Root Canal Re-treatment Go Around
6 May 2008
I thought I was supposed to be undergoing my root canal operation in today’s appointment with the specialist at Tan Tock Seng’s dental clinic. However it was not to be. I arrived right on time for my appointment after a very rushed lunch alone at the food court. After doing some introductory knocks to check on the tenderness of the tooth, the specialist landed me a bomb.
“We made a mistake, today is not the treatment.”
It was clearly stated on my appointment card that today’s visit was for the Root Canal Treatment that would last an hour. And how fitting that an unnecessary consultation which cost me SGD $61 was dished out. I didn’t bother to argue, maybe I should have.
Whatever checks that needed to be done or information that I needed to know, it was already taken care of in my previous visit. I was only told to keep my gums as healthy as possible to ease the process of the re-treatment. And that was the only thing I took back from this visit.
I was hesitant to schedule my next appointment after seeing how I was needlessly charged. I launched an impromptu appointment with my family’s dentist and was prepared to have my re-treatment done there instead. However wouldn’t you have it, the re-treatment could only be done with the proper equipment by a specialist, as it is a more complex and difficult operation compared to a normal root canal treatment.
There were 2 options for me, I would have to either get my re-treatment done at Tan Tock Seng’s dental clinic at a subsidized rate of SGD $250 or go to a private dentist who would do it at the full price which is at least SGD $1000. And naturally, you would know what is my choice.
It will not be till the 1st of July before I can go ahead with this operation. As for the crowning of my tooth, who says I have to engage Tan Tock Seng to do it? I would gladly hand over the responsibility to my family’s dentist, less I have to go through extra unneeded consultations and months of waiting before my tooth gets operated on.
This has been dragging for far too long, it was in February when I first made known of my intention to crown my front tooth and come July it would be a good 5 months. Hopefully I can get my tooth’s crown completed by end July.
i guess that’s what you get for paying $750 less.
bloody expensive yo…
What a commercialized world we live in. Money talks. Subsidized rates will get them trying to squeeze any amount out of you.
After seeing 3 Endodentists (my choice) since re-treatment is expensive and possible additional procedures even more pricey and disruptive (crown lengthening with and much added pain and inconvenience) AND (big AND) possibility it won’t work the money was well spent (approx. $85 USD times 3).
If I truely need a re-treatment and it fails I’m out all that money that could have been spent on an apiodectomy or even straight to an implant.
But what is even more appalling is in an on-line search on apiodectomy (what they do if the re-treat fails) I discovered since I am asymptomatic (no pain) the x-rays by themselves showing “infection” don’t justify a re-treatment. Reference “Compendium, June 2007; 28(6): 304-311″.
All dentists are crooks only caring about fattening their wallets or purses. They will recommend work even if the patient doesn’t need it putting patient thru uneccesary money spent, pain, discomfort and inconvenience.
There isn’t any infection detected but I want to play safe, by cleaning within the holes and redoing the root canal treatment, any problems in my older years would be a hassle if there is room for bacteria to grow.
My family’s dentist is definitely not a crook, can’t give the same vote of confidence to other dentists though. He gave me the pros and cons of a re-treatment and left the decision up to me, no pressure whatsoever. In the end I decided to do a re-treatment.