I have a question about a root canal I had done?

Question

I had a root canal several months ago and have had problems with the tooth ever since. I have gone in and been examined two or three times, and they have told me it's normal. Now it's infected. The last time I went in to have it checked, the Dentist told me if it continues I'll have to see a root canal specialist. My question is this: should I have to pay to see a specialist to fix what they didn't to a good job on? I don't have insurance, and it cost me around $1000 dollars to have this root canal done, it seems really unfair for me to have to put out more money. Should I try to get my money back, or insist they fix the tooth? Thank you for any advice.

No, I actually didn't sign anything saying the root canal might not work.

Answer 1

sue 'em.

Answer 2

Not all root canals work. You may have problems that are with your bone where the tooth was. This is what a specialist will look at. You don't seem to remember that you signed a paper that said you understood that not all root canals take. Every dentist has their patients sign one before you have it done.
I have a root canal that is giving me problems and I have so far just lived with it. I have a pocket of missing bone above the canal and it gets infected all the time. I have learned what I can do to keep it at bay so far. My dentist wanted to send me to a specialist, but it would cost me another 1000 dollars plus. I can't afford that either. No insurance. I have been dealing with it for 5 years now. I probably will lose the tooth someday.
Anyway, ask him what you can do to minimize your problems. He didn't guarantee that it would work. Root canals are a hit or miss at best.
Good luck!

Answer 3

I think i would do some "background" checking on that dentist. IF they did a root canal, it would of taken all the "pulp" and feelings, etc out of the tooth. It doesn't seem right:( I would insist that either the first doc did something to fix it or give your $$ back on it! Turn them into BBB if they don't work with you about it!

I had a dentist say he did a root canal...6 yrs later the tooth got really infected, I had an Xray of the tooth done (different dentist) and they found out all the 1st guy did was cap my tooth! I was "taken" by the first dentist. I had to pay for the full root canal and another cap on it! GEEZ, thought they were professionals!

Answer 4

The problem with root canal treatments is that the dentists do not take the time to explain to the patiant that there are risks involved. I went in for such a treatment and told the dentist that this was my first root canal and was afraid. She said in a rude tone that, and I'll quote "I do not understand why people are so afraid of this procedure. A root canal is a very safe and risk free treatment." Well what happened next was a nightmare. I cannot begin to tell you what she did. Aside from the fact that she was running from one patiant to the next in an assembly line fashion, doing more than one procedure at a time, on more than one patiant at a time, she also left her staff with instructions on what they should do while she was gone. This is a dentist who takes patiants teeth for granted because of her confidence in herself and her staff. Assistants and hygienists were allowed to work on my tooth. When she left her staff with instructions she was in violation of her ethics code as a dentist since no one other than a dentist can do procedures on a patiants tooth. My tooth became infected. Antibiotics did nothing to relieve the pain. She sent me to an Endodontist (a specialist) who charged me twice as much to redo the treatment correctly. Even though the specialist worked very hard on the tooth, cleaned out the infection and removed any pulp that may have been left behind, the pain continued. When I went back to see the dentist, she shrugged her shoulders and said I would just have to live with the discomfort. I cannot believe how quickly she brushed me off. This was not a matter of living with a little discomfort, this was sheer pain, not allowing me to function. This continued for months. The Endodontists accussed me of not knowing what I was talking about. She never told me that it could take months even a year for the pain to subside. So I decided to see another specialist for a second opinion. He told me that there is nothing they can do. The tooth was not healing and his opinion was to exctract. He said that doing an apicoectomy (removing the tip of the root) would not solve my problem it will only cause more problems since this would leave the tooth very weak and he could not guaranty that the pain would go away. I changed dentists, made the decision to exctract. The new dentist told me that it would be a difficult exctraction and I should just give it time to see what happenes. We did discuss him doing the crown if the tooth stopped hurting and he was fine with that. Now the problems begins. I filed a complaint with the Dental Association. When the Commite of the Order Of Dentists asked him for my file, he got scared and refused to continue to treat me. He did refer me to someone else who also told me that if it goes to court, he would not help me. I do not understand why we are to blame. It's danm if we do, danm if we don't. I no longer have pain. The tooth took over a year to heal completely. I suffered in the meantime. My problem now is I need to find a dentist who would be willing to proceed with the crown. I managed to deal through the pain and I am afraid that after all this I will lose the tooth anyway because no one wants to get involved.

I would recommend you either get the dentist who originaly did the treatment to redo it. An Endodontist is not going to do anything diferent except redo the root canal and charge you twice as much. If your dentist insists upon it, he should accept to return the money that you paid him. This is an appropriate request on your part and he knows you should not have to pay twice for it. Other than that, you have a battle on your hands. I wish you well because of what I went through. I know exactly what is instore for you. Please do not give up. This will settle over time. How much you can tolerate, is up to you. Be advised however, the possibility of you losing the tooth is there. That, of course, is up to you. If there is no other choice you might just be forced to. Take Care. Good Luck.

Answer 5

Sorry but theres no way you'll get your money back. I had one and while the temp filling was in I cracked my tooth eating. I was out of town and had to get it pulled. I had a crown for 10 years and it got infected and I had to have it removed.
Teeth are such a pain in the butt, very expensive and painful!
Remember don't PO your dentist he is working in your mouth and can cause lots of unecessary pain, lol
Remember this.....
Any infections will cause bone loss, so don't put it off.
Good luck

Answer 6

look man u should see dental surgeons as sevice providers not as magicians ,they can just do their best .Rest every thing is Left to god to do . i am not saying that your dentist may not be at fault but it cannot be only his fault .
now if you want to save that tooth you should better do as your dentist says .Thanks & Regards