Question:
I contacted my insurance agency because I don't see how these things
should be breaking left and right. (before leaving the office I asked
if it will affect what I can eat or cannot... i.e. i chew on ice all
the time... they flat out told me no, that i can chew on chicken bones
if i want to, they'll be strong enough to withstand this). The
insurance company says my only options are to file malpractice (which
I think is a tad extreme and probably not the case, although it's
possible), or to go back and ask if they can fix it all at no cost, as
a warranty type of thing.
I don't wanna file malpractice because I have no proof that it was.
It could be simple issues with my teeth grinding, but I was told they
would survive eating bones.. how else am I to take that but they are
solid and won't break?
I also do not want to go back to this dentist because I never felt
really comfortable with him to begin with. The whole office seemed
rather off. (the dental assistant is who started grinding the crown
down to get it to fit right).
What do I do? This one operation maxed out my dental benefits for
that year, and I still paid almost $1500 out of pocket. I can't
afford to pay that again.
Answer:
If you did not have the bar-bell in your tongue, I would replace the bridge
at no charge. If the bar-bell went through the tongue after the bridge went
in, I would share the cost with you. If the bar-bell was in your mouth when
the dentist made the bridge, then the dentist should have warned you that
those things commonly break porcelain.
If there was not a hunk of metal bouncing around on the end of your tongue,
I would say that the porcelain fractured due to some defect during
manufacture of the crowns which was not visible. With a bar-bell through
your tongue, I would be very *suspicious* that the bar-bell cracked the
porcelain a little at a time.
I know it's my fault for waiting so long, but in my defense I have to
further say this.
At one point I had a really long barbell in and it would always hit my
back teeth. As soon as I got the crowns, I changed it out with one
that was half as long. I can't even hardly touch any of my teeth
without twisting my tongue in all sorts of painful fashions just to
get too the teeth.
The first crown broke, when I just clenched my jaw just within a day
or 2 of having it. Ever since I left the place I said that my left
crown made contact with my bottom teeth before my right side. That
would suggest that my bite wasn't corrected like it should have been.
The barbell has probably done it's fair share of chipping, but the
major breakages have been caused either by my own teeth (clenching),
or while I was chewing on a plastic toothpick. Plastic. I distinctly
remember when the pontic snapped. It felt like a gunshot in my head.
I was chewing on the toothpick, and SNAP. Major chunk gone.
I will further say that now with all the breakages, my bite almost
feels PERFECT. Looking at my teeth, you can see how my bottom fit
almost perfectly into each breakage in the crowns. It seems more
natural now than it ever did.
I know it's a lost cause to ask the doc to pay for it all over again
because it is very suspicious with me having this big hunk of metal.
What I'm asking is why it never felt natural to begin with? Both the
crown and the bridge always felt like they were not fitted correctly
to fill the grooves of my other teeth, for a natural bite setting.
I know I'm going to have to repay for it all.. if I even go that
route. Looks like I won't have a choice if these keep chipping away
and end up leaving my shaven teeth exposed. I'm already starting to
feel sensations. (2 of the teeth have had root canals, but one is a
live tooth that was shaved to fit part of the bridge).
My last question would be: If I get them replaced, can I get
something more durable at least? I don't care for the cosmetic part
of it. (if I could have titanium teeth, i'd replace them all haha).
Can I get something that is pretty much solid metal instead of just
the gold underlay of the porcelain?
Will it be cheaper than the porcelain vaneer? I just want my teeth
stumps covered with something I don't have to worry about breakin
everytime I eat/sleep.
Your description of the "bite" feelng off until it chipped could fit a
schenario where the crowns were not made well. Chipping porcelain could be
from the lab making the porcelain too thin. the bar-bell may just make
figuring out the excact problem difficult.
You can get full porcelain, full gold, full base metal, porcelain fused to
metal, composite resin, stainless steel, soft acrylic, etc. There are lots
of choices. None are good choices if they are not done well, or if the
patient does not take care of it. All are good choices in the right cases.
You need to see the original dentist first, and give them the opportunity to
re-do the case (if they feel they share any blame). You can always go to
any dental office you want. Be prepared to pay for a second opinion (that
is the way things work), and be prepared to pay full price, if the work is
re-done at a different office.
