Do I have a case to sue my dentist? ?

Question

Me and my twin sister have similar teeth. We have been going to the same dentist for the past 6 or 7 years. We both have one missing tooth on our front teeth and a pegged tooth. We have had braces on and off and we had to pay double the money for braces and retainers because we had them put on and put off. We still have an over bite and they haven't done anything about it. We haven't had braces for about 2 years - we've had retainers for the past 2 years. I saw another dentist today at the same dentist office and he said I could have an implant right now if I wanted to when my other dentist told me I had to wait until I was 21. They also put a veneer on my pegged tooth 2 days ago and it fell off when I was eating. They chipped my sisters veneer and we were suppose to have them on August 15th. They tried to lie and make excuses and now we are still left with messed up teeth after 6-7 years of dental work. They did fix SOME things over the years but they have done a lot of things that make us suspicious! They are just trying to get money! My parents paid well over $15,000 and we don't have our veneers or our over bite fixed. My sister is missing two of her lower teeth also. DO we have a case to sue this dentist? Me and my sister are both 16. My ortho said that I didnt have a over bite anymore and the dentist I saw today said I did. What is going ON?!

Answer 1

Why did you get the braces on then off,then on again?

Too much decay?

It is my experience that those who have to have the braces on then off due to decay are not the best candidates for orthodontics....and their cases have to be postponed until they are more mature, and able to care for all that hardware properly...

Flossing and brushing daily, (3x) and disclosing tablets to check plaque levels, using irrigators and other helps to keep everything clean is critical in addition to wearing whatever appliances are prescribed and doing it correctly.

Adding veneers to this mix might be even more difficult....to keep clean and complete your ortho.

Sounds like a difficult couple of cases, with some poor follow-through and then a wish for more cosmetic results in an more immediate way.

A possible way to approach this would be to get another opinion from another orthodontist........since you have lost rapport with this dentist and see where that takes you.

Answer 2

i would definitely sue it is not on if that were my dentist my mum would be absolutely fuming i wold find out the facts weather you should be 21 or not if the answer is no then absolutely sue

Answer 3

If you want to pursue this you need to contact the local dental society first for a peer review.  They will examine you and decide if, in fact, there has been malpractice and any need for disciplinary action.  You can find the name of the local dental society from the American Dental Association.

Answer 4

You may have a good reason to sue them. But first go the route suggested by docgobbler.

I think the practice you have been going to works like one of assembly lines in a Detroit motor car factory. Besides, if they are putting implants , giving you braces and also veneers - why go to those people in the first place. A jack of all trades is also master of none. Dentistry has specialties - orthodontics for braces and prosthodontics for implants and veneers, endodontics for root canals and so on.

Second important thing to think about is the psychology part. Dental graduates who are passionate about something in dentistry will put in another three years into learning it. That is how they become specialists. Unfortunately, a lot of graduates are ready to start making money!!! (yea!!!) - they day they finish dental school. I wouldn't go to a general dentist for anything!! I care for my teeth so I go to specialists.