wrong tooth

What is the name of your state? Colorado.
I had some sensitivity to hot and cold in the lower left side of my mouth. It was also painful for me to floss up between my 1st and 2nd molars. I went to see a dentist and he took some x-rays. He said my roots looked great and thought we should replace a rather large filling in my 1st molar. We did that twice and still no relief. He then decided to root canal the tooth even though the roots looked fine. In between my appointments when I was waiting for my crown I still felt a great deal of discomfort and took the tip of an ice cube and touched the top of several of my teeth discovering that the pain was in my 2nd molar. When I returned to the dentist I discussed that with him and that is when he noticed a calculus in between my molars and suggested that was causing my discomfort. I was still charged $1700.00 for the root canal and have felt no relief.
My question is if I should pay the $1700.00 bill and go elsewhere for a simple cleaning, or if I should be compensated for loosing a fine tooth, and lots of time and discomfort.
Thank you.

Parr
Just because you still have sensitivity to cold in the area and/or the adjacent molar does not mean the tooth did not need a root canal. The tooth had a deep cavity and had required more than one dental procedure because of the cavity. Chances are, the tooth needed a root canal. You may not understand that the root canal procedure has nothing to do with the roots, per se, but clears the pulp out of the tooth (where your deep cavity was) and clears the pulp out of the roots' canals which in turn saves the roots from being destroyed by infection. If the tooth's roots were not healthy (did not look "great") a root canal procedure would not have been indicated.

You said the second molar was sensitive to the touch of an ice cube. If that tooth was in immediate need of a root canal, "sensitive" would not be the word you used to describe the response to the ice cube.

Get a second opinion, preferably from an endodontist. Endodontists are root canal specialists and can make a more definitive diagnosis and evaluate the care you have received. The endodontist should be able to evaluate the x-rays taken prior to the root canal and offer an opinion as to the necessity of your having had the procedure.

More likely than not, you will not be able prove that the root canal should not have been performed when it was or would not have been required in the near future; therefore, it is unlikely that you have any recourse against the treating dentist.

For general information to readers: Anyone considering a root canal should get a second opinion from an endodontist before having a root canal done.

Best wishes,
EC