Hi
My wife started to complain of pain in her right upper front tooth in May 2011, both front teeth had previously been crowned some 30 years ago. She reported this to her dentist during a routine check up in June 2011 and was told the pain would settle down. In August the crown fell off her right upper front tooth she was still in pain. The dentist cleaned the stump and refitted the crown the same day, she was still complaining of pain. In September the dentist decided to perform a root canal treatment through the crown, the pain went away for 3 days and then returned worse than before, she described the pain now a being different and sharper and could no longer bite down with her front teeth.
She visited the dentist several times during October/November 2011 still complaining of pain, x-rays were taken but nothing could be seen. She was offered a referral to a second dentist whom was according to her dentist more experienced in root canal work, but this new dentist would not be covered by our Denplan insurance. However this new dentist wrote to my wife and stated he was not an orthodontist but would if asked perform a second root canal treatment.
My wife went back to our dentist and after a long talk it was decided he would perform the second root canal. The second root canal was performed in November 2011. Unfortunately this did not stop the pain. She was referred by her Dentist in January 2011 to the dental department of our local main NHS hospital. She was seen on the 24th February, x-rays were taken but showed nothing. The Dental surgeon made an appoint for her to have an Apicectomy, this was carried out on the 11th of April 2012.
This treatment my wife found horrendous, the injections to numb the pain were not just in the gum, but also in the roof of her mouth they went on and on. Finally they cut in and started working, after what appeared to be a very long time the dental surgeon said "It would appear your dentist left something behind inside your gum and its now stuck in the bone so we will have to do the planned apicoectomy - even though we were about to stop as everything appears healthy”.The dental surgeon then added “ I can see a tiny slither of silver - the broken end of a file used during root canals”. The treatment then went ahead and ended with the dental surgeon making a follow on appointment for six weeks later.
So it would appear to me my wife suffered 5/6 months of pain because her dentist failed to see a part of a file he was using had broken off and was inside her root canal.
The dentist did not spot the fact that a part of the file had broken off, during the first root canal!
Was the any need for a second root canal?
It seems the dentist failed to believe her pain could be the result of a broken instrument!
My wife has lost all confidence with her dentist.
What should we do now?
My wife started to complain of pain in her right upper front tooth in May 2011, both front teeth had previously been crowned some 30 years ago. She reported this to her dentist during a routine check up in June 2011 and was told the pain would settle down. In August the crown fell off her right upper front tooth she was still in pain. The dentist cleaned the stump and refitted the crown the same day, she was still complaining of pain. In September the dentist decided to perform a root canal treatment through the crown, the pain went away for 3 days and then returned worse than before, she described the pain now a being different and sharper and could no longer bite down with her front teeth.
She visited the dentist several times during October/November 2011 still complaining of pain, x-rays were taken but nothing could be seen. She was offered a referral to a second dentist whom was according to her dentist more experienced in root canal work, but this new dentist would not be covered by our Denplan insurance. However this new dentist wrote to my wife and stated he was not an orthodontist but would if asked perform a second root canal treatment.
My wife went back to our dentist and after a long talk it was decided he would perform the second root canal. The second root canal was performed in November 2011. Unfortunately this did not stop the pain. She was referred by her Dentist in January 2011 to the dental department of our local main NHS hospital. She was seen on the 24th February, x-rays were taken but showed nothing. The Dental surgeon made an appoint for her to have an Apicectomy, this was carried out on the 11th of April 2012.
This treatment my wife found horrendous, the injections to numb the pain were not just in the gum, but also in the roof of her mouth they went on and on. Finally they cut in and started working, after what appeared to be a very long time the dental surgeon said "It would appear your dentist left something behind inside your gum and its now stuck in the bone so we will have to do the planned apicoectomy - even though we were about to stop as everything appears healthy”.The dental surgeon then added “ I can see a tiny slither of silver - the broken end of a file used during root canals”. The treatment then went ahead and ended with the dental surgeon making a follow on appointment for six weeks later.
So it would appear to me my wife suffered 5/6 months of pain because her dentist failed to see a part of a file he was using had broken off and was inside her root canal.
The dentist did not spot the fact that a part of the file had broken off, during the first root canal!
Was the any need for a second root canal?
It seems the dentist failed to believe her pain could be the result of a broken instrument!
My wife has lost all confidence with her dentist.
What should we do now?