potassium but to come in on the 8th day to have the RC done finish up Penicillin potassium.. Mine wasn't done on a molar, so just a filling was needed... I'm doing great..
A molar doesn't need a crown? Never heard that one before. I have crowns on mine. Your molars take most of the chewing load, and with it now weakened by being drilled out I'd be very wary of believing him. Your first step is to get a second opinion from another dentist. Tell your insurance what happened and they should pay for a second opinion. I wouldn't tell the second dentist what happened, just ask him/her if it needs a crown.
Why wouldn't I tell him/her? Because he doesn't need to know and dentists have even more fragile egos than doctors.
Not necessarily all endo-treated teeth (even molars) need a crown and it doesn't depend on the chewing load but of how much tooth material is missing. If you had a huge filling prior the RC then probably yes you need a crown. Otherwise I cannot see the reason why.
Personally, I think I'd want the crown. I've had a tooth split to the point where I had to have it extracted, and that one didn't even have a root canal. That seems like a risk you run if you don't crown it. But if the dentist is trustworthy I'd do what he says. I don't think that a dentist who canals the wrong tooth is "trustworthy" though. Time for a second opinion, IMO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anya367
Not necessarily all endo-treated teeth (even molars) need a crown and it doesn't depend on the chewing load but of how much tooth material is missing. If you had a huge filling prior the RC then probably yes you need a crown. Otherwise I cannot see the reason why.
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