Front fillings - really disappointed :(

G86

I went to the dentist a month ago for first time in years and it took alot as I'm terrified, turned out I had 900 Euro of work to get done. So I spread the apts over 3 months so all would be done for my graduation end of Nov. I had root canal done on my front two teeth 8 years ago and I thought I needed crowns on these, but the dentist said I didn't need them and that he wouldn't want to put crowns on someone my age and he could refill them just as well. I also wanted to get whitening but he said they'd be so much whiter after he refilled them that it wouldn't be worth the 400Eur, so I didn't go for it.

Yesterday I got the front tooth on one side refilled and 2 other front fillings, and I'm so disappointed You can see where the filling is (in between my two front teeth) and it's still a fair bit darker than the rest of my tooth. I know he probably did the best he could but I wish he told me at the start it'd be like that so I could have went for the whitening, if I go for it now I have to get the fillings refilled again - which was bad enough first time round as I really am so nervous. Also, that'll cost me about an extra 250 Euro on top of the 400Euro for the whitening, AND I won't have it done in time for my Graduation now as I just don't have the money to get any more work done til next month

I don't know what to do, he thought he did a great job and to be honest he's been so lovely to me, he's really helped me get past my phobia - how can I tell him I hate it? I was so upset all night last night, 900Eur is alot to me right now 'cause I'm just out of college and have loans on top of that, but I thought it'd be worth it, it was so disappointing to go through all of that and not see any difference at all. I thought maybe it was just me, but I asked my housemates and they said the front teeth definitely still look dark and the only difference they can see is in the tooth at the side that I got filled. He still has to do the other side of my mouth, I've my other front tooth and 2 at the side at the front, but sure shouldn't I be able to see the difference between the 2 front teeth since one is 'fixed' and one isn't?

I don't know what to say to him when I ring, I don't even know if getting the whitening will make them any better, the filling might still be visible once it's refilled? Also, if I started the whitening next month when I'm paid then I'd only have 2 weeks to get it done before my grad an apparently it takes a month as it's a take home kit, on top of that I don't think I could afford it all in the one month.

It was such a big deal for me going to the dentist and getting all this sorted, and now I just don't know what to do

Big_G

I can tell you from a dentist's point of view that I don't like to hear when a patient is disappointed, particularly if I think that I have done a good job.

However, I would hate it even more if the patient was disappointed and didn't tell me. I think if this dentist is as patient and understanding as you say he is, he won't have a problem adjusting your treatment plan to suit you more.

They are your teeth, and, unless your expectations are unreasonable (which can happen in some cases) you need to be happy with the end result.

This dentist sounds like he is honest. He could have hit you with an expensive treatment plan but he encouraged a conservative treatment plan.

My advice is to say to him that you aren't 100% happy with the result. Don't be antagonistic or combative, you might get his back up, particularly if he thinks he did a good job. But it is important to say it if you are not happy. Give him the opportunity to make it right.

G86

I was thinking maybe I could just ring and ask him if the filling would still be visible if I got the whitening? I just don't know how to go about explaining it. I really didn't have high expectations, it's not that I want pure white teeth, I just want the tooth to be all the same colour - at the moment my tooth is about 3 different shades and there's an obvious difference in those shades. Do you think that's not possible when a root canals been done though? He is really sound, I mean he even did a small wisdom tooth filling for me for free yesterday, but that's why I'm so nervous about saying anything to him

Big_G

Shade matching of teeth is one of the most difficult things to get right. I think that if you have an issue, you should just ask him about it, he'll be ok with it. Sometimes when I have teeth like this with root canal fillings and multiple other different coloured fillings I suggest a crown or a veneer to get a uniform colouration.

G86

He called me back.

He doesn't want to do a crown because of my age (23) and said he could replace it with a darker filling to match my teeth. The problem I have though is that he told me that my teeth would be alot whiter once the filling was done, they aren't whiter. So he said then I could go for the whitning but I'll have to get the fillngs replaced, which I'm going to have to pay for all over again. I can't afford to get the whitening til this time next month and apparently it takes two weeks and then another two weeks before I can get the filings redone. So I'm not going to have it done in time for my Graduation I originally wanted whitening, but sure he said I didn't need it and now it seems I do!

I'm really unhappy right now, I was really happy with my dentist, but now I just feel let down. I wasn't expecting miracles, not at all, but I just wish I'd been informed of exactly how they'd look from the start.

georgieporgy

I agree with Big_G. inform the dentist now before you go for your next visit. I would be inclined to go ahead with bleaching before doing anything else. then do the remaining fillings and then if necessary redo the one that is already done (I bet he won't charge to redo it).
And it is quite possible a crown will be the best option eventually.
If he knows about your deadline he will probably get the work done in time and let you pay your balance a little later??

G86

georgieporgy wrote: »

I agree with Big_G. inform the dentist now before you go for your next visit. I would be inclined to go ahead with bleaching before doing anything else. then do the remaining fillings and then if necessary redo the one that is already done (I bet he won't charge to redo it).
And it is quite possible a crown will be the best option eventually.
If he knows about your deadline he will probably get the work done in time and let you pay your balance a little later??

Thanks for the advice

But I don't think that's an option to be honest, he works in a surgery so not sure it'd be his call.
Also, he originally told me it'd be expensive to get the bleaching after the fillings as I'd also have to get the fillings redone, so I'm guessing I will have to pay for it.