Question by honesty_counts: My dentist did a botched up job, charged me 50, and I’m in pain! Should I sue or demand my money back?
My dentist has done one bad thing after another and I’m just sick of it, I’m going to another dentist, but that last job has taken the cake, and I want to know if I can take him to small claims court or not?

First of all, a few months ago he installed a crown that was visibly backwards! Normally the bottom molars (teeth) are supposed to have their inside edges slightly lower than the outward edges, but this crown had the inside edge dramatically higher than the outside. I complained and he told me that it is normal for teeth to be like that ! I demanded it be fixed and he just “ground down” the inside edge of that ceramic surface and told me “it is fixed”. I didn’t like it, it still was not good, but I thought that it was a fluke.

Then he did an implant and it was perfect. For the next implant, on the exact opposite side tooth, his associate insisted on inserting a “bone graft” into the hole, something that my first implant did not have done to it. Well, unfortunately for me the bone graft was totally “ABSORBED” back into the body and with it the surrounding bone was “sucked-in” as well, leaving almost no bone left to install the implant screw. The associate inserted a very small implant screw (much smaller than the implant screw on the other side) way in towards the inside edge of the small bone left. I have not yet had the ceramic tooth created yet for that screw. That screw is located so much closer towards my tongue than the other teeth that if I do have a ceramic cap installed it will have to be “cantilevered” off the screw and it will be very unusual feeling AND not normal looking at all ! I know that the absorption of the bone graft caused this problems because the other side has had no problems at all and it was EXACTLY the same bone structure as this side, and no bone graft was used and no problems came about when it was done, but he totally denies this and says that bone grafts don’t cause such problems and that is was my “faulty bone structure” that caused the problem.

Can I sue him and make him re-do it properly, or go to another implant specialist and sue to have the charges of the first dentist reversed ?

Now, it is Monday, and last Thursday another associate of that dental office did 6 fillings between the teeth and when the freezing wore off I was in extreme pain !!! The fillings were made way too deep, and now I will need 4 root canals on top of the $ 1,250 fee that I was charged for those improper fillings!
And of those fillings; two of them extended up to the top of the teeth and he installed some sort of “wings” to my teeth and they are horrible, I want them removed as they feel just weird ! I want the fillings either re-done or ground down, but I am not sure how that can be done, and I will probably be charged another few hundred dollars for that work too!

I want to have normal crowns, normal implants, and normal fillings, not the botched up garbage that I have been given, so what is your suggestions?

I was thinking of going to another dentist who can fix the problems and then go to a lawyer and then sue for re-reimbursement of the repair costs, is this a good idea?

I live in Canada and suing like this is not as common as it is in America.

Best answer:

Answer by Jared
I would not sue — or attempt.

For the crown that you claim was backwards, he claims was/is not –

When seating a crown it is more than common to ‘grind’ sections of them down to create a proper fit with the opposing tooth(teeth).

For the implant that had a bone graft inserted to encourage bone stability and structure — (to basically prevent and encourage the opposite of what occurred). — This was the professional opinion of the dentist(s) at hand here — and the fact that your body absorbed the graft and the bone further deteriorated around the socket is something that is unique to you and your body. In other words this will be seen , not as something improperly done, but an unfortunate result of your body in response to the tooth being gone from the socket. An unfortunate complication.

This will be again, your non medically educated word against theirs on your theory of what occurred and why. I am not against you here,.. but a bone graft will not cause existing bone to deteriorate or as you say (be sucked in) at any different rate than if the graft was never placed in the area.

It isn’t necessarily faulty bone structure here — just your bodies response at the time to the trauma, missing tooth in the socket, and so forth. Typically bone loss isn’t as dramatic, but depending on MANY factors — including stress, age, smoker or non smoker, diet, health, personal hygiene, calcium and other mineral serum levels, etc — your bones will act in very different ways from one year to the next. You could have had the exact same procedure done to that socket/area of the jaw in 5 years and it could have not deteriorated.. just given a different environment to work with.

The fillings — You say they were ‘between teeth’ — I can only assume you needed 6 fillings due to decay (as anything else would be a composite bonding agent to cover gaps, etc.. which would fall under cosmetic dentistry).

So with this assumption, you had quite a bit of decay existing — which means it wasn’t brand new. It had been there for some time.

Dental procedure for cavities are to drill out all existing decay — which if you claim they were too deep meant you had considerable decay, and decay that went well into the tooth pulp. Given that you were in such intense pain, they were ‘deep’ — it makes logical sense that what occurred here was you had fillings performed on 6 teeth (or between) that most of which were decayed into the nerve tissue — hence the extreme pain after , and them being too ‘deep’.

The nerves of teeth aren’t just at the very bottom where you would think of a root canal — but start in the lower center of a tooth. So a root canal is necessary well before decay reaches the actual typical ‘canals’ you see on a post-op tooth from an endodontist.

Your issues I can break down into the following:

1) Dissatisfaction with permanent crown seating/adjustment. (Overall)

2) Dissatisfaction with the result of jaw implant.

3) Dissatisfaction with 6 dental fillings.

1) — There isn’t any argument here — you will need to leave it as is.

2) — There is little ground for a winnable argument here, and the end result is with any implantation it is ultimately limited by the patients ability to sustain proper bone structure. Implants are NEVER guaranteed to work. EVER! While the risk is relatively low that bone structure will deteriorate to a degree that an implant fails,.. it does happen — the dentist or surgeon cannot control (at this time) what our jaws do in response to a tooth no longer being in the socket.

It sounds like you can still have the implant work, but some alternative techniques will need to be utilized for it to work.

Again here, you don’t have any argument that will result in the LAW returning your money — but I would cut my losses and have remaining work done at another dentist. More on this later.

3) Your fillings — I could tell exactly if you had xrays handy you could scan and I could take a look at. However, it is likely you had decay that was obviously in the area of the nerve of the tooth which should have been FIRST directed to be a root canal. Not a filling then a root canal. Certainly not 6 fillings, 4 of them resulting in root canal.. immediately.

In this case, the dentist should compensate. After the fact you would still have a difficult time ‘sueing’ but the dentist should know of your dissatisfaction in the matter and the money you’ve spent thus far.

As a result I would do the following:

Get a refund for the entire 6 fillings — based on your ultimate pain and dissatisfaction but also on the premise that a filling was done in multiple areas where a root canal should have been performed instead. IE: The filling was unnecessarily done in at least 4 of the areas due to decay being too deep.

It IS possible the dentist is SO incompetent that he drilled too far into healthy tooth structure FOUR times that resulted in nerve irritation and thus a root canal now being necessary due to the damage. It could even be conceived that this dental practice purposely does these things for money.. to obtain the money from fillings and then knowingly obtain money from now needing root canals. This is hard to prove AFTER THE FACT.

If you have x-ray images of your teeth just prior to these fillings. XRAYS are always done before fillings or root canals. So they took them. (If they did not, you should have left immediately before any work was done.) –

My point here is that you should request your records, including all xrays — (without acting upset or with any intention other than you need them for your own personal records (insert story of relative from hurricane Katrina that had a difficult time because all her medical or dental records were unrecovered) ) — Also, these records are yours by law. They must provide copies,.. and they can charge and probably will.. but only a nominal fee — nothing extravagent. A dollar a page is a bit much, but can be charged — but they can’t charge you hundreds of dollars for your records.

When you get these records — take them to another dentist, endodontist, or oral surgeon (based on what you are trying to determine) — A good solid dentist with lots of experience will be sufficient for most cases. **Which is another thing, find another dentist that comes highly recommended .. you are obviously at a dentist you cannot trust and is, at least, not fully competent in all he/she does.**.

At this ‘other dentist’ — discuss all that has been done,.. and the only thing I can see you getting any immediate effect from is the fillings and resulting needed ‘root canals’.

Have them look at the prior XRAYS of the teeth that had the 6 fillings — Then that dentist can take new xrays to determine the amount of drilling and filling done for comparison. It will be VERY easy to determine if malpractice or incompetence was at play here. If so, the dentist will be on YOUR side and give you all the evidence and wording you need to say to at very minimum have all the money refunded for the 6 fillings.. and if it is bad enough evidence (medical evidence) of how to approach it legally.

But I see this as you not getting any compensation for anything but the fillings and whatever else was done to those teeth — When you get this –

Take that money and RUN!

From here — do the following:

For your Crown you are not happy with — just have your new dentist look at it, and judge and take care of it. That should be no problem.

For your fillings — I already discussed.

Here is the catch: — Start having your work done by the most qualified individual for it. Find a dentist who is capable of doing these things but works in such a way where he does general cosmetic, cavity fillings, crowns, implant seatings, cleanings, whitening, and other such general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry — His niche.. what he is best at. A dentist that specifically does this on his own, and refers ALL root canals to specific endodontists he prefers and refers teeth extractions, impacted teeth extractions, implants, and other such ‘surgical procedures’ to Oral surgeons.

This usually results in the best overall result. An endodontist is a dentist who has specialized in the root canal procedure — so does this all day long, and will do the best job.

An oral and maxiofacial surgeon (Oral Surgeon) will be one who specializes in therapeutic and cosmetic surgery — specifically tooth extractions, and implants in your case. They will do the best job here due to their specialization (these will usually have a medical degree as well).

I am always weary of general dentists who undertake the roles of oral surgeons — It is somewhat common for dentists to extract teeth and even perform root canals — but to perform implants is going a bit far. These things are best served by the resulting specialists.

Legally I don’t think you have much ground to stand on,.. as it is your word vs a professional.. especially in dentistry — it is hard to prove. If your records were ever ‘lost’ somehow it would be next to impossible to prove any wrong doing. This is why obtaining your entire records (copies) is crucial.. before they have any idea you are up to anything.

Then having these records examined based on your problems by a qualified Dentist or specialist to see where you stand on what you can and cannot pursue in terms of monetary reimbursement and possible lawsuit for malpractice.

Add your own answer in the comments!

Please read other answers to this question at the very bottom of this page, below you will find a video and related articles that will try to answer the question, if you have a proper answer please post it at the bottom.

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Bone grafting, sinus grafting and gum grafting

A dentist can carry out one or many procedures before placing dental implants if the height of the jawbone is not ideal. Following are few techniques that help to build jawbone to required height and width to place dental implants.

 

Bone Grafting

Advancement in dental treatments has given way to implement many new procedures. Bone grafting is one such procedure which is widely used in dental treatments as they are offering effective results.

 

Commonly four types of bone grafting procedures are in use today; autograft, allograft, xenograft and alloplast.

 

Autograft are those bone grafts where a bone that has to be grafted to the jaw is taken from the patients own body. Donor site, the place from where bone is harvested will be either mouth or hip. As the bone is harvested from patients own body it becomes more compatible. This type of bone graft is considered as the excellent approach as it results in greatest regeneration of the bone to the required size.

 

Allograft: In this, grafts are taken from human donors for grafting it to the jaw bone. Many countries have donor programs where an individual can willingly indicate offer of his bones after his decease for the advantage of others. Bones obtained from human donors are tested rigorously and sterilized previously using them for grafting intention.

 

Xenograft: In this grafts are harvested from animal bones, most commonly from cow. Bones obtained in this manner are tested and sterilized to utilize for grafting approach.

 

Alloplast: In this strategy gaps in bones are filled using grafts from man made synthetic materials .Most simple components used for alloplast is calcium phosphate.

 

Purpose of Bone grafting

A bone graft is basically used to replace bone tissue either to replace missing one or to repair infected one. Bone grafting not only fills the space between the bones but also helps new bone to grow in that place. A successful bone grafting method can restore shape of the bone both in height and width. A patient has many options of bone grafting, but the category of bone grafting is should be decided by your dentist based on your jaw bone demand.

Sinus Grafting

Another standard kind of bone replacement graft in practise today is sinus grafting; this is also called as sinus lifting bone grafting. Sinuses are empty places in our body which have nothing them. There are sinuses called maxillary sinuses that are located just behind our cheeks. When upper teeth are removed there will be only a slim wall left between maxillary sinuses and the mouth which makes it ridiculous for dentists to place dental implants in that space . In such cases sinus bone graft or

sinus lift technique is applied. Sinuses are entered in the path of upper teeth root to lift the sinus to graft a bone in that place. Usually implants are placed simultaneously during sinus lifting procedure. It takes some months for the same to renew. Once the place is healed, manufactured teeth are fixed into the implants. If the wall between sinus and mouth is thick enough to place dental implants then both grafting and arrangement of dental implants can be carried out simultaneously. But if the wall is thin, then dentist want to hold on till the graft is healed properly to position implants.

 

Purpose of sinus bone grafting

Prime principle of sinus bone grafting is to replace upper back teeth in a comfortable fashion. This system makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants instead of wearing loose dentures.

 

Gum grafting

Gum Grafting is used to replace receding gums. Causes for receding gums contain periodontal diseases and excessive brushing of teeth. Soft or hard tissues are used to replace receding gums. The kind of tissue to be used depends on the position of the grafting. It is a sensitive system and patient needs to take off some time to restore the gums after undergoing gum graft approach. Gum tissue is referred as gingiva in dentistry. There are basically two types of gingiva, soft and hard. Hard tissue protects roots of the teeth and soft tissue lies over the hard tissue. When gums open to recede, soft tissue disappears first. If receding of gums is identified in the correct time soft tissue gum grafting can assist replace receding gum tissue. But in numerous cases it is only identified in the later stages, where only hard tissue gum grafting can help replacing receding gum tissue. Gum grafts also take time to recover like other grafting procedures.

 

Purpose of Gum Grafting

Gum grafting is principally used to replace receding gums. Receding gums identified in true time and treated with gum grafting can save patients from crucial health issues.

Cosmetic Dentistry: What is a Bone Graft?

A dentist can carry out one or many procedures before placing dental implants if the height of the jawbone is not ideal. Following are few techniques that help to build jawbone to required height and width to place dental implants.

 

Bone Grafting

Advancement in dental treatments has given way to implement many new procedures. Bone grafting is one such procedure which is widely used in dental treatments as they are offering effective results.

 

Commonly four types of bone grafting procedures are in use today; autograft, allograft, xenograft and alloplast.

 

Autograft are those bone grafts where a bone that has to be grafted to the jaw is taken from the patients own body. Donor site, the place from where bone is harvested will be either mouth or hip. As the bone is harvested from patients own body it becomes more compatible. This type of bone graft is considered as the excellent approach as it results in greatest regeneration of the bone to the required size.

 

Allograft: In this, grafts are taken from human donors for grafting it to the jaw bone. Many countries have donor programs where an individual can willingly indicate offer of his bones after his decease for the advantage of others. Bones obtained from human donors are tested rigorously and sterilized previously using them for grafting intention.

 

Xenograft: In this grafts are harvested from animal bones, most commonly from cow. Bones obtained in this manner are tested and sterilized to utilize for grafting approach.

 

Alloplast: In this strategy gaps in bones are filled using grafts from man made synthetic materials .Most simple components used for alloplast is calcium phosphate.

 

Purpose of Bone grafting

A bone graft is basically used to replace bone tissue either to replace missing one or to repair infected one. Bone grafting not only fills the space between the bones but also helps new bone to grow in that place. A successful bone grafting method can restore shape of the bone both in height and width. A patient has many options of bone grafting, but the category of bone grafting is should be decided by your dentist based on your jaw bone demand.

Sinus Grafting

Another standard kind of bone replacement graft in practise today is sinus grafting; this is also called as sinus lifting bone grafting. Sinuses are empty places in our body which have nothing them. There are sinuses called maxillary sinuses that are located just behind our cheeks. When upper teeth are removed there will be only a slim wall left between maxillary sinuses and the mouth which makes it ridiculous for dentists to place dental implants in that space . In such cases sinus bone graft or

sinus lift technique is applied. Sinuses are entered in the path of upper teeth root to lift the sinus to graft a bone in that place. Usually implants are placed simultaneously during sinus lifting procedure. It takes some months for the same to renew. Once the place is healed, manufactured teeth are fixed into the implants. If the wall between sinus and mouth is thick enough to place dental implants then both grafting and arrangement of dental implants can be carried out simultaneously. But if the wall is thin, then dentist want to hold on till the graft is healed properly to position implants.

 

Purpose of sinus bone grafting

Prime principle of sinus bone grafting is to replace upper back teeth in a comfortable fashion. This system makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants instead of wearing loose dentures.

 

Gum grafting

Gum Grafting is used to replace receding gums. Causes for receding gums contain periodontal diseases and excessive brushing of teeth. Soft or hard tissues are used to replace receding gums. The kind of tissue to be used depends on the position of the grafting. It is a sensitive system and patient needs to take off some time to restore the gums after undergoing gum graft approach. Gum tissue is referred as gingiva in dentistry. There are basically two types of gingiva, soft and hard. Hard tissue protects roots of the teeth and soft tissue lies over the hard tissue. When gums open to recede, soft tissue disappears first. If receding of gums is identified in the correct time soft tissue gum grafting can assist replace receding gum tissue. But in numerous cases it is only identified in the later stages, where only hard tissue gum grafting can help replacing receding gum tissue. Gum grafts also take time to recover like other grafting procedures.

 

Purpose of Gum Grafting

Gum grafting is principally used to replace receding gums. Receding gums identified in true time and treated with gum grafting can save patients from crucial health issues.

Prior to getting dental implants, it might be necessary to increase the amount of bone available to support your teeth. This is done through a procedure called bone grafting says San Jose dental implants specialist.

Bone grafting is the replacement or augmentation of the portion of the jaw bone that anchors the teeth. It’s a surgical procedure that’s often done to reverse the loss or resor[tion of bone that may have occurred due to tooth loss, trauma, disease or ill-fitting dentures, and to rebuild the bone structure beneath the gums in preparation for the placement of San Jose dental implants treatment or other tooth replacements.

According to <strong><a rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link']);” href=”http://www.baydental.com/dental-implants.php”>San Jose cosmetic dentist</a></strong> when bone graft is implanted in the jaw, it doesn’t just simply fill a void in the bone; it may also help promote new bone growth in that location. When successful, bone grafting can restore both the height and width of your jaw bone.

Bone volume can be affected by a variety of factors such as periodontal disease or trauma and infections. Sometimes during a dental implant procedure, dentists find that the critical supporting bone is missing. Through bone grafting, we can increase the height and width of the bone or fill in anatomical voids in bone and fill in the defects that develop when teeth are lost.
What is involved?

Dental implant bone grafting is a surgical procedure that can usually be done in a Bay area cosmetic dentist office. It replaces the bone that has been lost with material from the patient’s own body (autogenous bone) or with a natural, artificial, or synthetic substitute. In most cases the goal of the implant dentist is to generate new healthy and natural bone in the area of the procedure.
What are the types of bone graft?
•    autogenous – bone taken from one area of the patient and transplanted to another area requiring such grafting
•    allograft – either synthetic bone or bone from a bone bank (cadaver bone)
•    xenograft – bovine /cow bone
Which graft is used and when and why?

Autogenous bone is the “gold standard” and oftentimes has the most predictable results. This is described as the best type of graft because such bone is live bone with live active cellular elements that enhance bone growth, whereas other types of grafts are devoid of any active cellular material.

Allografts and Xenografts both do not require a second surgical site as does the autogenous bone. Ample
amounts can be easily obtained.