Question:
Why did the oral surgeon use temporary cement? The tooth needed
permanent cement.
My dentist told me the wisdom tooth needed to come out. I went to an
oral surgeon who did a fine job cutting the tooth out (not impacted).
But in doing the procedure, he first had to remove the crown on the
molar next to the wisdom tooth. His assistant cemented the crown back
in after the wisdom tooth was removed. One week later I am flossing
and the crown popped off.
This crown had been cemented in fine for five years prior. When I
called the oral surgeon to tell them that the cement did not hold they
told me it was only temporary cement. Why? They had not told me this
when they put the crown back on. Now they tell me that they ONLY use
temporary cement and that I have to go see my dentist for permanent
cement.
Why did the oral surgeon not use permanent cement? Now I have to go
through the time and expense of visiting my dentist for permanent
cement like the tooth had before the procedure. How is it possible
that this large oral surgery private practice group has expertise at
removing wisdom teeth (which my dentist can not do) yet either does
not have or will not use the right cement? This seems awfully silly
and inefficient. Are oral surgeons prohibited from using permanent
cement by the American Dental Association or some other regulations?
Why should I have to schedule and pay for a separate visit to my
dentist just for the correct cement?
Answer:
This is similar to buying popcorn at the movies ...... I noticed the usher running right next door buying a huge bag of popcorn for
$3.00 but then divvying it up into one hundred bags and charging each person three bucks!
Why can't I get it directly from the usher, instead of the popcorn lady?
"Oh that's just the system .......... If the usher sells it to you directly then we have to fire him."
Same for the Oral Surgeon.
If he starts doing general dentistry, checking under crowns for decay, etc., then we fire him! (That is, no more referrals for you).
If it came off better let the dentist have a look see.
I imagine the crown CAME off, the surgeon did not remove it ......... the first time.
Yes, the surgeon should have told you a temporary cement was used. He
should have directed you to go to a restorative dentist to check the tooth
out and permanently recement it.
It is unlikely that using a permanent cement by an oral surgeon is
illegal anywhere in the U.S. If he limits his practice to oral and
maxillofacial surgery, however, it is likely to be deemed unethical. He
has decided to restrict his practice. Therefore, if there is anything
wrong with the crown or the tooth he will not correct the problem, and
will not be responsible for it. Somebody should be responsible for seeing
that the tooth is OK, and that should be a good general restorative
dentist.
Your oral surgeon probably doesn't even keep perm cement in the office. Not
telling you to see your reg dentist to have it perm cemented was likely an
oversite.
Oral surgeons do surgery, and crown cementation is not surgery.
Said another way, if he were to permanently cement the crown, and the tooth became abscessed as it sometimes does, then the oral
surgeon would have to call the dental supply house and order root canal files, gutta percha, etc., and really get busy fixing it up!
