Glendale Implant Dentist Archives

Can a Venue be Charged for Emergency Dental Work?

Posted on May 31, 2019 by writeradmin.

I was at a small concert venue when a fight broke out. I wasn’t involved in the fight but the “bouncer” must have thought I was. I got knocked in the mouth. I thought I was fine, but when I returned home I noticed one of my front teeth feels a bit loose. In fact, I’m sure it is because it is wiggling. I don’t have a lot of money. If I go to the dentist can I bill the venue for my work?

Walt

Dear Walt,

What I want you to do first is stop wiggling it. There are ligaments which help hold your teeth into place. If you keep wiggling it, you risk snapping them.

In answer to your question, though, a dentist can only charge the person receiving the dental work for their care. There are a few exceptions for that. One exception would be the parent or guardian of a minor child. Another would be if someone else writes that they are taking responsibility for someone else’s work. Finally, if a court orders someone else to pay for the work.

This means unless the venue agrees to pay for the work, you will be responsible for the charges. I know that is likely discouraging to you, but I have some things which may help.

Don’t Put Off Emergency Dental Care

One thing you want to do is see a dentist right away. That gives you the greatest chance of saving your tooth. Hopefully, it is just a matter of the ligaments having been stretched. If that is the case, the dentist will only have to splint the teeth until the ligaments heal.

The emergency dentist will do x-rays in order to determine if there was any internal damage. If so, then a root canal treatment may be necessary.

I know you are worried about the cost. Fortunately, most dentists are compassionate and want to help their patients. If you do not have the money, there are emergency dentists who will allow you to pay it out. Either they’ll have in-house payment options or will work through Care Credit. This allows you to get the work you need before things get worse.

After your teeth are cared for, if the venue still refuses to pay toward the bill, you can take them to small claims court. One thing to be aware of. Even if you win, they will only award you the cost of what it would have been if you went to the dentist in a timely manner.

If the tooth could have been saved, but you delayed and then had to get an extraction and a dental implant to replace the tooth. You will only be awarded the funds for what the treatment would have been.

This blog is brought to you by Glendale, CA Implant Dentist Dr. Robert Thein.

Doubting Getting Implant Overdentures

Posted on December 26, 2018 by writeradmin.

I’ve had many crowns and bridges placed on teeth. I have horrible genes when it comes to teeth. I mean the worst. It’s getting to the point where more and more teeth are failing me and I’m thinking about just pulling them all and just getting implant overdentures. However, two years ago I had my first dental implant placed. It’s loose. I thought these were supposed to be longterm. If they only last two years, I’m not sure implant overdentures will be a good solution. What do you recommend?

Charlie

Dear Charlie,

Before we get into whether or not you get implant overdentures, I want to discuss your loose implant. This shouldn’t be loose. Dental implants are a lifetime type of treatment. There are three parts to a dental implant: the implant itself, the abutment, and the crown.

The loose feeling could actually mean the crown is loose. Then, it’s just a simple matter of fixing the bonding. The worst case scenario is the implant itself is loose. But, early intervention can still save it depending on the root cause. You don’t want dental implant failure.

Should You Get Implant Overdentures?

If your teeth absolutely cannot be saved, then implant overdentures are a fantastic solution to replacing all of your teeth. However, I’m a big believer in saving as many natural teeth as possible. While dental implants are the closest thing to having natural teeth, having healthy, natural tooth structure is always better.

The good news is any dental implants you have now can be used on an implant overdenture you get in the future, saving you costs later down the road. So if you happen to lose another tooth or two, the implants aren’t wasted.

If Your Implant Fails

When you use an experienced implant dentist, the success rate is 98%. Like any medical procedure though, sometimes the dentist and patient can do everything right but the procedure still fails. It doesn’t happen often but does happen. If it happens to you, all is not lost. It can be done again.

You’ll lose bone structure during the loss of the implant. Because of that, you’ll need to do a bone grafting procedure to build back up the bone before you can have another prosthetic. Fortunately, that’s a simple one-day procedure which true implant dentists will know how to do.

Best of luck and see to that loose fixture right away.
This blog is brought to you by Glendale, CA Dentist Dr. Robert Thein.

Did Dentist Misdiagnose My Husband?

Posted on November 16, 2018 by writeradmin.

I tend to do dental care on an emergency basis. The last two times I went I ended up needing a root canal treatment and dental crown. Last week my husband went in with a toothache to the same dentist I use for emergencies and he only received a crown, no root canal. What gives? Was he misdiagnosed? Will he end up needing more treatment later?

Caroline

Dear Caroline,

There are several reasons for tooth pain. When you needed a root canal, it was likely because you had tooth infections from decay that went undetected and spread. However, that doesn’t mean your husband had the same issue.

His pain could have been for a cracked tooth. It would hurt when he bit down, but wouldn’t need a root canal treatment. The crown would be to protect the damaged tooth and hopefully protect it from further damage.

I’m a tad concerned that the dentist you see for emergencies didn’t explain to either of you why he chose the treatments he did. It’s important you go to a dentist who thoroughly explains not just your diagnosis but all your options for treatment.

Avoiding Dental Emergencies

While you’re not alone in your desire to avoid the dentist. I’m afraid your method of waiting on emergencies is dangerous and don’t want to see you end up in a life-threatening situation. While you’ve caught all infections in time to be solved by a root canal treatment, these type of things can blow up quickly.

One day, you may end up with a tooth which can’t be saved. Either you’ll have to extract the tooth and get an expensive replacement, such as a dental implant, or worse, the infection could spread too quickly to contain.

If you think about how close your heart and brain are to your jaw, the infection could easily spread there and put you at serious risk. People still die from tooth infections. Even this year, several people have died in the United States, including a young father of three young children.

Dental Care Without Fear

Most people avoid the dentist because of the fear of pain. What if I told you there is a way for you to have stress-free, pain-free dental appointments? I recommend you try sleep dentistry. This allows you to sleep through your appointments, getting a healthy smile without any fear. Patients with dental anxiety have found this to be a life changer.

This blog is brought to you by Glendale Dentist Dr. Robert Thein.