cap or no cap

[michele1999]

I went to my dentist last week i thought for the begining of getting a cap on my front tooth that broke up inside 22 yrs ago well the dentist lyes me down in the chair and then hands me a long strip of different colored caps on it and says pick your color. I'm talking about a cap on my front tooth i have 2 caps on my eye teeth so i told him shouldn't you pick it because it's dark in here and how would i know what it will look like outside. I told him i needed more time to think so he told me to find a new dentist. Thing is last year no cavities but a deep cleaning this year no cavities now a cap think he's trying to get some money from my insurance co?/ My insurance co. onl pays for 2 cleanings per year and what ever else is neccesary  so i think he makes things up my tooth he wanted to cap has never hurt little discolored but it has been for 22 yrs. What do you think, this dentist scamming people and insurance companies?

[kayla276]

Just wanted to let you know my gums and tissues are healing.  I read the information you sent. I didn't actually come out with it, but dropped some hints.

I am almost out of pain with the two 18 and 19.  Will need some more adjustments.

I hope I never have to experience that again in my life.  Thank you for listening and being kind.  Phillip Elmo and Staff in Columbus, Ohio are trying to help me get through this as much as possible and have been patient with me through the whole process and yes it is a very stressful process.

thanks again

[kayla276]

You are very lucky.   I had a specialist tell me what the problem was that my original dentist created and left me in pain with, the original dentist not being able to diagnose a problem he created and caused.

Get this.  The original dentist still wants a balance that I owe him for doing substandard work and putting inferior crowns on my teeth and me having to go to someone else to find out what the problem was.

$3400 dollars of work done because of the original dentist's mistake and he wants his balance!   I told him if I have to pay him, he'll get a $1.00 a month and I'm going to pay him just like he worked on my teeth.  

I did  send him a $1.00,  he turned me over to collections, so I got legal advice. I was asked, "Why would you pay a dentist the rest of the money you owe him, yet had to go to another dentist to find out what your problem was and had to pay another dentist to fix the situation and all the pain and suffering you went through and are still in remission from the hyper occlusion?"  After that remark, I didn't send him anything.

The legal advisor stated to me, you should be asking for your money back to put towards the new crowns and the work that has to be completed by the new dentist.

Yes I should, but where are you going to find that kind of help?   The Better Business Bureau told me to write my State Dental Board.  The State Dental Board told me to write my County Dental Society. The Stark County Dental Society told me that there isn't anything they can do because I already notified the Ohio State Dental Board who has no recouse with money situations between patients and dentist.

?   hmmmmmmmmm  does that leave Small Claims Court?   Yes, but guess what?

I was told I cannot hire my own expert to testify that I have to have an attorney.  

Do we have a State Dental Board that cares about patients or a dental society that cares about patients?  I don't think so..........They care about the dentist not having been found guilty for anything after the facts are right there in black and white and color also.

I was going to write the Ohio Attorney General, but guess what; their website states to write The State Dental Board.  

It is all a joke that is all it is.  I have had the most educational experience in my life regarding a fluke in our Dental Board System.  

It is outrageously funny that someone can do this to a patient and get away with it.

It isn't too funny when you are in pain and don't know what is wrong and a dentist keeps telling you there isn't anything wrong and keeps trying to find excuses making it look like it is the patient's fault.  

I had them actually argue with me and tell me that there wasn't anything wrong and that I had injured it.  How could I injure it?   They told me I was grinding. The next thing they told me was my nerve was dying that's all.

I kept telling him it was too high, bulky and my crown was moving.

It got so bad I ended up with two root canals. Which he told me in December I didn't need a root canal. I had to call them to get a referal he did not refer me on his own.
They also told me it was the way I was brushing my teeth.  I told the original dentist, if it is the way I am brushing my teeth, why doesn't my other gums bother me, the only gums that bother me are the ones you put the crowns on?

The Prosthodontist is a specialist and stated he would be able to tell if I was a grinder, he told me I was not a grinder.   So there goes that theory of the original dentist.

It is called Hyper occlusion from too high of crowns is what he problem was.  It has almost been a year and I am still in remission due to the damage it caused to my gums and tissue underneath.

When the endodontist took the crown off to do my root canal, it was bleeding underneath my crown. He stated, "I cannot believe you were able to leave this crown on for this long."

I said, I know, I was in pain.  The original dentist told me the only reason I wanted a new crown put on was because of the way it looked.  I told the original dentist, no it is because it is causing me pain not because of the way it looks.  I said I could care a less about the way it looks, it is the pain it is causing.   He denies any wrong doing and should have just called me a liar for stating I was in pain.  

I'm glad I found this site and found out what a Prosthodontist was.  The have a general dentist also where I am going now and he has done some work on the crown also.

Waiting for gums and tissue to heal. Will have the new crown seated again June 2, if it doesn't hurt this time.  Teeth are mobile as I can feel them move.  They are trying to go back into place where they once were.

It has been one hell of an experience and I hope I never have to experience it again in my life.  Maybe next time I won't be so stupid when something hurts and wait so long to get it taken off, believing someone you thought you could trust, only to be called a liar.

Thanks to Scottma again, I am on the road to recovery
  

[lynn117]

my gold crown on a molar is 30 years old and has never had a problem (knock on wood).

[kayla276]

Who ever your first dentist was, he must have really known his dental stuff is all I have to say.   I have had 4 crowns on and one is being replaced after 6 years, one after 4 years, and inferior crowns after 7 months.  

Who ever the first dentist was I would go back to him if still living.

[michele1999]

What i have isn't even a crown yet it's just my own tooth and this dentist's office doesn't have the newer LED dental lights. In my area most people with my insurance only have a few dentists to pick from. Most only take private insurance. I didn't know crowns only have a life span of 7-10 yrs because I've had two others on my eye teeth for at least 15 years I musst be doing something right. But he never mentioned those crowns just my front tooth. I guess I'll look for another dentist and see if i can go and meet before an appt. Thanks for the great advise. I really appreciate it !

[StratRebel]

First of all, the dentist should be picking the color, or at least narrowing it down to 2-3, not handing you the entire strip.  Some of the newer LED dental lights are pure white, meaning they will show color the same as sunlight.
Second, crowns have an average lifespan of 7-10 years, if you got 22 out of it, thats great.  Ask him to show you what is wrong with the crown...in the mirror, photo, or xray.

And as Lynn mentioned, if something does not seem right, look for another dentist and get a second opinion.

[lynn117]

most dentists are honest but as with anyone there are exceptions. the bottom line is if you are not comfortable with your dentist find a new one. ask friends, relatives, and coworkers who they see and meet different dentists before you make an appointment to have work done. most dental offices are happy to schedule a mini appointment at no charge for a quick tour and a chance to meet the various employees.