To ask for a different dentist?

[MyToothPain]

I’m in the process of having a crown. The dentist I’m under at the moment (at a local practice of a large chain) has bodged the temporary crown not once, but twice. Left me in a lot of pain and needing to see a dentist while I was away on holiday (who has fixed me up, albeit temporarily).

Complained to the Practice Manager and the head office. Requested a different dentist to complete my treatment and fit my permanent crown.

Practice Manager has made changing dentists sound like a BIG deal. Said that other dentists don’t like to take over someone else’s work.

Really??? Should I really stick with a dentist who has messed up 2 out of 2 treatments so far? I’ll feel such an idiot if I go back to her and she manages to mess up 3/3. Oh, and she’ll have seen all 3 of my complaint emails so far...

Part 2 of the AIBU is whether IABU to ask them for £60 off my bill to reimburse me for having to see another dentist on holiday (who charged £60).

Whereabouts in the country are you?
If you're in the North West, I can recommend an excellent dentist. I've just switched to her, having had a very crap dentist for many years, who didn't do what he was supposed to do. I also have to have a crown and I have every confidence in her. Pm me if you want.

I’m in the Midlands and since the whole crown thing started people have been very forthcoming with their alternative suggestions, but thank you Liverbird :)

I’m having a crown on a back tooth - people were shocked at the £440 price tag, but just checking websites of some other practices I think it’s actually quite a reasonable price - that’s why I have simply flounced from the practice altogether already

l'd push for a change if you're not happy. l saw one dentist at my practice (when l was a new patient) and l wasn't happy with him. l had an abscess on a back tooth (old filling that must have cracked) and l needed antibiotics. When l explained to him that l'm allergic to X, Y and Z, and can only take A, he was quite confrontational (or so it felt), asking quite forcefully "how l knew l was allergic to them". l've never been asked that before, even by consultants in hospital, they just give me a red allergy alert wristband with it written on. l've never been asked to justify or 'prove' it before.
As a result of which, l felt quite uncomfortable with him, rightly or wrongly, so l asked for a change of dentist. l can appreciate them saying that one dentist doesn't like to take over another's work, but if you're having problems with it, l think you're being perfectly reasonable in asking to change. All l had to do was fill in a form saying why l wanted to change, and l was honest and said l didn't feel comfortable.
Good luck! l hope it gets sorted for you.

Thank you kats

I hope it concludes as simply as with a form. At the moment it’s back with the PM to speak to the dentists. She’s cancelled my appointment which was supposed to be on the 30th. I’m now about to start googling how long my existing temporary crown is supposed to last! It’s a week old today.

My husband went to a private dentist who said he needed 6 fillings and a root canal, the work would’ve cost just under a £1000, he then managed to get anNHS dentist, they checked his teeth and 2 X-rays, he doesn’t need any fillings

That is a good price for a crown. Mine will be £700,+450 for root canal!

A temp can last quite a while. I had one for nearly 3 months once. Had to wait for the infection to clear before they sealed the tooth. You can also get little kits from the pharmacy to stick a crown back if it falls off and a do it yourself temporary filling. Think they are called Toofypegs or something.

Hi op, i am a dentist. How has she bodged your temporary?

Temporaries can last a long time but obviously the point of them is that they come off, so it is difficult to say how long it will last as they are stuck on with quite weak cement. But I wouldn't worry too much about having the temporary as long as it is on there.

Of course you should be able to see a different dentist in the practice. This should be the best solution from them as they will have made your crown so will want to fit it. In this situation I would always see someone else's patient. I don't really like it particularly as I don't like finishing someone else's treatment, but if the patient wants to see another dentist I wouldn't hesitate to see them.

Also 440 is a good price for a molar crown so stick with them If you can!

Thank you @BlueCornishPixie!

The first temporary crown broke in 24 hours and fell off altogether in 36, but - more importantly to me - was really painful. What hurt most was my tongue which was being cut by really sharp edges on the cement. Painful enough to need painkillers and affect my speech.

When I went back in to see her again (2 days after it fell out was the soonest she could see me) she was nice, but quite dismissive of the pain. Instead of giving me another replacement, she covered the “nub” with a white cement.

I don’t know exactly what it was, but if came out of what looked like a metal syringe and after applying a bit, the assistant would then put a light in my mouth? Repeat several times. It was only a thin layer that coated it, rather than something that filled the gap. She said she’d probably need to give me an injection and drill it back off when the permanent was ready.

That second covering had an edge that was cutting into my gum, still painful enough to need painkillers. It was put in on Thursday, and most of it came out when I brushed my teeth Saturday night.

There’s a pic available if anyone wants one

Ps my replacement was actually done it Cornwall!

The good replacement I mean!

See a different dentist absolutely. I have crowns on my front teeth and I have had too many bad experiences with dentists who dont know a fucking thing about them, that when I found my dentist, I have followed her round various different dental surgeries shes worked at for the last 20 years. She has now gone private, and ive decided that I will see a different NHS dentist for check ups and routine stuff, but noone else will touch my crowns, and I will mortgage my cat to pay for her to do anything to do with my crowns if necessary.

It sounds like they both needed polishing.

The second one sounds like a temporyish filling material, which is absolutely fine to use for a temporary if it fills the space, but it shouldn't have come off so easily.

It probably wasn't the right material choice for your tooth (valid on other teeth, difficult to say obviously without seeing your tooth). Once the first one which should be made to your original tooth has come off, there often isn't the impression left to make another one and so this technique of using a temporary material is perfectly normal, however a metal temporary is also a normal temporising technique if not used that often anymore.

I don't really understand why they won't let you see someone else though. I don't think it sounds to me like the original dentist is in anyway a bad dentist, the temproary probably just needed some adjustment and the breaking is probably a weakness in the material rather than anything the dentist did, it happens, but should be rectified quickly if it does. I can't see why they couldn't cement your crown on for you, so I wouldn't worry if it came down to it that they would do a bad job. But you don't trust them anymore, and the practice should listen to you and let someone else cement it.