Cat71 Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Last Thursday morning I visited my dentist to commence treatment for a crown. Within 5 seconds of her starting to hack away at my broken tooth, the drill got caught. She pulled quite hard and it remained there. She pulled again with the drill still running! The drill released and as she pulled it, it slashed staight through the inside of my lower lip! I had to have two stitches there and then as the deep cut was about an inch long. Not a pleasant experience as you can imagine and I was quite distressed.It was an exceedingly nasty accident and I have been very very sore and swollen all weekend. At the moment my lip is still numb which is quite worrying. I was offered a vague apology and a prescription for some painkillers but I'm now quite cross that she was so negligent and I am having to go through all this discomfort. I still have to got back to continue with the treatment. I have been waiting a while to have this work done but now do not have a great deal of confidence in my dentist.Has anyone had a similar accident? A couple of people have said to claim for compensation but that to me would be quite a difficult decision as my French is not brilliant and I'm sure solicitors don't come free.Catherine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 If you have top-up insurance, speak to them. Mine, Exclusive Healthcare, do provide this kind of advice if you have the right sort of policy. That's what you pay 'em for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meg Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Cor blimey Catherine, now there's a dentist horror story and a half. You poor thing. I think you should maybe find a different dentist to finish the work!Hope you feel better soon and get it sorted out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat71 Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 This all happened on top of me burying the family cat on the Monday after taking her to the vets to be put to sleep and hubby having to go to England for a few weeks on the Wednesday! [:(]I'm now feeling really sorry for myself. No more sympathy please or I'll crack up again. If I change dentists I'll probably have to wait ages again for a rendezvous! At this moment intime I don't fancy getting back into a dental chair.[:'(]Catherine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Does your dentist belong to a group practice ? If so perhaps you change within it. How far did she get with the preparatory work ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Head Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 God Cat that just sounds horrific, you sound like you're handling it really well though....if you don't confront it now though it'll be alot worse in the future, I speak from experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat71 Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 My dentist had only just started the job so I have a half cracked tooth which isn't painful - just delicate, so I could change. She is in a group practise but I almost think I ought to go elsewhere. My daughter is having orthodentistry there at the moment so I'll have to go back there whatever the situation to sign forms etc.So, there we go. I was hoping to have a bridge but my insurance does not cover it. You would think the least my dentist would do would be to offer me the treament gratuit to make up for all she's done! Catherine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 The man/woman who never made a mistake never made anything.It's quite feasable that the drill bit dropped into a cavity and could not be pulled out without running the drill at the same time.Sadly accidents happen as a fact of life, I hope that you and your dentist can put it behind you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llwyncelyn Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Does you house insurance provide some sort of legal package and fees? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Last time I had treatment I changed my dentist within the practice, the first one was a condescending **** and seemed quite unable to answer a basic question about how long the proposed treatment would take. I changed to another dentist whose communication skills were much better despite English probably not being his first language.Injuries in the mouth always seem much worse than they are and I say that as as some one who has had their tongue caught by the drill, as well as being an ex dental nurse.If you are not happy I would ask to change to someone else in the same group, I'm sure they will understand that your confidence has been shaken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deauville Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 I made my first visit to a dentist in Montpon (24), nursing a broken and very sensitive pre-molar. He was going to start a root canal there and then! I am the world's worst scaredy-cat and we came to an arrangement which meant that I went back a week later after taking one of his foo-foo pills. The whole experience was - oddly - one of the best dental trips I've had. He was patient, gentle, informative and reassuring, speaking a little English all throughout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 So glad that someone can report a positive experience with dentistry Deauville. But, foo-foo pills, what might those be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deauville Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Foo-Foo pills, the pharmacutical industry's greatest contribution to the world of cowards - mild tranquilzers! The dentist said that I could get a prescription from the doctor but it would obviousy cost so he fished a packet out of a drawer, no problem, no fee, no panic attack! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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