Dental extraction - everybody says it's somebody else's job!

[WashAsDelicates]

Orthodontist referred ds for extraction under sedation of 4 adult teeth, one still completely within the bone and pushing at the root of another tooth.

We get to the sedation clinic and they say the embedded tooth is too complex, he needs to have it out in hospital under GA. They tell us to go back to orthodontist to be re-referred.

Orthodontist says they don't do the referrals, go back to the dentist.

Dentist says they can only refer extractions to the sedation clinic. The only cases they can refer to the hospital are things like potential cancers. Go back to the orthodontist.

So how is ds to get the extractions done?

Can you email this question , copying both parties in the email and ask for clarification? I find I get better repose when everything is written down and they can’t fob you off. Also hopefully get them talking?

Can you ask to be referred to your local dental hospital? They’ll be able to assess the best way to extract the tooth. My dentist was able to refer me but I’m an adult. My local dental hospital does have a children’s department.

Good idea. I've talking to the managers of both practices, who both tell me they'll talk to each other and sort it out. But happens. You're right, it needs to be in writing.

Is this what normally happens? Surely ds can't be the only complex extraction they have ever had?

Ask your dentist for a referral to the community dentistry team, they can refer to hospital teams for cases such as this.
You are looking at going through the whole process again though unfortunately.

Your dentist can refer to the local hospital maxillofacial facial surgery department , with a copy of the letter and x rays from the orthodontist.

Ditto the orthodontist can also refer to local maxillofacial facial department in local hospital for surgical removal of the tooth.

This seems entirely logical to me. Not a clue why they both insist they cannot.

Orthodontist often defer this to your own dentist as they are in overall charge of your dental health.
Perhaps your dentist is inexperienced or from another country and may not be entirely familiar with referral processes.
These days most referrals are done electronically and unless you tick the right boxes for the right things they get rejected very quickly. But this sort of thing is bread and butter for a maxillofacial department. The only thing is depending on the exact position of buried tooth they may recommend monitoring rather than extracting particularly if it is a lower tooth.

Could you ask the GP for a Max fax referral?

Write to the CCG or whatever it's called nowadays and copy to your MP and the blamers.

No gp cannot refer , it needs to be dentist , with orthodontist letter and x Ray.

Can anyone recommend a US trained orthodontist in Surrey or London? I have a complicated DD’s mouth and would like a second opinion. Thank you in advance.