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oracle117

Member
california if i had dental crowns done and several cracked or chipped within months and the dentist will not do anything about it. do i have a right to file a claim with her dental insurance company to get my case reviewed? i asked her for her insurer and she will not tell me.
 


ellencee

Senior Member
oracle117
I am not familiar with California law. My answer is based only on dental issues that relate to the cracking and chipping of crowns. You did not say if you have porcelain or ceramic crowns. Ceramic crowns are still in the development process and although they appear to be the answer to cracking and chipping, not all dentist are using ceramic. Porcelain is known to chip and to crack. The personal habits of the wearer influence how soon these defects develop. If you crack ice with your teeth or if you are a forceful chewer or a during sleep teeth-grinder, chipping and cracks will develop earlier than in someone who does not.

Chipping and cracking of the veneers does not indicate negligence or a reason to seek compensation--provided the veneers were created properly. If the mix was old or not properly constitued or properly 'set', then you may have reason to seek replacement of the veneers. About the only way you are going to be able to determine if the mix was properly created and applied is to have your crowns evaluated by another dentist or maker of crowns and veneers. If it is determined that improper technique caused premature destruction of the crowns/veneer, then consult with an attorney in your area (the area of the dentist who applied the crowns).

Best wishes,
EC
 

oracle117

Member
crowns

the crowns are the empress II crowns by ivoclar and are all ceramic. i had crowns before these that lasted 25 years and were porcelain fused to metal. i don't grind or do anything wierd like that. i went to three dentists who said she did a horrible job (which i saw myself) and she made them way too large for my mouth. they alll said that it is common practice among all dentists to guarantee crowns anywhere from 3 to 5 years and that they guarantee the empress crowns 5 years against defects like cracking and chipping. two of the dentists said the lab she uses is not that good. they all said the lab will redo the crowns for free to the dentist. i paid $800 a piece for them. she is just a pain in the you know what....a young woman right out of dental school whose father is a dentist and she thinks she is hot stuff. if she won't do anything, don't i have a right to file a claim with her insurance company? that was my question...shouldn't she be required to allow me to contact them and inform them of my claim for damages to get them redone?

thanks
 

ellencee

Senior Member
oracle117
I don't believe a healthcare professional has to tell you the name of their insurance carrier. You can send a certified, return receipt requested, letter to the dentist and demand reimbursement for allowing another dentist to redo the dental work. If the lab will replace the crowns for free, I don't believe you can ask for reimbursement for those.

Probably, the easiest and most efficient method would be to have an attorney send the dentist a letter and settle this issue on your behalf.

EC
 
I

InjuryAtty

Guest
First of all, this is a small claim matter unless there's something you're not telling us. Second, send her a letter and tell her in it that either she is willing to pay out of pocket in settlement for the costs of redoing the crowns, or you will sue her and she can deal with things that way. Arrange ahead of time for one of the other dentists to appear for you to testify as an expert.
 

vrzirn

Senior Member
Oh Injury Attorney, my sides hurt from laughing so hard. How naive to think a dentist will show up in Small Claims to testify. He might if he were paid a great deal as an expert witness-up front of course,(there goes any award) and would probably require a contract permitting him to re do all the "allegedly" defective work.
I wonder how long you have been practicing.
 

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