Dental work gone wrong - advice needed

steveod

I went to the dentist, my first visit in about 5 years, and unsurprisingly the dentist told that I needed a few fillings; two small, one slightly bigger.

No problem I thought, so booked myself in for the work. I wasn't in pain or anything, just that she had noticed some decay which needed to be dealt with.

I got the work done (€200 for the three) but after the work, the largest of the three fillings wasn't quite right and I couldn't put any pressure on that tooth.

Not being a dentist, I just assumed that the tooth had to adjust to the trauma it had just gone through and left it to 'settle'.

Three months after 'settling' the tooth was still no better, and so I phoned the dentist again, and she got me in to have a look. She took out the filling that she had put in and put another one in and said if that was no good, to come back in a week.

A week later, I was still in pain and couldn't chew on that tooth so went back to the dentist.

The dentist told me that she didn't really understand what was causing the problem as the filling wasn't deep, also this was just a routine filling, but that the only way to rectify the problem is to have root canal surgery on that tooth.

She also told me that this would cost me €450!

I am at a loss. I've already paid €200 for the work she said I needed and I don't have the €450 to pay for root canal surgery. I am in pain and can't chew on one side of my mouth?

Is it possible that the dentist made a mistake in my mouth and therefore is liable to pay for the corrective herself? Is the fact that root canal surgery was never on the agenda before I started my treatment an issue? Or is this one of those things that I'll have to stump the cash up for?

I should point out that I had a perfectly working tooth when I went into that surgery, and at no point did any one say if this routine filling goes wrong, there's a risk of root canal surgery.

Any legal beagles/consumer gurus out there that can help?

aidan_walsh

Is there another dentist you can see for a second opinion?

steveod

Hi Aiden yes, there is. But am trying to keep the costs down.

Will go down this avenue as a last(-ish) resort.

dudara

The problem here is that none of us are dentists and therefore cannot offer an opinion. I think that you really need to seek a second opinion from another dentist.

steveod

Actually i was hoping for advice on the legal/consumer position rather than the medical.

I suppose my question is, should I have to pay for corrective surgery or not? I feel reluctant to for obvious reasons but is there a point on consumer law which supports this?

If you took your car to a mechanic and he said you needed a new alternator, but then chaeged you for an entirely new engine, would you be expected to pay up?

dudara

The problem with doctors/dentists etc is that they are professionals who make diagnoses on the basis of their education and experience. It can, and does happen, that they make mistake or mis-diagnose. I think that consumer law will not apply here, but you should speak to Consumer Connect and get some clarity.

It may also be worth contacting the Irish Dental Association to see what they would recommend in this situation.

pleasant Co.

steveod wrote: »

If you took your car to a mechanic and he said you needed a new alternator, but then chaeged you for an entirely new engine, would you be expected to pay up?

Absolutely not, and if the dentist had said you needed a filling, but went ahead and did a root canal you wouldn't be expected to pay that either, but that's not what as happened.

If you need a root canal maybe you can compromise with your dentist to deduct the price of that one filling? she might be very obliging.

Run_to_da_hills

Not the dentists fault, a filling can only go down a certain depth and then it will hit a nerve.

If the filling is very close to the nerve and will cause pain with the slightest pressure. The alternative is to remove the tooth altogether (Cheapest option) or get a root canal and crown, depending on the amount of roots in the tooth, a molar with three roots could cost you up to e250 per root in Ireland or e100 in Eastern Europe.

You will then need a crown on top of the remaining tooth as the gap would be too big for a filling, this could cost you anything up to e700 in Ireland or250 in Eastern Europe.

Dental prices are still ridiculous here and would be well worth thinking of a trip up north or abroad if you needed much dental work done.