Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my dentist done something very shady? HELP

43 replies

MentalDental9 · 02/07/2018 15:10

I'm having some work done on my teeth by an NHS dentist. It's all supposed to be fillings and root canal ignore needed.

On my first appointment the dentist drew up a dental plan. Lots of fillings (not sure why but I think it's genetics 😳)

Anyway all is good and I'm happy to go ahead.
2nd appointment she filled 2 teeth. One was very bad a potentially needed root canal. At the end it was all good and didn't need root canal and I was happy that the worst one was done.

3rd appointment. My dentist was over an hour late. I was okay with that- it happens she filled another 2 teeth BUT! She filled one that wasn't on my treatment plan. She didn't say anything about it. I went home and looked at my teeth and my treatment plan. On the plan it's says upper right 6 and 7 needed fillings but she filled upper right 4! and 6. She didn't touch 7.

Appointment 4: I went back and didn't say anything. I felt very awkward questioning the dentist so just let her go ahead with the rest of my fillings. She said she'll don't the lower right ones. Halfway through my appointment she told me that one of the cavities is very deep and that I need a root canal. I said okay and she told me that it'll be done on my next appointment. Before I left she made me sign a new treatment plan where as they needed cause of the root canal. When I went home I compared the 2 treatment plans and I realised she added the tooth (upper right 4) that wasn't on my initial plan but she filled it on my last appointment. I feel like something is not right. I feel like they made a mistake.

  • why did she feel my upper right 4 if it wasn't on the treatment plan
  • if she forgot it off the treatment plan she surly should have mentioned it
  • how come that my very bad tooth didn't need a root canal but the one with the small cavity does? When she filled the very bad tooth it was very sore for day and during the filling as well yet she said she'll fill it and she how it is for a week. Why didn't she do that with my other tooth that she says needs a root canal ? Is it because she wanted to cover herself with the new treatment plan?
OP posts:
FleeceDetective · 02/07/2018 15:14

Maybe at the initial appointment tooth 4 wasn't considered to need treatment, but on the day she did perform treatment because it was required? It sounds as if you have multiple dental issues.

Fruitcorner123 · 02/07/2018 15:16

you need to ask her. Are you paying for all this or do you have subsidised dental care.

DieSchottin93 · 02/07/2018 15:33

Just ask her, I don't get why you didn't say anything at your 4th appointment Confused

Original poster
MentalDental9 · 02/07/2018 15:50

@FleeceDetective but how did she know that? There was definitely no sign of cavity or anything. And also if she is doing something that's not in my treatment plan surely she should discuss it first.
I needed a few fillings for sure but I don't think I have very complicated dental issues. All my cavities apart from the one were/are tiny. My teeth are very bad, every time I go to the dentist (changed dentist a couple of times) there is some work that needs doing. My mum is the same.

@DieSchottin93 I know I so should have asked her 🙄

OP posts:
Arum51 · 02/07/2018 16:00

Yes, the only way to get to the bottom of this is to ask her, I'm afraid. And I know how intimidating that can be! I have really crap teeth, and many of my problems were actually created by crap 1970's school dentistry, so I'm not exactly trusting of dentists. The last time I was convinced my dentist had done something wrong, I rang the surgery and asked to speak to him by phone. It was a lot easier than trying to talk face to face. It turned out that no, he hadn't done anything wrong, except neglect to tell me something fairly crucial!

5cats · 02/07/2018 16:03

The small cavity you see on the outside could well need root canal treatment if decay is deep internally ( think rotten apple scenario ). Are you sure you are reading the plan correctly? Upper right 4 is the small molar next to the canine tooth. was it that one she filled?

5cats · 02/07/2018 16:05

And were x-rays taken?

RideOn · 02/07/2018 16:20

How far apart were the appointments?

glitterfarts · 02/07/2018 16:23

Go and get a second opinion from a private dentist.

DH had an NHS dentist tell him 15 years ago that he needed 6 root canals and multi fillings.
I made him get a second opinion. No root canals needed and only 4 fillings. He got 1 root canal more than 10 years after the NHS dentist said he needed 6!

WhatDidItSay · 02/07/2018 16:25

A second opinion would be good.

NameChangeUni · 02/07/2018 16:39

She wouldn’t have touched tooth 4 if nothing needed to be done to it

mrsm43s · 02/07/2018 16:47

Surely it's not possible to fill a tooth that doesn't need filling? It would have to have a hole in it, otherwise it's not possible to fill it!

SluttyButty · 02/07/2018 16:49

I know you're numbed up but couldn't you tell which tooth they were doing at the time and question it?
I've just had an upper left 4 filled and I definitely knew which tooth was being wrenched about.

They wouldn't touch teeth that don't need doing but if you'd had X-rays done it might have worsened in between appointments?

Dmacka75 · 02/07/2018 16:53

the plan may have changed after reviewing any xrays?

3luckystars · 02/07/2018 16:55

Did she do an X-ray?

I can’t understand what else you are talking about except your teeth? Are ye chatting before she does it, would you get a chance to ask before she starts drilling??

Confusedbeetle · 02/07/2018 16:56

For gods sake make an appointment to discuss it all.

bringincrazyback · 02/07/2018 16:58

Definitely ask her to explain.

MrsJoker · 02/07/2018 17:02

Ask. There’s no point asking (or even getting a second opinion) until you approach your dentist and get the relevant information- you absolutely should have done this before you signed a treatment plan.

TwoGinScentedTears · 02/07/2018 17:05

I think there's a definite communication issue here! You need to ask her directly about this. It doesn't need to be confrontational or awkward!

I see a private dentist now, after I couldn't get the NHS dentist I saw to carry out the work that needed doing to my cracked filling. I went every six months for a check up and at every appointment for 3 years I told him it wasn't right. By the last appointment I could taste the decay! But the reason I'm telling you this is that I think it's more likely that an nhs dentist won't do work than carry out unneccesary work iyswim?

Talk to her! And Flowers Because dental work can be so miserable

MrsJoker · 02/07/2018 17:10

I would also ask why you have multiple dental cavities at every appointment. Are you attending for regular six monthly appointments, or do you require more frequent intervals? Has anyone discussed your diet/oral hygiene requirements? Do you have a dry mouth? Do you need additional fluoride? There is absolutely no way you should be needing fillings every time.

Slightlyjaded · 02/07/2018 17:12

What do you think happened?

Do you think she drilled the wrong tooth (4), filled it and then tried to pretend it was always part of the plan (hence updating new treatment plan to include this tooth)?

You need to ask and be clear that you don't understand why tooth 4 has been treated. Call them now, I would.

cdtaylornats · 02/07/2018 17:16

Or she put 7 on the plan but it was a mistake and should have been 4.

Thesearepearls · 02/07/2018 17:21

What's the story with your teeth old love? Because it's definitely NOT normal to require all these fillings. Is there an underlying condition?

Don't know about the issue with the tooth that shouldn't have been treated as opposed to the one that should have been. That seems to me to be peripheral really to the root (pardon the pun) problem.

montenuit · 02/07/2018 17:28

Maybe because you haven't been for a while and there's a lot that needs doing she's doing whatever she sees?

It really is better to go every 6 months... pick up any little issues before they become big issues. (not intended to be patronising - i used to have a terrible time constantly needing something doing until i started making it a 6 monthly regular thing).

MissConductUS · 02/07/2018 20:55

Halfway through my appointment she told me that one of the cavities is very deep and that I need a root canal.

A tooth doesn't need root canal unless there is an infection that can't be treated any other way. If you had an infection the tooth would be very sensitive and hurt when you chewed with it or react to hot and cold stimuli.

I would find a new dentist if I were you.

Swipe left for the next trending thread