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Dental problems

Hi. I have had a gold crown fitted on a lower rear tooth for £600. As soon as the injections wore off I was very upset to see it was visible when smiling. I went back to the dentist immediately and was told a white crown would cost an extra £450.00. I complained and said it should be done for free. Eventually I was offered £100.00 off for the trouble but I refused saying it should be replaced free of charge. A second appointment was made with the main dentist to try to resolve the problem and I was willing to have the work done but at a further reduction. No offers came up. I was then told the dentist who carried out the work was now too stressed and upset to do any dental work on me again due to my complaint. The other dentist also refused to do the work and advised me to get used to it. I was told a white crown could now cause root canal treatment. As I have now had a gold one fitted I have lost a lot of the tooth which will now be ground down even further if I can get a white one fitted elsewhere. They did not want to do any more work as I complained about the gold crown. I am left looking like a pirate when I smile, unable to have a white crown fitted now and £600 worse off. I found them unprofessional, patronizing and have lost confidence. I cannot and do not want to go back. I am stunned by their attitude.

The dentist never told me it would be visible and said as an adult I should have realized it was gold. He also said he did not tell me it would be visible but then he did not say it would not be visible. I feel a professional dentist should advise of consequences. I will need to go see another dentist to get a second opinion.

I have phoned dental council and am ready to make a complaint. I was wondering about claiming back on my credit card? Small claims court?

Any thoughts or help appreciated.

Comments

  • atolaas
    atolaas Posts: 1,143 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    The main question is would you have been prepared to pay 1050 quid to have a white crown fitted?
    SPC7 ~ Member#390 ~ £432.45 declared :j
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  • Did you get a treatment plan specifying that the crown would be a gold shell crown or did you think you were getting a white crown? Did you sign the treatment plan and were you given time between the suggestion of a crown and the preparation?

    There is normally at least a week between preparing a tooth and fitting the crown when a temporary crown is worn . Did you not realise then that this back tooth is visible when smiling?



    In general a gold crown is much more conservative and less destructive than a white crown which needs more tooth removing. In general lower molars do not show when smiling.
  • Toothsmith
    Toothsmith Posts: 10,113 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    There is quite a big difference between 'visible' in usual social situations and 'visible' when you open your mouth and look closely in the mirror.

    As Brook has said, gold crowns are by far and away the best crown to have on any molar tooth, for many reasons. Less tooth removed, gold is the least 'toxic' of any dental material, it will only wear, it won't break like white crowns can, and the fit is generally much better.

    I generally try and talk all my patients into gold crowns wherever I can. But on upper first molars in patients, I do make people very aware that they might be quite visible. For other teeth, though, they generally have a big, often metal, filling in them and I ask the patient if the 'visibility' of that has ever been a problem. If it hasn't, then I ask them to consider if they think a gold crown would be any worse? If not, then I would always advise going for the gold one.

    I think you should think very hard before getting this crown changed, however it is paid for. I think you should stand a bit further back from the mirror and just speak, smile and laugh in ways that you might in normal situations. I would ask your friends if they notice anything, but not give them a hint as to what it might be they're looking for. If they say " Goodness me you look like a pirate" with no prompting, then you might have a problem! If you have to point it out then contort your face up against a bright window before they say "oh yes - I think I can see it just in the corner" then you probably should accept it.

    Don't do anything in haste though.
    How to find a dentist.
    1. Get recommendations from friends/family/neighbours/etc.
    2. Once you have a short-list, VISIT the practices - dont just phone. Go on the pretext of getting a Practice Leaflet.
    3. Assess the helpfulness of the staff and the level of the facilities.
    4. Only book initial appointment when you find a place you are happy with.
  • Hi,

    thanks for the feedback. It is interesting to get some thoughts on the matter. My main reason for posting this, as it is a money website, was to find out if anyone thought I had grounds for compensation or a refund.

    I am getting a 2nd opinion with another dentist before taking the matter further and making an official complaint to Dental Council. Not just because I don't like the crown but I feel they were unprofessional in the way it has been handled before and after. People have got back to me and it seems some dentists do make patients aware and some don't. A friend of a friend had exactly the same tooth done but were warned it would be visible and were advised to have a white one (and no obviously I didn't ask them). Seems I was very unlucky.


    Did I realize that this back tooth is visible when smiling? Obviously not otherwise I would not have had it done would I. A temp crown is not shiny like gold so very hard to compare. Perhaps generally they don't show at bottom but in this case unfortunately for me it does. Surely all smiles are different and they should get patients to smile and be advised. I bet my last dentist will do this in the future now as he has experienced this problem.

    Would I have paid to have it done? Yes. But as I said they changed their mind and it was not possible.

    No offence but it is all very well to say just accept it but it's not your mouth. It is visible and not just sour grapes otherwise I would just move on. I still think I was advised badly. The dentists were recommended and I put my trust in them. As they did not make me aware I never even thought it would be visible. He should have run through the options and consequences before it was done. I am not the most confident person in the world and now knowing a big smile now looks like a pirate fills me with anxiety. However I am well aware gold is the best material and the long term health of my mouth is more important eventually. I am not sure what I will do yet.

    Thanks again for taking the time to reply. Much appreciated.
  • brook2jack
    brook2jack Posts: 4,563 Forumite
    The GDC itself regulates dental professionals it does not deal with compensation or other monetary matters. A complaint to them will result in an investigation and hearings which could lead to a dentist being struck off but will not get you any financial recompense.

    A quick, easy and free service to deal with complaints about private dental treatment which is independent of the GDC is the dental complaints service
    http://www.gdc-uk.org/sites/dcs/Pages/default.aspx

    This does deal with financial recompense.

    Other than that you are looking at litigation which can be lengthy and expensive . You cannot use small claims court for complaints about clinical treatment.
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