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Should I take the referral from the emergency dentist or go back to my regular dentist?

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snapper

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Joined
Jan 14, 2011
Messages
163
Should I take the referral from the emergency dentist or go back to my regular dentist?

Hi,

Need some suggestions about what to do about a tooth that's becoming a problem, but the dentist I normally see seems to be avoiding treating it!

I rang my regular NHS dentist practice about a week before Christmas as I was having mild toothache and a bad taste from an upper back tooth. This tooth has a crown which has served me well for the last 22 years but there's something dodgy going on underneath it and I didn't want it to flare up over the Christmas break.

I went to my regular dentist 4 weeks earlier with the same tooth after being woken with toothache. It was not X-rayed and I was told it is muscle spasm! and to "keep wearing the splint". I feel that my regular dentist missed the problem.

Could I get an emergency appointment, NOPE. Unless I was happy to turn up at the surgery at very short notice and wait to be seen. Unfortunately for me that was not an option. Work commitments just didn't allow. I did suggest coming in later that morning and waiting to be seen by any dentist but that was declined, as was my suggestion to be seen by any dentist over the next few days. I was not given an alternative route to access emergency care and had to prompt them about opening times over Christmas.

I rang up some random dental practice to take a look at this tooth and luckily they gave me an emergency appointment that afternoon. The tooth was X-rayed and it seems there is a large area of decay under the gum line under the old crown and a small abscess at the end of one of the roots. I was prescribed antibiotics informed that referral to the dental hospital for specialist treatment was the best option to save this tooth.

Should I go back to my regular dentist to question him further and confront him with the problem or cut my losses and go with the dental hospital referral through the emergency appointment from a dentist I have only recently met? I have been told it is a case the specialist may be willing to take on, as only limited cases are taken on over the year. I am concerned that the dental hospital may favour extraction rather than saving my tooth and would a private specialist give my tooth a fighting chance? :hmm:

I am a bit of a control freak and the idea of sedation and the like is causing me some anxiety. I'm also feeling a little shell shocked and wondering why my regular dentist didn't pick this up.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Snapper
 
Re: Should I take the referral from the emergency dentist or go back to my regular dentist?

Firstly I would wait for a date to see the hospital dentist, while I was waiting I would look for a new dentist. They should have seen you if you were in pain.

If you find a dentist that can deal with the tooth before the hospital appointment good get it seen to, if not you have the hospital to fall back on. Do let them know that you wouldn't be turning up though then they could see someone else.

I would not trust your dentist, they should have done an x ray as the emergency one did they cannot see what is happening under a crown or the gums without.

It is up to you to decide whether to see your dentist although he may not know that you couldn't see him if it was the staff that answer the phones that made the decision. If you have have had a good relationship with your dentist apart from this I would give him a chance, if not find another that will give you proper care.
 
Re: Should I take the referral from the emergency dentist or go back to my regular dentist?

Thanks Carole, that's helpful. I have been thinking along the same lines. I will take the referral from the emergency dentist. I'll contact the surgery in the new year. The emergency dentist was flexible about the referral and told me to think about it over the Christmas break as I was hesitant about what to do at the appointment.

I also believe it's worth talking to my regular dentist about this tooth. There may have been a breakdown in communication. The receptionists did sound busy that day. :)
 
Re: Should I take the referral from the emergency dentist or go back to my regular dentist?

Sometimes receptionists can make decisions they shouldn't, and if they were rushed it could have just been unfortunate for you that she didn't handle your pain with more sympathy. It sounds as if your dentist didn't really do what he should either, he should have x rayed the tooth.

But you know if you trust them or not, at least you have options, I would go for the hospital specialist as they will save the tooth if it is savable and are the best people to do it really. They will be dealing with these things all the time and it will just be routine to them. It may be a struggle for your dentist, what ever you do is the correct thing for you.

Let us know how you get on. Good luck :clover::clover::clover:

Don't leave it though because you will lose it if you do, and you don't want the pain to get worse.
 
Re: Should I take the referral from the emergency dentist or go back to my regular dentist?

Hi snapper,

I'm sorry you have had such a problem with your tooth just before Christmas, but I hope things were OK for you.

I am surprised that the receptionists did not deal with your situation better and give you some advice at least. They do not sound very helpful and I often feel that the attitudes of the receptionists and nurses reflect the attitudes of the dentists and philosophy of the practice. After all they are the face of the practice and should be able to reassure and give you some guidance about how to access emergency dental care if they were unable to offer you an appointment that fitted in with you work schedule. In my book, that was the least they should have done.

Unfortunately and in my experience, good NHS dental care is patchy. The NHS is an excellent, quality service, but some how, dentistry, sometimes lets it down.

All the best to you and I hope you get you tooth fixed sooner rather than later. :grouphug:
 
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