Dentist, failed extraction, ouch!

[Waldo 96]

Went to dentist early last week, to have a tooth extracted. After 15 mins tugging at it to and fro, they gave up! Referring me to dental hospital, appointment could take 7 to 8 weeks...

 

Has been 5 and a half days since the procedure, and currently in a lot of pain, despite pain killers. Keep waking up in night, in quite a bit of pain. Can only eat very soft foods. What can I do, can't go on like this for 7 weeks!

[aliceBB 10]

Sounds most unsatisfactory. Turn up at the nearest hospital dental emergency clinic and ask them to take it out - under general anaesthetic, if need be.

 

Why does it need taking out in the first place?

[monkeygirl 10]

oooh. sounds painful. don't go for 7 weeks - take alicebb advice

[Waldo 96]

Thanks.

 

The tooth had decay below the gum line. Dentist felt it wasn't salvageable, even with root canal treatment. They've referred me to Charles Clifford for surgical extraction, but recon it's 7 to 8 weeks waiting list. Also, I think you can't self refer there if you have a dentist.

 

Are there any other dental hospitals?

[monkeygirl 10]

could you google - dental emergency. i am sure there is somewhere you can go sooner than 7-8 weeks. as much as anything, i reckon they probably wouldn't want you to be on strong painkillers for that amount of time

 

good luck with it - hope you get it sorted sooner rather than later

[Super Hans 10]

Call NHS direct, they'll decide whether you're in enough pain to refer you to an emergency dentist. Just say you're taking a load of co-codamol and they're not working.

 

You'll get an appointment that day and they take it out, to me it sounds like an incompetent dentist, I've never heard of a failed extraction.

[aliceBB 10]

 

Are there any other dental hospitals?

 

I do not know the Sheffield hospitals, I'm afraid, as I don't live there. But I had a dental emergency in Newcastle upon Tyne and my daughter took me to the clinic attached to the University School of Dentistry. You turn up at 8 am and wait (can be for hours) but you do get seen. The work is carried out by dental graduates under supervision and the one who attended to me and took my tooth out was fantastic. They are young but they are qualified and it's free.

 

I'm sure they must have something similar in Sheffield, as the University does train dentists.

[tzijlstra 11]

I suspect you will need a dental surgeon (specialised at extractions) rather than a dentist, seeing how the dentist failed to take it out, which is why there is a waiting list. It isn't good enough though, so go back to your dentist and ask them for advice.

 

Alternatively check with the Charles Clifford (contact).

[Waldo 96]

Call NHS direct, they'll decide whether you're in enough pain to refer you to an emergency dentist. Just say you're taking a load of co-codamol and they're not working.

 

You'll get an appointment that day and they take it out, to me it sounds like an incompetent dentist, I've never heard of a failed extraction.

 

Thanks Super Hans.

 

To be fair to the dentist, they did say the roots of the tooth bend backwards, which explained why it was problematic to pull. Not sure why that didn't show up on the initial X-ray though. They advised me that they should stop, as they could make matters worse.

 

I'm not at all happy with the outcome, but not sure that means the dentist is incompetent.

 

My pain comes can goes, it's not too bad at the moment, co codomol in effect! Hurts a lot when it wears off though. Don't want to keep taking them and ibuprofen for 7 or 8 weeks though!

 

---------- Post added 22-06-2014 at 23:07 ----------

 

I suspect you will need a dental surgeon (specialised at extractions) rather than a dentist, seeing how the dentist failed to take it out, which is why there is a waiting list. It isn't good enough though, so go back to your dentist and ask them for advice.

 

Alternatively check with the Charles Clifford (contact).

 

Thanks Tim.

 

They referred me to the Charles Clifford in fact. I believe, if you are registered with a dentist, you can't then self refer to the Charles Clifford (your dentist needs to refer you). Something like that...

 

I will be making a few phone calls in the morning, and see what's what.

Edited June 22, 2014 by Waldo

[geared 311]

I've never heard of a failed extraction.

 

I've had one, they do happen and it's not fun.

 

The nerve in my jaw is slightly out of place, so when they hit it with anathestic it's only partially effective.

I had nearly ten go's on the needle last time I went.

 

I waited a week for the initial swelling to go down, then went back for a second round of tugging and the tooth came out much better the second time.

 

It was half out the second time so much easier to extract.

[Waldo 96]

Phoned both the Charles Clifford and my dentist, both completely useless.

 

CC won't consider me for emergency treatment, because I am registered with a dentist.

 

My dentist suggest I make an emergency appointment with them (will need to phone tomorrow morning to make appointment for one), where they may give me antibiotics, but no chance of getting an appointment for surgical extraction any sooner.

 

Looks like I'll just have to suffer for 7 weeks.

[Draggletail 58]

I can't see why they couldn't extract. I once had a double tooth they couldn't pull so they drilled down into the tooth making a large hole, then put in a tool that expanded and broke the tooth into pieces and pulled it out in bits.