I just moved to CA and I needed an experienced dentist. I went for a first visit two months ago and a whole set of x-rays were taken. I also have a gold crown on my back molar. Recently, in the last week I've had pain in my back molar area. I went to the dentist yesterday and complained of pain. He pulled out the x-rays from my first visit two months ago and told me the view of that tooth didn't come out at all. He took new x-rays of the molar and said it was heavily decayed and needs a root canal immediately. I asked him why he didn't take a x-ray of that tooth two months ago if it didn't come out. He said he maybe should have. He also said if it wasn't a molar he would just have the tooth extracted and have an implant put in. My question is -is the dentist guilty of malpractice now that I need a root canal instead of just a crown performed in the office and is it worth pursuing with an attorney or just have the root canal surgery done?
2007-07-17 10:32:34 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Dental
X-rays are all about risk versus benefit. Risk of radiation from x-ray exposure is something dentists and doctors take seriously. If you weren't complaining about the area at the time, the dentist probably thought extra radiation exposure wasn't worth it. I don't think it's malpractice. At a long shot, it's neglect. Decay doesn't happen over night. If the decay is serious enough to require a root canal, then there was already significant decay 2 months ago and yes, you would have had the same result. Root canals are NOT major surgery, as the first responder said. Now days they are very simple, painless procedures. I've had two recently from a good endodontist and didn't feel a thing.
2007-07-17 11:06:24 · answer #1 · answered by Heather N 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
HELLO.
IS WORTH A LAWSUIT?
ANS.=NO
WOULD AN ATTORNEY TAKE YOUR CASE?
ANS.=PROBABLY NOT
WAS ACTUAL MALPRACTICE DONE?
ANS=. NO
COULD THE DENTIST HAVE TAKEN PROPER X-RAYS THE FIRST TIME?
ANS.= YES
IS THIS MALPRACTICE?
NO
IS IT A FOOLISH MISHAP BY THE DENTIST?
YES, HE SHOULD HAVE REVIEWED THE X-RAYS THEN, IF SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RE-TAKEN.
HIS REASONS FOR WANTING TO EXTRACT AND PUT IN AN IMPLANT ARE LAME AND POOR JUDGMENT.
THE TRUTH IS THAT THINGS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING AND NOT LET GO UNTIL LATER.
THIS SITUATION IS DEFINITELY WORTH A SECOND OPINION.
2007-07-17 11:19:15 · answer #2 · answered by Dr. Albert, DDS, (USA) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Even if he had seen it two months ago the diagnosis would have been the same. As far as malpractice, it is probably a long shot. Granted they should have retaken the xray, they will probably find an excuse for that. You may as well just have the work done.
2007-07-17 10:38:03 · answer #3 · answered by heather k 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I don't think you would win. If you get a crown eventually you have to get a root canal anyway. Plus in such a short time it didn't get that much worse so you probably would have had the root canal anyway.
2007-07-17 10:38:45 · answer #4 · answered by Valerie D 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You should hire an attorney, because his mistake is causing you to have a major surgery done. He did a half *** job by not taking more x rays when the first x rays didn't show the whole thing. I mean, his only job is to make sure that your mouth is okay. Get some money from the lawsuit plus make him pay for your surgery.
2007-07-17 10:37:38 · answer #5 · answered by AssBandit 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋