Cracked tooth, fixed

[Zeke]

I don't know, the best dentists are always booked solid. My guy is 2 months out at any given point unless I do a standby for a cancellation. The last emergency still took a day to get in.

Joe, suing because one had to pull his own tooth? I don't know...

[dentist90]

Finding space to see an emergency can be a real challenge in some practices, let alone finding time to treat them. I am booking in Nov. already, and this is the reason that I have had to stop taking new patients for the past 3 years. It breaks my heart to turn people away and we have to do this several times a day, but I can't keep up with my existing patients. And the problem with leaving spaces in the day for emegencies is that it just pushes back appointments for scheduled work (and some that is fairly urgent too). BUT we do see people, even if they aren't patients of record, for emergencies. We may not follow up, but we will at least find out what the problem is and put a 'band-aid' on the situation. A big part of how soon one is seen is how emergent the situation is: a 10 yr old who has knocked his tooth out gets in now, same for someone who has swelling. Someone who has a broken filling but it isn't sore may be a day (or two). It depends on how bad it sounds to the receptionist. But our receptionist will at least give the patient an idea of when, not leave them hanging. If you were a patient of his I would think that they should at least have given you an idea of a time, not have you waiting by the phone indefinitely.

As far as suing for an implant? If the tooth was going to be lost anyway the only harm was the self-inflicted pain. Calling another dentist would be an alternative. But there is probably a reason there are more personal injury lawyers than cardiac surgeons in our society

[dentist90]

Originally Posted by vash

dentist!!! for the uninformed..what is going on with that horrible picture you posted? is that tartar,,? gross.

Yes, that individual was something else. She had braces started by an orthodontist (who knows when) but had stopped going. When she came to see me she was complaining of 'sensitive teeth'. Hmmmm... ya don't say? She also wanted the braces off as she would not be following up with them.
So as I began to remove the brackets it became apparent that enamel was going to come off with them, so I grabbed the camera more to document the condition before I got into it too far than anything else (and she tries to claim that her teeth were perfect before I touched them!)
If there is tartar there it was under the nice wool blanket of what we call in the biz 'materia alba' (white stuff!) Anyway, this young woman now has dentures top and bottom. And the icing on the cake? I got stiffed on the dentures.
But at least I got these nice pictures in the deal.

[vash]

wow. dentist..she must have had some funky breath. you are a total soldier.

how old of a woman is this? dentures? damn. going out to load up on floss now...

[dentist90]

It was about 15 years ago, but I believe she was in her late 20s/early 30's.

[vash]

damn.

[cnielsen]

Yep, definately can happen. Youngest person I put into full dentures was 16 years old... meth and Mt Dew habit...

Byron, I would bet you only got a portion of the tooth out. Go have an x-ray taken to be sure.

Agree the dentist's office should have called you back. I make certain that every true emergency is seen that same day. Many times we don't have time to do treatment but at least we can make the patient more comfortable and make a game plan.

On the flip side... we get lots of calls about an "emergency" but then when we tell them we can see them at say 3:00, they respond with..."well my kid has football practice" or "well thats too early" or some other BS excuse. So it is kink of the "boy who cried wolf" most of the time.

Anyway, warm salt water...nothing else. Call your dentist or go see a new one.

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by cnielsen

Yep, definately can happen. Youngest person I put into full dentures was 16 years old... meth and Mt Dew habit...

Byron, I would bet you only got a portion of the tooth out. Go have an x-ray taken to be sure.

Agree the dentist's office should have called you back. I make certain that every true emergency is seen that same day. Many times we don't have time to do treatment but at least we can make the patient more comfortable and make a game plan.

On the flip side... we get lots of calls about an "emergency" but then when we tell them we can see them at say 3:00, they respond with..."well my kid has football practice" or "well thats too early" or some other BS excuse. So it is kink of the "boy who cried wolf" most of the time.

Anyway, warm salt water...nothing else. Call your dentist or go see a new one.

Well, I didn't tell them that it was an "emergency" I called to find out what I should do until they could get me in, after a few weeks with me calling them, it got worse and still no response from their office. My dentist did call today, while I was at rehab for my knee and now have an appointment for tomorrow night, I also found a new dentist, but they aren't taking new patients until Sept, but said they could try & work me in if I still need it. Tomorrow will be a full day, knee doc in the morning, back doc at lunch, the dentist in the evening

[Racerbvd]

Cnielsen, you were correct, I was pretty sure there was some this there and my dentist called me around 8:30 to see if I could make it tonight(this is one of the things I really like about him, working at night.. I've been using him since 1992.. Got in did the X-ray, numbed up my mouth & went to work... I will still have to go back to get fitted for a crown, but at least the rest of the tooth is out, now I can't eat as I have stitches..