AIBU - Seventeen year old son and dentist.

[Babyroobs]

My seventeen year old DS recently had braces removed and then developed severe toothache and had to visit our dentist about a month ago. The dentist decided that the tooth needed root canal treatment and arranged with ds that he would need a few visits for this, I didn't go with him as I had to work. He went for the second treatment today alone and then I received a message from him saying he was upset after his dentist trip. The dentist had told him that there was no guarantee the treatment would work, that a crown would be expensive and that the tooth would need to be removed. The dentist then proceeded to try to remove the tooth, could not do so and ended up chipping the tooth badly. I am cross for a number of reasons . Firstly we would have been prepared to pay for a crown if the tooth could be saved, after all he is 17 and no-one wants to lose a tooth at that young age. Secondly he didn't even suggest to him that he come home and discuss it with us first, and thirdly didn't give him the option of seeking a second opinion. I know he is almost 18 and nearly an adult and am beating myself up a little about not going with him. If the tooth can be saved at whatever cost he has now done more damage by taking a big chip out of it. he has referred him to somewhere else to try to remove the tooth and Ds is confused about where this is. AIBU to think it would not have hurt for the dentist to at least discuss options with us rather than assume that a 17 year old is ok to make the decision on his own. I'm fully prepared to be told AIBU, but where do I take it form here??

YANBU. That’s appalling. I’d be making a formal complaint.

I did ask when I made the original appointment whether it was ok for him to come alone, or whether they needed consent as he was under 18 etc but they just said it was fine.

Sounds like a very inexperienced dentist. I certainly wouldn't let Ds go back there again! I hope you've taken a photo of the chipped tooth? There might be a medical negligence claim there which could pay for the cost of remedial work on the tooth. ( I hear that an implant is very expensive).

The age of consent is 16 but the dentist sounds as if they don’t really know what they are doing and have left your ds also not knowing. I’d be very miffed and want some answers as I agree that the tooth should have been preserved if at all possible.

Thanks single - yes I will take a photo. This dentist has form for not seeming confident about doing root canal treatment, but has been at this practice for a number of years, I have been taking my children to him since they were very young, so he's not newly qualified or anything.

I understand where you are coming from but, here in NI, 16 is the age you can consent to your own dental treatment. No parental input needed. However, it does sound as though the dentist has told your son what's going to happen rather than set out the options and let your son decide for himself.

YANBU. I would make an appointment with another dentist and not go back to that one.

It sounds very unprofessional to me. I would go down the formal complaint room.

I hope your son is OK. You weren't to know the dentist would act like that. I had something similar and I was 27 at time! Dentist basically didn't discuss first a procedure.which wasn't necessary and I felt terrible after...so don't beat yourself up.. Never go back to that dentist but def complain, follow up, they shouldn't treat any patient that way

If it was me I’d go to another dentist. It may be that a better dentist might be able to root fill the tooth and apply a veneer to cover the chipped area.
If the tooth has to be removed he could have a post inserted onto which a crown can be fitted. Alternatively a crown can be fitted by attaching to adjacent healthy teeth (a Maryland bridge). An implant/denture may not be necessary.
There also is the issue of consent - legally your DS is of age to give consent, but there may be a legal issue if all the implications and options have not been explained, because without this consent cannot be fully informed.
HTH

The consent thing isn't relevant. He could get married and have a child legally. The dentist would have been out of order if he'd said 'we'd better check with your mum'.

But that sounds like bloody terrible dentistry. Your son should look at medical palpractice to recoup the money he'll now have to spend on getting it removed or repaired/an implant put in.

If cost was a consideration, then the dentist absolutely should have involved his parents. It’s different when the treatment is entirely free. It even sounds as though he tried to put your son off having the crown by saying it was expensive.

Also...I’d want to know what the hell had happened with the braces to mean your 17yo needed a rootfilling in the first place. So many issues here.

Consent is an issue Yorkshirelass. If a person is over 16, yes they can give consent of course. But if all the treatment options and implications are not explained and the patient does not have the information to make a fully informed decision then legally s/he hasn’t consented. In some cases withholding or not giving all relevant information might be considered as coercion or undue pressure. This is at best unethical and at worst illegal/assault.

Cheby - I have queried that with the orthodontist who said it wasn't related to the braces, but he is a very health conscious teen who doesn't really have excess fizzy drinks or sugar so I'm baffled how he could need root canal at his age !