I got six crowns on my upper front teeth in January, although my dentist led me to believe I was getting crowns. My dentist shaved down my teeth, two of which had root canals. After getting temporary crowns, my left canine began to hurt, but my dentist said there wasn’t a need for concern. I saw an endodontist who took X-rays and said the tooth was infected and required extraction. My right canine needs root canal therapy.
The endodontist said that my dentist placed six crowns, although he continues to call them 360 veneers. After getting them, I’ve spent a lot of money on crowns that I thought were veneers and tooth infections. Can I take legal action to help prevent my dentist from traumatizing another patient? – Thanks. C.L. from Virginia
C.L.
It sounds like you agreed to dental treatment, expecting one outcome based on discussions about veneers, and ended up with crowns and serious complications.
Clear communication and informed consent are fundamental to healthcare procedures. Before treatment begins, you have the right to understand what procedure is being proposed, why it’s recommended, what it involves, the potential risks and benefits, and alternatives
How Do Porcelain Veneers and Crowns Differ?
Porcelain veneers require minimal tooth preparation
It’s true that porcelain veneers and crowns are distinct procedures, with veneers being a more conservative approach requiring less removal of natural tooth structure. Crowns cover the entire tooth and require extensive tooth preparation, shaving the tooth on all sides. While some dentists might blur the lines (occasionally using terms like “360-degree veneers” to describe crowns), crowns and veneers have distinct differences. It’s concerning when a patient consents to a conservative treatment like veneers but receives dental crowns instead.
Aggressive tooth preparation associated with crowns may have contributed to the problems you experienced. This highlights some critical points regarding the difference in procedures and their potential impact:
- Aggressive Preparation: Crowns require significantly more tooth reduction than the minimal preparation for veneers.
- Risk to Your Tooth: Extensive preparation increases the risk of damaging the tooth’s nerve or structure.
- Possible Complications: The damage you described may lead to the extraction of one canine and root canal therapy on the other.
- Better Outcome with Veneers: It is less likely that these complications would have occurred with conservative preparation for porcelain veneers.
Consider consulting a healthcare malpractice attorney to see if you have a case. You can also report the issue to the Virginia State Dental Board.
The Monroe, Louisiana, dentists at Bayou Dental Group sponsor this post. Please read how Dr. Finley and his team strive to offer some of the best dental care in Monroe.
