Is this a case of Dental Malpractice?!


Question: Is this a case of Dental Malpractice!?
I had a root canal and crown placed on my molar less than a year ago (around Christmas)!. I've been having pain in the molar and I went back to my endodontist and he took an X-ray!. He says that there's been in an infection because they didn't take out some kind of agent, or stuff, or thing, that cleanses the gap in tooth of germs and bacteria!. My endodontist says the dentist putting the crown was suppose to remove that before putting on the crown!.

I asked him if it was a common mistake, and he said that he wrote it on the notes to them to remove it!. What is this stuff exactly!? Do you guys know what he's talking about!?

I initially wanted to just pay for the procedure, but my parents are telling me that if it's his fault (the general dentist that didn't properly remove the stuff thereby preventing reinfection) he should pay for it!. And if he doesn't pay for damages they will sue for medical malpractice!.

But is this a possible case of Malpractice!? What is this stuff that my general dentist was suppose to remove before putting on the cap!? Wouldn't he have known to have removed it before putting on the cap!? This general dentist who put on the crown says he teaches dentistry at the Ivy League school around my way, so I would assume that he knows what he's doing and he's probably done a bunch of these!.

Dentists, please help me!.Www@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
Firstly, please ignore "match4u"!. He's so off the map it's almost unbelievable!. There's too many errors to correct here!.
As for your situation, the only thing my endodontist usually leaves behind after finishing a case is a soft temporary filling ("Cavit") to fill up the bulk of the pulp chamber, and a harder temporary (GIC) over the top!. But neither of these would lead to problems if accidentally left behind!. And I can't think of anything else that an endodontist would put in there!?!
You would be best advised to go to the dentist and discuss the matter with him!. Don't be aggressive at the start, we all make mistakes!. Give him a chance to recognise the mistake, to apologise, and then perhaps to offer a remedy!. This is when you may ask him to pay for it, if he doesn't suggest it voluntarily!.
If you don't get satisfaction, then approach either your local Consumer Association or similar, or the local dental registration body!. I certainly wouldn't go to a solicitor until these simpler paths have been tried!. It just wouldn't be worth the cost!.
Www@Answer-Health@Com

an etch!? usually rinsed offWww@Answer-Health@Com

I can only tell you that what has happened to you happens to everyone that gets a root canal from dentists following their "standard of care!." ALL root canals have infections under them because of the dental materials they use and the procedures!. They drill out the root and leave the "root ligament" at the bottom of the root cavity, typically!. Then they use a solution that is supposed to sanitize the cavity called hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide!. These solutions only kill about 30% of the germs, leaving the bulk of the germs to breed!. Then they fill the canal with a latex type material, typically, called "gutta percha!." Dentists believe that this material sanitizes as well as fills the canals, but it doesn't kill all the germs left from the bad sanitization solutions and it doesn't fill all the canals!. This leaves a breading ground for germs to breed and believe me, they do!. What happens next is NICO (neuralgia induced cavitational osteonecrosis) that dentists ignore and are NOT taught in dental schools to recognize NICO on a typical dental x-ray!. Since there is NO pain involved with NICO, it is ignored!. NICO is deterioration of the jaw bone where infections rage!. These infections are not addressed by the immune system due to low blood flow in that area of the body and NICO, itself, destroys capillaries, further exacerbating the problem!.

Further adding to the problem, the aniline chemicals they are using to deaden nerves are AGGRESSIVELY CARCINOGENIC due to aniline homologs they produce in the body!. Just one shot of novocaine, for instance, is equivalent in toxins to smoking a pack of cigarettes each day for 12!.9 years! ALL aniline chemicals, lidocaine, procaine, novocaine, carbocaine, make these carcinogenic homologs!. The only one that doesn't is septocaine!.

I believe it is very possible to prove what the dentist did caused problems with your mouth, but because it falls into the "standard of care" that is a legal phrase used by dentists that shield them from being convicted of this bad dentistry, you most likely will not win!.

This is why the ADA (American Dental Association) is very strict on what dentists can say and not say about amalgam fillings!. We know that infections are found under ALL amalgam fillings and they contribute to disease in the body and deplete the body of minerals, but since the "standard of care" says amalgams are O!.K!. to use, dentists hide behind this legally and use it!.

I would NOT go back to the same dentist that gave you the root canal and find a good biological dentist that can fix the tooth properly with the right sanitation methods using dental lasers and the right canal filler that will fill the entire canal and then NOT use a crown that has an amalgam coating under it, but use good bonding techniques and ceramic materials that are the same hardness as your teeth!.

Do NOT just trust dentists because they graduated from an IVY LEAGUE school!. I'm not impressed based on what I see from most dentists and how they damage so many people!. I constantly see infected teeth that are reflexing to organs and causing huge problems for people!.

good luck to youWww@Answer-Health@Com

I am not sure what that agent was since it does not appear to be anything commonly done!. I know that some dentist will use formocresol in an open and med situation, but this means the root canal is not finished (that is still unfilled) The only other thing I can think of is that they did a pulpectomy and placed calcium hydroxide in the canals as a temporary fill to help promote bone growth and to act as an antibacterial!. But this then means the the root canal is still not complete!. the other thing is on baby teeth some people will use a eugonol based filling as a temporary until the tooth fall out on its own!.

But if the root canal was done then it was filled with guta percha or one of the few alternatives to it, at that point I dont see what could have been used and left in the canal!.

But anyway before you jump the gun, try to get a second opinion, somewhere else not your endodontist and see how they diagnose your tooth!.

As for sueing, you can sue anyone you want for what ever reason!. But whether you win money or not is a different sotry and different states have different guidlines, in some states issues of malpractice are taking up by the dental board, but they dont award money at most all you can get is a refund, and the dentist gets his record tarnished!. If you are looking to sue for pain and suffering then you will have to file a civil suit against the doc and you will need to retain an attorney, but this can get very expensive fast, look to spend around $20,000 even before the trial!.

Its hard to answer yor question bc what you wrote is a bit unclear since your using laymans terms and its not coming across in a way that makes sense to a dentist!. Perhaps you may want to get copies of your records frokm teh endodontist and see what he wrote in the notes and ask the question again based on what your endodontist wrote then maybe you could get a better answer

Www@Answer-Health@Com

I honestly do not know what the stuff was that he was supposed to remove BUT if he had a legitimate reason for not removing it, then its not malpractice!.
If he was supposed to remove it, and he didnt, then he has committed malpractice!.
Now, the problem you are going to have is finding an attorney to take your case!. You are going to have to prove damages (what have you lost!? (i!.e!. time at work, pain and suffering (which limits a life activity), etc))!. The attorney will not take a case unless he can get a large reward!.
The only choice you really have is to contact the dentist and see if you can negoitate with him to redo the procedure properly!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

I'm not sure on the malpractice!. Pn the other hand that is kind of the first thing you do when you restore a tooth that has had a root canal!. Tell me did the asst do alot of the work!? I have never heard of the dentist forgetting to take this out!. It is put in to clean the canal!. I am thinking the dentist who did this would want to repair this mistake free of charge!. This is really cutting into your time and your time is as important as his!.Www@Answer-Health@Com





The consumer health information on answer-health.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2011 answer-health.com -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Categories