Dentist Nightmare

[mirmartinez]

Alright first off
I have no dental insurance and I do not use Credit Cards

In September, my back tooth needed a root canal (and other minor work). I was in severe pain.
So I went through a list of local dentist and choose a lower price range practitioner who could fit me in that week (not the lowest, 5th from bottom)

Anyways. I went in for the appt and found the office to be rundown, dirty, and horrible smelling.
I really wanted to leave but, I was in severe pain and needed relief.
So I go through what turns out to be the most horrible painful root canal known to man.

Fast Forward, two days ago the pain returned (sometimes root canals do not work and need redone)
So here I am with this dilema.
Should I go back and have it fixed (reduced cost, due to the first one not working)
or start over at a cleaner less scary dentist office.

There is a $900 dollar difference between the alternatives

 

[SeaShelley]

Since this is a back tooth.....would you have the option of just having it pulled ? That may be cheaper in the long run and you wouldn't have to worry about it again.

If not, I would look for another place. Dirty, rundown and horrible smelling is not the description of a place that I want someone sticking their hands in my mouth !!!

Good luck !

 

[bgirl29]

If you truly felt the office was unclean I would be vert tempted to go elsewhere for any further treatment. Does this tooth have an crown on it yet? Did the other dentist explain to you that after a root canal the tooth is more likely to break and needs to have a crown done?

I am just thinking if you are going to need more work done on this tooth in the future maybe you would be able to get a discount from a new dentist. OK I understand that you are someone who is opposed to credit cards, have you checked with any of the other dentists in the area as to whether or not they will work out a payment plan with you? Sorry this is getting long I am just trying to see if there may be some other options you had not thought of. Also if the root canal needs to be redone see about being on an antibiotic first this might help reduce the pain. Good luck to you I know that tooth pain is horrible and dental work really is expensive.

 

[HelenePA]

I cracked my last tooth in half and needed a root canal, the dentist also said if I wanted to go the cheaper route it really wouldn't make much of a difference and have it pulled.. I had it pulled for 900$ less than the root canal. I do NOT miss my tooth. If its an option for you I say have it pulled. The pain will be over as soon as its out!

 

[NY Disney fan]

I would pay the $900 difference and go another route.

On another note: I once had a fight (argument) in the middle of a root canal with my dentist. I was ready to punch him out he was so rude and arrogant and just horrible. I was going to walk out right THERE with all the needles stuck in my gums and everything. It took all my will power to stay and let him finish. When the session was over, I left and never went back to him again. Even his receptionists at the front desk say patients had a problem with him. I went to another dentist with the hole in my tooth and all! I have been with this new dentist the past 7 years now.

 

[mirmartinez]

I have had four done over the years (I was in a nasty bike accident when I was younger), back in the good old days (insurance) I went to an endodontist sp?, so nice and easy.
I never considered pulling the tooth, and it was capped/crowned but that broke off last week.

 

[mirmartinez]

I would pay the $900 difference and go another route.

On another note: I once had a fight (argument) in the middle of a root canal with my dentist. I was ready to punch him out he was so rude and arrogant and just horrible. I was going to walk out right THERE with all the needles stuck in my gums and everything. It took all my will power to stay and let him finish. When the session was over, I left and never went back to him again. Even his receptionists at the front desk say patients had a problem with him. I went to another dentist with the hole in my tooth and all! I have been with this new dentist the past 7 years now.

The dentist accidently shot two , not one two rounds of novacaine in my nerve.
He had to take a break so I could throw up.
My heart was beating so fast I thought I was gonna have to pay for an ER visit

 

[koolaidmoms]

Go to another dentist and call the your local Board of Health or someone about that office! Don't let someone else suffer as you have!

I once went to a dentist who started a crown - put the temorary in and then refused to do any more work on me until I paid him $1,100 for the work he had just done. I paid all I could $200-$300 a month. By the time I got back to him the crown was awful. I ended up going to another dentist and the tooth needed to be pulled. The new dentist told me what the original one did was unethical and he could have his license pulled.

Get a new dentist who can really help you. They are out there!

 

[Buckalew11]

I'd start over. I had a toothache in my last tooth also back in Sept. -actually it was my next to last tooth but the other was about to to do the same thing so I just asked him to do both root canals while he was in there.

Did your dentist use an isolation band type thing? It was this piece of rubber like stuff that they used to isolate those 2 teeth while they worked on them. That made the process much better even though it gave me feelings of claustrophobia. Neither RC hurt me at all. We have not crowned them. He put some sort of filling in them to protect it while we are waiting. I would love to just keep it like it is w/o crowning them!

I just would not feel comfoortable in a dirty office, period. That is why I think you should start over + I think a better dentist will have better technology that would keep the processes from being painful. My dentist can actually make his own crowns in the office!
BTW, I am absolutely petrified, scared to death, freaking out afraid of the dentist! (and the bills!!)

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I like to save money as much as anyone, but this is one area where I'd never let cost be the deciding factor. And while I appreciate avoiding credit card debt for frivolous purchases, having credit comes in mighty handy sometimes and this is surely one of those times. I would also never consider pulling a natural tooth that could be saved. Alignment of all of your teeth can shift and cause all sorts of other problems down the road. I know many take that route but many others try to avoid it. Good luck.

 

[momrek06]

I agree with all the posters who said GET ANOTHER OPINION!!! I would not go back there at all. And as someone else stated a call to your town's BOH would prompt a visit from them to just check it out.

Remember, your health is your wealth!!!

 

[Handbag Lady]

Go find a GOOD dentist first.

Ask friends for ideas, and visit the offices or just drive-by until you get the feel for one you like.

Then, have a prelim appointment and explain that you will pay in case or make cash payments and if they can work on the rate with you.

I wouldn't go back to the first dentist if he said he'd even do it for free.

 

[Stacerita]

I would also check into seeing if there is a local dental school. They will do dental procedures under the close watchful/participating eye of a veteran dentist. Its tons cheaper, and since they are being watched and graded, they do they best work they can. I know many people who have done that route when they could not afford going to a regular dentist.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Definitely consult a different, more reputable dentist. Or as a pp said, look up an endodontist. All they do are root canals and they really know what they're doing. I recently had a back molar done that had cracked. I was told pulling it wasn't a good idea because without something back there, the rest of my bottom teeth on that side would gradually begin to move and become misaligned. Also, some dentists will work with you on payment plans, too, if you don't have dental insurance.

And I'm kind of surprised by the OP's comment about there being a $900 difference between alternatives. The specialist I went to for my root canal barely charged over $900 for the whole thing.