was I cheated by periodontal specialist??

[kenny1999]

I don't want to bore you guys with details so I just try to shorten and highlight everything. Make it as brief as possible.

I'm 31 and I didn't care about my oral health at all before I was 30. I didn't have routine cleaning at dental office, and I hardly brushed twice every day, I brushed twice A WEEK, horrible enough?

In early 2015 I had painful and bleeding gum, I could even move some of my teeth with fingers, I was extremely worried and went to AT LEAST FOUR different general dentists for consultation and advice. All of them were impatient to explain anything to me and just said - YOU ARE OK, BYE....

But none of them took any x-ray or measured depth pockets for me. They just refused to do so. They said - We don't have the instrument...

I had doubts against them so I later on went to a gum specialist who charged the most expensive and located in the landmark of the city. They looked really professional.

After taking x-ray and measuring pocket depths for me he concluded that I had got early periodontal disease and deep cleaning /scaling treatment is necessary and I then agreed. Even though it was more expensive than standard price I researched on the web.

Now I've finished the treatment for almost half a year and still went back for maintenance every 2 months. He advises me to come back every 2-3 months for maintenance but it's really expensive each time... Around 350 bucks each time (20 min)

A few weeks ago I happened to meet and talk to a hygienist student who is very young and very passionate, She is currently studying in a dental school , specifically in the periodontal section. She has already graduated but she is still under training. So it makes sense to assume that she should have better, more comprehensive, and more fair information than average people.

After I've told her my situation, I highlight a few things she has raised...

1. She said periodontal disease CAN BE CURED, but daily personal oral hygiene is extremely important. Follow-up maintanence??? It helps but not necessary, especially in the early case. The expensive specialist told me that follow-up maintanence is important, even though how hard I cleaned my teeth there are something only specialist could clean it out.....

2. She said,...If one has bleeding gum or any abnormalities that could link to periodontal disease, it can be very often detected or seen by himself or any GENERAL DENTIST, Specialist is only necessary under very serious situation by the referral of general dentist.


I've already spent more than USD 6,000 for the specialist. After her comment and my thinking back of the whole thing... (4 General dentist and her comment)....

Was I cheated by the specialist??? Spending arms and legs while having unnecessary treatment??

 

[comfortdentist]

This doesn't sound quite right
Are you in the USA?
All general dentists should have and use periodontal probes
I don't agree with there is a cure for periodontal disease. It requires management long term. With long term management teh disease can be prevented from progression to a very large extent.
350 for regular recall care is high. Maybe in Manhattan, NY okay.

 

[kenny1999]

Sorry I am not in the United States. I am in Hong Kong.

I've talked to the hygienist student who is a student in the government dental training school. Non-profit one.

I assume she should have better knowledge since at least she has spent some years on this area

Her points are
1. Once the gum is healed, and no longer bleed, and you don't have any abnormalities like pain. It's OK, It's a cure. Then keep your daily oral hygiene with interdental floss.

2. She does not talk about regular maintanence or management things even if I asked her a couple of time. She kept emphasizing that daily oral hygiene is important.



Yes, the four different General dentist I saw didn't take any x-ray or use any probe at all.

None of them suggested that I had periodontal disease.

One of them, an old dentist, he strongly emphasized that I MUST HAVE NO periodontal disease.
He said that if someone had periodontal disease, he will have signs/ symptoms of the disease like bleeding, loose teeth.........He said pocket depth measurement is only the second layer of measurement.

That means he said, as by his naked eye and quick checkup, I had no sign of bleeding and no loose teeth, he could confidently conclude that I had no periodontal disease.


All dentists here are licensed and should be very professional according to their qualifications.
It looks like I never know the truth.

 

[bcjch]

This sounds fishy to me. I'm no expert, but I've been told I have unhealthy gums for at least 25 years. Dentists and hygienists alike act as though my gums look like dried-out pulled pork. They have suggested I have cleanings more often than usual, but nothing like yours have been telling you from the sounds of things.

 

[comfortdentist]

Periodontal probing is an essential step in diagnosis and management of periodontal disease. You want to treat it before the signs become obvious.
This is always true.

 

[gentledental]

Sorry I am not in the United States. I am in Hong Kong.

I've talked to the hygienist student who is a student in the government dental training school. Non-profit one.

I assume she should have better knowledge since at least she has spent some years on this area

Her points are
1. Once the gum is healed, and no longer bleed, and you don't have any abnormalities like pain. It's OK, It's a cure. Then keep your daily oral hygiene with interdental floss.

2. She does not talk about regular maintanence or management things even if I asked her a couple of time. She kept emphasizing that daily oral hygiene is important.



Yes, the four different General dentist I saw didn't take any x-ray or use any probe at all.

None of them suggested that I had periodontal disease.

One of them, an old dentist, he strongly emphasized that I MUST HAVE NO periodontal disease.
He said that if someone had periodontal disease, he will have signs/ symptoms of the disease like bleeding, loose teeth.........He said pocket depth measurement is only the second layer of measurement.

That means he said, as by his naked eye and quick checkup, I had no sign of bleeding and no loose teeth, he could confidently conclude that I had no periodontal disease.


All dentists here are licensed and should be very professional according to their qualifications.
It looks like I never know the truth.

350 hkd is expensive but it's reasonable if you are seeing a periodontist. Like what comfort dentist said your oral hygiene is extremely important to prevent disease progression. Most general dentists are able to diagnose and treat this however if you are unresponsive then a specialist opinion should be the next stage.
If you are chinese origin then there is a high likely chance of developing gum disease and should be treated early.
You mentioned the old dentist can tell you don't have periodontal disease just by looking at them with the naked eye? A BPE should be performed during the examination and xray radiographs can be taken to assess bone loss.
You mentioned that you had bleeding gums at the beginning and none of the four general dentists detected this. Are your gums bleeding now so would you agree that the specialist's treatment had worked?
Your account sounds like the specialist has diagnosed you correctly , provided you with the right treatment, however you now realise that things need to be maintained. Once you have gum disease, the chances of it recurring is greater so you do have to maintain it regularly I'm afraid. I would rather pay 6000hkd to save many teeth than pay 20000 hkd per implant per tooth.