Archives for November 2020

Informed Consent with Dental Sedation? Nope

Posted on November 26, 2020 by writeradmin.

Can you advise me? I went in to get one tooth extracted and another crowned. I am a bit of a baby when it comes to dental work, so I had dental sedation. When I got home they called to see how I was and told me that they had to extract the second tooth, rather than place a dental crown on it. Then, the next day I was having some pain in my sinuses and called them. That’s when they informed me the second, unplanned, extraction perforated the sinus a little. I have had multiple complications since, including a massive infection and the need to go to an ENT for extraction of bone fragments. I want them to pay my medical care. They’re refusing on the grounds that I consented. But, I have no recollection of giving consent to the second extraction. Where do I go from here?

Alicen

Dear Alicen,

There are some real problems with the treatment you have received. First, if you were under dental sedation, you were unable to give informed consent. Period. It is poor form on their part to try to claim that. Second, the extraction technique wasn’t correct because it led to a sinus perforation which included bone being left in the cavity. Third, they didn’t inform you of the perforation until two days later. That likely led to your infection.

I’d give your dentist one more chance to make this right, which would include them paying all your follow up medical care. If they refuse, my suggestion would be to let them know you will be contacting an attorney. That should sober her. If it doesn’t, her attorney and malpractice insurance certainly will. They will tell her to settle. If you end up going to court, you’ll likely get more than just the medical expenses.

Hopefully, she will smarten up and do the right thing. If not, you’ll have to follow through. I am sorry this happened to you. I hope it doesn’t discourage you from further care.

You didn’t mention what they replaced your teeth with, if anything. It will be important to have a replacement or the remaining teeth will begin to shift or tip into the empty space. If at all possible, you should replace the missing teeth with dental implants. These are by far the best tooth replacement option available. They are the most like having a healthy natural tooth.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.

Keeping a Tooth White Longer after a Root Canal Treatment

Posted on November 4, 2020 by writeradmin.

I had a dental emergency from a massive toothache. I will be honest and say up front that I am not the best dental patient. I get nervous in the dental chair and tend to avoid going if at all possible. That is how I ended up needing this root canal treatment. Now, aside from being terrified of the procedure itself, I’ve been doing some reading and learned that my tooth will probably turn dark. I don’t want to look weird. Is there any way to keep that from happening?

Maya

Dear Maya,

I’m going to address the anxiety first, because if this can be dealt with properly, then you will end up with much fewer dental emergencies if any at all. Don’t feel embarrassed by your anxiety. Many patients feel that way. In most cases, it stems from a traumatic experience with the dentist, often in childhood.

One thing you may want to do is see a dentist who offers dental sedation options. In most cases, for simple procedures such as a cleaning or check-up, just some nitrous oxide will be enough to relax you. For your root canal treatment, you will want something stronger. In that case, I will suggest oral conscious sedation. This is administered by a pill, but don’t let that fool you. It is so strong that you will need someone to drive you to and from your dental appointment as well as stay with you for a few hours after, until you are lucid and steady on your feet.

The Right Way to Deal with a Root Canal

Most of the darkening of a tooth after a root canal treatment is from the remnants of the root canal materials used for filling the tooth and the cement. What you will want your dentist to do is clean out all of that material in the crown of the tooth. When that is done, he or she will need to put a white fiberglass post into the tooth root and fill the remainder of the tooth with a white composite filling material. This procedure can forestall any darkening for a decade. After that time, if it darkens, there are other cosmetic procedures that can help with that when the time comes.

Sometimes dentists are not too keen on patients “explaining” how to do something to them. So, feel free to have the dentist read this so he won’t feel you are trying to tell him how to do his job.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.