Question for a dentist re extraction

[juicygirl]

My hubby had an emergency appt with the dentist today because of severe pain in his premolar (one next to his eye tooth) on the upper left hand side. The dentist said it had a fracture and that he would remove the fractured bit to seee if tooth could be saved (he said it couldn't). But he didn't take any xrays or anything.

He said it had to come out but when he tried it broke. He took an xray then and he said my husband would have to be referred to have the remaining bits removed. Is this normal? Will he have to pay twice?

Hubby is really annoyed cos now he is wondering if tooth really had to be removed and if dentist has done a botched job! Also his tooth behind this is sore and feels a bit wobbly.Will it have to be taken out too? One behind this again is also missing.

[alison999]

Im not a dentist but it depends where your husband is being referred to as to whether he has to pay twice - and if he does your dentist wont profit from the other being paid.

i cant also see why a dentist would take a tooth out that didnt need to come out - whats in it for the dentist? if they were filling it again and again maybe i could see your point but whats use does that tooth have to your dentist when its out?

[juicygirl]

Yeah, I said that. Think he is just annoyed at the moment. He feels the dentist (who he hasn't seen before and is young) maybe didn't know what he was doing because he hasn't has a tooth break when having an extraction before. Think the fact he is being sent to someone else to have the job finished is making him think this even more.

[smileygill]

Chances are he'll be referred to the oral surgery department of the nearest hospital that has one, or a dental hospital if there's one in your neighbourhood. You shouldn't have to pay for what's done there.

This happens all the time; I've worked in such a department. Dentists also refer patients there for difficult or surgical extractions (say, where the roots are awkwardly-placed), in cases like your husband's and (where absolutely necessary) extraction under general anaesthetic.

Don't worry; he'll be in the very best of hands.

HTH.

[alison999]

maybe he should of just been refered in the first place, but sometimes extractions dont go the way theyre planned.

also, just cos the dentist is young isnt a reason for his treatment to fail. how would your husband feel if someone said that he did something wrong in his job b/c he was young?

did he say anything about not being happy with the treatment in surgery?

[juicygirl]

No he didn't. He did ask why it couldn't be done then and there and dentist said that the procedure required more time and that because it was more complex it would be better done by someone with more experience of this type of extraction.

[alison999]

No he didn't. He did ask why it couldn't be done then and there and dentist said that the procedure required more time and that because it was more complex it would be better done by someone with more experience of this type of extraction.


well i think thats a very honest explaination by the dentist. can ask for much more but if hes worried about his other teeth maybe he should ring and ask for advice or book a 5 min appointment to discuss it all?

[juicygirl]

Thanks, I'll get him to do that.

[Toothsmith]

Upper premolars can be quite close to your sinus.

Not a problem if they come out nicely, but if you have to dig roots out, then things can get very serious very quickly.

If a root got pushed through into the sinus, then it would be a hospital admission, and quite a nasty sinus op to get it out again.

It sounds to me like your husband got a very good and sensible young professional, who diagnosed the problem very accurately, had a go at trying to help your husband, and then, in a stressful situation, remained clear thinking, and did exactly the right thing. I'd buy him a bottle of wine if I were you - he deserves a big 'well done'.

P.S. you don't need x-rays to diagnose a fractured tooth, if other symptoms make it obvious it's fractured. By taking one after it had broken (Confirming it was VERY fractured!!) rather than just bashing on, he would have seen how close to the sinus the bits were and so decided to refer it up.

[juicygirl]

Thank you! I'll tell him that! Personally I think he's just being a bit of a wimp!

Toothsmith, did you read my bit about the tooth behind feeling a bit wobbly? It's also causing him a little discomfort. Should he be concerned about this? The one behind this again was taken out some time ago.

Hubby says he did try to take it out after removing the fractured bit. It was then it broke more.

[Toothsmith]

After all the pushing about, adjacent teeth can feel a bit wobbly for a day or two. If he has any concerns about this though, he should go back and see the dentist again.

[juicygirl]

Ok, thanks for all the great advice!