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Dental Health (Expert Forum)
Crown removal technique, broken tooth, is doc at fault?
Answered by
Private Practice
CA
Questions in the Dental Health forum are answered by Dr. Jerome Tsang and Dr. Jerome Bogin. Topics covered include bridges, cavities, crowns, and x-rays.
Crown removal technique, broken tooth, is doc at fault?
by JCL77, May 15, 2009 04:37PM
Two weeks after a painful root canal, my dentist's assistant permanently attached my permanent crown without first letting me see it. When the dentist came in and we looked at it, it was definitey too orange - didn't match the crown on the tooth next to it (which was our goal). Dentist said he could remove it, and proceeded to POUND on my tooth with what looked like a chisel and hammer (not pound once, check to see if crown was loose, pound again, check, etc.) but POUND POUND POUND POUND POUND - about 7 or 8 times, crown finally flipped off and the tooth under the crown had been broken by his removal "technique". I've since been told that it's again the licensing rules for the assistant to permanently attach a crown, and that a crown should be removed by cutting along the side until it comes off - no pounding needed. Now the dentist wants me to pay $800 for a crown lengthening procedure (removing about 2 mm of my gum) and then measure and get a new crown. I don't ever want to see this guy again. Can anyone help me with additional information on what was improper in the assistant's and/or dentist's procedure? And what kind of liability either of them have? And suggest how I can proceed to have another dentist handle what needs to be done and how I can get the previous dentist to cover the cost (or at least refund some of the $2550 I've paid so far)? I have no dental insurance, and paid up front for the entire crown procedure (without the crown lengthening, of course). Should I file a complaint with a dentistry board (I live in Florida)? Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Doctor's Answer
by Jerome Tsang, DDS, May 16, 2009 01:06AM
, May 16, 2009 01:06AMTo: JCL77
I would recommend addressing the issue with your dentist first to let him know about how you feel. If that doesn't reach a satisfactory solution, then you can contact either the local dental board or find a professional peer review mediation.
Here's a link I found on the florida dental board website. You should definitely try to resolve it with him first before going to the dental board. It would be greatly appreciated. I would definitely would like to make things right with my patients prior to going to a peer review mediation.
http://floridadental.org/public/problem/
Here's a link I found on the florida dental board website. You should definitely try to resolve it with him first before going to the dental board. It would be greatly appreciated. I would definitely would like to make things right with my patients prior to going to a peer review mediation.
http://floridadental.org/public/problem/
