Root canal . . Then dentist drops crown shocker!

Lisha

Hi

This is my story.
I have a very heavily filled molar tooth . A wall broke on it so off to the dentist how said a root canal is required.
I said too expensive just pull it.
So followed the reasons not to pull . . I gave in and said do the root canal but I'm broke he said can be done in 3 stages, pay 200 for first stage, 100 for second, 300 for final stage. And that over 4 months would be ok
Each treatment must be paid In advance

So paid 25 for dressing and 25 for X-ray
Today I paid 200 for first stage

After treatment he said oh yeah you ll have to get a crown on it fairly soon

This was the first time a crown was mentioned . I simply cannot afford another 6/800 euro on this tooth

Should I just cut my losses and pull it now

I'm really mad and feel a bit tricked by the dentist

So what should I do please ?

davo10

Root canal treated teeth are usually heavily filled prior to the treatment, even more so afterwards. It is more likely to fracture because of this, the crown is advisable to prevent fracture.

The dentist has advised you to have it, that does not mean you have to follow that advice. You can elect to just continue afterwards with a filling but in the knowledge that it is susceptible. I think though that the dentist should have mentioned it as a possibility before you made a decision to have RCT.

Mingetoad

This board is for dental advice. I am a dentist. I will give my honest advice and hope (expect) that other dentists are not annoyed by me.
It is not good practice for any dentist to allow you to agree to a root canal treatment without explaining the likelihood of needing a crown afterwards. If you honestly feel that you would not have started the root canal had you known about the crown AND if you honestly feel the dentist did not explain about the crown before starting the root canal I think that you are well within your rights to ask for the money already paid to be deducted off the price of an extraction. It may be that the dentist did not mean to do anything untoward, but he did miss a bit if he didn't at least chat about the crown requirements at the start of treatment.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Tompatbat wrote: »

Lay off the sweets ffs

Yeah, really unhelpful there :rolleyes:

OP, your dentist is correct all back teeth with root canals should have crowns. However its better to have a big filling and get the crown later (taking your chances that it might fracture) than to have it removed which is irreversable and would cost way more to have replaced. Back teeth cant be seen but they are really important for function and to protect your front teeth, its only way down the line you will find this out. Yes the dentist should have said this at the start, but your far better off with a tooth in your head than a tooth in the dentists bin.

Save the tooth, get the crown when you can but dont blame the dentist if it breaks in between. Its like a doctor saying you should quit drinking and smoking. Both together are best, both damage you, but giving up one is better than giving up neither.

Lisha

Thanks for the helpful replies

I just got a shock when a crown got mentioned as the next step .
He defiantly led me to believe that the root canal was the cat's pj's
Realistically I know that keeping the tooth is the best long term option
I also live with migraines so have been slow to pull tooth as I have issues with jaw clenching . I would be terrified to mess up jaw line and worsen headaches .
I've puked a lot with migraines so ghat tends to increase tooth decay. Even though I ways brush and mouth wash after

So TL:dr
Thanks for replies. I will go ahead with root canal and start saving for crown. (Holidays are over rated anyway )
Cheers

res ipsa

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upselling

The pajamas were for his cat, not yours.

Tar.Aldarion

I would not be happy being told like that, would go to somebody else and let him know why.

Big_G

res ipsa wrote: »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upselling

The pajamas were for his cat, not yours.

I wouldn't necessarily agree that this was an upsell. The crown certainly wasn't an upsell from the root canal and we will never no if root canal was an upsell from extraction or simple fill. It's not an upsell if its the required treatment. I do agree with mingle toad that the timing of it was all wrong. When I tell a patient that they need root canal on a molar it's always stated as root canal AND crown. If they don't need a crown later (rare if ever) then that's great. It's unethical/forgetful/stupid to push for molar root canal therapy without mentioning the crown.

MRTULES

Interesting. I was in a similar position, where I was opting for an extraction over root canal based on finance. I eventually opted for the root canal but there was no talk of a crown. Less than a year on and the whole tooth has crumbled away and the talk now is that extraction is the only option. Pretty disappointed to say the least.

Oh and is there a "standard" charge for fillings? Just the metal ones, not white.

rabbers

An alternative to a filling in the short term might be the placement of an orthodontic band around the tooth to reinforce it and prevent it crumbling away. Not as ideal as a crown but a feasible solution in the short term and gives you time to save for a crown!

btkm8unsl0w5r4

rabbers wrote: »

An alternative to a filling in the short term might be the placement of an orthodontic band around the tooth to reinforce it and prevent it crumbling away. Not as ideal as a crown but a feasible solution in the short term and gives you time to save for a crown!

Sound advice here.

srsly78

You get tax relief on crowns, so they don't cost as much as it seems. If you don't pay tax then you likely have a medical card so no big deal.

Oral Surgeon

srsly78 wrote: »

You get tax relief on crowns, so they don't cost as much as it seems. If you don't pay tax then you likely have a medical card so no big deal.

20% tax relief on crowns

medical card does not cover crowns....

srsly78

If the HSE deems the crown as an urgent medical need then they would cover it. So only for serious cases it seems. But what alternative is there to a crown in these cases? Other solutions are only temporary no?

Oral Surgeon

srsly78 wrote: »

If the HSE deems the crown as an urgent medical need then they would cover it.

Good luck with that one.....

srsly78 wrote: »

But what alternative is there to a crown in these cases? Other solutions are only temporary no?

The HSE alternative in these cases is an extraction.... Utter rubbish.....

srsly78

Hmm true that is indeed an alternative permanent solution!

hg03 eyu

Besides the issue of the crown there is the issue of the outcome of the root canal treatment.

Root canal treatment is a biological procedure and while success rates are very high, results cannot be guaranteed.

Molar teeth in particular have multiple roots and other factors which can compromise successful outcomes.

Therefore there is a risk of expense on your part but ultimately having to have an extraction.

Upstream

Just in reply to the OP's last post,

Lisha wrote: »

I've puked a lot with migraines so that tends to increase tooth decay. Even though I ways brush and mouth wash after

I think brushing your teeth straight after being sick may be harmful to your teeth. Advice from google search below, I'm not a dentist so maybe some of the regulars on here can confirm if the advice below is correct.

Don't make the mistake of scrubbing their teeth straight after being sick. This in fact damages the surface crystals on the enamel layer of the teeth. Dentists who specialise in problems related to enamel erosion advise that, after being sick, you rinse your mouth out thoroughly with water, and then wait several hours before having anything acidic, such as fruit or fizzy drinks, and especially before brushing teeth. This treatment allows the saliva to have a neutralising effect on the stomach acid which seeps into the surface enamel after vomiting.

If you clean your teeth whilst they are in this sensitive state, abrasive properties in toothpaste etch the enamel still further, so that over the years it is progressively
worn away.

If you feel compelled to brush your teeth after being sick, avoid using toothpaste, particularly ‘smokers’ toothpaste. Just use a brush dipped in water.