Dentist Cracked my teeth during Fillings

[cardiaccath0]

What is the name of your state? Wa

I recently visited my dentist on 11/27 and my teeth have been painful ever since I called my dentist 1 week later and I was looked at on 12/7/06 when they had an opening. He examined my teeth and came to the conclusion that two of the four fillings that he did had cracked my teeth. I know have been referred to an endodontist but they weren’t open on Friday 12/8. So my question is if the dentist is liable for all charges to repair my teeth and can I go to and specialist I want to. The endodontist is one he referred me to. Thanks

Steve

 

[ecmst12]

Why don't you want to go to the specialist this dentist referred you to? Just because they didn't have an immediate opening? You'll have a hard time finding any specialist that will be able to fit you in the next day, especially if it's not an absolute emergency. How long will it take for them to get you an appointment?

 

[barry1817]

dentist cracked teeth

What is the name of your state? Wa

I recently visited my dentist on 11/27 and my teeth have been painful ever since I called my dentist 1 week later and I was looked at on 12/7/06 when they had an opening. He examined my teeth and came to the conclusion that two of the four fillings that he did had cracked my teeth. I know have been referred to an endodontist but they weren’t open on Friday 12/8. So my question is if the dentist is liable for all charges to repair my teeth and can I go to and specialist I want to. The endodontist is one he referred me to. Thanks

Steve

I am unsure if the cracked teeth are in need of root canal. Just because they cracked doesn't mean that. A cracked tooth could be very sensitive because a portion of the tooth that should be covered is now exposed.

I am unsure why the teeth cracked. Normally that occurs when the filling is too large for the tooth, which would indicate that a crown might have been the treatment of choice from the beginning.

As to referring to an endodontist that he knows. I have found that when i had a good relationship with a specialist and such a problem arose the fees may get adjusted, or be directly billed to me. Again I don't know the full story.

When the treatment plan was presented were options of treatment offered to you, and the cost/benefit analysis of each type of treatment?

Did you get an informed consent, and did you sign it.

From where I sit reading your post, it is just strange that 2 teeth cracked so soon, and I would have to evaluate the x-rays to determine if this is just one of those things that happen, if the diagnosis was correct but you opted for a lesser treatment, or he missed the diagnosis or over treated the tooth resulting in a possible fracture.

Good luck with this,

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[cardiaccath0]

Thanks for the reply. My dentist had told me after the xrays that I needed four fillings numbers 3,30,29,27. That is the only option that I was given and I trusted him so I didn't question it. I came back for my appointment 2 weeks later and had the four filling done. I didn't feel any pain until the next day because I was numb. I called my dentist after 1 week and he examined my teeth and found that numbers 3,30 were cracked in some fashion. I was referred to an endodontist and told that the repair would cost me in the range of $2000.00 for both teeth and that they would each need a crown in less than one years time from the date of the route canal. He doesn't do crowns so I would have to go back to my dentist or find a new one with the price range in the order of $1900.00 for the two crowns porcelain or gold. Should I ask the dentist to pay for the repair and then do the crowns at his office free or should I get them repaired on my own and use legal means to regain my loss. Also I wasn't given an informed consent on paper or verbally and I did not sign one. Thanks for the help. Steve

P.S.
As for the specialist reply I didn't know if it would be a conflict of interest since he gets referrals from my dentist. (Talking about who is at fault)