Expert: Jeff Dalin DDS - 7/13/2004

Question
Dear Dr. Dalin,
My #14 tooth had a loose filling, and I went to the DDS to get it checked and was told I needed a crown.  I have never had  any sensitivity or pain in association to this tooth.  I had a temp put on and it was sore for about a day then nothing. When I went back in to get the permanent crown put on, the Dentist and the assistant were flirting in the hallway for a good 7 minutes while I sat in the chair.  When they came in the assistant kept talking and asking the DDS silly questions about lunch etc.  and  began to sing along with the radio.  She was really young and it was the first time I had seen her at the office.  The whole time he was examining me she chatted to him.  When it came time for him to pull off the temp crown he asked for a hemostat and she said she didn't put one on the tray, and did he want her to go get one ? He said no and that he would try to take it off with something else and picked up a pliers looking instrument. He grasped my tooth and pulled really hard and I sat up screamed. I could feel my tooth moving. It hurt in a way I have never felt before. My tooth was "hot" to everything now. He had to numb the area and go get the hemostat.  I told the assistant I was nervous and could she not distract the DDS. When he came back he took off the temp but even under the Novocain I could feel it. I asked him about the pain and he said it would go away.  Then he fitted the permanent crown, and it didn't fit so he had to trim it. His next patient was there and he was getting anxious so he left to go numb the other person and came back and tried to refit the crown. Finally it seemed to fit and he impatiently cemented it on.  The whole time he was looking at his watch and fidgeting.  He told me it might take up to a month for the tooth to calm down.  It has been several weeks and my tooth is still super sensitive also there is a gap on the backside of my tooth where the crown ends, my tooth is exposed and my gum begins.  It is wide enough to see in the mirror.  My question is aren't crowns supposed to cover the whole tooth ?  Also could he have damaged or pulled the roots of my tooth when he tried to take off the temp. crown.  I never had any problem with the tooth before . Can partially pull out a tooth and expose the roots.   Could he have damaged my tooth by pulling on it with the wrong instrument ?
Thank you for any help  and insight.

Answer
Rain,
It is impossible for me to diagnose anything like this over the Internet. My advice to you is to go and get a second opinion from a different dentist. I cannot imagine that the dentist partially pulled your tooth out. If that were the case, then the bite would be way off. Your tooth is definitely inflamed and hopefully the inflammation will wear off in time. If you have a root exposed, there are ways to desensitize this. Make that appointment with a different dentist to have the are examined and see what he or she recommends. Good Luck.

Jeff Dalin, DDS