Dentist did crown without telling me!

dessol

Hi there,

I would really appreciate some opinions on my current situation. I needed a root canal treatment on a bottom right molar, which I was told would take 3 visits and cost E500. So I agreed to go ahead. It took 6 visits due to a bad abcess and nerve issues, basically every time the dentist tried to go ahead I was feeling lots of pain where I shouldn't have, apparently. So by visit 5 he said thats fine we will finish off on your next visit and that should be it.

6 days after visit 5 part of my tooth broke off at the back. I rang and was told to come in straight away, dentist repaired (filled) the broken part and said "You will need a crown". I asked how much will that cost and was told E700 so I said I would have to think about it (and mentioned how low my funds are at the moment). I was told to come back in a week - I assumed this was to get the remainder of my root canal finished. What I didnt realise was that he had finished the root canal along with fixing the broken part. So when I arrived for what I thought was my final root canal visit he actually went ahead with the crown!

Now I may sound like an idiot but I didnt realise what he was doing. I'm petrified of dentists and was so busy trying not to think about what was happening that it was only when he started taking moulds of my teeth I thought - whats going on here? Afterwards he said ok that will be ready in 2 weeks, make an appt for then. I explained I thought it was my final root canal visit and I hadnt decided if I could afford the crown and he basically said well thats not my problem, see you in 2 weeks!!

So what can I do? Obviously I've a temporary crown now, which wont last forever. The finances are impossible to juggle sufficiently to create E700. And most of all I'm astounded that he just ASSUMED it was okay to go ahead with a crown without clarifying it with me. Help! Any opinions?
Thanks

fifofum

Tooth wise, you could ask to get a laboratory-made temporary crown, which is stronger than one made in the dental surgery, but not as expensive as a permanent crown?

btkm8unsl0w5r4

I think there has been a breakdown in communication between you and your dentist. I would discuss this with him or her, explain the situation and come to some compromise. Ie 100 a month for 7 months...............

dessol

Fifofum I will check that out as an option, thanks. Fitzgeme, its being very generous to my dentist to describe it as a "breakdown in communication" - there was NO communication on his part, he just went ahead. I've been with the same clinic for years, dentists have come and gone but never have I experienced anything like this! And yes, going forward I will be negotiating a compromise of sorts. But I will be expecting a price reduction along with a staggered payment plan. Otherwise I will look at getting the work done (or redone?) elsewhere. I am assuming my dentist would rather have some payment since he has done the work, rather than nothing at all if I take off and get the crown elsewhere...

work

You allege there was no communication. If true this would be at best completely unacceptable and at worst an assault.
Ring the dental practice and say you need to talk to the dentist prior to attending the next appointment.
Explain a) you believe you were never told a crown was to be prepared
b) You informed them of your financial situation

Ask the dentist to suggest a solution. You may be pleasantly suprised if you take this approach otherwise you suggest a compromise. If you feel aggrieved and you are not happy with the solution.
a) Go to another dentist again explaining the financial situation.
b) Complain to the dental council (please do not do this unless you feel you were assaulted)

georgieporgy

if you go to another dentist to get the treatment finished, the new guy will suspect you owe your previous one some money and may worry about getting paid himself so that may backfire communications wise.

I've read the original post a few times and can't make sense of it. Paragraph 2 couldn't happen in the order you describe .

Please look it over and see if you should edit it so the trail of events is clearer.

dessol

Georgieporgie, I cant see where its confusing? Had my 5th visit, where part of root canal treatment was done. I was told to return for the final part of root canal treatment in a week.... but before I got to that appointment a bit of my tooth broke off hence the "repair and root canal treatment all in one go" situation. I agree a new dentist may be suspicious but what else can I do but explain the situation honestly?

Work, thats good advice - I will indeed see what the dentist suggests before I go elsewhere. I am awaiting a call back, will ring again tomorrow if they dont get back to me. And yes, unbelievable as it sounds - there was no agreement to proceed with the crown. No discussion, no question and answer, no clarification, no communication. Which is what upsets me most.