Dental Question

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RichyBoy

Original Poster:

3,740 posts

218 months

Friday 26th February 2010
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I see a lot of dentist related questions on here so here goes. In November 2009 I had one of my back teeth extracted. There was no terror inducing snap as the tooth was pulled as I experienced before. When I observed the extracted tooth it seemed like only half of it was there, the dentist said the rest had gone down the suction pipe. I duly asked for an x-ray to make sure the complete tooth was extracted for which I was charged and the dentist determined that the whole tooth had been extracted.

For the last few months I've been experiencing pain as if the tooth was still there, requiring painkillers. Frequently a swelling on the top of the extraction socket that would burst and then reappear the next day. I've ended up having to carry around a bottle of listerine or oraldine with me everyday but this is not the worst of it. I've been having symptoms (whether related I have no idea) of neck pain, lethargy and occasional dizziness that I've never experienced before. The lethargy is the worst because previously I could get up at 5am and feel good, now I feel like death warmed up each morning and just want to stay in bed. I went back to the dentist and he wanted to charge me £50 to cut away the swelling which I feel would be redundant because it would just come back.

Can someone with dental related experience advise me on a possible action in such circumstances? Are there dental surgeons out there that can remove partially extracted teeth competently and would this even be necessary?

ShadownINja

76,410 posts

283 months

Friday 26th February 2010
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Could be food or bacteria got stuck in the socket as it healed over and so you have an abscess. You will have to have someone look at it. If it's his fault ie there was a bit of tooth in there, would he accept liability?

BoRED S2upid

19,717 posts

241 months

Friday 26th February 2010
quotequote all
Is there an independent complains comission or body for dentists? when they don't do their job properly as may have happend here.

Mine is filling happy NHS Dentist so I believe paying himself a bonus doing as many fillings as possible. He has been trying to fill a cracked tooth of mine for the past 2 years, it doesn't hurt, doesn't bother me, isn't rotten but has cracked. When I question wether he is only filling it for the extra cash the answer "Well its going to need doing one day so we may as well do it now" hmm... or do it one day you money grabbing swine.

Oh and he suggested that an old filling wasn't up to "His" standards so while filling the one that didn't need to be filled he would drill the old "substandard" filling out and redo that one too.

ShadownINja

76,410 posts

283 months

Friday 26th February 2010
quotequote all
See what I mean?
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Everyone blames bankers for being evil...

MacGee

2,513 posts

231 months

Friday 26th February 2010
quotequote all
BoRED S2upid said:
Is there an independent complains comission or body for dentists? when they don't do their job properly as may have happend here.

Mine is filling happy NHS Dentist so I believe paying himself a bonus doing as many fillings as possible. He has been trying to fill a cracked tooth of mine for the past 2 years, it doesn't hurt, doesn't bother me, isn't rotten but has cracked. When I question wether he is only filling it for the extra cash the answer "Well its going to need doing one day so we may as well do it now" hmm... or do it one day you money grabbing swine.

Oh and he suggested that an old filling wasn't up to "His" standards so while filling the one that didn't need to be filled he would drill the old "substandard" filling out and redo that one too.
what a lot of old hearsay tosh....you are ill informed...if you need to...complain to dentist and the ball will be in motion.

honest_delboy

1,505 posts

201 months

Saturday 27th February 2010
quotequote all
"neck pain, lethargy and occasional dizziness" blimey, thats my exact symptoms, i'm having root canal on wednesday for an infected nerve.

RichyBoy

Original Poster:

3,740 posts

218 months

Saturday 27th February 2010
quotequote all
honest_delboy said:
"neck pain, lethargy and occasional dizziness" blimey, thats my exact symptoms, i'm having root canal on wednesday for an infected nerve.
I already had a root canal in this tooth, it didn't take so I had to go for extraction and now I dread to think what is next.

honest_delboy

1,505 posts

201 months

Saturday 27th February 2010
quotequote all
The dentist said as mine is lower R7 i would very likely need a specialist to get out all the nerve as he could see it had a curvy bit at the bottom. He went on to say he could do it himself with a 50-60% success rate but a specialist with all the correct tools would have a ~97% success rate. The problems occur when a little bit of the nerve is left behind. The specialist is coming in at £500+ .... gulp.

sinizter

3,348 posts

187 months

Saturday 27th February 2010
quotequote all
If there is an infection present in the bone, an x-ray should show it up.

Any retained root fragments can also be visualised on an x-ray.

If there is a problem with the gums, cutting it out may have sorted it out. If not you may need a biopsy to confirm what exactly is causing the swelling.

Neck pain and lethargy are not common symptoms of dental problems - and certainly not something that would be mentioned to patients even as a possibility.

RichyBoy

Original Poster:

3,740 posts

218 months

Sunday 28th February 2010
quotequote all
sinizter said:
If there is an infection present in the bone, an x-ray should show it up.

Any retained root fragments can also be visualised on an x-ray.

If there is a problem with the gums, cutting it out may have sorted it out. If not you may need a biopsy to confirm what exactly is causing the swelling.

Neck pain and lethargy are not common symptoms of dental problems - and certainly not something that would be mentioned to patients even as a possibility.
Thanks.

E21_Ross

35,117 posts

213 months

Monday 15th March 2010
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sinizter said:
If there is an infection present in the bone, an x-ray should show it up.
do you know how long it takes for bone diseases such as osteomyelitis or TB to show up on a plain film x-ray though? it's not overnight i can tell you that! it's can be months and months after initial symptoms.

why i'm bringing this old thread up....i don't know!

MacGee

2,513 posts

231 months

Monday 15th March 2010
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pathology apical to tooth usually approx 10 days......this is denatl abscess of course. other more serious stuff...dont know.

E21_Ross

35,117 posts

213 months

Monday 15th March 2010
quotequote all
MacGee said:
pathology apical to tooth usually approx 10 days......this is denatl abscess of course. other more serious stuff...dont know.
no idea about dental abscesses, not really in my field hehe at all....!

something serious like osteomyelitits (although the OP has no fever etc so it won't be that) differs from parts of the body, extremity problems can be seen in about 10 days like you said (but only by a good radiograph reader!) whereas some places, e.g. the spine can take 3-4 weeks.

i was being a little OTT when i said months earlier smile

cheers.

Vron

2,528 posts

210 months

Monday 15th March 2010
quotequote all
MacGee said:
BoRED S2upid said:
Is there an independent complains comission or body for dentists? when they don't do their job properly as may have happend here.

Mine is filling happy NHS Dentist so I believe paying himself a bonus doing as many fillings as possible. He has been trying to fill a cracked tooth of mine for the past 2 years, it doesn't hurt, doesn't bother me, isn't rotten but has cracked. When I question wether he is only filling it for the extra cash the answer "Well its going to need doing one day so we may as well do it now" hmm... or do it one day you money grabbing swine.

Oh and he suggested that an old filling wasn't up to "His" standards so while filling the one that didn't need to be filled he would drill the old "substandard" filling out and redo that one too.
what a lot of old hearsay tosh....you are ill informed...if you need to...complain to dentist and the ball will be in motion.
NHS dentists don't get paid 'per filling'.