I never had a root canal until this month, and I surprisingly came out with 2 today! I know nothing about what to expect down the line with these things, and was hoping I could get a feel of what other people might do in this situation. Here's my totally awesome story:
I had throbbing pain, and went to a new dentist who agreed to take me in that evening. The guy did x-rays and showed me the abscessed tooth, and I heard the dreaded words: Root canal. My very first one. He explained everything to me and everyone was great. He did a partial (it was late) and put temporary filling in, and told me to come back in a few weeks to get a permanent filling and a crown.
Fast forward to today. He finishes the RC, looks at me, and says, "I have some very embarrassing news. I did the root canal on the wrong tooth" ... and had to sit through him doing the RC on the right tooth. This wasn't a case of misjudging the tooth that was in pain, he was just plain neglectful in making sure he drilled BACK into a tooth he already drilled into once before. Not to mention the wrong tooth was perfectly fine.
He didn't charge for the wrong tooth, but he also said it didn't need a crown. With it being a molar, is that true? Why does the other tooth need a crown but the other does not?
I'm not sure what to expect in future cost of this tooth now, and what I really should be asking of this man or the practice he works for. He's older and am not really sure how much longer he has to practice. If I need a crown, or a replacement crown, or an extraction and implant, how do I assure that I don't get stuck with the bill down the road?
I get mistakes and have no interest in suing or ruing whats left of this guy's career, but I also don't want to be screwed later.
Thanks everyone in advance for any responses!
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